Recent Posts
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Perennials for summer, Plant hunting, Plant Spotlight, Plants for shade
Summer’s Sun-Kissed, Freckled Blush … Campanula Punctata ‘Cherry Bells’
Sun-Kissed & Freckled, Summertime Beauty: Campanula punctata ‘Cherry Bells’ (Spotted Bellflower) There’s a new girl in my garden, and she’s got quite a rosy blush going on. Yes, I spied this Spotted Bellflower (Campanula punctata ‘Cherry Bells’) while out shopping for a client’s new garden, and —immediately and completely charmed— I snapped up a few […]
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Evening Shades of Lavender & Indigo Welcome July’s Thunder Moon …
Moon Rise in Indigo Sky With pink sunsets, towering cumulus and electrical storms alternating with powder blue horizons and nights filled with stars, July has been an extraordinary month for sky watching. And moon-gazing, my favorite evening pastime, has been particularly lovely this month. I snapped the photo above —of our nearly full, celestial neighbor— […]
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Art Inspired by Nature, Artful Garden Objects
Art in the Garden: Monumental Vessels The Work of Artist Stephen Procter at Brattleboro Museum & Art Center, VT
Stephen Procter’s Gorgeous Vessels on Display at BMAC Sculpture Garden (Plantings here: Fothergilla ‘Mt. Airy’, Eupatorium ‘Chocolate’ and Sedum) Imagining a beautiful outdoor space, and then realizing that vision —physically working to bring the dream to life— is one of the best parts of my work as a garden designer. I have created many private […]
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Ferncliff, Front Yard Gardens, Garden Design, Garden Design Photos, Paths and Walkways, Secret Garden at Ferncliff, Secret Garden Room, Secret Gardens, Summer Flowering Perennials, Wildflowers and Meadows
The Play of Sunlight and Shadow: Through the Secret Garden Door …
Golden Flowers in a Pool of Sunlight: Through the Secret Garden Door … It’s a busy, busy week here at my studio. With two large garden designs, and three smaller projects shifting from dream to reality, there’s much work to be done behind the scenes. I must confess that paperwork and numbers are not terribly […]
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Seeking Oasis from the Heat of Day …
While out watering the newest section of my garden this morning, I caught this toad —nestled amongst the cool, green & white, spotted leaves of Pulmonaria ‘Raspberry Splash’— waiting for his daily shower. With temperatures soaring this week, watering potted plants, vegetables and annuals around my home —as well as the newly installed garden designs […]
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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, 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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Beneficial Animals and Insects, Berries, Bird Friendly Gardens, Birds, Chartreuse, Color in the Garden, companion planting, Dark flowers, Dark Plants, Ferncliff, flowering shrubs, Foliage, Garden Design, Garden Design Photos, Plant Spotlight, Plants for Light Effects, Plants for shade, Plants for Texture, Poisonous Plants, Shade Gardening, Shrubs for ornamental fruit, Woody Plants
A Bolder Shade of Summertime … Sambucus racemosa ‘Sutherland Gold’
 Sambucus racemosa ‘Sutherland Golden’ with Physocarpus opulifolius ‘Summer Wine’ in the Entry Garden Some like it hot. And, some wither and fade in the mid-day sun. Blossoms come and go quickly at this time of year, but beautiful foliage lasts all season long. Does your garden go through awkward phases throughout the summer; gaps between […]
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A Sparkling 4th of July Celebration …
I love fireworks. Those colorful, explosive displays have always reminded me of neon flowers; great big daisies, electric dahlias and sparkly spider flowers in the night sky. Beautiful! And is there anything more romantic than stretching out on a blanket to take in a delightful show of pyrotechnics on a warm summer’s eve? wishing  you  a  very […]
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Cookbooks, Cooking, Extending the Growing Season, Plant Spotlight, Planting Techniques, Potatoes, Recipes, seed starting, Seeds, Vegetable Gardening, Vegetable Gardening/Potager
Summertime Brunch from the Potager: New Potato, Snow Pea & Mint Frittata With Delightfully Lemony Mayonnaise …
Summertime Brunch from the Potager: New Potato, Snow Pea & Mint Frittata with Lemony Mayonnaise July is a month of abundance in my kitchen garden. After months of hard work come the blissful rewards: a walk down the potager path at this time of year is like a trip to a private farmers market. New […]
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Stopping to Smell the Roses …
From Garden to Desktop: Rosa Bibi Maizoon & Rosa De Rescht in a Porcelain Vase by Heidi Loewen When I glanced at my calendar this morning, I could hardly believe my eyes. July 1st already? It seems impossible, but here in the States, the long Fourth of July weekend —filled with picnics, marching bands, parades […]
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The Song of Summertime Salad …
The Song of Summertime Salad On long summer days —in order to beat the heat and burning rays of the noontime sun— I typically start my day quite early. There are many things to love about the daybreak hours, from birdsong and dew drops to shimmering morning light. If I’m working nearby, I try to […]
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Ferncliff, Secret Garden at Ferncliff, Secret Garden Room, Secret Gardens, Shade Gardening
Misty Mountain Top: Painted Ledges & Secret Garden in Summertime Fog …
The Entry Garden on a Misty, Late June Morning (Left to right foreground:Physocarpus opulifolius ‘Summer Wine’ & Sambucus racemosa ‘Sutherland Gold’- see descriptions below for other plantings) Sunny summer days are glorious; filled with shimmering, gold fields and blue, shadowed valleys. I love long strolls through garden paths with the sun’s warmth on my skin. […]
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An Unexpected Garden Guest …
North American Black Bear (Ursus americanus) in a Marshy Area at the Edge of the Forest The young black bear seemed content; bathing in the pool, while sampling wild berries and greens We kept a watchful eye on one another throughout the visit On my way out to the car yesterday afternoon, I caught a […]
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Annual Flowers, annuals, Climbing plants, Container Gardening, Dark Plants, Dining Outdoors, Foliage, Garden Design, Garden Design Photos, Garden Dining Rooms, Garden Structures, Living Walls & Fences, Plants for Texture, Vines - Perennial, Water Bowl, Water Features
Al Fresco Dining in the Garden: Fireworks Restaurant’s Lush New Courtyard & Bold Container Design …
My Tiered Container Garden Design and Installation at Fireworks Restaurant in Brattleboro, Vermont Wrapped up a busy work week in the pouring rain yesterday with finishing touches on my garden design and installation for Fireworks Restaurant in Brattleboro, Vermont. This lush, outdoor dining space will soon feature a stone water bowl created by a local […]
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Of Raindrops & Rose Petals …
Rosa ‘Bibi Maizoon’ with Raindrops In and out of the studio today, I’ve been more than momentarily seduced —and completely delayed— by the scent of English roses along the Secret Garden path. The spicy, rich fragrance of Rosa ‘Bibi Maizoon’ —reminiscent of much older cultivars— fills the damp, heavy air on this rainy afternoon. I […]
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Garden Design, Garden Design Photos, Garden Dining Rooms, Garden Rooms
Studio Days: A Peek at the Process … Designing Gardens & Landscapes
My Studio Desk —With Freshly Cut Sarah Bernhardt Peonies— Overlooking the Steel Balcony and Entry Garden (that’s Weigela florida ‘Red Prince’ viewed from atop the wall/balcony) Currently working on three large landscape designs and several smaller garden projects, I’m taking full advantage of today’s inclement weather to play catch up on work —drawings and planting […]
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Cocktails, Cooking, Garden Party, Summer Solstice, The Seasons
A Warm Welcome to Sultry Summer …
A Warm Welcome to Summertime with Pyrotechnic Flower Bouquets Summer begins today at 1:16 pm EDT, and I’m welcoming her with open arms. After a long, cold winter followed by a wet, drizzly spring, I’m more than ready for hot and hazy, hammock days and sultry summer evenings. There are so many things to love […]
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Thoughts on Wild Beauty …
Prince Pickerel on the Secret Garden Water Bowl I’ve worked in many kinds of gardens: clipped, controlled and formal; sprawling, loose and informal. And it’s fair to say that I delight in landscape design of all kinds. Still, I find that my favorite gardens tend to walk the line between wild and tame. Too much […]
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