Bee-Friendly Gardens
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Autumn, Autumn Color in the Garden, Autumn Garden Design, Autumnal Equinox, Bark, Bee-Friendly Gardens, Bird Friendly Gardens, Birds, Birds in the Garden, Butterflies and Moths, Color in the Garden, Flowering Trees, Foliage, Fragrance, Hummingbird/Butterfly, Late Autumn Garden, Texture, Trees with Textural Bark, Winter, Winter Garden, Winter Garden Design, Woodland plants, Woody Plants
Sweet-Scented Seven-Son Flower: Heptacodium miconioides Blossoms Welcome Autumn . . .
Heptacodium miconioides in and amongst September garden favorites: Rudbeckia, Solidago, Miscanthus and Physocarpus opulifolius It’s no secret that we northeastern gardeners struggle with a limited growing season. Bare trees for nearly six months is a bit much to take. We want to hold onto the glory of autumn. Where winters are long and summers are […]
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Bee-Friendly Gardens, Beneficial Animals and Insects, Bird Friendly Gardens, Butterflies and Moths
Welcome, Pretty Papillon! Attracting Butterflies & Moths to the Garden
Red-Spotted Purple Butterfly (Limenitis arthemis) in My Wildflower Meadow, Visiting Queen Anne’s Lace (Daucus carota) Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly (Papilio glaucus) on Lilac Blossoms (Syringa vulgaris ‘Mme. Lemoine’ ) in My Garden- Read More About This Lovely Butterfly in My Previous Post by Clicking Here. Fritillary on Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa) – Read More About This […]
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Asian Natives, Autumn, Autumn Color in the Garden, Autumn Garden Design, Bee-Friendly Gardens, Color in the Garden, flowering shrubs, Garden Design, Shrubs for fall color, Woodland plants, Woody Plants
Enkianthus campanulatas ‘Red Bells’ Rings with Rosy, Late Spring Blossoms & Glorious Beauty Beyond Bloom . . .
 Enkianthus campanulatas ‘Red Bells’ with Baptisia australis, blooming in the background June is a fantastic month for flowers. Everywhere you look —from sunny meadows to shady nooks— something seems to be blooming. At this time of year, many gardeners spend their weekend hours strolling through nursery rows, choosing blooming plants based upon their flower color. […]
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Bee-Friendly Gardens, Butterflies and Moths, Native North American Woodlands, Native Plants, Naturalistic Garden Design, Nature, Wildflowers and Meadows
Wild Blue: The Beauty of Baptisia…
The Beauty of North American Native Plants: Wild Blue Indigo (Baptisia australis) & Goat’s Beard (Aruncus dioicus) in My Garden. This Flowering Combo is Backed Up by “Nativars” (Native Plant Cultivars):Â Juniperus virginiana ‘Grey Owl’ &Â Physocarpus opulifolius ‘Diablo’ In my work as garden designer, I often find myself doing overtime as PR agent for native plants. […]
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Annual Flowers, Bee-Friendly Gardens, Beneficial Animals and Insects, Bird Friendly Gardens, Birds, Butterflies and Moths, Caterpillars, flowering shrubs, Flowering Trees, Garden Design, Hummingbird Moth, Hummingbird/Butterfly
In Praise of the Poetic Papillon: Attracting Butterflies, Moths & Other Pollinators to the Garden…
Red-Spotted Purple Butterfly (Limenitis arthemis) in My Wildflower Meadow, Visiting Queen Anne’s Lace (Daucus carota) Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly (Papilio glaucus) on Lilac Blossoms (Syringa vulgaris ‘Mme. Lemoine’ ) in My Garden- Read More About This Lovely Butterfly in My Previous Post by Clicking Here. Fritillary on Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa) – Read More About This […]
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Apples, Asian Natives, Bee-Friendly Gardens, Beneficial Animals and Insects, Fruit for home gardens, Fruit Trees, Heirloom Apples, Honeybee Friendly Gardening, Orchards / Orchard Keeping, Ornamental Berries and Fruit, Pears
Oh, Sweet-Scented Orchard Blossoms! Selecting & Growing Fruit Trees at Walker Farm with Zeke Goodband…
Apple Blossoms at Scott Farm in Dummerston, Vermont The Sweet Scent of Spring: Filling My Hands with Fragrant Apple Blossom Petals as They Fall from the Trees A Inspirational, Springtime Stroll through the Heirloom Apple Orchard at Scott Farm in Vermont Many gardeners dream of an orchard filled with homegrown peaches, plums, pears, quince, cherries […]
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Autumn, Autumn Color in the Garden, Bee-Friendly Gardens, Color in the Garden, Ferncliff, Flower Seeds, Foliage, Garden Design, Garden Design Photos, Garden Maintenance, Meadow Gardens, Native Plants, Naturalistic Garden Design, Nature, New England, Perennial Close-Ups, Perennial Garden Maintenance, Perennials for Autumn, Plant Spotlight, Planting Techniques, Plants for Texture, Summer flowering shrubs
Heavenly as October Skies at Sunset: ‘Raydon’s Favorite’ Aromatic Aster Sparkles in My Autumn Garden …
Raydon’s Favorite aromatic aster (Symphyotrichum oblongifolium ‘Raydon’s Favorite’/ aka Aster oblongifolius) in the front entry garden in mid-October (Shining gold in the background here: Amsonia hubrichtii and Clethra alnifolia ‘Ruby Spice’) When it comes to North American native wildflowers, there’s just no way I could ever choose a favorite. My plant infatuations are many; varying […]
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Autumn, Bee-Friendly Gardens, Beneficial Animals and Insects, Black Plants, Butterflies and Moths, Climbing plants, Cocktails, Ferncliff, Fragrance, Garden Paths, Secret Garden at Ferncliff, Secret Garden Room, Secret Gardens
Seduced by Autumn’s Alluring Scent …
Deep Within the Secret Garden, the Delightful Scent of Fairy Candles (Actaea simplex ‘Hillside Black Beauty’ and ‘Brunette’ aka Cimicifuga racemosa) Perfumes the Air, Luring Me Down the Dim, Winding Path. (Other plants here: Acer palmatum x dissectum ‘Seiryu’, Daphne x burkwoodii ‘Carol Mackie’, Viburum bodnantense ‘Dawn’, and beside the Actaea simplex: glowing, chartreuse Hakonechloa macra ‘All […]
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Bee-Friendly Gardens, Beneficial Animals and Insects, Bird Friendly Gardens, Birds, Color in the Garden, Conifers, Decorating the Garden, flowering shrubs, Foliage, Front Yard Gardens, Garden Design, Garden Design Photos, Garden Structures, Gardening Inspiration, Gardening without Lawn, Hardy shrubs, Honeybee Friendly Gardening, Massachusetts, Native Plants, New England, ornamental grass, Paths and Walkways, Pergolas and Arbors, Plants for Light Effects, Plants for sun, Plants for Texture, Purple and Maroon Foliage, Replacing Lawn, Shrubs for ornamental fruit, Shrubs for Winter Interest
Renovate! How the Garden Next Door Went from Just Grass to Just Gorgeous …
A Prim & Proper Arbor Goes Drop-Dead Gorgeous in a Sexy New Shade of Sangria It’s been awhile since I last featured one of my residential garden design projects on The Gardener’s Eden. And to be completely honest, I’ve been too busy planning and installing gardens to do much writing these days. But over the […]
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Bee-Friendly Gardens, Beneficial Animals and Insects, Bird Friendly Gardens, Birds, Shrubs for ornamental fruit
Hello There, Wayfaring Stranger: Viburnum lantana ‘Variegatum’ Greets Migrating Birds with Bright Red Fruits
Viburnum lantana ‘Variegatum’ – Variegated Wayfaring Viburnum with Fruit in August At this time of year —with migrating birds flocking to shrubs and trees, feasting on seeds and berries— the garden is alive with color and song. I love watching cedar waxwings and rose-breasted grosbeaks as they harvest ripe red fruit from branches of the […]
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Bee-Friendly Gardens, Beneficial Animals and Insects, Dried Flowers, Evergreens, Ferncliff, Foliage, Front Yard Gardens, Garden Design, Garden Design Photos, Gardening without Lawn, Ground Covers, Heath & Heather, Paths and Walkways, Perennial Close-Ups, Perennials for summer, Perennials for Winter Interest, Plant Spotlight, Plants for sun, Plants for Texture, Replacing Lawn, rock garden plants, scree gardens, shrubs, Shrubs for Winter Interest, Summer flowering shrubs, Woody Plants
A Moody, Pale Lavender Haze … Heather-Covered Ledges Soothe the Eye In the Softest Shade of Summer …
The Soft Beauty of Lavender-Colored Heather: Calluna vulgaris ‘Silver Knight’ Calluna vulgaris ‘Silver Knight’, Juniperus horizontalis ‘Wiltonii’ and Juniperus x pfizerianna ‘Sea Green’ Along the Ledgy Walkway A Hazy Slope of Heather (Calluna vulgaris ‘Silver Knight’) in the Palest Shade of Lavender While much of my garden blooms in brilliant, sunny shades of gold, yellow […]
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Bee-Friendly Gardens, Beneficial Animals and Insects, Bird Friendly Gardens, Butterflies and Moths, Caterpillars, Color in the Garden, Ferncliff, Hummingbird/Butterfly, Meadow Gardens, Native North American Meadows, Native Plants, Naturalistic Garden Design, Nature, organic gardening, Paths and Walkways, Perennial Close-Ups, Plant Spotlight, Plants for sun, Pollinating Insects, Wildflowers and Meadows, Wildlife
Notes on Nature’s Bold Artistry: Brilliant, Blooming Butterfly Weed & Her Colorfully Patterned, Wild Guests …
Asclepias tuberosa – Our Beautiful, Native Butterfly Weed Catches the Golden Light of Summertime Along the Wildflower Walk In search of inspiration for your next creative project; pattern, form or color play? Sometimes, you needn’t look further for fresh ideas than your own backyard! While out admiring the blooming butterfly weed in my Wildflower Walk […]
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Bee-Friendly Gardens, Beneficial Animals and Insects, Insects/Entomology, Meadow Gardens, Naturalistic Garden Design, Nature
Native Pollinators: A Close Up Look at The Humble Bumble Bee …
Bumble Bee on Veronica spicata ‘Sunny Border Blue’ (Speedwell) Now that summer is in full-swing, my garden is just buzzing; filled with pollinators of all kinds. And on warm, sunny mornings, the Wildflower Walk literally hums with the sound of bumble bees. This fuzzy, sweet-looking insect is rarely aggressive and only stings when it is […]
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Bee-Friendly Gardens, Beneficial Animals and Insects, Bird Friendly Gardens, Butterflies and Moths, Color in the Garden, Ferncliff, Flower Seeds, Front Yard Gardens, Garden Design, Garden Design Photos, Garden Maintenance, Garden Paths, Garden Rooms, Gardening without Lawn, Native North American Meadows, Native Plants, Naturalistic Garden Design, Nature, New England, ornamental grass, Paths and Walkways, Perennials for summer, Perennials for Winter Interest, Plant Propagation, Planting Techniques, Plants for sun, Plants for Texture, seed starting, Seed- Saving, Seeds, Weeds and Weeding, Wildflowers and Meadows, Wildlife
Strolling Along the Wildflower Walk …
A Stroll Through the Wildflower Walk in Late Afternoon The Wildflower Walk may have started as an accidental feature in my garden, but —second only to the Secret Garden— it always generates the most oohs and ahhs. And when the sunny drifts of Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) hit their crescendo in July, it’s easy to see […]
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Bee-Friendly Gardens, Beneficial Animals and Insects, Berries, Butterflies and Moths, Cocktails, Cooking, Cooking with Kids, Fruit for home gardens, Plants for sun, Pots, Recipes, strawberries, Vegetable Gardening, Vegetable Gardening/Potager
Strawberries & Homemade Granola: Fresh Fraises des Bois for Breakfast …
Fresh Picked Alpine Strawberries or Fraises des Bois (Fragaria vesca) & Homemade Granola One of the best things about June —besides peonies— is fresh picked strawberries from the garden. I have a small but productive patch of fraises des bois (Fragaria vesca) —better known as alpine strawberries— in my potager (click here for more information […]
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Bee-Friendly Gardens, Beneficial Animals and Insects, Bulbs, Butterflies and Moths, Meadow Gardens, Native North American Meadows, Native Plants, Nature
Late Afternoon Sunlight in the Meadow And a Prelude to Long, Languid Summer
Camassia quamash and Clethra alnifolia – Two of My Favorite Native Plants in the Meadow Garden One of my current landscape design projects is for a new home in the middle of a high meadow. I couldn’t be more excited. Meadow gardens are some of my favorite landscapes to design. Many things influence me when […]
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Autumn Color in the Garden, Bee-Friendly Gardens, Beneficial Animals and Insects, Bird Friendly Gardens, Birds, Dining Outdoors, Early spring flowering plants, Early Spring Garden Plants, Fantasy Flowers, Ferncliff, Flowering Trees, Foliage, Garden Design, Hummingbird/Butterfly, Native North American Woodlands, Native Plants, Nature, North American Trees, Plant Spotlight, Woodland plants, Woody Plants
Springtime’s Shimmering Silverbells: Halesia tetraptera in Full Bloom…
Carolina Silverbell (Halesia tetraptera) Carolina Silverbell Blossoms Attract Bumble Bees and Hummingbirds Looking up from the Terrace Dining Table, Into Thousands of Tiny White Bells Halesia tetraptera When it comes to the springtime show in my garden, Carolina Silverbell really knows how to steal the stage. Smothered in […]
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Annual Flowering Vines, Annual Flowers, annuals, Bee-Friendly Gardens, Butterflies and Moths, Cocktails, Color in the Garden, Container Gardening, Cookbooks, Cooking, Cooking with Kids, Flower arrangements, Garden Party, Garden projects for kids, Honeybee Friendly Gardening, Hummingbird/Butterfly, Indoor Table Arrangements
A Visual Feast: Beautiful, Edible Flowers
Pansies (Viola × wittrockiana) are lovely atop cakes, in salads and especially when floating in cocktails… Or Cocktails, Like this Sunset Mangotini (click here for recipe) (Viola × wittrockiana ‘Matrix Purple’) Candied rose petals, lavender ice cream, hibiscus tea, chocolate cupcakes laced with violets; some flowers are more than a visual feast, they’re actually good […]
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Bee-Friendly Gardens, Birds, Books, companion planting, Early spring flowering plants, Early Spring Garden Plants, Ferncliff, Native Plants, Naturalistic Garden Design, Nature, New England, Perennial Close-Ups, Plant Spotlight, Plants for shade, Secret Gardens, Shade Gardening, Spring Ephemerals, Wildflowers and Meadows, Woodland plants
Ephemeral Woodland Wildflowers & Return of the Ethereal Hermit Thrush…
Red Trillium (Trillium erectum) There’s no place quite like New England for experiencing three seasons in one day. Sunday morning I rose to find a chilly house and snow covered gardens. Soon –with the sun shining brightly outside– temperatures soared to 63°. Breakfast in the snowy garden … Well, why not? I threw open the entryway […]
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Bee-Friendly Gardens, Bulbs, Color in the Garden, companion planting, Early spring flowering plants, Early Spring Garden Plants, Ferncliff, flowering shrubs, Ground Covers, Insects/Entomology, Lawns, Naturalistic Garden Design, New England, Old Fashioned Flowers, Plant Spotlight, Planting Techniques, Spring Blooming Bulbs, Spring Flowering Bulbs, The Seasons, Woody Plants
Hazy Color Drifts Carpet the Garden: Tiny Gifts of Early Spring…
Spring Heath (Erica carnea) Begins Blooming in Early April (click here to revisit my Erica carnea plant-profile post from last year). Here, Sprawling Across the Ledge  in the Entry Garden… The Pink, Hazy Blur of Spring Heath is Particularly Lovely Against Grey Sky and Cool Stone. On a Blustery Day, I Can’t Help but Think […]
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Arnold Arboretum, Asian Natives, Autumn, Autumn Color in the Garden, Bee-Friendly Gardens, Color in the Garden, flowering shrubs, Flowering Trees, Hamamelis, Hardy shrubs, Massachusetts, Winter, Winter Garden, Winter Gardening, Witch hazel, Woodland plants, Woody Plants
Arnold’s Promise of Springtime…
Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Arnold’s Promise’ is stunning against the blue sky on a late winter day Though it’s a bit grey and dreary here today —melancholy low fog and freezing drizzle— the promise of spring is in the air. A sure sign? Sweetly scented Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Arnold’s Promise’. This gorgeous shrub literally lights up the […]
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