An Arbor Creates Magic
Today the arbor was installed. Instant magic moving towards this garden’s...
read moreFall Container Planting Ideas
It’s the time of year we swap out summer annuals and create a harvest or fall theme. These fall container planting ideas show arrangements that carry past Thanksgiving in the Northeast. Plants include ornamental kale ( both large and small varieties) , pansies, a “grass”, that won’t die at the first hard frost, and a mini pumpkin. And, of course, an aster and a mum for right now. Consider a planting idea using rhododendron branches pruned from the garden with good silk branches of colorful leaves and berries. A happy...
read moreTransplanted Plants Make a Garden
New gardens and planting borders from old. Transplanting makes instant new gardens. Call this a sustainable practice or ” recycle, reuse” ! Overgrown foundation plants at the front door get a new life looking good! Plants from making space for a new addition construction avoid the compost pile. Large Rhodies and the like, and even 12′ -16′ trees can be used to create new garden areas. This current and on-going project is making way for access from a side road for construction machines and the footprint for a new...
read more
Catch my Talk Tomorrow!
Speaking tomorrow to the CT Master Gardener Association Annual Symposium! My talk “Classic Vertical Gardening: Vines that Flower up and around” highlights the structures that vines grow on and the rooms they create. Choice ornamental vines will be highlighted. Looking forward to it! ctmga.org – CMGA for more...
read more“Designing the Winter Garden” Workshop at Mass Hort
Time to register for Maria ‘s workshop Designing the Winter Landscape, Wednesday, January 18th from 10am to 2pm at the Massachusetts Horticultural Society. www.masshort.org or contact Katie Folts *protected email* Award winning landscape designer, flower garden specialist, and home gardener coach, Maria teaches the concepts to design an outdoor space that uses texture, color, and mass planting to create visual interest throughout the winter. Winter gardens also create a backdrop for seasonal flower gardens. Featuring the Bressingham...
read moreMake a ‘Paperwhite’ Narcissus Flowering Winter Centerpiece
Ah, Saturday morning. It’s a frosty start in mid-November and a perfect time to plant ‘Paperwhite’ bulbs for indoor flowering. And, make a fall and later flowering winter centerpiece. Planted now, they’ll bloom in late December and perfume your house, too. Last week I popped into my local garden center and bought ten Narcissus ‘Ziva’ ‘Paperwhite’ bulbs. Now luxuriously in my pjs I’m assembling the plantings. First, I gather 3 tall wide glass vases stored...
read moreHow to Arrange Summer Annuals in Containers
Colorful containers play a starring role in my garden, but especially this summer with New England’s prolonged drought. It was time for an “end-of-summer refresh” for two key containers. Surprisingly the drought this summer hasn’t affected my garden’s seeming lushness. Right plant in the right place is key here and good soil. However, one effect of the drought and water restrictions is the shorter bloom time of the flowering shrubs and perennials in my garden. Hydrangeas and roses that typically bloom all summer in my full sun...
read moreWaking Up with Flowers and Birdsong in my Deck Garden
Summer mornings find me hanging out on my flower filled deck listening to the birds. I’ve made my coffee and now I’m letting this deck garden embrace me. All my sleepy senses are awakening. I smell the herbs nearby–thyme, basil, dill, cilantro, parsley, and more. There’s a breeze moving leaves around and playing soft occasional notes on the wind chime hanging below. I feel the wind on my skin. Too early for direct sunshine. Course I’m tasting the lovely latte I made while drinking in the...
read moreFront Foundation Planting Gets A Facelift
Sometimes plantings get overgrown, tired, or the current design doesn’t work. They need a face-lift, or a re-design. The front foundation plantings, in this case, were not only overgrown, but they hid a beautiful real stone facade at the front door. The composition of this left side foundation planting didn’t really work with the right side– different plants and different planting style. I’m not in favor of total symmetry, mind you, but to work a landscape needs all its parts to continue a theme. Also, as you...
read more