The Seasons
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Asian Natives, flowering shrubs, Syringa vulgaris, The Seasons, Tim Geiss, Viburnum, Woody Plants
Happy May Day!
Image © 1895, Walter Crane, via Yale University Library online Welcome, welcome, sweet month of May! Melodic bird song and the intoxicating, clove-like scent of Mayflower viburnum, (also known as Korean spicebush, Viburnum carlesii), were the first pleasures to greet me on this first day of one of the loveliest months of the year. Special […]
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Cooking, Ferncliff, Ferns, Native North American Woodlands, Native Plants, Perennial Close-Ups, Perennials : Vermont, Plant Spotlight, Plants for shade, Plants for Texture, Recipes, Secret Garden at Ferncliff, The Seasons, Woodland plants
Well Fiddle-Dee-Dee: Unfurling Spring Pleasures in the Forest at Ferncliff…
Fiddlehead ferns unfurling in the Secret Garden – Ostrich Fern (Matteuccia pensylvanica) Lady fern ‘Lady in Red’ (Athyrium filix feminina), in my garden Oh yes, we are smack-dab-in-the-middle of fiddlehead season here in the Northeast; one of spring’s most delightful and ephemeral pleasures at my forest home in Vermont. Here on my ledgy site, Ostrich ferns, […]
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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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Dark flowers, Ferncliff, Garden Design, Ground Covers, Perennial Close-Ups, Perennials for Winter Interest, Plant hunting, Plant Spotlight, Plants for shade, Plants for Texture, Secret Garden at Ferncliff, Shade Gardening, The Seasons, Winter Garden, Woodland plants
Lovely Lenten Rose: The Secret Garden’s First Blossom of Springtime …
Helleborus x hybridus © Michaela at TGE Delicate, feminine, mysterious and shy; while it’s true that these words perfectly describe the beautiful Lenten Rose, there is so much more to this gorgeous harbinger of springtime. I could just as easily describe her -much less romantically- as strong, reliable and tenacious. Helleborus x hybridus, known more […]
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Garden Maintenance, garden tools, Gifts for Gardeners, Spring Blooming Bulbs, Spring Flowering Bulbs, The Seasons
Smooth Moves: Gliding Through Spring Cleanup with a Sweet Adjustable Rake. Tool Talk Part Two…
Cleaning Up Without Damaging Bulbs (After photo) Cleaning up with an adjustable rake pulled to a tight setting (During) OK. So I am feeling a little sore tonight. I admit it. Shoulders; triceps; middle back = Ouch. I have been busy with spring clean up in a few of my client’s gardens, among them, the […]
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Bulbs, Celebrations, Cocktails, Cooking, Ferncliff, flowering shrubs, Garden Paths, Gardening Inspiration, Gifts for Gardeners, Home, Recipes, Secret Garden at Ferncliff, Secret Gardens, Spring Blooming Bulbs, Spring Flowering Bulbs, The Seasons, Woodland plants, Woody Plants
Mimosa Pour Moi? Oui, Oui, Oui. Sunday Afternoon Delights in the Early Spring Garden…
La Mimosa de Minneola de Michaela Could there possibly be a more lovely weekend for Easter Egg hunts, Sunday brunches, garden strolls and chilled mimosas? I think not. Here in New England the weather is simply spectacular, and swollen flower buds are bursting open to greet the glorious day. The pink bodnant viburnum ‘Dawn’ at […]
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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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Autumn Color in the Garden, flowering shrubs, Flowering Shrubs and Trees for Forced Flowers, Forcing Branches in Winter, Fresh Cut Flowers, Garden Design, Old Fashioned Flowers, Plant Spotlight, Secret Garden at Ferncliff, shrubs, Shrubs for fall color, Shrubs for Winter Interest, Shrubs/Trees for Forced Flowers, The Seasons, Viburnum, Woody Plants
How To Describe the Beautiful Scent of Bodnant Viburnum ‘Dawn’ ?
Anticipation! Viburnum bodnantense ‘Dawn’ – buds swollen in cold spring rain… I have always found it a bit frustrating that -at least in English- fragrances don’t have names of their own. Have you noticed? When we describe smells, we use similes, (smells like…), or we borrow other words, because scents have none. Often we use […]
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flowering shrubs, Flowering Shrubs and Trees for Forced Flowers, Hamamelis, Late Autumn Garden, Plant Spotlight, shrubs, Shrubs for fall color, The Seasons, Witch hazel, Woodland plants, Woody Plants
The Sorceress of Springtime: Spellbinding Witch Hazel ‘Diane’…
Hamamelis x intermedia, ‘Diane’ blooms mid March in my garden. Photograph © 2010 Michaela at TGE Today’s grey clouds ushered in the first spring rain, and with it, the slightest breeze from the south. It’s still quite chilly, but every morning I am drawn outside by the promise of chartreuse-green bulb-tips, glowing as they break […]
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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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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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Artful Garden Objects, Candles, Celebrations, Decorating the Garden, Garden Design, Garden Design Photos, Garden projects for kids, Gardening Inspiration, Gifts for Gardeners, Holiday Decorating, Lighting, Luminarias (Tin), The Seasons, Winter Garden
Create A Glowing Garden in Any Season: Handmade Tin Luminarias…
Tin Luminarias Glowing on the Winter Garden Path A few years ago, I attended a beautiful winter party at a friend’s house. She took the time to make the night special, and I will always remember the warmth and glow of her house, lit from within by hundreds of candles, as I arrived on that […]
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Cocktails, Gifts for Gardeners, Recipes, The Seasons
Valentine’s Day Fun with Flowers: Introducing The Wild Hibiscus Royale…
I’m a big fan of Valentine’s Day. This probably comes as no surprise. Of course I love any celebration that involves flowers, food and drink. But there is something special about a holiday that exists just to say ‘I love you’. And although we tend to think of romance and candlelit dinners on Valentine’s Day, […]
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Cutting Garden, Dahlias, garden tools, Gifts for Gardeners, Great Growers and Nurseries, Rain Gear, Shoes/Boots, Spring Blooming Bulbs, Summer Flowering Bulbs, The Seasons
Guilty Pleasures: Dreams of Spring and Pretty Little Things …
Narcissus ‘Lemon Silk’ in the walkway last spring… Springtime. Why yes… you do remember springtime? The smell of fresh narcissus and damp earth? It’s not so far away. Really, (or so I tell myself). On those blissful days when the mercury rises a bit, and the walkway fills with slush, I can almost picture my […]
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Bowls, Candles, Reflections, Secret Garden at Ferncliff, Secret Gardens, The Seasons, Winter Garden
A Prayer for Haiti…
Sending Hope. Sending Help. Sending Prayers. Send what you can to Haiti… American Red Cross United Nations World Food Programme Stand With Haiti – Partners in Health *** All content on this site, (with noted exceptions), is the property of The Gardener’s Eden and may not be used or reproduced without express written consent. Please […]
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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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Cooking, Herb Gardening, House Plants, Indoor Gardening, Recipes, The Seasons, Vegetable Gardening
Rosemary No-Knead Bread from the Windowsill Herb Garden …
Light snow is falling outside and the temperature here in Vermont is hovering around 30 degrees fahrenheit. A winter storm is expected tonight and it is predicted to continue throughout tomorrow. Meteorologists are promising us six to twelve inches of fluffy, new snow here in the Green Mountains. It sounds like I will be doing […]
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Cocktails, Recipes, The Seasons, Winter Solstice
A Beautiful and Symbolic Cocktail to Celebrate the Winter Solstice and Enjoy Throughout the Holiday Season…
The Persephone – or Lava Lamp by Maria Hunt… . My, oh my – where has the year gone? Here we are on the eve of the Winter Solstice, with 2010 right around the corner. I don’t know about you, but for me this year has been a complete whirl-wind. Looking back at the months […]
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Conifers, Ferncliff, Garden Design Photos, Gardening Inspiration, Perennials for Winter Interest, Plants for Light Effects, Plants for Texture, shrubs, Shrubs for ornamental fruit, Shrubs for Winter Interest, Shrubs with Colorful Twigs/Stems, The Seasons, Winter Garden, Woodland plants, Woody Plants
The Dawn of Winter: December Notes from Ferncliff…
Winter’s Dawn at Ferncliff The morning after a storm. Silent. Pristine. After months of drowsy, frost-covered mornings, at long last the garden has fallen to sleep. Lulled by a by a shifting blanket of snow, the flowers have all drifted away now; their pods empty; stalks broken. Summer’s song is hushed; notes frozen in chilly stillness. […]
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Apples, Cookbooks, Cooking, Plant Spotlight, Recipes, The Seasons, Vegetable Gardening
Baby it’s Cold Outside! Warm Up a Bit – Sweet Butternut Squash Soup, with a Kiss of Apple Confit and Creme Fraiche…
Butternut Squash Soup with Apple Confit and and a dollop of Crème Fraîche… So what am I doing outside these days? Oh all sorts of last minute, before-the-snow-flies chores and holiday decorating. Up until today, it has been unseasonably warm in New England, and I have been delighting in the temperatures while gathering greenery and […]
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Books, Garden Design, Organic Disease Control, organic gardening, Organic Insect Control, The Seasons, Vegetable Gardening
Cozying up by the Fire: Kitchen – Gardening Guide Books to Give or Get…
My favorite place to read: beside a glowing fire… The photograph above was taken last night from a favorite old chair, where I will be spending my leisure hours reading during the months of January and February. And although a few calendar weeks remain until winter officially begins in the northern hemisphere, I have already started […]
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