The Seasons
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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 […]
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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 […]
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Artful Garden Objects, Building, Ferncliff, Fire Features, Fire Pits, Fire Pits and Fire Sculpture, Fun in the Garden, Garden Party, Garden Rooms, Gardening Inspiration, Glamorous Gardens, Gothic Garden, Sculpture, Sculpture and Features, stonework, The Seasons, Urns and Vessels, Water Features
The Art of Fire: Creating a Glowing Garden Atmosphere on Chilly Evenings…
Dan Snow Fire Sculpture – Peter Mauss photo courtesy Dan Snow Though September’s noontime hours may still be warm and humid, the clear, cool nights of late summer hint at things yet to come; glowing embers, wool blankets, and velvet skies filled with stars. On chilly evenings, my garden comes alive with pops, cracks and […]
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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 […]
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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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Books, Cookbooks, Cooking, Dining Outdoors, Ferncliff, Garden Rooms, Gourmet Garden, Potatoes, Recipes, Seeds, Terraces, The Seasons, Vegetable Gardening, Vegetable Gardening/Potager
Dinner in the Sun-Drenched Garden… New Potatoes in a Bistro-Style Salad: Pommes À L’Huile from Patricia Wells
Pommes À L’Huile – Warm Potato Salad with Fresh Herb Vinaigrette Late Summer Dinner on the Terrace There’s something absolutely delicious about the last weekend in August. What brings on this delightfully hypnotic, wonderfully relaxing mood? Perhaps it’s the warmth of the sun radiating from the stone-slab terrace, or maybe it’s the color of the […]
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Chartreuse, Climbing plants, Plant hunting, Plant Spotlight, Plants for Light Effects, Plants for sun, Plants for Texture, The Seasons, Vines - Perennial, Winter, Winter Garden
I’ve Got Sunshine… On a Cloudy Day: Humulus Lupulus ‘Aureus’, Beautiful Golden Hops Vine
Luminous Humulus lupulus ‘Aureus’, the Chartreuse Beauty of Golden Hops Vines Gloomy morning. Shifting, filtered light — melancholy as an old bow, dragging across a cello— traces murky shadows in the morning fog. The garden’s saturated colors —maroon, deep green, burgundy and rust— hint at summer’s end. There is a touch of sadness within the garden […]
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annuals, Bee-Friendly Gardens, Cocktails, companion planting, Cutting Garden, Dried Flowers, Fragrance, Garden projects for kids, Gourmet Garden, Herb Gardening, Kitchen, organic gardening, Perennial Close-Ups, Plant Spotlight, Preserving Herbs, Recipes, Summertime Cocktails, The Seasons, Vegetable Gardening, Vegetable Gardening/Potager
Savoring Summer: Harvesting and Drying The Garden’s Finest Herbal Treasures…
Drying Herbs in the Stairwell One of the great pleasures of living in New England is, of course, the seasons. The natural world operates on a distinct schedule here, and all life flows along with it at a steady pace. On these late August days, the song of the hermit thrush —an ever-present twilight melody […]
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Cippolini Onions, Ferncliff, Garlic, Gourmet Garden, Onions, Plant Spotlight, Preserving, Storing Winter Vegetables, Sweet Onions, The Seasons, Vegetable Gardening, Vegetable Gardening/Potager
Simple Storage Solutions with Style: Beautiful Braided Onions…
A Sweet Onion Braid – Drying on a Late Summer Day Warm, dry air and sparkling blue skies; here in Vermont, these are the first golden days of late summer bliss. As I swing in my big, old hammock —surrounded by the meadow-song of crickets and chattering finches— my mind drifts to nothing more important […]
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companion planting, Cooking, Cutting Garden, Ferncliff, Flower arrangements, Garden Rooms, Garlic, Herb Gardening, Honeybee Friendly Gardening, Indoor Table Arrangements, Kitchen, Organic Disease Control, organic gardening, Organic Insect Control, Planting Techniques, Potatoes, Secret Gardens, The Seasons, Vegetable Gardening, Vegetable Gardening/Potager
August Abundance: Notes from the Kitchen Garden…
My Summertime Kitchen Mid August is always a busy month in the kitchen garden. Abundant cucumbers, summer squash, beans, tomatoes, peppers, herbs and onions must be harvested and put up —frozen, dried, pickled and/or canned— at the peak of freshness. Late summer chores in the potager include watering —especially during this extended dry spell we […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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Celebrations, Fragrance, Fresh Cut Flowers, Herb Gardening, History in the Garden, Summer Solstice, The Seasons
Dreams on a Midsummer Night’s Eve & Fragrant Bouquets Beneath Pillows…
A Midsummer Night’s Bouquet for Beneath the Pillow â“’ 2010 Michaela at TGE “I know a bank where the wild thyme blows, Where oxlips and the nodding violet grows, Quite over-canopied with luscious woodbine, With sweet musk-roses and with eglantine.” – William Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Act ii, Scene 1 Gathering the Ingredients for […]
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Celebrations, Cocktails, Home, Recipes, Summer Solstice, Summertime Cocktails, The Seasons
Welcome Summer! Greeting the Solstice: Sweet Memories, Beautiful Dreams, Stylish Cocktails and Festive Sparkles…
Sunset Mangotini – The Perfect Drink for the Longest Day of the Year… Â Photograph â“’ Michaela at TGE Solstice memories. It was the longest day of the year -and I was eight years old- when I snuck out on a stylin’ new, metallic-orange bicycle for my first unauthorized ride. Off, down the long bumpy driveway […]
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Berries, Books, Children and Gardening, Cooking, Fruit for home gardens, Fun in the Garden, Garden projects for kids, Gourmet Garden, Kitchen, Perennial Close-Ups, Recipes, strawberries, The Seasons, Vegetable Gardening/Potager
The Strawberry Shortcake Facial – A (Mostly-True) Country Girl Story, Where Dallas, Dynasty and Falcon Crest Meet Fruit Mush. Plus, a Really Great Recipe for Strawberry Shortcake. I Swear…
Strawberry Shortcake with Homemade Butter Biscuits… I grew up in a strawberry patch. Yes, I mean that literally. My family grew and sold organic berries, and when I was a kid, my sister and I spent many hours in the strawberry fields picking and tending the crops. Once you’re a grownup, this sounds pretty idyllic. […]
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Autumn Color in the Garden, flowering shrubs, Flowering Trees, Front Yard Gardens, Garden Design, Garden Design Photos, Garden Maintenance, Gardening without Lawn, Ground Covers, Native Plants, Perennial Garden Maintenance, Plants for sun, Plants for Texture, Replacing Lawn, Spring Flowering Bulbs, The Seasons, Woody Plants
Front Yard Gardens: A Peek at the Design Process…
Front Yard Garden Design Proposal – Early Autumn View – Drawing © 2010 Michaela at TGE Just look at this sweet little house! It’s easy to see why my clients Laura and Dan fell in love with this place, isn’t it? I was instantly charmed by this classic New England home. From the slate-covered hip […]
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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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Early Spring Garden Plants, Ferncliff, flowering shrubs, Garden Design, Garden Design Photos, Ground Covers, Native Plants, Perennial Close-Ups, Planting Techniques, Plants for shade, Plants for Texture, Raindrops, Reflections, rock garden plants, scree gardens, Secret Garden at Ferncliff, Secret Gardens, Shade Gardening, shrubs, Spring Blooming Bulbs, Spring Flowering Bulbs, stonework, The Seasons, Water Features, Woodland plants
Thunderstorms and Beautifully Saturated Spring Color…
Wind-Driven Rain at Forest’s Edge… Spring thunderstorms kick up suddenly in New England. One minute the air is still and the birds are singing, and the next -WHAM- a bolt from the blue! Such was the case yesterday afternoon when I went to work in my garden. The passing storm was spectacularly violent and brief; […]
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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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