Garden Photo of the Day

READER PHOTOS! Jana’s garden in Massachusetts

Photo/Illustration: Courtesy of Jana Milbocker

Today’s photos are from Jana Milbocker in Holliston, Massachusetts. Jana says, “I have been gardening on my 2-acre property located 25 miles west of Boston for 20 years. When we bought our 100-year-old house, towering maples, oaks and Norway spruces, overgrown rhododendrons and 2 green hostas constituted the garden.

Photo/Illustration: Courtesy of Jana Milbocker

“I was a complete novice, and my frugal garden began with flowers grown from seed, rooted cuttings of shrubs, and perennial divisions donated by family and friends. As my interest in horticulture grew, so did my collection. Now the garden features more than 140 varieties of trees and shrubs, perennial gardens, peony and rose beds, water features and shady retreats.

Photo/Illustration: Courtesy of Jana Milbocker

“Some of my favorite plants include viburnums, hellebores, hydrangeas, and peonies, and I enjoy propagating my plants and sharing with others. In addition to hours of fun outside, my gardening hobby has lead to many new friendships, continuing education, and a new business in garden design, writing and lecturing.”

Beautiful, Jana. I feel like you’ve captured the spirit of New England in your garden. Thanks for sharing!

Photo/Illustration: Courtesy of Jana Milbocker
Photo/Illustration: Courtesy of Jana Milbocker
Photo/Illustration: Courtesy of Jana Milbocker
Photo/Illustration: Courtesy of Jana Milbocker
Photo/Illustration: Courtesy of Jana Milbocker
Photo/Illustration: Courtesy of Jana Milbocker
Photo/Illustration: Courtesy of Jana Milbocker
Photo/Illustration: Courtesy of Jana Milbocker
Photo/Illustration: Courtesy of Jana Milbocker

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Comments

  1. kimberlyfawn 09/06/2012

    Stunningly beautiful! It's what my garden hopes to be when it grows up :)

  2. ElveraH 09/06/2012

    Is your home really blue with green trim? I am blown away by your sense of color...all of my favorite colors! I live about 30 minutes from you and hope to do a drive by one day. Thanks for sharing such a labor of love.

  3. Deanneart 09/06/2012

    Very nice! love the use of conifers in the borders

  4. User avater
    meander_michaele 09/06/2012

    Jana, your photos have wonderful clarity and I feel I am almost walking next to you. You are a masterful creator of delightful combinations that provide charming vignettes. The picture that includes the mature blue spruce and wonderful abundance of daisies is perfection.
    Also, it's a treat to see such robust astilbes ...they struggle here in my east TN garden and I have ruefully bowed their reluctance to thrive for me and stopped replacing them in my garden.

  5. enchantedgardens 09/06/2012

    ElveraH-

    The house is actually blue-gray with white trim - it was the light reflecting off of all that greenery that made it look different!
    If you ever want to stop by, please contact me through my website, http://www.enchantedgardensdesign.com.
    Thanks for all your kind comments! Jana

  6. Wife_Mother_Gardener 09/06/2012

    Beautiful plantings... definitely made with a designers eye. Great job, Jana!

  7. wwross 09/06/2012

    Fabulous color combinations! What kind of ivy is that in a couple of the pictures? Is that a problem for you?

  8. User avater
    Tim_Zone_Denial_Vojt 09/06/2012

    Very artistic shots of a great garden!

  9. sheila_schultz 09/06/2012

    Lovely gardens and great plant combinations... the textures and colors are wonderful. Thanks, Jana.

  10. tractor1 09/06/2012

    Jana, with your proclivity for planting so many trees I bet you wish you had several more acres. And you have a talent for photo composition, I especially like the last picture with the feathery pink foreground the green ferns, a gazing ball as a center point, and all those old tree trunks as a majestic backdrop. I niticed that you left your christmas lights on your rose trellis, be sure to inspect them carefully as direct sun will cause them to deteriorate, you don't need a fire... would be wise to bring them in right after the holidays. Thank you for a glimpse into your lovely garden, next time don't be so shy, show us more of what you got, some long views that include sky.

  11. greengrowler 09/06/2012

    Wow, Jana! Your plants and trees are so vibrant and healthy - how do you get everything to thrive so enthusiastically? Like ElverH, your gardens include my favorite color palettes and combinations.....stunning job!

    PS to tractor1 - thanks for the reel mower websites!

  12. cwheat000 09/06/2012

    Just lovely! Nice mixing of textures. You have created a warm and elegant New England property.

  13. tractor1 09/06/2012

    GreenGrowler: You're very welcome. I had a push reel mower many years ago, I bought it in response to the gasolene shortage of the '70s, it was fun to use for a while but soon got old as it was a lot more labor to push that thing, and I was more than forty years younger then. And it was the top of the line model sold by Scott. It worked well if I mowed like every other day but if it rained for a couple of days the grass grew fast and thick and push reel mowers simply don't do well with tall grass, they also require alignment and sharpening often. In the advertisements they never mention the down side. The one up side is that push reel mowers are not very expensive so it can make sense to have one in reserve just in case a rotary mower goes on the fritz, then there's something to use until it's repaired or replaced.

  14. pattyspencer 09/07/2012

    Beautiful garden! Lots of colors and wonderful combinations. I - like Meander1 have difficulty in my garden with Astiles too - yours are gorgeous!

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