Wild Muse Notes

Over the last year or so I’ve talked much about form, texture and colour, both as they relate to individual plants, and in the garden as a whole – indeed these traits are the means by which plants …

Klaus and Anne Schindhelm share their expansive apartment 'backyard' in Sydney with spectacular water views!

I must admit I first discovered Drumstick Allium when I could not find any other allium bulb to buy... It was late fall and I ...

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

Chili so good, you'll think it has tomatoes.

Miscanthus grass can grow large; look for dwarf varieties for small gardens and sterile varieties that won't spread.

a herbatous border near the palm house in kew

The Planting Design PPN, chartered in 2012 in response to ASLA members’ interest in the subject, creates many opportunities for examining the area of planting design and horticultural select…

Lady’s Mantle, Alchemilla mollis: "Gentle Alchemy" Alchemilla mollis is ubiquitous in English cottage gardens for good reason. Lady's mantle is an unfussy,

Best Garden Design Ideas - Garden ideas

How to grow and harvest Dusty Miller

Jardín mediterráneo. Mediterranean garden. Native garden. Jardín autóctono. Jardín de grava, jardín seco. Gravel garden, xeriscaping, dry garden, mediterranean garden. Contemporaneous garden design. Landscape architecture. Landschaft architecture. www.urquijokastner.com

Enclose your yard with a hedge of flowering shrubs instead of fences to add color, texture, and even fragrance to your backyard space. Check out these top picks for large flowering bushes.

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

Hoyas provide beautiful foliage in many shapes, colors, and textures. Discover 29 of the most fabulous types of hoyas for your home, now on Gardener’s Path.

Create stunning plant combinations for beds, borders, or containers. Unlock your creativity and transform your garden today!

The authors of Planting in a Post-Wild World make the case for breaking with horticultural tradition to create sustainable landscapes that are no less beautiful

Isn’t it amazing how physical perspective can change a garden? Below are four views of the same section of the garden we built on Coos Bay.

Mass planting of grasses and complementary colour palettes provide a sense of both unity and definition in this Hampshire garden.

Oxford University are celebrating an upcoming anniversary to mark 400 years of botanical research and teaching

February doesn't need to be the low point of the gardening year. A safe way out of darker days and enforced inactivity is planning and reflection: Now is t

Create impact or harmony by grouping masses of just a few plants

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,

Abstract floral designers have been taking over our social feeds recently, and we say bring it on! There's nothing like sculptural arrangements that look

This lovely serpentine bluestone path with plantings of different heights, textures and colors, creates a wonderful experience and feeling as we wander along it. The ingredients to this beautiful path?

Learn all about landscaping steep slopes, planting design and types for hillside landscaping, landscape paths and steps, terracing

As I sat down to write this post, I tried to think of the perfect adjective to describe Joe and the word "gentleman" sprang to mind. Joe is a gentleman in the most traditional sense of the word. Retired for a number of years now, he is a petite, shy man. He is also a serious plant collector, who weather permitting, can't wait to rush out the door each morning to work in his garden. A regular feature on garden tours and open on a number of occasions each summer, Joe's garden is probably one of the city's best known private gardens. Like so many of the gardens I share, this garden is a labour of love. There are over 6000 plants that are tended with the greatest care. As you will see, the flowerbeds are all meticulously groomed and edged with exacting precision. The drawing above is a very rough layout of the garden. Pathways take you down either side of the house and into the backyard. Right outside the back door there is a garden of roses and perennials. Just beyond that is a swimming pool and deck area. Toward the back of the property there are two symmetrical gardens with a central area of lawn in each. Then, back through a series of rose covered arches, is a potting area. Let's take a stroll, shall we, starting off on the path to the right of the garage. Astilbe chinensis var. taquetii, 'Superba': Feathery magenta pink flowers in early summer. Height: 90-120, Spread: 60-75 cm Part shade to shade. Average to moist growing conditions. Normal, sandy and clay soils are fine. USDA Zones: 3-9 For now, we will take a quick glance at the rose garden. In an upcoming post, we will come back for another look at the roses. Hydrangea 'Annabelle': Height: 1.2- 1.8 m Spread: 1.2- 1.8 m. Average to medium well-drained soil. Intolerant of drought. Blooms on new wood and should be pruned in late winter to encourage strong new growth. USDA Zones 4-9. Hydrangea 'Invincibelle Pink Annabelle': Height: 100 cm, Spread: 100 cm Sun or shade. Flowers June to September with deadheading. Musk Mallow, Malva: Full sun. Height: 45-70 cm, Spread: 45-60cm. Average growing conditions. Normal, sandy or clay soil. Satiny, single hibiscus-like flowers in early summer. Cutting back the plant in August will encourage it to over winter better and survive longer. Readily self-seeds. USDA Zones 3-9. A mix of perennials including several hosta, a Brunnera, a Heuchera and a Pulmonaria. Astrantia major 'Roma': Average to moist soil and part shade to sun are best for Astrantia. Height: 60-90 cm, Spread: 45-60, USDA Zones: 3-9 A lovely combination: European Meadowsweet, Filipendula ulmaria has ferny foliage and flowers similar to an Astilbe. Plants form a bushy clump with creamy-white flowers in early summer. This plant does best in moist soil in sun or part shade. Trim flowers after they bloom. Height 75-120 cm, Spread: 45-60 cm. USDA Zones 3-9 Astrantia major 'Roma': Average to moist soil and part shade to sun are best for Astrantia. Height: 60-90 cm, Spread: 45-60, USDA Zones: 3-9 Phlox Paniculata 'David's Lavender': Full sun or part shade. Height: 90-120 cm Spread: 60-75 Moist to average growing conditions are best. Sandy or clay soil. Fragrant. USDA Zones 3-9. Joe has an array of hostas that would be the envy of most gardeners. He combines them in groups and also mixes them in usual ways as he has done with these Carefree Delight Roses. Coreopsis blooms for weeks and is a great self-seeder. Variegated Japanese Knotweed, Fallopia japonicaVariegata: Joe has the free time to be vigilant with his perennials. Based on my own experiences, I would be very cautious of planting any Knotweeds! Maybe this is one plant that is best grown in a container. Morning sun or part shade. Height: 150-180 cm, Spread: 90-120 cm. Part shade. Average to moist growing conditions are best. Normal, sandy or clay soil. USDA Zones 2-9. Hosta 'Sun Power': This variety of hosta has large chartreuse to gold foliage. Height: 70-75 cm, Spread: 120-150cm. Part shade. Average to moist growing conditions are best. Normal, sandy or clay soil. USDA Zones 2-9. Phlox Paniculata 'David's Lavender': Full sun or part shade. Height: 90-100 cm Spread: 60-75. Fragrant. Average to moist growing conditions are best. Sandy or clay soil. Resistant to powdery mildew. USDA Zones 3-9. Echinacea 'Double Scoop Bubblegum': Height: 60-65 cm, Spread: 40-55 cm. Full sun. Average, dry or moist growing conditions. Normal, sandy or clay soils work. Attractive to butterflies. USDA Zones 4-9. False Mallow, Sidalcea 'Party Girl': Is a personal favourite of mine. Height: 60-90 cm, Spread: 30-45 cm. Full sun or part shade. Blooms early summer, and with deadheading, again in the fall. Average or moist growing conditions. Normal, sandy or clay soils are fine. They self-seed, but not to the point of becoming a nuisance. USDA Zones 4-9. Phlox Paniculata 'David's Lavender': Full sun or part shade. Height: 90-120 cm Spread: 60-75. Moist growing conditions are best. Sandy or clay soil. USDA Zones 3-9. Yellow Fumitory, Corydalis lutea: Height: 20-40 cm, Spread: 25-30 cm. Part to full shade. Nice ferny foliage and pretty yellow flowers from June into fall. Average to moist growing conditions. Readily self-seeds, but seedlings are easy to pull. USDA Zones: 3-9 Creeping Thyme, Thymus 'Doone Valley: Height: 5-10 cm, Spread: 30-60 cm. Full sun. Needs well-drained soil. Average to dry growing conditions. Trumpet Creeper, Campsis radocans: Trumpet Creeper can reach a height of up to 40' and can spread as much a 10'. In other words, it is a pretty aggressive vine that is hard to control. Full sun to part shade. Easily grown in moist soils. Blooms on new growth so spring pruning is not a problem. Attractive to Hummingbirds. USDA Zones: 4-9 Hybrid Mullein, Verbascum chaixii Height: 40-55 cm, Spread:3--45 cm. Full sun. Average to dry growing conditions. Well-drained normal, sandy or clay soils are fine. Plants flower for a long period and tend to exhaust themselves, so it is a good idea to take cuttings in spring to make new plants. USDA Zones: 5-9 Sneezeweed, Helenium autumnale 'Moerheim Beauty': Height: 75-100 cm, Spread: 45-60 cm. Full sun. Average to Moist growing conditions. Plant likes fertile, well-drained soil. Pinch back in June for a fuller, shorter plant. Attractive to butterflies. USDA Zones 4-9. Trumpet Lilies by the back door. This Climbing Hydrangea is only about 5 or 6 years old! Climbing Hydrangea, Hydrangea anomala petiolaris: is a large deciduous vine that can reach as much as 50 ft at maturity. In early summer this vine produces lacy, flat-topped flowers 5 inches or more in width. Shade, part shade or sun if well watered. Plant in rich, well-drained, moisture retentive soil. One drawback is they are slow growers and can take years to really get going. Once established they do grow more quickly and may need pruning in summer after they flower. USDA Zones 4-7 Here's a link to Joe's Garden Part 2 Bookmark this post with a Pin.

Early spring is the season of hope: for the most beautiful garden ever. And you can have that. You also can lay the most charming front path in the history