Cutting Garden
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Bulbs, Cutting Garden, Fragrance
Heaven on Earth: Meet Narcissus ‘Abba’, Spicy Sweet Fragrance of Springtime
Hello, My Sweet. Narcissus ‘Abba’ It’s May again, and this year, her perfume is sweeter than ever. Springtime. Oh, she really made us wait. Somehow though, the yearning just makes everything seem richer. This morning, I flung open the studio doors and for the first time this year, I brought my coffee pot outside on the […]
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Cutting Garden, Flower arrangements, Foliage, Fragrance, Home, Raindrops, shrubs, The Seasons, Vases, Weigela, Woody Plants
Gathering Bouquets Between Raindrops & Simple Tips for Fresh Cut Flower Care
Peony blossoms are of course my favorite cut flower, and by growing many cultivars, it’s possible to extend the flowering season for a month or more After two days of steady rain, I slipped outside this morning to wander around the garden between raindrops and gather fallen flowers for fresh bouquets. Poetic as drooping blossoms […]
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Asian Natives, Cutting Garden, Exotic Plants, Fantasy Flowers, Peonies, Perennial Close-Ups, Shade Gardening, shrubs, Shrubs for early spring blossoms, Trees, Unusual Plants, Woody Plants
Black Dragon Holds a Splendid Flower …
Paeonia suffruticosa ‘Wu Long Peng Sheng’: Black Dragon Holds a Splendid Flower Wu Long Peng Sheng. Translated from Chinese, the name means, ‘Black Dragon Holds a Splendid Flower’. I haven’t seen the black dragon, but I keep looking. Maybe he’s hiding in the fern covered ledges; waiting to pounce if I pick this beautiful, magenta […]
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Cutting Garden, Peonies, Perennial Close-Ups
Peony Petals & The Heady Scent of June
Sweet Dreams are Made of Silken Peony Petals When the early morning air is moist and still and the garden is filled with pale light, I step outside to drink in the fragrance of springtime. Of course, there are many flowers at this time of year; iris, laurel, roses and baptisia. But there is one […]
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Bulbs, Cutting Garden, Heirloom Bulbs, Old Fashioned Flowers, Plant Spotlight, Spring Blooming Bulbs, Summer Flowering Bulbs, Vases
Silvery Heirloom Treasures for the Vase: Nodding Stars-of-Bethlehem …
A late spring bulb for cutting: Nodding Star-of-Bethlehem (Ornithogalum nutans) sitting pretty in a vase by New Mexico artist Heidi Loewen They are commonly called the Nodding Star-of-Bethlehem, and I think it may be the perfect name for this beautiful, silvery flower. Five autumns ago, with my late-spring cutting garden in mind, I ordered and […]
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Cutting Garden, Early Spring Garden Plants, Ferncliff, Flower arrangements, flowering shrubs, Flowering Shrubs and Trees for Forced Flowers, Forcing Branches in Winter, Fragrance, Fresh Cut Flowers, Gardening Inspiration, Indoor Table Arrangements, New England, Plant Spotlight, Secret Garden at Ferncliff, shrubs, Shrubs for Winter Interest, Shrubs/Trees for Forced Flowers, The Seasons, Vernal Equinox, Winter, Woody Plants
First Hints of Spring…
Last Year’s Nest Remains Intact, Decorated with the Pink-Tinted Buds of Viburnum Bodnantense ‘Dawn’ Spring is exactly one month away, and eagerly, the garden awaits her arrival. Already, swollen buds, glowing bark and the sing-song voices of chickadees calling “spring’s here”, fill trees and shrubs with new life… On Warmer Days, Blushing Viburnum Buds Near […]
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Autumn Color in the Garden, Bee-Friendly Gardens, Beneficial Animals and Insects, Berries, Bird Friendly Gardens, Birds, Color in the Garden, companion planting, Conifers, Cutting Garden, Decorating Ideas, Ferncliff, Foliage, Garden Design, Garden Design Photos, Hardy shrubs, Hoar Frost, Holiday Decorating, Home, Late Autumn Garden, Native Plants, Naturalistic Garden Design, Nature, New England, Ornamental Berries and Fruit, Plant hunting, Plant Spotlight, Planting Techniques, Plants for sun, Plants for Texture, shrubs, Shrubs for fall color, Shrubs for ornamental fruit, Shrubs for Winter Interest, stonework, The Seasons, Winter, Winter Garden, Winter Gardening, Woody Plants
Bright, Red Winterberry & Juniper Magic: Lovely, Native Ilex verticillata Sparkles & Glows on Grey, Chilly Days…
Ilex verticillata ‘Red Sprite’, paired here with Juniperus chinensis ‘Sargentii’ In the last weeks of late autumn —after the leaves have all fallen and deciduous trees stand naked and rattling in cold wind— the conifers and fruit-bearing shrubs reign supreme in my garden. Late fall and early winter days —laced with hoar frost and sugar-coatings […]
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Artful Garden Objects, Autumn, Berries, Bowls, Celebrations, Cutting Garden, Decorating Ideas, Dried Flowers, Flower arrangements, Flower Seeds, flowering shrubs, Fresh Cut Flowers, Garden Party, Holiday Decorating, Home, Hydrangea, Indoor Table Arrangements, Ornamental Berries and Fruit, ornamental grass, Shrubs for ornamental fruit, The Seasons, Urns and Vessels
Bringing Nature’s Beauty Indoors: Festive Autumn Centerpieces from Garden to Table…
Curious Dinner Companions: Dried Leaves of Sago Palm Add a Light, Golden Touch to Traditional Gourds and White Pumpkins At long last, it seems that the season of feasts and festivities is finally upon us. And like many of you, I am looking for ways to bring the garden’s bounty to my dinner table: pumpkins, […]
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Autumn Color in the Garden, Bee-Friendly Gardens, Berries, Birds, Butterflies and Moths, Chartreuse, Color in the Garden, companion planting, Cutting Garden, Ferncliff, Flower Seeds, Fresh Cut Flowers, Garden Design, Garden Design Photos, Honeybee Friendly Gardening, Hummingbird/Butterfly, Native Plants, ornamental grass, Perennial Close-Ups, Perennials for Autumn, Plant Spotlight, Planting Techniques, Plants for Light Effects, Plants for sun, Plants for Texture, Seeds, shrubs, Shrubs for fall color, Shrubs for ornamental fruit, The Seasons, Woody Plants
Flickering Like Flames: Scarlet Red, Brilliant Orange & Burnished Gold … Early Signs of Change in the Garden…
The bold vermillion of late summer: Rosa rugosa’s bright and beautiful hips Cobalt-Violet Annual Asters Fill Beds Planned for Cutting in the Potager… This morning, I watched as a flock of sparrows splashed joyfully in a tiny pool on the stone terrace. Showers passed through the area yesterday afternoon and evening; refreshing the garden and […]
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Annual Flowers, annuals, Cutting Garden, Ferncliff, Flower arrangements, Foliage, Indoor Table Arrangements, Music in the Garden, Nature, Vases
Musical Arrangements for the Vase… Autumn Rhythm and Lavender Mist
Autumn Rhythm… And Lavender Mist… Harmonious late-summer floral arrangements in lavender and gold strike a rich and resonant chord on a grey September afternoon. Gathered from the woodland edges and surrounding meadow, gypsy wildflowers and late garden bloomers fill the house with vibrant color. Whether grouped together in a classic orchestra, jazzy duet, or soulful, […]
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Annual Flowers, annuals, Autumn Color in the Garden, Bowls, Cutting Garden, Flower arrangements, Fresh Cut Flowers, Reflections, Vases, Water Bowl
What Lies Beneath: Floating Flowers Submerged in Watery Glass Bubbles…
A Bouquet of Floating Asters Submerged in a Glass Water Bowl Sparkling August light sent me on a late afternoon trip to the potager, and suddenly my arms are overflowing with voluptuous, late summer blooms. The cutting garden is bursting with dahlias, salpiglossis, dianthus, bachelor buttons, and asters, asters, asters – everywhere! This week’s steady […]
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annuals, Bee-Friendly Gardens, Cocktails, companion planting, Cutting Garden, Dried Flowers, Fragrance, Garden projects for kids, Gourmet Garden, Herb Gardening, Kitchen, organic gardening, Perennial Close-Ups, Plant Spotlight, Preserving Herbs, Recipes, Summertime Cocktails, The Seasons, Vegetable Gardening, Vegetable Gardening/Potager
Savoring Summer: Harvesting and Drying The Garden’s Finest Herbal Treasures…
Drying Herbs in the Stairwell One of the great pleasures of living in New England is, of course, the seasons. The natural world operates on a distinct schedule here, and all life flows along with it at a steady pace. On these late August days, the song of the hermit thrush —an ever-present twilight melody […]
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companion planting, Cooking, Cutting Garden, Ferncliff, Flower arrangements, Garden Rooms, Garlic, Herb Gardening, Honeybee Friendly Gardening, Indoor Table Arrangements, Kitchen, Organic Disease Control, organic gardening, Organic Insect Control, Planting Techniques, Potatoes, Secret Gardens, The Seasons, Vegetable Gardening, Vegetable Gardening/Potager
August Abundance: Notes from the Kitchen Garden…
My Summertime Kitchen Mid August is always a busy month in the kitchen garden. Abundant cucumbers, summer squash, beans, tomatoes, peppers, herbs and onions must be harvested and put up —frozen, dried, pickled and/or canned— at the peak of freshness. Late summer chores in the potager include watering —especially during this extended dry spell we […]
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Annual Flowers, Artful Garden Objects, Books, Cutting Garden, Dining Outdoors, Furniture, Garden Design, Garden Design Photos, Garden Rooms, Gardening Inspiration, Herb Gardening, Kitchen, organic gardening, Planting Techniques, Vegetable Gardening, Vegetable Gardening/Potager
The Art of French Vegetable Gardening in Honor of La Fête Nationale…
A Country-Casual Potager from The Art of French Vegetable Gardening by Louisa Jones with photographs by Gilles Le Scanff & Joelle Caroline Mayer A Formal French Garden of Culinary Herbs, Fruits and Vegetables featured in The Art of French Vegetable Gardening (image â“’ Gilles Le Scanff & Joelle Caroline Mayer) In remembering La Fête Nationale […]
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Art Inspired by Nature, Bee-Friendly Gardens, Butterflies and Moths, Color in the Garden, Cutting Garden, Ferncliff, Flower Seeds, Garden Design, Garden Design Photos, Garden Maintenance, Gardening Inspiration, Honeybee Friendly Gardening, Hummingbird/Butterfly, Native Plants, Naturalistic Garden Design, Paths and Walkways, Plant Spotlight, Plants for sun, Replacing Lawn, Stone Walkways, The Seasons, Walkways - Stone, Wildflowers and Meadows
The Accidental Gardener: A Short Story About a Dog Named Oli and His Wondrous Wildflower Walk…
The Wildflower Walk in July at Ferncliff â“’ 2010 Michaela at TGE As a professional garden designer, I take a certain amount of pride in my work. My clients always seem quite pleased with the gardens I create, and I think I’m a pretty good designer. Yet every July I am served a very large […]
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Bee-Friendly Gardens, Beneficial Animals and Insects, Butterflies and Moths, Color in the Garden, companion planting, Cutting Garden, Ferncliff, Fresh Cut Flowers, Front Yard Gardens, Garden Design, Garden Design Photos, Garden Paths, Native Plants, Old Fashioned Flowers, ornamental grass, Perennial Close-Ups, Plant Spotlight, Plants for sun, Plants for Texture, Summer Flowering Combinations, Summer Flowering Perennials
Penstemon, Rudbeckia and Veronica: An Easy, Breezy, Flowering Combination for Mid-Summer Meadow Gardens…
A Sunny Combination of Meadow Flowers for a Long-Blooming, Informal Summer Garden. Photo â“’ Michaela at TGE Bees buzzing in the garden, sun-tea brewing on the terrace, and books piled high beside the hammock; sweet summertime is here at last. I love waking up to early morning sunshine playing upon the warm, summery colors in […]
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Annual Flowers, annuals, Cutting Garden, Dahlias, Ferncliff, Flower arrangements, Foliage, Fragrance, Fresh Cut Flowers, Indoor Table Arrangements, Old Fashioned Flowers, Roses, Vases
I’ve Got Blooms on the Brain: Tips for Snipping & Clipping Fresh Cut Flowers…
Fresh cut, country-casual flowers on the kitchen island. Photo â“’ 2010 Michaela at TGE Is there anything sweeter than waking up to the scent of fresh flowers? I love setting a vase of blossoms beside my bed every evening, and my kitchen and dining room table are always dressed for dinner with a fresh bouquet. […]
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Art Inspired by Nature, Artful Garden Objects, Cutting Garden, Fragrance, Fresh Cut Flowers, Gifts for Gardeners, Indoor Table Arrangements, Vases
Bringing Nature’s Beauty Indoors: Clustered Vases Beside the Laptop…
Clustered vases filled with Lupine, Phlox, Valerian, and Rosa de Rescht. Photo © 2010 Michaela at TGE Whew. It has been busy around here. Most days I am out and about in the field working with clients, gathering plants, making deliveries, planting gardens, and lately, helping out my friends at Walker Farm on the weekends […]
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Cutting Garden, Fragrance, Ground Covers, Plant Spotlight, Shrubs for fall color, Syringa vulgaris, Unusual Plants, Woody Plants
The Sweet, Seductive Power of Scent: Garden Fragrance…
Lily of the Valley, (Convallaria majalis), fills my bedroom with a fresh, green scent… “Smells  are  surer  than  sounds  and  sights  to  make  the  heartstrings  crack” ……………………………………………………………………- –………………………………………………………………………….rudyard kipling Imagine stepping outside and into the garden on a warm spring evening. Close your eyes and breathe deep. Does the air smell sweet? Are you drawn […]
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Beneficial Animals and Insects, Bulbs, Butterflies and Moths, Cutting Garden, Ferncliff, Fresh Cut Flowers, Honeybee Friendly Gardening, Hummingbird/Butterfly, Native North American Woodlands, Native Plants, Naturalistic Garden Design, Nature, Perennial Close-Ups, Perennials for summer, Plant Spotlight, Spring Blooming Bulbs, Spring Flowering Bulbs, Summer Flowering Bulbs, The Seasons
A Tall, Cool Drink for the Eyes: Quiet, Calm Camassia – Wild American Beauty of the Marshland and Meadow…
Camassia quamash, North American native Camas Lily, © 2010 Michaela at TGE A few years ago, at the low edge of my garden where open meadow meets slow transition to cultivated borders, I planted a handful of native camas lily bulbs, (Camassia quamash). The first spring after planting, an orphaned fawn wandered into my life, […]
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Books, Celebrations, Cocktails, Cookbooks, Cooking, Cutting Garden, Early Spring Garden Plants, Ferncliff, Flower arrangements, flowering shrubs, Fresh Cut Flowers, Gourmet Garden, Herb Gardening, Indoor Table Arrangements, Recipes
Mother’s Day Brunch? Garden Fresh Ingredients & Ina Garten’s Chive Rissoto Cakes Help to Make it Special…
Do you love breakfast in bed? I sure do, and when I was growing up, sometimes my sister and I would serve it to our mom as an unexpected treat – especially on Mother’s Day. Part of what made it so special was the ritual of harvesting fresh flowers and herbs from the garden, and […]
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