Viburnum
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Birds in the Garden, Viburnum, Wildlife, Woodland plants, Woody Plants
The Sublime Beauty of Spring Twilight & Melancholy Song of the Hermit Thrush…
Swollen Buds of Viburnum x burkwoodii ‘Mohawk’ in Silhouette Against the Sublime Beauty of Spring Twilight The melancholy song of the hermit thrush —rising and falling; a flute amongst the hemlock boughs of moody twilight— is a sound I eagerly anticipate each spring. As soon as winter’s ice begins to recede and the scent 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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Climbing plants, Color in the Garden, Conifers, Decorating Ideas, Decorating the Garden, Ferncliff, Fire Pits, Fire Pits and Fire Sculpture, Flower Seeds, Frost, Garden Design, Garden Design Photos, Garden Paths, Garden Structures, Gardening Inspiration, Perennials for Winter Interest, Planting Techniques, Plants for Texture, Sculpture, Sculpture and Features, Secret Garden at Ferncliff, Shrubs for ornamental fruit, Shrubs for Winter Interest, Shrubs with Colorful Twigs/Stems, Shrubs with Textural Bark, Steps and Stairs - Stone, Stone Sculpture, Stone Walkways, stonework, The Seasons, Viburnum, Walkways - Stone, White & Silver, Winter, Winter Garden, Winter Gardening, Winter Solstice
Sparkling Texture & Dramatic Structure: Creating A Beautiful Winter Garden …
The Entry Garden at First Light in Early December, After a Dusting of Snow I often wonder why I bother to mourn the end of autumn when there’s so much magic and beauty to be found in the garden during this quiet time of the year. As we near the winter solstice, I find myself […]
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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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Berries, Bird Friendly Gardens, Birds, Ferncliff, Garden Maintenance, Garden Paths, Glamorous Gardens, Hoar Frost, Lawns, Naturalistic Garden Design, Nature, New England, ornamental grass, Perennial Garden Maintenance, Perennials for Winter Interest, Plants for Texture, Shrubs for ornamental fruit, Shrubs for Winter Interest, Vermont, Viburnum, Winter, Winter Garden, Winter Gardening, Woody Plants
Sparkles, Drifts, Patterns & Shadows: The Beauty of a Frosty Winter’s Morn…
Frosty Holiday Decorations Oh, the shimmering, glimmering glamour of a frost-covered garden! After days of howling wind, I awoke to a still hush and brilliant sunrise. I simply had to rush outside to greet the glistening morn. Of course, there was no time to change into snow boots and jacket. Oh no. So I grabbed […]
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Celebrations, Decorating the Garden, Ferncliff, Foliage, Fun in the Garden, Garden Design, Garden Design Photos, Garden Party, Garden Rooms, Gardening Inspiration, Glamorous Gardens, Ice Storms, Late Autumn Garden, Native North American Woodlands, Nature, New England, ornamental grass, Perennials for Winter Interest, Plants for Light Effects, Plants for Texture, Secret Garden at Ferncliff, Secret Gardens, Shrubs for Winter Interest, Shrubs with Colorful Twigs/Stems, The Seasons, Trees, Viburnum, White Witch, Winter, Winter Garden
Jack Frost and the Sugar Plum Fairy Debut Sparkling Holiday Horti-Couture At Last Night’s Spectacular & Exclusive Secret Garden Icicle Ball…
An Explosive Night of Decadent Elegance at the Chilly, Secret Garden Icicle Ball   (Acer palmatum x dissectum ‘Seiryu’ and Juniperus squamata ‘Holger’) My old friends Jack and Sugar were here again last night with their chilly and fabulously chic entourage. As usual, they danced and partied ’til dawn. From the look of things […]
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Autumn Color in the Garden, Color in the Garden, companion planting, Dark Plants, Ferncliff, Ferns, Foliage, Hardy shrubs, Home, Hydrangea, Native Plants, Naturalistic Garden Design, Nature, North American Trees, Ornamental Berries and Fruit, ornamental grass, Perennials : Vermont, Perennials for Autumn, Plants for Light Effects, Plants for Texture, Rain Gear, Raindrops, Shoes/Boots, shrubs, Shrubs for fall color, Shrubs for ornamental fruit, The Seasons, Trees, Trees for Fall Foliage, Vermont, Viburnum, Wildflowers and Meadows, Woodland plants, Woody Plants
Singin’ and Dancin’ in the Rain….. Vibrant Colors on a Late September Day
Raindrops on Birch – Late September at Ferncliff Grey skies and fog… Are those downpours drumming on my roof? Why yes! At long last, the heavens have opened up; two days and a forecast filled with showers! Suddenly saturated, the colors of early autumn seem to be singin’ and dancin’ in the rain. Chinese orange […]
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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, Dark Plants, Early Spring Garden Plants, Ferncliff, flowering shrubs, Foliage, Fragrance, Herb Gardening, Native North American Woodlands, Native Plants, Naturalistic Garden Design, Nature, North American Trees, Ornamental Berries and Fruit, Plant Spotlight, Plants for Light Effects, Plants for shade, Plants for sun, Purple and Maroon Foliage, shrubs, Shrubs for fall color, Shrubs for ornamental fruit, Spring Blooming Bulbs, The Seasons, Unusual Plants, Viburnum, Witch hazel, Woodland plants, Woody Plants
Mellow Yellow: Lovely Lindera Benzoin, North American Native Spicebush…
Lindera benzoin (Spicebush) in front of the Secret Garden wall (see complete plant list below) The question comes up every September in my garden. The meter-reader, oil delivery driver and countless guests have asked: “What’s that bright yellow shrub over there by the wall  …The one covered with birds and red berries?” When I ask, […]
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Insects/Entomology, Native Plants, Organic Insect Control, Plant Science, Plant Spotlight, Viburnum, Woodland plants, Woody Plants
Native Plant Seminar Discussions: Viburnum Beetle Alert…
Healthy Viburnum trilobum foliage and flower buds Over the weekend, I presented a talk on native plants for ornamental landscape use to a fantastic group of New England gardeners, and some very good questions were raised about alien pests and diseases of North American native plants. One of the gardeners participating in the workshop mentioned […]
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Autumn Color in the Garden, Berries, Early Spring Garden Plants, Ferncliff, flowering shrubs, Garden Design, Native Plants, Plant Spotlight, Planting Techniques, Plants for shade, Plants for sun, shrubs, Shrubs for fall color, Shrubs for ornamental fruit, Viburnum, Woodland plants, Woody Plants
Season-Spanning Garden Design: Springtime Shrubs to Enjoy Now and Love Again Later – Three Favorites…
Fothergilla major ‘Mt Airy’ in May – Native American Witch Alder Is there anything more delightful than the sweet scent of blossoms on a sparkling spring morning? Nature never ceases to amaze me. I often marvel at the seasonal cycle here in my cold climate. In spite of my garden’s success, I still find it […]
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Asian Natives, flowering shrubs, Syringa vulgaris, The Seasons, Tim Geiss, Viburnum, Woody Plants
Happy May Day!
Image © 1895, Walter Crane, via Yale University Library online Welcome, welcome, sweet month of May! Melodic bird song and the intoxicating, clove-like scent of Mayflower viburnum, (also known as Korean spicebush, Viburnum carlesii), were the first pleasures to greet me on this first day of one of the loveliest months of the year. Special […]
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Autumn Color in the Garden, flowering shrubs, Flowering Shrubs and Trees for Forced Flowers, Forcing Branches in Winter, Fresh Cut Flowers, Garden Design, Old Fashioned Flowers, Plant Spotlight, Secret Garden at Ferncliff, shrubs, Shrubs for fall color, Shrubs for Winter Interest, Shrubs/Trees for Forced Flowers, The Seasons, Viburnum, Woody Plants
How To Describe the Beautiful Scent of Bodnant Viburnum ‘Dawn’ ?
Anticipation! Viburnum bodnantense ‘Dawn’ – buds swollen in cold spring rain… I have always found it a bit frustrating that -at least in English- fragrances don’t have names of their own. Have you noticed? When we describe smells, we use similes, (smells like…), or we borrow other words, because scents have none. Often we use […]
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Flower arrangements, flowering shrubs, Forcing Branches in Winter, Fresh Cut Flowers, garden tools, Indoor Table Arrangements, Plant Spotlight, shrubs, Shrubs/Trees for Forced Flowers, Vases, Viburnum, Winter Garden, Woody Plants
Bringing Nature’s Beauty Indoors: Force Early Blooming Branches for a Bit of Springtime on a Winter Day…
Forced Blossoms – Viburnum bodnantense ‘Dawn’ An Early Whiff of Spring Viburnum bodnantense ‘Dawn’,  forced in a turquoise vase… What a gift! A beautifully warm, clear, blue-sky day in midwinter. I am itching to pull on my boots and go play. The frost coated snow drifts outside sparkle and tempt like cream-puffs with sugar icing. I have so […]
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Asian Natives, Autumn Color in the Garden, Ferncliff, flowering shrubs, Garden Design, Garden Design Photos, Gardening Inspiration, Ground Covers, Japanese Maple, Late Autumn Garden, North American Trees, Perennial Close-Ups, Perennials for Autumn, Plant Spotlight, Plants for Texture, shrubs, Shrubs for fall color, Shrubs for ornamental fruit, Trees, Trees for Fall Foliage, Viburnum, Winter Garden, Woody Plants
Autumn Brilliance Part Three: Plant Partners for the Late Show and Early Winter Marquee…
Acer palmatum x dissectum ‘Seiryu’ in late October By late October, much of the foliage in the forest surrounding my garden has passed its peak. Although the woods are still basking in the glow of golden birch and poplar, lemony striped maple, rusty red oak and amber colored beech –  the vibrant orange and red maple leaves […]
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Autumn Color in the Garden, Birds, Ferncliff, flowering shrubs, Garden Design, Garden Design Photos, Native Plants, Naturalistic Garden Design, Perennials for Autumn, Plant hunting, Plants for shade, Plants for sun, shrubs, Shrubs for fall color, Viburnum, Woodland plants, Woody Plants
Autumn Brilliance: Plants for Spectacular Fall Color, Part One …
Viburnum trilobum ‘Bailey Compact’ with Miscanthus sinensis ‘Morning Light’ What an impossibly beautiful morning. The sky is a scraped palette of blue-grey-violet, and the world all around me is a swirling kaleidoscope of orange and chartreuse, scarlet and vermillion, saffron and violet. I began my day with an early walk through the garden – savoring […]
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flowering shrubs, Plant hunting, Planting Techniques, Viburnum, Weigela, Woody Plants
Calling all Bargain Hunters: It’s Time To Scoop Up Great Deals On Shrubs And Start Your Fall Planting!
Weigela florida ‘My Monet’ & Miscanthus sinensis ‘Morning Light’ Pst… Want to know a secret? I really must confess. I have been having a bit of fun lately with other people’s money. No, no. It’s nothing like those scoundrels on Wall Street that you have been reading about. Permission has been granted. You see, for […]
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