Native Plants
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Autumn, Autumn Color in the Garden, Autumn Garden Design, Color in the Garden, DIY Garden Design, Flowering Trees, Foliage, Fragrance, Garden Design, Garden Design Photos, Late Autumn Garden, Native Plants, Naturalistic Garden Design, New England, North American Trees
American Yellowwood: The Garden’s Crowning, Golden, October Glory
Cladrastis kentukea: Our Glorious, American Yellowwood Tree I’ve always been baffled by the rarity of American Yellowwood trees in New England gardens. With a glorious canopy of fragrant, cascading white blossoms in May/June, a rounded, full crown of disease-free leaves throughout the summer season and clear, golden fall foliage in late autumn, this tree is […]
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Early spring flowering plants, flowering shrubs, Garden Design, Hamamelis, Native North American Woodlands, Native Plants, Naturalistic Garden Design, Nature, New England, Shrubs for early spring blossoms, Shrubs for fall color, Shrubs for Winter Interest, Witch hazel, Woodland plants, Woody Plants
Forward March: Signs of a New Season
Vernal Witch Hazel (Hamamelis vernalis) greets the sun Although it’s a mostly-winter month —and oh how I dread the lion’s roar!— March is filled with the promise of springtime. Witch Hazel, Pussy Willow, Spring Heath, Snowdrops, Crocus: everywhere I look, the signs appear! And so I venture forth, into the garden, calling out the lamb. […]
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Native Plants, New England, Perennial Close-Ups, Perennials for Autumn, Perennials for summer
September Charmer: Chelone lyonii’s Late-Blooming Beauty Spans the Seasons
 Chelone lyonii ‘Hot Lips’ with Lovely ‘Limelight’ Hydrangea (H. paniculata) September is a mostly summer month, and yet, there’s something about Labor Day weekend that signals the unofficial start of fall. Well, much as I love autumn, I’m just not ready yet and neither is my garden! Although the beds and borders look a bit […]
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Native North American Meadows, Native Plants, Perennial Close-Ups, Perennial Garden Design, Perennials for summer
Summertime’s Sweet Carolina Lupine: Basking in Her Graceful, Golden Glow
 Lovely North American Native, Carolina Lupine (Thermopsis caroliniana, aka Thermompsis villosa) with Goat’s Beard (Aruncus dioicus) Oh sweet, sweet Carolina… I love how your golden blossoms illuminate the evening garden like the glow of candlelight. And on these early summer days, Carolina Lupine (Thermopsis carolina, also known as Thermopsis villosa), is quite literally covered with butterflies […]
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Native North American Woodlands, Native Plants, Naturalistic Garden Design, Nature, New England, Spring Ephemerals, Springtime, Woodland plants, Woody Plants
Beautiful, North American Native Plants: A Springtime Garden, Gone Wild . . .
Golden droplets of wild wonder: Lindera benzoin. Read about the sunny Spicebush here. Although my garden contains a wide variety of plants from many different parts of the world, come springtime, native plants usually steal the spotlight. The earliest blooming shrubs and trees, as well as many of the flowering ground covers and springtime ephemerals, […]
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Birds, Birds in the Garden, Early spring flowering plants, Early Spring Garden Plants, Music in the Garden, Native North American Woodlands, Native Plants, The Seasons, Witch hazel, Woodland plants, Woody Plants
Purple Finch & Springtime Blossoms: Rejoicing as Sleeping Beauty Awakes . . .
 Purple Finch (Haemorhous purpureus) in Ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius) It’s been a raw and chilly April in Vermont, and yet springtime songbirds, undaunted by the lingering chill, have flocked to my garden in search of sustenance. Some species are merely passing through, but others will settle and set up summer residence. This month’s standout is the […]
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Autumn Color in the Garden, Autumn Garden Design, Color in the Garden, Conifers, Flower Seeds, Garden Design, Garden Design Photos, Hardy Succulents, Hoar Frost, Holiday Decorating, Late Autumn Garden, Native Plants, Naturalistic Garden Design, Perennial Close-Ups, Perennial Garden Design, Perennial Garden Maintenance, Perennials : Vermont, Perennials for Autumn, Perennials for Winter Interest, Shrubs for ornamental fruit, Shrubs for Winter Interest, Succulents, Winter, Winter Garden, Winter Gardening, Woody Plants
Crystal-Coated & Sugar Plum Kissed . . . . Late Night Garden Party with Jack Frost
The Entry Walk and Ledges, Sparkling in Sunlight After Jack Frost’s Midnight Ball I love surprises. A life lived predictably seems terribly boring to me and a garden kept under tight control leaves little room for romance. For months now, I’ve been encouraging readers to leave seed pods and other garden remnants standing over winter […]
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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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Artful Garden Objects, Bulb companions, Bulbs, companion planting, Ferncliff, Garden Design Photos, Garden Paths, Hardy shrubs, Moss, Native Plants, Naturalistic Garden Design, New England, Perennials for Spring, Raindrops, Secret Garden at Ferncliff, Secret Garden Room, Secret Gardens, shrubs, Shrubs for early spring blossoms, Songbirds, Spring Blooming Bulbs, Spring Ephemerals, Spring Flowering Bulbs, stonework, The Seasons, Uncategorized, Witch Alder, Woodland plants, Woody Plants
From April Showers to May Flowers…
Trout lily (Erythronium tuolumnense), Daffodils (Narcissus ‘Snipe’), Coral Bell Leaves (Heuchera americana) and Woodland Phlox (Phlox divaricata ‘Clouds of Perfume’). (Click here to read more about Erythronium) Happy May Day! Here in Vermont, we begin the new month with a day of much-needed rain. May is a busy month for gardeners. Thirty one days of […]
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Hamamelis, Honeybee Friendly Gardening, Hummingbird/Butterfly, Native Plants, The Seasons, Vermont, Vernal Equinox, Viburnum, Witch hazel, Woodland plants, Woody Plants
Beauty Emerging on the Vernal Equinox: A Warm Welcome to Spring …
The Carpet of Rose-Tinted Spring Heath (Erica carnea) is Blooming a Full Month Early on the Ledges (read more about this lovely plant here) in My Garden This Year More often than not, the first day of spring arrives with a bit of blustery snow, sleet or freezing rain here in Vermont. But if there’s […]
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Native Plants, Nature, New England, The Seasons, Winter
Sleeping Beauty in Sunlit Snow …
December is such a busy month —days of rushing here and there; shopping, baking, wrapping gifts, hosting and/or attending parties— that it’s easy to caught up in the chaos. The calm beauty of nature —sleeping beauty in sunlit snow— is my sanctuary … Photos from a Quiet December Morning in the Forest Surrounding My Garden Photographs and […]
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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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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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Chartreuse, Climbing plants, Color in the Garden, companion planting, Dark Plants, Garden Design Photos, Honeybee Friendly Gardening, Hummingbird/Butterfly, Native Plants, Perennials for summer, Plants for sun, Plants for Texture, Studio Garden, Summer Flowering Combinations, Summer Flowering Perennials, Summer flowering shrubs, The Seasons, Vines, Vines - Perennial, Wildflowers and Meadows, Woodland plants, Woody Plants
Late Summer’s Bold Crescendo …
The Large Drift of Native Cutleaf Coneflower (Rudbeckia laciniata) in my Garden Glows Bright as the Late Summer Sunset After the recent rain –almost overnight it seems– the gardens have exploded in a new wave of bloom. Stepping out with my morning coffee, I am seduced ’round the corner by the sweet and spicy fragrance […]
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Native Plants, Plants for Light Effects, Plants for shade, Shade Gardening, Vines, Vines - Perennial, White & Silver, Woodland plants
Summer’s Luminous White Blossoms Dance in Ethereal Light & Shadow …
Positioned at the woodland edge to catch the late afternoon light, white plumes of Aruncus dioicus and clusters of pearly Valeriana officinalis dance on the breeze like beautiful girls in diaphanous summer dresses … Moving into high summer now –with temperatures soaring and humidity rising– cooler hues and lighter textures have an undeniable appeal. Strolling […]
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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, 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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Garden Design, Garden Design Photos, Native Plants, Nature, New England
Beyond the Rain Speckled Windows: Springtime Showers in the Garden …
Blossoming Beyond the Rain Speckled Glass: Viburnum lentago, Just Outside the French Doors Wild thunderstorms passed through New England this week, bringing with them lightning, high winds, hail and even tornadoes just south of here. Fortunately –although the storm front brought loud claps of thunder, drenching rains and dramatic skies– there was little damage in […]
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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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Native North American Woodlands, Native Plants, Naturalistic Garden Design, The Seasons, Tim Geiss, Trees, Trees for Fall Foliage, Trees for Fruit, Uncategorized, Winter Garden, Woodland plants, Woody Plants
Native Beauty of the Forest Understory: Our Graceful, Flowering Dogwood …
Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida) Photograph â“’Â Tim Geiss In my work as a garden designer, I am constantly singing the praises of native plants to my clients; encouraging them to soften the edges of their landscape by blurring the boundary between the wild and tame. As an unofficial PR agent for our beautiful  native trees and […]
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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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