First, What is a companion plant? Plant society members often think of their ‘pet’ plants as the stars of any border: flowering perennials, shrubs, trees and climbing plants that are gu…
Which plants are essential in a traditional English garden? Roses, hollyhocks, foxgloves, lupins, pinks, and more, with a sprinkling of fruits and vegetables.
Get inspired by this post on cottage garden planning as well as ideas on how you can get this beautiful cottage look yourself!
Create a soft, romantic feel in your yard with these garden design ideas and plans.
Most gardeners are familiar with daylilies, peonies, hostas, and iris, but other perennials can add color and interest.
Perched on the top of a windswept hill in the Hunter Valley, this Australian native...
Recently when I judged The 68th Chronicle Garden Competition, preceding Toowoomba’s Carnival of Flowers, I chose ‘Terrara’, a garden growing mainly Australian native plants as Gra…
Have you ever wondered how to create a beautiful, English cottage garden? Here, I'll provide lots of inspiration for doing just that!
Beautiful ideas for landscaping with tall or short ornamental grasses that you can plant yourself! Creative gardening ideas!
This lovely contemporary garden, rich in texture and interest, features a dining terrace with a cedar patio table cantilevered over an area richly planted with drifts of Verbena, Nepeta, Agastache and Lavandula. All of this is delicately veiled by Deschampsia cespitosa.
Lady’s Mantle, Alchemilla mollis: "Gentle Alchemy" Alchemilla mollis is ubiquitous in English cottage gardens for good reason. Lady's mantle is an unfussy,
Cottage gardens are intentionally casual. Go big on color, but light on labor with this classic, informal garden style.
You Can Grow Peonies in Texas shares step by step how to grow peonies in zone 8. Even in clay soil, you can be successful.
Garden
In a quiet corner of rural Dorset, Jasper Conran’s 17th-century house is surrounded by an informal, flower-filled garden that reflects the designer’s predilection for constantly evolving and creative planting
Hello everyone! I can hardly believe it is already late in August and the garden will soon be winding down as we move into autumn.We have had a dry summer this year-especially August and some of the plants,especially the hydrangeas are getting a little droopy.However, if we just take a quick tour around hopefully you will just see the beauty! These photos were all taken last week so you can see there is still lots of color. The phlox and hydrangeas are the main show in our garden now- it's a good thing we have lots! Laura-a pretty dark mauve and white phlox that is pretty mildew resistant. Love the color combo here. It was a windy day so the pic is a bit fuzzy. Sun and shadow. A garden vignette. The annebelle hydrangeas are still doing well. I remember just a couple of months ago this arbor was looking naked.The virginia creeper really covers it now. A bright pink tablecloth(really an old sheet) and a big bouquet adds a pop of color in the outdoor terrace/gazebo. The phlox and limelight hydrangea at the bed by the road are still doing well. The arbor that Andrew built several years ago has aged in nicely. Another pretty phlox blooming in the garden now but I have forgotten the name of it. Well,we didn't get all the way around the garden yet but I will show you more later. Thank you for coming along with me. Take care, Carolyn
Design articles are always guiding us into the various ways to refresh a room, let's switch it up and do the same for the garden. 1. PRUNE This is one of my clients who called asking for some pruning. On my! I personally love to prune when a major renovation is required, believing anything can be re-shaped and saved. While the crew was busy, I pulled out the shears Yes, there was an entryway and an address. 2. EDGING AND MULCH Can I say mandatory? Looks clean and fresh, represses weeds and retains moisture Look for the best mulch you can afford, preferably black and fine. We use LEAF mulch, decomposed leaves, rich, black and finely ground. When laid, any mulch will begin to decompose. As wood mulch decomposes, that process robs the soil of nutrients. As leaf mulch goes, it feeds the soil, improving it's texture and adding nutrients Unless you reside at a Shell station, this is a big NO! Ugly, and the dyes are toxic 3. Stabilize structures and paint if needed In winter climes, snow and ice takes it's toll on our structures. Examine closely for needed repairs. A fresh coat of paint does wonders! 4. Clean, and/or replace outdoor soft goods What a renaissance for outdoor pillows; the fabrics and the designs. We carry a line whose style matches any interior pillow, some with gorgeous fringe, trim and down inserts! The rug line we carry, Dash and Albert, has a tremendous outdoor collection. New for 2014 is the collaboration with Bunny Williams, above 5. Declutter It can happen.......one day you are bringing home ornamentation, the next you are in a newspaper, misguided, posing and smiling Benches, table, fountain, watering cans.......complimentary to each other and tastefully arranged. Look around, what might be redundant, in disrepair......generally employ a good edit 6. Re access your front door Charming? Massively so if you live in a cottage, in Czechoslovakia. Enter your home as a guest would, is all clean? Decluttered? In good repair and painted or stained? Outdoor lamps sparkling clean? Consider a color change, this focal point for your home can be unassuming or exciting 7. Give up on low performing plants "I hate to kill plants!" I do too. Often as a landscape designer I am both executioner and nurturer. There are times when a plant is simply "taking up space", overgrown and beyond pruning (not too often), a blob, that is it just sits there, offering little No focus, many blob type plants, all green, no stand-outs and yes, a few weeds To live in my garden, the criteria is; must be of appropriate size must be interesting most of the growing season must be a strong performer; long bloom, colorful foliage, multi-seasonal interest I'm ruthless..... This Hydrangea above is the Incrediball, in bloom from early June to frost....nice! 8. Interesting foliage? Take a close look. Have a section where there is too much green? (disregard if all green is your goal, lovely in a formal setting). Too many leaves of the same size and shape? Insert some of the colorful foliage plants and pay close attention to the shape, mixing it up. 9. Consider the addition of Annuals To me, they are the link for a garden. They perform throughout the season weaving in and out of perennials and shrubbery that have their day until next year 10. Reevaluate your containers Are they in good order? Remove old soil, which no longer has any nutrients, and refill. How about their style and size, appropriate? Charming? YES! Appropriately sized? NO, too small That's better. Take note of the terra cotta color, which pulls from the homes bricks....nice! One of our clients. When we designed the gardens, instead of a pair of urns at the front entrance, we placed oversized, statement urns in front of the two front windows. Enjoyed from inside and out, they make a statement as they are planted fresh, four times a year, celebrating each new season. Cheers! Debra
Let nature lend a helping hand in caring for your roses by planting alongside them flowers and herbs which look out for one another.
Mass planting of grasses and complementary colour palettes provide a sense of both unity and definition in this Hampshire garden.
Christopher Bradley-Hole made a stir a few years ago with his Chelsea Flower Show garden, mainly consisting of different heights of boxwoods. Was it cold,
It’s a rare Saturday blog post! I figured I owed you a little something with my sporadic posting over the past few weeks. The garden is finally coming alive, and although there isn’t a lot of things flowering just yet, it is a lovely combination of greens and almost everything is still looking fresh and […]
Unfussy and long-lived, perennials pump out beautiful foliage and flowers year after year
Purple draws the eye, focusing attention on its deep, rich warmth.Here are nine purple palettes to add courage, power, and warmth to a garden.
Planting fall bulbs is an easy way to bring your winter-weary garden to life. If you’re wondering which bulbs to plant in fall, look no further!
I've always wanted a beautiful garden. In my vision I'm about ten or fifteen years older, maybe some gray hair streaks here and there, and I'm in my garden pruning, potting, digging, and watering. While I love traveling and seeing new places, I'm much more of a homebody. So if we're not road-trippin
Happy Memorial Day Weekend! They say it’s the unofficial beginning of summer. And that means more time outdoors– sunshine… And for some– gardens, pools and exquisite gardens. That is— if one has the land to accommodate all of that. Alas, I am in an apartment. And before that, I lived in a Townhouse. We had […]
rtfgvb This week I am featuring a made-to-order garden from Spring Hill Nurseries. For those of you that are not confident in your planning skills, this nursery has a handful of pre-planned, ready to plant gardens. This one is nice because it is planned for waves of color in every season. I ordered this garden […]
Just today I was able to go out into the garden and cut flowers for our dining table (photo above). It's comfort to my soul to be able to grow flowers for our own home.
I had my camera with me on a recent visit to Annie's Annuals and Perennials in Richmond and caught a few images of their demonstration gard...
The Agapanthus, commonly referred to as the Lily-of-the-Nile or the African lily plant, displays large masses of striking blue or white flowers atop a tall and slender stalk. Learn more about this pla
I am excited to share that The National Garden Bureau has chosen the allium as the bulb of the year! They pick one annual, one perennial, one bulb crop and one…
Immerse yourself in the wild beauty of photographer Claire Takacs's new book, Australian Dreamscapes
How do you design a garden for two artists who have a highly attuned sense of the visual? When I met photographer Maria Robledo and artist Holton Rower, ab
% Border Gardening: How to plant a herbaceous perennial border %
Use this summer cottage garden plan to fill your yard with flowers during the warmer months.
Learn about less invasive types of wisteria vines, and how to grow, train, prune, and support wisteria, an essential member of the Southern garden.
Starting an herb garden is a rewarding way to begin (or expand) your gardening knowledge. What are the basics of herb gardening for beginners?
