Sunday Musings on Art & Garden Design

Golden October Halesia Leaves - michaela medina harlow - thegardenerseden.comGolden Silverbell Leaves (Halesia tetraptera) on the Sunlit Terrace

It’s Sunday, and after a several weeks of intense fall planting —and many more to go— I decided to give my hard-working muscles a day off. I spent a quiet morning and luxurious, early afternoon sipping coffee, enjoying a home-cooked breakfast and musing on the relationship between art and garden design. I’ve been thinking about this subject a great deal lately, because as both garden designer and professional artist, I often find myself struggling to find balance and separation between the two worlds.

Rudbeckia fulgida, Amsonia illustris, Physocarpus opulifolius and Other Autumn Favorites in the Entry Garden - michaela medina harlow - thegardenerseden.com Texture and Color Play are Great Ways to Extend Season-Spanning Interest in Perennial Gardens. As a Painter, I Love how the Chocolatey Pom-Pom Remnants of Rudbeckia fulgida, Echo the Dark Mystery of Physocarpus opulifolius ‘Summer Wine’, and how the Feathery, Citrus-Hued Foliage of Amsonia illustris Brings out the Purplish Cast in Both Plants

Those of you who know me personally, and some long-time followers of this journal, are aware that in addition to my work in landscape and garden design, I am a painter. During the growing season —late April through mid November here in New England— I spend the vast majority of my days designing and planting gardens. Come winter, I switch aprons and move back into my art studio full time. I have been exhibiting and selling my drawings and paintings for near twenty years, but it has taken me awhile to feel comfortable linking the two careers online. These creative passions are constantly informing one another, of course, and suddenly, I feel an irrepressible urge to unite and present them as one.

Blackhaw Viburnum and King Cycas in the Turquoise Pot - October - michaela medina harlow - thegardenerseden.com Blackhaw (Viburnum prunifolium) Leaves Catch the Morning Light at the Edge of the Steel Balcony. A Potted King Sago (Cycas revoluta), Basks in a Turquoise Pot, Just Beyond

Hydrangea paniculata 'Limelight' and Halesia tetraptera in October Sunlight - Michaela Medina Harlow - thegardenerseden.com  Along the Studio Walk, Hydrangea paniculata, Acer palmatum and Halesia tetraptera Share a Moment of Brilliant October Sunlight

Viburnum trilobum, Miscanthus sinensis and Lindera benzoin in the Front Entrance Garden - michaela medina harlow - thegardenerseden.com Fall Colors and Textures in the Studio Entry Garden: Miscanthus sinensis, Viburnum trilobum, Lindera benzoin, Rudbeckia hirta Remnants and a Carpet-Edge of Sedum ‘Angelina’

Over the coming weeks, you will begin to see a blending and merging of my professional worlds. Not surprisingly, my paintings —like my photographs— are inspired by the landscape, natural elements and botanical world. A lifetime spent studying, sketching, drawing and painting the lines, shapes, textures and colors of the landscape has directly influenced the way in which I design and select individual plants for gardens. I’ll be creating a separate page for my artwork on the left sidebar —with links to my other website— to connect these two parts of myself.  And in addition to regular inclusion of my photography (which is a very new form of artistic expression for me), I’ll be sharing more landscape sketches and drawings, as well as studio paintings, here. I hope you will enjoy the addition of more artwork to this site.

Eupatorium rugosum 'Chocolate' with Euphorbia polychroma and Rudbeckia hirta - michaela medina harlow - thegardenerseden.com Panicum virgatum ‘Heavy Metal’, Eupatorium rugosum ‘Chocolate’, Euphorbia polychroma and Rudbeckia hirta in the Front Entry Garden

Garden photos above were all taken with iPhone 4.

Photography & Text â“’ Michaela Medina Harlow/The Gardener’s Eden. All images, articles and content on this site (with noted exceptions), are the original, copyrighted property of The Gardener’s Eden and may not be reposted, reproduced or used in any way without prior written consent. Contact information is in the left side bar. Please do not take my photographs without asking first. Thank you! 

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