Naturalistic Garden Design
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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 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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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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Gardening Inspiration, Naturalistic Garden Design, Nature, New England, Paths and Walkways, Reflections, Stone Sculpture, stonework, The Seasons, Winter, Winter Garden, Woodland plants
Sticks, Stones & Magical Forest Mystery
Sticks and Stones: A Forest of Mystery Winter has arrived —swirling snowflakes and glazed pools all around— and yet the earth remains open in much of New England. Patches of snow dot my Vermont hillside, but elsewhere —in fields and forested areas nearby— the ground has yet to freeze and there’s nary a trace of […]
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Autumn, Autumn Color in the Garden, Conifers, Garden Design Photos, Naturalistic Garden Design, ornamental grass, Perennials for Autumn, Perennials for Winter Interest, Plant Spotlight
Autumn’s Burning Beauty: Flame Grass Heats Up the Mid-October Garden …
Showing Off Ribbon-Candy Colors in My Garden: Miscanthus sinensis ‘Purpurascens’ (Planted with Physocarpus opulifolius ‘Diablo’/’Monlo’ and Miscanthus sinensis ‘Zebrinus’ on Left. That’s Rhus typhina, Occurring in a Natural Stand Behind the Border) If you’ve been following this journal for awhile, you are probably quite familiar with my passion for the sensual beauty of ornamental grass […]
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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, 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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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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Native North American Woodlands, Native Plants, Naturalistic Garden Design, Nature, New England, Plant Spotlight, Plants for Light Effects, Plants for shade, Plants for sun, shrubs, Shrubs for early spring blossoms, Shrubs for fall color, Shrubs for ornamental fruit, Woodland plants, Woody Plants
Please Forgive Me, If I Stop and Stare… But Your Beauty, In This Light, Just Takes My Breath Away…
Like Droplets of Gold: Honey-Scented Blossoms of Lindera benzoin Lingering light and warm breezes… A sweet scent like honey fills the air. It’s springtime, and suddenly I’m falling in love all over again. Lindera, pardon me if I stop and stare… But your beauty, in this light, just takes my breath away. Some evenings in […]
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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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Native North American Woodlands, Native Plants, Naturalistic Garden Design, Nature, Raindrops, The Seasons, Trees, Uncategorized, Vermont, Viburnum, Water Features, Woody Plants
Raindrops & Sunshowers
Stepping Out Through the Raindrops… Early spring is a busy season for gardeners, and it’s easy to get caught up in the many chores at hand. This morning, Mother Nature sent an unexpected gift —a rainbow wrapped up in a sunshower— reminding me to slow down a bit and enjoy the season as it unfolds… […]
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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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Native North American Woodlands, Native Plants, Naturalistic Garden Design
Forever Violets: In Memory of Elizabeth
Viola labradorica Elizabeth Taylor Promotional Film Still â“’ Wallace Seawell / MGM Archive Viola labradorica In memory of a beautiful, talented, kind and generous woman; a glamorous inspiration to generations and one of my favorite movie stars of all time. Goodbye Elizabeth. Sleep softly for all eternity in a bed perfumed with ethereal violets; luminous […]
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Beneficial Animals and Insects, Berries, Bird Friendly Gardens, Birds, Foliage, Native North American Woodlands, Native Plants, Naturalistic Garden Design, Nature, New England, shrubs, Shrubs for fall color, Shrubs for ornamental fruit, Shrubs for Winter Interest, Shrubs with Textural Bark, Winter, Winter Garden, Winter Gardening, Woodland plants, Woody Plants
The Living Garden: Crow Feasting Upon Staghorn Sumac Berries…
Crows feasting upon native staghorn sumac berries (Rhus typhina) in my garden this morning… This morning while lingering over my breakfast, I heard some loud caw-caw-cawing coming from the edge of the back garden, and then noticed a pair of American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) enjoying an early meal of fruit from staghorn sumac (Rhus typhina). […]
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Ferncliff, flowering shrubs, Flowering Shrubs and Trees for Forced Flowers, Forcing Branches in Winter, Fragrance, Hamamelis, Hardy shrubs, Native Plants, Naturalistic Garden Design, Nature, New England, North American Trees, Uncategorized, Winter Garden, Winter Gardening, Witch hazel, Woodland plants, Woody Plants
The Sweet Scent of Springtime: Bewitching Hamamelis Vernalis…
Sweetly Fragrant Hamamelis Vernalis: North American Native Vernal Witch Hazel, Cut from My Garden and Forced Inside Copper-Orange Tassels of Witch Hazel Glow in the Afternoon Light March, much like November, is a different month every year in New England. Some seasons, March skies are grey and late winter winds are cold; heavy snow falling […]
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Bee-Friendly Gardens, Beneficial Animals and Insects, Ferncliff, Forcing Branches in Winter, Native North American Woodlands, Native Plants, Naturalistic Garden Design, Nature, New England, Shrubs for Winter Interest, Texture, The Seasons, Vermont, Woodland plants, Woody Plants
Come to Me, My Sweet Willow…
Salix discolor. Pitcher by Aletha Soulé. Photo © Michaela at TGE Welcome, oh welcome sweet, silver-tipped harbinger of springtime. Is there anything that makes a heart race faster than the sight of the first pussy willow catkins? I love the beautiful, soft texture and the sculptural quality of pussy willow branches artfully arranged in a vase. […]
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