Nature
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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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Apples, Autumnal Equinox, Celebrations, Cocktails, Cooking, Ferncliff, Foliage, Full Moon, Heirloom Apples, Native Plants, Nature, North American Trees, ornamental grass, The Last Day of Summer, The Seasons, Vermont, Woodland plants
A Toast to the Last Day of Summer: Greeting the Autumnal Equinox with Spiced, Heirloom Apple Cider Martinis…
Spiced Apple Cider Martini with Dolgo Crab Apple and Cinnamon Stick Garnish Farewell to summer! The autumnal equinox will occur at 3:09 am UTC (GMT) on September 23rd this year. So —depending upon where you live—autumn will officially begin sometime this evening, September 22nd, or in the wee hours of September 23rd. Here in New […]
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Annual Flowers, annuals, Cutting Garden, Ferncliff, Flower arrangements, Foliage, Indoor Table Arrangements, Music in the Garden, Nature, Vases
Musical Arrangements for the Vase… Autumn Rhythm and Lavender Mist
Autumn Rhythm… And Lavender Mist… Harmonious late-summer floral arrangements in lavender and gold strike a rich and resonant chord on a grey September afternoon. Gathered from the woodland edges and surrounding meadow, gypsy wildflowers and late garden bloomers fill the house with vibrant color. Whether grouped together in a classic orchestra, jazzy duet, or soulful, […]
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Nature, The Seasons, Vermont, Vines - Perennial, Woodland plants
Welcome September…
Hints of the Coming Season – Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) along the Green River September… Still summer. Some days so hot and humid that the only relief is a trip to Green River. The water is low and the smooth rocks are hot beneath bare feet. I slip along the bank; verdant moss, flickering light […]
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Artful Garden Objects, Berries, Fun in the Garden, Furniture, Garden Dining Rooms, Garden Rooms, Garden Variety / Barnes & Noble, Gardening Inspiration, Nature, ornamental grass, Other Blogs, Wildflowers and Meadows
Barefoot August: Splendor in the Grass and Sweet Bohemian Dreams…
Splendor in the Grass – Impromptu Straw Bale Seating from Paige Gilchrist’s   The Big Book of Backyard Projects Image â“’ Janice Eaton Kilby Long, languid, hazy days… August and everything after. Grab a baguette on the way home and some herb-scented cheese. Toss aside your iphone and kick off your shoes. Spread an old […]
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Beneficial Animals and Insects, Bulbs, Butterflies and Moths, Cutting Garden, Ferncliff, Fresh Cut Flowers, Honeybee Friendly Gardening, Hummingbird/Butterfly, Native North American Woodlands, Native Plants, Naturalistic Garden Design, Nature, Perennial Close-Ups, Perennials for summer, Plant Spotlight, Spring Blooming Bulbs, Spring Flowering Bulbs, Summer Flowering Bulbs, The Seasons
A Tall, Cool Drink for the Eyes: Quiet, Calm Camassia – Wild American Beauty of the Marshland and Meadow…
Camassia quamash, North American native Camas Lily, © 2010 Michaela at TGE A few years ago, at the low edge of my garden where open meadow meets slow transition to cultivated borders, I planted a handful of native camas lily bulbs, (Camassia quamash). The first spring after planting, an orphaned fawn wandered into my life, […]
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Autumn Color in the Garden, Beneficial Animals and Insects, Birds, Butterflies and Moths, Ferns, Hummingbird/Butterfly, Native North American Woodlands, Native Plants, Naturalistic Garden Design, Nature, Perennials : Vermont, Plant Spotlight, Plants for shade, Plants for sun, Shrubs for fall color, Shrubs for Winter Interest, Shrubs with Colorful Twigs/Stems, The Seasons, Trees, Woodland plants, Woody Plants
“Native Plants: Why We Love Them and How to Use Them” – Free Seminar – This Saturday at Walker Farm in Southern Vermont – Please Join Me …
Native mountain laurel, Kalmia latifolia, (here a cultivar named ‘Pink Charm’), are durable, evergreen plants suitable for ledgy, exposed sites… far more hardy than their more tender cousins, the rhododendrons. To read more about Kalmia latifolia, click here. I am very fortunate. This place in Vermont, where I live, is a true paradise and I […]
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Ferncliff, Gardening without Lawn, Ground Covers, Native Plants, Naturalistic Garden Design, Nature, Perennial Close-Ups, Plant Spotlight, Plants for shade, The Seasons, Woodland plants
Trout Lily, Fawn Lily, or Dog-tooth Violet: No Matter What You Call This Woodland Beauty, Erythronium is a Springtime Delight…
Erythronium tuolumnense in the Secret Garden at Ferncliff © 2010 Michaela TGE Fawn lily, Trout lily, Dog-tooth Violet: Beautiful, evocative and curious, the common names for the various North American Erythronium species are as delightful as the lovely woodland flower itself. In Northeastern forests, yellow trout lilies are a common, early-spring, ephemeral wildflower. As a […]
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Ferncliff, Films, Full Moon, Nature, The Seasons
In Celebration of the Much Anticipated Pink Moon of April…
Narcissus – Photograph © 2010, Michaela at TGE Last Night’s Full, Pink Moon Rising… April’s full moon is traditionally referred to as the Pink Moon. Indeed, cerise does seem to be the color of the month, with the flowers of wild ground phlox, (sometimes called moss phlox), viburnum, cherry and apple blossoms and countless other […]
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Beneficial Animals and Insects, Bulbs, Celebrations, Ferncliff, Frogs and Toads, Nature, Reflections, Spring Blooming Bulbs, Spring Flowering Bulbs, The Seasons, Water Features
A Year in the Life of a Gardener: Celebrating Our First Anniversary and Giving Thanks to All of You…
Snowdrop I © 2010 Michaela at TGE – all rights reserved One year ago this month, I started keeping an online journal -somewhat sporadically at first- and I named it The Gardener’s Eden. What began as a labor of love, and a way to share information with my gardening friends and clients, has quickly blossomed […]
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Aletha Soule, Beneficial Animals and Insects, Birds, Children - gardening with, Cutting Garden, flowering shrubs, Flowering Shrubs and Trees for Forced Flowers, Forcing Branches in Winter, Fresh Cut Flowers, Garden projects for kids, Garden Science, Home, Indoor Table Arrangements, Native North American Woodlands, Native Plants, Nature, North American Trees, Plant hunting, Plant Propagation, Plant Spotlight, Plants for Texture, Shrubs for Winter Interest, Shrubs/Trees for Forced Flowers, The Seasons, Winter Garden, Woody Plants
Welcome, Soft Harbinger of Spring: Oh Come to Me, My Sweet Willow…
Salix discolor: North American native pussy willow © 2010 Michaela at TGE Salix discolor, North American native pussy willow – Pitcher by Aletha Soulé. Photo © Michaela 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 in […]
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Beneficial Animals and Insects, Insects/Entomology, Nature, organic gardening, Organic Insect Control, Vegetable Gardening
Hello Friend – WAIT – Whose Team Are You On Anyway?
It’s easy to recognize this friend as an adult. A ladybug rests upon Peperomia. Photo © Michaela at TGE Hello friend… or foe? In all of life it’s important to know your friends from your enemies, but as gardeners this issue is especially important. We are conditioned to think of bugs as destructive, ‘icky’ and […]
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Black Plants, Ferncliff, Garden Paths, Gardening Inspiration, Native North American Woodlands, Native Plants, Naturalistic Garden Design, Nature, North American Trees, ornamental grass, Plants for Texture, Secret Garden at Ferncliff, Secret Gardens, shrubs, Shrubs for Winter Interest, Winter, Winter Garden, Woodland plants
The White Witch Cometh…
The Morning after the Storm… The White Witch roared back up the hill last night in her icy chariot. My oh my, is she a beautiful and treacherous queen. She was angry, and she swirled her crystal scarf and heavy cloak in a fit of rage. Behind her, the cold sorceress dragged a wet blanket […]
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Ferncliff, Johnny (my John Deere 4300), Native North American Woodlands, Nature, Shoes/Boots, The Seasons, Tractors, Winter, Winter Garden
Just In Case You Were Wondering…
Yes, I am still here… So much for that early spring, eh Michaela? Status report: two feet of snow in the Green Mountains, with an ice storm and a wind advisory, (gusts to 50 mph), winding up right behind. The power has been on and off – mostly off yesterday – for two days. Keep […]
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Beneficial Animals and Insects, Birds, Butterflies and Moths, Front Yard Gardens, Gardening Inspiration, Gardening without Lawn, Great Growers and Nurseries, Ground Covers, Honeybee Friendly Gardening, Hummingbird/Butterfly, Insects/Entomology, Native Plants, Naturalistic Garden Design, Nature, Planting Techniques, Plants for shade, Plants for sun, Replacing Lawn, Shade Gardening
Go a Little Less Green for the Environment: Rethink Your Lawn…
The Front Wildflower Walk in my Garden in June… Lush, wide, green and rolling; in America we love our lawns. We like to sprawl out on the grass for a picnic, gather on the neighbor’s lawn for a game of touch football , and set up our folding chairs and tiki-torches in the backyard green […]
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Cooking, Ferncliff, Ferns, Full Moon, Garlic, Gourmet Garden, Indoor Gardening, Nature, ornamental grass, Perennials for Winter Interest, Plants for Light Effects, Plants for Texture, Potatoes, Recipes, Winter Garden
Greeting the Wolf Moon on a Chilly January Night with Warm, Creamy Garlic and Potato Soup…
Creamy Garlic and Potato Soup with Fresh Herbs Watching the full moon rise is something of a ritual for me. I note the waxing and waning lunar cycle on my calendar and I pay close attention to the forecast as the moon grows full. Lunar myths and legends have always fascinated me, and I usually […]
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Beneficial Animals and Insects, Birds, Books, Bug Defense for Gardeners, Gifts for Gardeners, Nature, organic gardening
Providing for our Feathered Friends in the Winter Garden – Part One…
Dark-eyed Junco, (Junco hyemalis) Last week when snowshoeing through the forest, I was amused by a small group of chickadees bouncing from branch to branch in a hemlock stand. With so few sounds in the woodland at this time of year, the chirping birds really stood out and made me laugh. I try not to […]
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Ferncliff, Garden Design, Garden Paths, Native Plants, Nature, North American Trees, Sculpture and Features, Shrubs for ornamental fruit, Shrubs for Winter Interest, The Seasons, Tracking, Tracking animals in snow, Winter Garden, Woodland plants, Woody Plants
Tracking Animals in Snow and the Woodland Garden in Winter…
The woodland path at the edge of the garden… On a wintery day earlier this week, after a fresh snowfall, I headed outside with my warm alpaca hat and a pair of Atlas Snowshoes. In January, the native forest at Ferncliff is living fairytale; papery beech leaves rustle in wind, and lacy shadows dance on […]
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Birds, Books, Frogs and Toads, Native North American Woodlands, Nature, Recordings
The Calming Echoes of Nature – Soothing Sounds During a Sometimes Hectic Holiday Season…
Echoes of Nature: Morning Songbirds I am about to head out to do a bit of holiday shopping this evening, which unfortunately means that I will be confronted with relentlessly loud music and overbearing crowds. And you know, as much as I enjoy this season of giving, I sometimes find all the bright lights and […]
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