Native Plants
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Ferncliff, Garden Design, Garden Design Photos, Ground Covers, Native Plants, Nature, Perennials for Autumn, Perennials for Spring, Plant Spotlight, Plants for shade, Plants for Texture, Secret Garden at Ferncliff, Texture, Unusual Plants, Urns and Vessels, Water Gardens, Woodland plants
Dramatic Darmera Peltata: A Native Beauty for Bog Gardens & Damp Shade…
Darmera peltata’s pretty, pink spray of airy inflorescence Darmera peltata… What a lovely, musical name. Often the botanical labels for plants pale by comparison to their intriguing and creative folk monikers. But in this case, I think the name Darmera peltata is far superior to the common alternatives (Indian rhubarb and umbrella plant). Just look […]
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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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Cooking, Cooking with Kids, Ferns, Fiddleheads, Gourmet Garden, Late Autumn Garden, Mushrooms, Native Plants, Nature, Plant hunting, Plant Propagation, Plant Spotlight, Planting Techniques, Plants for shade, Recipes, Shiitake Growing, The Seasons, Unusual Plants, Vegetable Gardening, Vegetable Gardening/Potager, Woodland plants
Spring Brunch from the Kitchen Garden: Shirred Eggs with Shiitake & Arugula …
Shirred Eggs with Homegrown Shiitake Mushrooms & Garden-Fresh Arugula I’ve always been a breakfast person. French toast, waffles, eggs, potatoes, pancakes; I enjoy them all. Sometimes, in fact, I would like them all at once. Because of my love affair with breakfast foods, I have developed some pretty liberal ideas about when they should be […]
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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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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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Celebrations, Citrus, Cocktails, Full Moon, Native Plants, Nature, New England, North American Trees, Recipes, Vermont, Vernal Equinox, Woodland plants, Woody Plants
Oh Sweet, Sweet, Sugar Moon: Celebrate The Vernal Equinox & Celestial Beauty With a Seasonal, Maple Syrup Cocktail…
The Sugar Moon: A Maple Syrup Cocktail to Celebrate the End of Winter & March’s Full Moon at Perigee With the full moon at perigee, Winter’s end and Spring’s beginning, it seems there’s plenty to celebrate this weekend. Last night —eager for a preview of tonight’s celestial events— I took a tour of the local Connecticut […]
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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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Annual Flowers, annuals, Bee-Friendly Gardens, Beneficial Animals and Insects, Butterflies and Moths, Caterpillars, companion planting, flowering shrubs, Native Plants
Butterflies on My Mind: Top Three Summer Blooming Plants for Attracting Fluttering Beauties to Your Garden…
Asclepias tubersosa (Butterflyweed) and Asclepias syriaca (Milkweed) are important sources of nectar for bees and butterflies. The leaves of Asclepias are also a source of food for monarch and other butterfly caterpillars. With my seminar, “Gardening to Attract Birds, Bees and Butterflies” coming up on Monday night —and last week’s visit to Magic Wings Butterfly […]
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Bee-Friendly Gardens, Beneficial Animals and Insects, Berries, Bird Friendly Gardens, Birds, Native Plants, Organic Disease Control, organic gardening, Organic Insect Control, Wildflowers and Meadows
Birds, Bees & Butterflies in the Garden: A Seminar on Attracting Winged Beauty! Brattleboro Garden Club in Vermont
I’ll be presenting a free gardening seminar with slide show & discussion: “Gardening to Attract Birds, Bees & Butterflies” Please note that the Brattleboro Garden Club has changed the time of this event to 6 pm. Thank you! This event is sponsored by the Brattleboro Garden Club and will take place Monday, March 14th at […]
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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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Evergreens, Ferncliff, Native North American Woodlands, Native Plants, Nature, New England, The Seasons, Winter, Winter Garden, Woodland plants, Woody Plants
Winter’s Quiet Beauty: Soft, Powdery Mornings & Misty Mountain Tops…
Mist Rising in the Snow-Covered, Green River Valley Try as I might, I can think of nothing more peaceful than the quiet stillness of Vermont’s misty, snow-covered mountains at first light… White-Coated Conifers Frame the View to the North The Snowy Still at Woodland’s Edge A Dusting of Snow Traces the Outline of Every Tiny […]
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Bark, Ferncliff, Foliage, Garden Design, Living Walls & Fences, Native North American Woodlands, Native Plants, Naturalistic Garden Design, Nature, New England, North American Trees, soil science, The Seasons, Trees, Trees with Textural Bark, Wind Breaks, Winter, Winter Garden, Woodland plants, Woody Plants
The Wonderful Wizard of Winter: Native, Snow-Draped Canadian Hemlock
Tsuga canadensis – Native Canadian Hemlock I try very hard not to play favorites with the plants growing in and around my garden. In fact, you may have noticed that I’ll refer to a preferred species as ‘one of my favorites’, as opposed to ‘my favorite’. After all, I truly love each and every one […]
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Bark, Color in the Garden, flowering shrubs, Front Yard Gardens, Garden Design, Garden Design Photos, Garden Rooms, Gardening Inspiration, Hardy shrubs, Hydrangea, Japanese Maple, Late Autumn Garden, Native Plants, Nature, New England, North American Trees, Plants for Texture, shrubs, Shrubs for Winter Interest, Shrubs with Colorful Twigs/Stems, Shrubs with Textural Bark, Texture, The Seasons, Trees with Textural Bark, Winter, Winter Garden, Winter Gardening, Woodland plants, Woody Plants
Papery, Peeling, Striped & Shaggy: Textural Bark Brings Warmth & Beauty To Stark, Wintery Landscapes…
From peach and cream to reddish brown, the peeling bark of our native, paper birch (Betula papyrifera) is one of my favorite textures in the winter landscape… Brr… It sure is cold outside. With temperatures hovering around 15 degrees fahrenheit here in Vermont, it takes an awful lot to stop me in my tracks for […]
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Artful Garden Objects, Conifers, Ferncliff, Garden Design, Garden Design Photos, Garden Paths, Garden Rooms, Gardening Inspiration, Hoar Frost, Ice Storms, Inspirational Gardens, Moss, Native North American Woodlands, Native Plants, Naturalistic Garden Design, Nature, New England, North American Trees, ornamental grass, Outside Architecture, Paths and Walkways, Perennial Close-Ups, Perennials for Autumn, Perennials for Winter Interest, Planting Techniques, Plants for Texture, rock garden plants, Sculpture, shrubs, Shrubs for Winter Interest, Stone Walkways, stonework, The Seasons, Vines - Perennial, Winter, Winter Garden, Winter Gardening, Woodland plants, Woody Plants
Garden Structure & Seasonal Texture: White Lace and Sparkling Silver Tulle Dance and Flirt in a Prelude to Winter…
The Entry Garden at First Light on December 11th 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 every bit as enchanted by […]
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Autumn, Autumn Color in the Garden, Color in the Garden, Ferncliff, Gardening Inspiration, Glamorous Gardens, Ground Covers, Hoar Frost, Late Autumn Garden, Native Plants, Naturalistic Garden Design, Nature, New England, ornamental grass, Other Blogs, Perennials for Autumn, Perennials for Winter Interest, Purple and Maroon Foliage, rock garden plants, Secret Garden at Ferncliff, Shrubs for Winter Interest, Stone Walkways, stonework, The Seasons, Winter, Winter Garden, Winter Gardening, Woodland plants, Woody Plants
A Morning of Sunlit Snow Flurries & Quiet Moments of Wintry Beauty…
Golden, Sunrise Snow Shower Sunlit snow flurries, stark, white tree trunks and icy sparkle at the tips of my toes; it seems that every morning I awake to find yet another golden dawn, illuminating a crystal-and-snow-coated wonderland. And now, as late autumn gently fades —heralding the arrival of early winter— I am dazzled-as-always by the […]
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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, Conifers, Cutting Garden, Decorating Ideas, Ferncliff, Foliage, Garden Design, Garden Design Photos, Hardy shrubs, Hoar Frost, Holiday Decorating, Home, Late Autumn Garden, Native Plants, Naturalistic Garden Design, Nature, New England, Ornamental Berries and Fruit, Plant hunting, Plant Spotlight, Planting Techniques, Plants for sun, Plants for Texture, shrubs, Shrubs for fall color, Shrubs for ornamental fruit, Shrubs for Winter Interest, stonework, The Seasons, Winter, Winter Garden, Winter Gardening, Woody Plants
Bright, Red Winterberry & Juniper Magic: Lovely, Native Ilex verticillata Sparkles & Glows on Grey, Chilly Days…
Ilex verticillata ‘Red Sprite’, paired here with Juniperus chinensis ‘Sargentii’ In the last weeks of late autumn —after the leaves have all fallen and deciduous trees stand naked and rattling in cold wind— the conifers and fruit-bearing shrubs reign supreme in my garden. Late fall and early winter days —laced with hoar frost and sugar-coatings […]
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Autumn, Autumn Color in the Garden, Chartreuse, Color in the Garden, companion planting, Ferncliff, Ferns, Foliage, Garden Design, Garden Design Photos, Garden Paths, Garden Rooms, Gardening without Lawn, Ground Covers, Late Autumn Garden, Native Plants, ornamental grass, Paths and Walkways, Perennial Close-Ups, Perennials for Autumn, Planting Techniques, Plants for shade, Plants for sun, Plants for Texture, rock garden plants, scree gardens, Shrubs for fall color, Shrubs for Winter Interest, Succulents, The Seasons, Unusual Plants, Walkways - Stone, Woody Plants
Behold the Beautiful Autumn Tapestry: A Kaleidoscopic Carpet at Our Feet…
Geranium ‘Brookside’ shows off in sensational shades of red and orange in mid-November Near-metallic gleam: Dryopteris erythrosora ‘Brilliance’ (Autumn Brilliance fern) Our native ground-covering Pachysandra procumbens (Allegheny spurge) provides beautiful and variable autumn color beneath shrubs along my garden’s entryway and along the shady parts of the path Now that I have accepted the skeletal […]
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Autumn, Native North American Woodlands, Native Plants, Nature, New England, North American Trees, The Seasons, Trees for Fall Foliage, Woodland plants, Woody Plants
Welcome November…
Young American beech (Fagus grandifolia) Â and eastern cottonwood (Populus deltoides) trees in the November morning mist November. Beech and cottonwood trees —colored butterscotch and rum— warm the misty hills and blue-grey clouds. The season has changed -almost overnight. At night the wood stove flickers and glows and the smell of pumpkin pie and mulled cider […]
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Autumn, Autumn Color in the Garden, Bee-Friendly Gardens, Butterflies and Moths, Early Spring Garden Plants, Ferncliff, Forcing Branches in Winter, Gothic Garden, Halloween, Hamamelis, Hardy shrubs, Honeybee Friendly Gardening, Hummingbird/Butterfly, Late Autumn Garden, Native North American Woodlands, Native Plants, New England, Plant Spotlight, Plants for shade, Secret Garden at Ferncliff, Secret Garden Room, shrubs, Shrubs for fall color, Shrubs for Winter Interest, Shrubs/Trees for Forced Flowers, Trees for Fall Foliage, Vermont, Woodland plants, Woody Plants
Must Be The Season Of The Witch…
“When I look out my Window, Many sights to see. And when I look out my window, So many different people to be …That it’s strange, so strange.” “You’ve got to pick up every stitch, You’ve got to pick up every stitch, You’ve got to pick up every stitch …Mm, must be the Season of […]
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