Color in the Garden
-
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 […]
Read More -
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, […]
Read More -
Autumn Color in the Garden, Bee-Friendly Gardens, Black Plants, Butterflies and Moths, Chartreuse, Color in the Garden, companion planting, Dark Plants, Exotic Plants, Fantasy Flowers, Ferncliff, Ferns, Foliage, Fragrance, Garden Design, Garden Design Photos, Garden Rooms, Gardening Inspiration, Glamorous Gardens, Gothic Garden, Hummingbird/Butterfly, Native Plants, Perennial Close-Ups, Perennials for Autumn, Plant Spotlight, Plants for shade, Plants for Texture, Purple and Maroon Foliage, Secret Garden at Ferncliff, Secret Gardens, Shade Gardening, The Seasons, Woodland plants
Fashionably Late & Dressed in Maroon: Sweetly-Scented, Autumn Fairy Candles Light Up the Shadowy, Secret Garden…
Actaea simplex/Cimicifuga simplex ‘Hillside Black Beauty {also known variously as Fairy Candles, Black Snake Root & Black Cohosh} Actaea simlex ‘Hillside Black Beauty’, here in the Secret Garden with Hakonechloa macra ‘All Gold’, Lamium maculatum, Helleborus x hybridus ‘Royal Heritage Strain’, Paeonia mouton x lutea ‘High Noon’, Stewartia pseudocamilla, and a background of bronzing Matteuccia […]
Read More -
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 […]
Read More -
Color in the Garden, Dark Plants, Garden Design, Garden Design Photos, ornamental grass, Perennial Close-Ups, Perennials for Autumn, Perennials for summer
Glorious, Late Summer Garden Design: Combinations Featuring Light-Catching Texture and Bold, Contrasting Color…
Sedum ‘Purple Emperor’ and ‘Matrona’, stunning in combination here at Ferncliff with bluish hues, such as the Juniperus chinensis, sargentii glauca (shown above) and later, with the tawny tufts of Pennisetum alopecuroides ‘Hameln’ (also pictured above, prior to inflorescence) It’s early September, and the garden has only just begun to glow with a warm, bronzy […]
Read More -
Cocktails, Color in the Garden, Garden Party, Music in the Garden, Recipes, The Seasons
Sweet September Sangria…
Sweet September Sangria The Colors of Early September – Rudbeckia hirta ‘Becky Mixed’ Along the Terrace The Colors of Late Summer Celebrating the end of summer?…What? The autumnal equinox is September 23rd (3:09 UTC)… That’s still more than a fortnight away! Call me a pagan if you will, but as far as I’m concerned, September […]
Read More -
Color in the Garden, Raindrops
Sweet Summer Rain …
Rain… Sweet, sweet summer rain. At long last, the weather has shifted. Cool breezes have returned, bringing with them velvety air, grey skies and the softest of late-summer showers. For the gardener, a much needed day of rest; a late morning sweetened with tea and scones, and a leisurely afternoon filled with quiet contemplation. The […]
Read More -
Bee-Friendly Gardens, Berries, Black Plants, Color in the Garden, Dark Plants, Ferncliff, Flower arrangements, flowering shrubs, Foliage, Fresh Cut Flowers, Garden Design, Gothic Garden, Hardy shrubs, Native Plants, Plant Spotlight, Purple and Maroon Foliage, Shrubs for fall color, Shrubs for ornamental fruit, Shrubs for Winter Interest, Summer flowering shrubs, Woody Plants
Midnight Maroon: Dark, Mysterious Physocarpus opulifolius ‘Diablo’…
When you’re strange, no one remembers your name – Physocarpus opulifolius ‘Diablo’ Oxblood, maroon, deep violet and ebony; dark plants are one of my greatest horticultural passions. From the statuesque Cimicifuga racemosa ‘Hillside Black Beauty’ gracing my Secret Garden, to the massive, dark cloud of Physocarpus opulifolius ‘Diablo’ forming a shadowy hedge at the back […]
Read More -
Berries, Color in the Garden, companion planting, Container Gardening, Exotic Plants, Ferncliff, Foliage, Garden Design, Garden Design Photos, Garden Rooms, Paths and Walkways, Perennial Close-Ups, Plant Spotlight, Plants for Light Effects, Plants for shade, Secret Garden at Ferncliff, Secret Gardens, Shade Gardening, Unusual Plants
A Splash of Color in Dappled Shade: Persicaria virginiana ‘Painter’s Palette’…. { PS: Please Don’t Confuse Me with My Wicked Cousin }
Persicaria virginiana ‘Painter’s Palette’, Variegated Virginia knotweed (aka Polygonum virginianum/Tovara virginiana) in the Secret Garden at Ferncliff â“’ Michaela at TGE Who says a plant needs flowers to be interesting? Be they speckled, lace-edged or luminous as stained-glass, leaves are often incredibly fascinating. In fact, some of my favorite species in the great Kingdom of […]
Read More -
Autumn Color in the Garden, Beneficial Animals and Insects, Berries, Birds, Color in the Garden, Ferncliff, flowering shrubs, Hardy shrubs, shrubs, Shrubs for fall color, Shrubs for ornamental fruit, Summer flowering shrubs, The Seasons, Woodland plants, Woody Plants
Delightful Doublefile Viburnum ‘Shasta’: Ripe with Fruit & Filled with Songbirds
Viburnum plicatum var. tomentosum ‘Shasta’ â“’ Michaela at TGE (fruits in July) Graceful, elegant and generous are but a few of the words that spring to mind when describing Doublefile Viburnum, (V. plicatum var. tomentosum); one of the most delightful species in my absolute favorite genus of woody plants. Although this shrub wears no perfume […]
Read More -
Annual Flowers, Artful Garden Objects, Books, Color in the Garden, Container Gardening, Decorating the Garden, Front Yard Gardens, Furniture, Garden Art, Garden Design, Garden Design Photos, Garden Dining Rooms, Gardening Inspiration, Gifts for Gardeners, Gothic Garden, Luminarias (Tin), Planting Techniques, Pots, Pots and Pottery, Sculpture, Sculpture and Features, Secret Garden at Ferncliff, Succulents in Containers, Urns and Vessels, Water Features
Adorn: Flea Market Finds, Discarded Pots and Vessels, Inexpensive Lamps and Found Objects Enhance the Garden…
An Eclectic Collection: Pots, Urns, Vessels and Lamps – Image â“’ Michaela at TGE Most gardeners are obsessed with beautiful flowers, and as you’ve probably noticed, I am no exception. But in truth, there’s more to a great garden than plants. Adding a few artful objects to your garden can bring color, texture, structure and […]
Read More -
Color in the Garden, Front Yard Gardens, Garden Design, Garden Maintenance, Perennial Close-Ups, Plants for sun, Purple and Maroon Foliage, shrubs, Shrubs for fall color, Shrubs for Winter Interest, Shrubs with Colorful Twigs/Stems, soil science, The Seasons
Long-Distance Garden Design: Creating Structure & Year-Round Color for an Elegant Residence on Long Island…
A summertime border of mixed colors and textures: Deciduous and evergreen shrubs anchor a perennial garden planned for season-spanning interest… In winter: Red rose hips and glowing dogwood twigs will add brilliant color to the entry garden, punctuated by verdant conifers and broadleaf evergreen shrubs… Rosanna, my new friend and client, lives on Long Island […]
Read More -
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 […]
Read More -
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 […]
Read More -
Color in the Garden, companion planting, Ferncliff, Ferns, Foliage, Garden Design, Garden Design Photos, Ground Covers, Late Autumn Garden, Perennial Close-Ups, Perennials for Autumn, Perennials for summer, Perennials for Winter Interest, Plant Spotlight, Plants for shade, Plants for Texture, Secret Garden at Ferncliff, Shade Gardening, Woodland plants
Restful Rodgersia: A Tall, Dramatic Beauty for Secret, Shadowy Nooks and Damp, Dappled Shade…
Rodgersia aesculifolia in the Secret Garden with Matteuccia struthiopteris and Heuchera – Photo â“’ Michaela at TGE Although you will usually find Rodgersia hiding out in dappled corners, boggy nooks and shadowy glens, it’s not because she’s exactly shy. In fact, when you stop to consider her dramatic foliage and statuesque size, Rodgersia is really […]
Read More -
Butterflies and Moths, Color in the Garden, Ferncliff, flowering shrubs, Front Yard Gardens, Garden Design, Garden Paths, Gardening without Lawn, Hardy shrubs, Honeybee Friendly Gardening, Hummingbird/Butterfly, Native Plants, Naturalistic Garden Design, Plant Spotlight, Summer flowering shrubs, Woody Plants
Isn’t She Pretty in Pink? A Peek at a Few of June’s Blushing Young Beauties: Mountain Laurel, Lupine, Indigofera, and More…
Kalmia latifolia ‘Pink Charm’ with Sambucus racemosa ‘Sutherland’s Gold’ and Physocarpus opulifolius ‘Summer Wine’ in the background, and Rudbeckia hirta and Miscanthus in the foreground… Garden Design and Photo © Michaela at TGE Kalmia latifolia ‘Pink Charm’ – Photo © Michaela at TGE Kalmia latifolia ‘Pink Charm’ in the Entry Garden – Design and Photo […]
Read More -
Autumn, Autumn Color in the Garden, Berries, Bird Friendly Gardens, Birds, Butterflies and Moths, Color in the Garden, Dried Flowers, Exotic Plants, Fantasy Flowers, Ferncliff, flowering shrubs, Foliage, Fresh Cut Flowers, Garden Design, Hardy shrubs, Hummingbird/Butterfly, Hydrangea, Late Autumn Garden, Old Fashioned Flowers, Plant hunting, Plant Spotlight, Raindrops, shrubs, Shrubs for fall color, Shrubs for ornamental fruit, The Seasons, Unusual Plants, Woody Plants
Autumn Brilliance Part Two – Plants for Spectacular Fall Color…
Callicarpa dichotoma ‘Issai’ (Purple Beautyberry) Could a gardener be diagnosed with OCD if she compulsively checks her ornamental shrubs for changing berry color? Can a collector’s passion for a particularly beautiful cultivar cross the line, where she becomes a stalker of plants? Sometimes I fear I’ve gone too far; slipped off the raft; teetered past […]
Read More