mgervais
Michelle Gervais, New Milford, CT, USAssociate Editor
I rediscovered gardening in college, and soon switched from a math major to a horticulture major. A "major" change, and a good one! The years since have included growing culinary herbs, edible flowers, and mesclun mixes on Nantucket Island off the coast of Massachusetts, managing both a retail greenhouse and a nursery yard in Westchester County, New York, and managing visitation, marketing, and general business for a small but amazing public garden in Putnam County, New York. I signed on to Fine Gardening Magazine and Kitchen Gardener Magazine in 2000.
These days I'm an associate editor at FG and www.finegardening.com. I tend an 8-year-old, 1/4-acre garden surrounding my 19th-century in-town house, where I tend to neglect my one large perennial border while obsessing over my container gardens, which are filled with lush tropicals and annuals. I have a paralyzing fear of pruning, and when it comes to in-the-ground plants, I find myself perpetually at a loss as to where to put them, no matter how much I love them. Can anyone help me find the perfect spot for my new Geranium 'Rozanne'??
Contributions
READER PHOTOS! Sarah's garden in Illinois, Day 1: The front yard
We'll spend the next two days (Well, today and Monday!) in Sarah Hall's garden in Champaign, Illinois. Today's photos are from Sarah's front yard. But first, an introduction to Sarah. Sarah...
READER PHOTOS! Carol's garden in Georgia
Today's photos are from Carol Stewart in Atlanta, Georgia. Carol says, "Here is a picture of my garden this past summer. I enjoy using annuals and perennials in my garden. My garden is always...
READER PHOTOS! Andrea's espalier in Idaho
Today's photos are from Andrea Niederer near Boise, Idaho. Andrea says, "I live in the Intermountain West, near Boise, Idaho, in USDA Hardiness Zone 6. We have lots of sun and cool nights so...
READER PHOTOS! Liz's garden in Washington
Today's photos are from Liz Barry in North Bend, Washington. She says, "I love gardening as a hobby and also work part-time as a gardener, I own my own small business gardening for about 10...
READER PHOTOS! Rebecca's garden in British Columbia
Today's photos came from Cherry Ong, whose garden we've featured in the past, here. I'm thinking gardening is in her blood, especially after I got a glimpse of these photos of her mom's garden...
READER PHOTOS! Tim's garden in Ohio, Day 3: This and that
One last day in Tim Vojt's garden in Columbus (for now...we're hoping Tim will keep sending in photos, yes?). Tim says, "This is an assortment of garden photos and plant portraits that arent...
READER PHOTOS! Tim's garden in Ohio, Day 2: The front yard
Check out the next awesome transformation in Tim Vojt's garden in Columbus, Ohio! Tim says, "Our 100 year-old, suburban home sits up on a berm. Besides being unappealing, it was somewhat...
READER PHOTOS! Tim's garden in Ohio, Day 1: The gravel garden
We're spending the next three days in Tim Vojt's garden in Columbus, Ohio. He's got lots of good stuff to show us! We'll start with his driveway gravel garden. Tim says, "I've been slowly...
READER PHOTOS! Terie's garden in New York
Today's photos are from Terie Rawn in Newfield, New York. Terie says, "Here are various pictures of my backyard gardens featuring the garden cottage that my husband built to honor our 30th wedding...
READER PHOTOS! Even more from Jane's garden in Minnesota
I can't resist another day of Jane Horn's garden in Prior Lake, Minnesota. Her plant combos are so great! Here's a portion of her garden along a shady path. Jane's plant IDs are in the first caption...
READER PHOTOS! More from Jane's garden in Prior Lake, Minnesota
We featured Jane Horn's driveway garden in Prior Lake, Minnesota, in the GPOD's 2nd birthday post, but today we feature another, lusher portion of her garden. She sent these photos in with the...
READER PHOTOS! Julia's garden in Minnesota
Today's photos are from Julia Brown in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She says, "I became interested in flower gardening about 30 years ago after seeing a beautiful landscape photo in a magazine. My...
READER PHOTOS! More from Leslie's garden in Colorado
We featured some scenes from Leslie Ornelas's gorgeous Colorado Springs, Colorado, garden back on October 12th of 2011, and if you go back and take another look, you might recognize some of the...
READER PHOTOS! Avis's garden in Maryland
Today's photos are from Avis Veseley in southern Maryland. She says, "This is a picture taken from our little "Wee House" where we nap, play with grandchildren, sort seeds and plan gardensnbspWhen...
READER PHOTOS! Jeffrey's visit to Larnach Castle
Today's photos (no, that first one's not photoshopped...Wow!) are from Jeffrey Ross. Jeff says, "I live in the Sonoran Desert of North Phoenix, Arizona. I started my blog, Gardening on the Moonnbspbecause...
READER PHOTOS! More from Sara's garden in California
Back on December 21st, we featured three photos from Sara Malone's garden in Somoma County, taken by her friend Janice LeCocq. They knocked our socks off, and Janice promised to send more...
READER PHOTO! More from Lola's garden in New York
We featured Lola's great wall and pond yesterday, but today we see a view of a different part of her property. Lola says...
READER PHOTOS! Lola's garden in New York
Today's photos are from Lola Stanton in Highland Lake, New York. She says, I had wanted a water feature for years and years, something my husband did not see any use for! The yard slopes down and our basement always got flooded, so last year my husband built the wall himself and added a drainage system....
Want us to feature YOUR garden on the Garden Photo of the Day blog?
Here at the Garden Photo of the Day, we LOVE featuring your gardens! In fact, the blog has evolved over the last couple of years to feature mainly reader photos, with a few FG-staff-shot photos here...
READER PHOTOS! Marcia's garden in Maryland
Today's photos are from Marcia Brown. She says, "I live outside of Baltimore, Maryland, on eight acres, only one of which can be touched. The rest is forest conservation designation, which is...
READER PHOTOS! Bruce's garden in Louisiana
Boy, we sure have been all over the continent in the past few weeks! New York, Massachusetts, Montana, California, Nova Scotia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Oregon, New Jersey... Let's travel south today...
READER PHOTOS! More from Kielian's garden in Montana
Remember Kielian DeWitt? We featured her garden back on December 9th. Take another look. OK, so Kielian sent in these photos last week, and while she was worried they're not "gardeny" enough for the...
READER PHOTO! Mary Jane's garden in New York
Today's photo is from Mary Jane Hayhurst in Orchard Park, New York. She says, "This is the view from our porch and as you enter from the driveway. In the foreground is hostas, ferns, astilbes...
The GPOD's 2nd birthday!
Happy birthday to us!! The GPOD was "born" exactly two years ago today, on January 4th, 2010. Whew--that's more than 500 posts! I kinda need a nap... Take a minute to go back to the beginning. Its...
Lost in the bamboo
Here are a couple of serene scenes from the bamboo garden at Matterhorn Nursery in New York. Stay tuned tomorrow for the winner of the New Year's gardening resolutions drawing from yesterday!
Happy New Year!!
Happy New Year, everyone! Doesn't it feel fresh and new, like we've just hit a reset button? I don't know about you, but I'm vowing to do everything bigger and better this year. Today...
Through the gateway to a new year
Today's photo, the last one of 2011 (Wow!), was taken by assistant editor Antonio Reis. Antonio says, "This is yet another whimsical feature at Sticks and Stones Farm in Newtown, Connecticut. I...
Moss and stones at Sticks and Stones
Today's photo is from Assistant Editor Antonio Reis once again. Antonio says, "This is one of many labyrinths that I’ve found and half-completed (they take such a long time from start to...
Upcycling in the garden...
Today's photo was taken by assistant editor Antonio Reis while on a photo shoot this fall. He says, "When I visited Lee Reich at his home in New Paltz, New York, I noticed these Croc-esque shoes hanging...
READER PHOTOS! More from Pauline's garden in California
I'm beginning to think that Irvin and Pauline Faria's garden in Carmichael, California, is much larger than I originally thought! We've featured Pauline's garden here, here, here, and here. In this...
READER PHOTOS! Odile's garden in New York
Happy Boxing Day, everyone! Today's photos are from Odile LaComb in Messina, New York. Odile says, "We live in Massena, New York, on the St. Lawrence River, which is the border between Canada and the...
Happy Holidays!!
Today's photos are from Shauna McWilliams in Radnor, Pennsylvania. She recently visited the conservatory at Longwood Gardens and had to share this spectacular gingerbread man tree. For eveyone who...
READER PHOTOS! Gary's Japanese garden in Nova Scotia
Today's photos are from Gary Billard in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Canada. Gary says, "This is the Japanese Garden that I installed this Spring. I started Gardening about 10 years ago when I moved...
READER PHOTOS! Sara's garden in California
Today's photos are from Janice LeCocq, of Sara Malone's garden in Sonoma County, California. Janice says, "I recently finished a photo shoot at my friend, Sara Malone's, wonderful garden. She...
READER PHOTOS! Katy & Tom's garden in Massachusetts
Today's photos are from Katy and Tom Dunlay. Katy says, "My husband and I live just outside of Boston in the town of Westwood, Massachusetts. We built this house 26 years ago. Every year we add new...
READER PHOTOS! More from Bonnie's garden in Pennsylvania
We featured a few photos of Bonnie Pancoast's gardens a few weeks ago--a colorful front garden and her very cool labyrinth. Today she's sharing her garden shed, which is just as great! Bonnie...
READER PHOTOS! Peg's visit to the Phipps Conservatory
Today's photos are from Peg McCann in St. Joseph, Michigan. She visited the Phipps Conservatory in Pittsburg in 2010, and found this fanciful dragon. She says, "These twig dragons were made with...
READER PHOTOS! Cheryl's garden in Ohio
Today's photos are from Cheryl Hoon in Upper Arlington, Ohio. We think it perfectly illustrates that you can make spectacular combinations with common plants. Featured are 'Hidcote' lavender...
READER PHOTOS! Can't get enough of Pauline's garden...
Here's our weekly dose of gorgeousness from Pauline's garden in Carmichael, California, thanks to Pauline's husband, Irvin Faria. Irvin says, "An Oribe-style Japanese lantern, designed specifically...
Driftwood garden
Another cool shot from Darcy Daniels' garden in Portland, Oregon, this time of a pretty piece of driftwood used as a container of sorts for succulents, an itty bitty fern, and a miniature hosta. So...
Gazing ball nirvana
I've featured gazing balls in the past, always trying to find new ways to use this sometimes-called-cliche garden ornament in inventive, fantastic ways. This one falls into that category. Darcy...
READER PHOTOS! Kielian's garden in Montana
Today's photos are from Kielian DeWitt in Montana. She says, "After moving to the Bitterroot Valley in Montana, I wondered if the gardening rules from my home state of Colorado would apply...
Just a little bit of color
It's amazing what just a little bit of color and structure will do to make winter oh-so-much-more attractive. This rustic birdhouse, besides attracting feathered friends to this garden, turns a...
READER PHOTOS! Michael's garden in Oregon
Today's photos are from Michael Follose in Oregon. He says, "Our home and garden are located in Central Oregon, a high desert area with a short (about 90 day) growing season. We live in a...
READER PHOTOS! Linda's Garden in California
Todays photos are from Rebecca Sweet, who wanted to share some photos from her mother's garden in Meadow Vista, California. I'm so glad she did! Rebecca says, "My mother, Linda Anderson, who gardens...
READER PHOTOS! Pauline's garden in California, in full fall color
It seems like every few days now, Irvin Faria sends me a few new photos from his wife Pauline's garden in Carmichael, California, and I love it! Today's photos show her garden in full fall swing, and...
Which came first?
Revisiting Hollister House, one has to wonder if Geoge Schoellkopf chose this stunning pot or the color on his house's shutters first. However it happened, the color echo is wonderful. On top of...
O Romeo, Romeo...
Wherefore art thou Romeo? That's what came to mind when I came upon this balcony at Hollister House last summer. George Schoellkopf and Ron Johnson's garden in northwestern Connecticut was open for...
Autumnal colors in August
Check out this warm-hued combo from Tower Hill Botanic Garden in Boyleston, Massachusetts. The colors are pleasingly harmonious, but the mix of textures is exciting. While this photo was taken in...
A grand, classic statement
Things I love about this space at Old Westbury Gardens: 1. The historic grandeur2. The strong contrast between the bright white columns and their deep green background3. The draping branches of the...
READER PHOTOS! Bonnie's garden in Pennsylvania
Today's photos are from Bonnie Pancoast. She says: In September of 2004 I lost my home and gardens to then Tropical Storm Ivan. (By the time it reached the Lehigh Valley in eastern Pennsylvania it...
Happy Thanksgiving!
Is your turkey in the oven yet? Check out Irvin and Pauline Faria's turkeys in the garden! He says, "Pauline’s garden is a Certified National Wildlife Habitat. Its woodland setting provides an...
Debra's adorned pot
Today's photos are from Rebecca Sweet, a Los Altos garden designer and one of my very favorite Californians! She had an opportunity recently to visit the garden of succulent queen Debra Lee Baldwin...
READER PHOTO! Clare's garden in New Jersey
Today's photo is from Clare Oliva in Upper Saddle River, New Jersey. She says, "This is my side yard (the house is on the left just out of sight). This view is especially beautiful and colorful in...
READER PHOTOS! Pauline's garden in California, revisited
Back in the beginning of October, we got a glimpse into Irvin and Pauline Faria's garden in Carmichael, California. Irvin took a few moments last week to send in some fall photos. He says, "Here are...
READER PHOTOS! Michaele's garden in Tennessee
Today's photos are from Michaele Anderson in Friendsville,Tennessee. She says, "I am always enchanted when the frothy clouds of pink show up in the fall from what I call pink muhly grass...
READER PHOTOS! Karin's garden in California
Today's photos are from Karin Grecu near Sacramento, California. She says, "Sheldon's photos on Tuesday inspired me to take some photos of a place not usually known for its fall foliage: California...
READER PHOTOS! Nancy's garden in New York
Today's photos are from Nancy Ridenour in Ithaca, New York. She says, "About 10 years ago, I purchased 6 lotus plants from the Ithaca farmer's market and placed them at the edge of my pondnbsp...
READER PHOTOS! Sheldon's garden in the Catskills
Today's photo is from Sheldon Martin (Our very own Tractor1!!) in the northern Catskill mountains of upstate New York. It's a birch tree that stands in front of his garden shed. Beautiful fall color...
READER PHOTOS! John's parents' garden in Minnesota
Today's photos are from John Benjamin Kamp in Minneapolis. He says, "So, this landscape I designed for my parents, who were looking to turn a very haphazard perennial garden into something with a bit...
READER PHOTO! Marilyn's garden in Washington state
Today's photos are from Marilyn Buergel in Spokane, Washington. She says, "I had this mirror left from a remodel in the basement. My neighbor and friend helped me (he did all the work really) to...
READER PHOTO! Jan Johnsen in upstate New York
Today's photo is from Jan Johnsen, a garden designer in Mt. Kisco, New York. She says, "This photo shows part of a double cascade that I created for a client. Japanese junipers...
READER PHOTOS! Bulking up for a long winter
Today's photos, like yesterday's, are from Eamonn Hughes in Wilsonville, Oregon. The first is a shot of the baby koi in his pond, getting one last feeding before settling in for the winter, while the...
READER PHOTOS! Eamonn's garden in Oregon
Today's photos are from Eamonn Hughes in Wilsonville, Oregon. He says, "Fall has certainly arrived in the Pacific Northwest with some hard frosts already under our belts. I thought I would share with...
READER PHOTOS! The aftermath of the northeastern October snowstorm
A huge snowstorm blew throught the northeast on October 29th, so early in the season that many of our trees were still leafed out. All that extra surface area meant the trees collected way more snow...
Let's start a new trend!
You know how, when you visit a lot of cities in the past few yeras, many of them seem to have those painted cows? Well, a few weeks ago I stopped in at the Jenkins Arboretum in Devon...
READER PHOTOS! Nora's garden in Australia
Today's photos are from Nora Fernandes in Melbourne, Australia. She says, "I had to remove my lawn due to water restrictions last year in Melbourne. I tried to create a place to inspire peacefulness...
A busy bench demands a busy plant
Another couple of shots from the Enid A. Haupt garden--this garden is a TREASURE! These benches certainly don't fade into the background, even though their color usually would. Instead, theyre...
Mystery Plant!
While wandering the Enid A. Haupt Garden a few weeks ago (it's part of the Smithsonian Institute on the National Mall in Washington D.C.), I stumbled across this awesome plant rimming the edge...
Happy Halloween!!
A few weeks ago, on my final visit of the season to Longwood Gardens, I happened to catch this awesome pumpkin/gourd/squash display, and I thought it'd be the perfect Halloween post. After all...
A mesmerizing hedge on Long Island
I spotted this hedge along a side street in Northport, New york, while visiting family a few weeks ago. I was struck first by its size, and then by how great it looks with several different...
READER PHOTOS! Marilyn's golden garden backdrop
Today's photos are from Marilyn Regnier in Minnetonka Beach, Minnesota. She says, "The woods around our house here in Minnesota are full of sugar maples. Fall is one of my favorite seasons when...
READER PHOTOS! A clean slate transformed
Today's photos are from Cherry Ong in Richmond, British Columbia. She says, "We have a very small back yard-- about 500 square feet--and when we moved in many years ago, our it was a mere patch of...
An autumn day at home
I was home yesterday with the last bit of a cold, with no access to the usual batch of photos, so today, check out some things that were still going on in my garden yesterday afternoon. Now's the...
Show us your pumpkins!!
OK, so, Halloween is coming up, a week from today to be exact, and we wanna see what you're doing with your pumpkins. This year, how about a botanical theme? (Not that this holiday display, a few...
READER PHOTOS! Viktoria's garden in Connecticut
Today's photos are from Viktoria Mullin in Cromwell, Connecticut. She says, "I couldn’t resist sharing my autumn garden with you. I’m so happy and proud of myself and my plants! Believe...
READER PHOTOS! More from Brenda's garden in Georgia
More photos today from Brenda Addington's garden in Suwanee, Georgia. Don't you think she's really good at incorporating ornaments into her garden in a tasteful way? Love it! Thanks, Brenda, for...
READER PHOTOS! Brenda's garden in Georgia
Today's photos are from Brenda Addington's Zone 7B garden in Georgia. Gorgeous bridge, Brenda, and the lantana is beautiful! We'll see a few more photos from Brenda's garden tomorrow. Stay tunedAnd...
READER PHOTOS! Julie's garden in Pennsylvania
Today's photos are from Julie Witmer from her Zone 5 Pennsylvania garden. She says, "I am quite surprised and pleased with myself at how good everything is still looking in October. Our first freeze...
Little thatched cottage & garden
One more shot from Old Westbury Gardens, but a much smaller-scale scene! Today's image is of an adorable thatched cottage and cottage garden. Unfortunately, Hurricane Irene had dropped a tree quite near this garden (it didn't hit the cottage, luckily!), so I couldn't get any closer. I would have liked to peek inside the windows and get some close-up shots of those plants!
Tis the season...
...of grasses! This time of year, most of the excitement you'll find in northern gardens comes from blooming ornamental grasses blowing in the breeze. Here are a few shots that illustrate that...
Lounging in the lady's mantle
In Barbara Blossom Ashmun's garden in Portland, Oregon, lady's mantle (Alchemilla mollis, USDA Hardiness Zones 4-7) makes the perfect billowy bed for a reclining duo. Barbara is a garden designer in...
READER PHOTOS! Leslie's garden in Colorado Springs
Today's photos are from Leslie Ornelas in Colorado Springs, Colorado. She says, " The old adage in my area is that if you can garden in Colorado, you can garden anywhere!! Between wind, drought...
READER PHOTO! Pauline's garden in Carmichael, California
Irvin Faria emailed me last week to share this photo of his wife's garden. I had to know more. He says, "Pauline is my wife of 58 years. She will turn 79 in December and continues to care for...
The Ghost Walk
This shady corridor at Old Westbury Gardens in Old Westbury, New York, ends at two clever peacocks, their plumage represented by evergreen...
The flower gardens at Old Westbury
The flower gardens at Old Westbury Gardens are a study in symmetry and formality. Here are a few scenes of the late summer beds and their surrounding...
Beware the full moon....
I've wanted to visit Old Westbury Gardens ever since I saw the 1994 movie Wolf with Jack Nicholson and Michelle Pfeiffer. Can't you just imagine these scenes under a full moon with a werewolf...
The conservatory at Planting Fields
The conservatory at Planting Fields Arboretum in Oyster Bay, New York, is lovely, with lots of benches so that you can sit for a while and take in the gorgeous tropical plantings. It would be a great...
A momumental evergreen tunnel
I can't begin to imagine how many years it took to grow this evergreen tunnel at Planting Fields Arboretum in Oyster Bay, New York. Any guesses? Here's a helpful tip: As far as I can tell, it's all...
Bonsai at night
If you're lucky enough to find yourself at the Chicago Botanic Garden at night, you'll see a whole new dimension to their courtyard bonsai display. Sure, during the day, the frosted glass panels are...
A living wall with flowing tresses
This gorgeous little living wall is at the Chicago Botanic Garden. The Mexican feather grass (Stipa tenuissima, USDA Hardiness Zones 7-11) almost acts as a frame of long, flowing...
A melding of plants and hardscape
This wall isn't a prominent feature at the Chicago Botanic Garden. If I recall correctly, it's situated near the bathrooms. But it deserves a more exalted location! I love how the planted side mimics...
The total package
This garden at the Chicago Botanic Garden has it all: gorgeous, meandering brick pathways, a classic teak bench, a refreshing and beautiful fountain, and the perfect mix of formality and...
The green streets of Chicago
I'd always heard that Chicago was a very green city (lots of gardens, not eco-friendly, though I'm sure it's got its eco-friendly attributes...). Michigan Avenue proves it! The median plantings are...
Scenes from Millenium Park
As promised, here a few scenes from gardens in Millenium Park in downtown Chicago. A couple of these, forgive me, aren't garden-related, but I can't resist sharing two of the most successful pieces...
Scenes from Lurie Garden
I had a chance to visit Lurie Garden in Millenium Park in downtown Chicago a couple of weeks ago (thanks again to Amanda Thomsen, FG's newest blogger, who acted as my guide!), and it was spectacular...
More bright paint for the garden
Frames aren't the only things the folks at The Growing Place in Naperville, Illinois, are painting. Here they've created a cute little vignette by painting an old wooden door fuchsia and surrounding...
Framing a natural piece of art
Is there a plant in your garden that you adore more than any other? One that you think deserves more attention and fawning? A plant that is in its seasonal prime? Frame it! That's what the folks at...
A chainlink fence transformed
I spotted this sight while strolling the suburbs of Chicago a couple of weeks ago. I love how the gardener has camouflaged the chainlink fence with cosmos, sunflowers, and what looks to be a...
Feelin' the heat...
Did I mention that it was HOT in Chicago when I visited a couple of weeks ago? We're talking mid-90s and steamy. Apparently, I wasn't the only one wilting in the heat. I spotted this little guy...
Slideshow: Personal Touches Make All the Difference
Tour the California garden of Rebecca Sweet.
Living in the front yard
Here is an example of something I wish I saw more often in my gardening travels--places to sit in the front yard! Lauren McVey Rush, another gardener I visited when in Chicago a couple of weeks ago...
More homemade garden structures
Today we're revisiting Wendy Ory's garden in the suburbs of Chicago, where I notices two more beautiful garden structures created by Wendy's husband, Mike. It sure pays to have a spouse who's handy...
Repurposing architectural details in the garden
I visited a bunch of gardens around Chicago a couple of weeks ago (special thanks to Amanda Thomsen, FG's newest blogger, who acted as my guide!), and in one of those gardens, I fell in love with...
READER PHOTOS! The best of the tomato season
Today's photos are from Cherry Ong. She says, "I just attended an heirloom tomato tasting session at my favorite local nursery here in Richmond, British Columbia, Phoenix Perennials. It was...
There's ALWAYS room for a garden
Not everyone has dozens of acres to great their life's garden masterpiece. In fact, a vast number of people claim to have no space to garden at all. This garden proves that if there's a will, theres...
Les Quatre Vents - And finally, some flowers!
Lest you think there are no flowers... I have this bad habit, I know, of choosing a lot of very green photos for the GPOD, and looking over the last two weeks of photos from Les Quatre Vents, I...
Les Quatre Vents - The view on the other side
Yesterday we promised you the view on the other side of that scary rope bridge. Here it is! (note: this is not the view from the bridge...you can see the bridge in the top of the first photo) A...
Les Quatre Vents - Cross if you dare
This long and narrow rope bridge spans a wooded ravine at Les Quatre Vents. It may look scary, but it's worth the trip to the middle, where you'll spot another whimsical frog in the foliage below...
Les Quatre Vents - Climbing the stairs
There are stairs everywhere at Les Quatre Vents, and they range from carefully constructed stone masterpieces (some dripping with moss) to steep log stairs that wind through foliagecovered...
Les Quatre Vents - Botanical music
This little band of musical frogs is hidden in a series of tall arborvitae hedges. It's not easy to find, but when you do, your motion triggers a Dixieland jazz performance! **All last week...
Les Quatre Vents - An optical illusion
This paved pathway looks like it goes on forever, doesn't it? Look a little closer.... **All this week and next, we're featuring photos of the gardens at Les Quatre Vents, the home of Frank and Anne...
Les Quatre Vents - The blue moon bridge
This Chinese moon bridge and its reflection create a gorgeous blue oval on a calm day. I've always wondered if it's hard to walk on one of these steeply-arched bridges...then I found a photo that showed me what I should have guessed all along...stairs!
Les Quatre Vents - Curved and circular steps
Today we see a couple of gorgeous curved staircases that are planted with alpine and rock garden plants. Not only are the shapes of the stairs a softened version of the norm, but the plants soften these steps even more, making this a relaxed and inviting space. The...
Les Quatre Vents - Water and reflections
Continuing the series of photos from Frank and Anne Cabot's gardens at Les Quatre Vents in Quebec, here are some shots of water and reflections from other parts of the...
The gardens of Les Quatre Vents
Many years ago, I had the great privilege of working at Stonecrop Gardens, a small and wonderful public garden in upstate New York that was started by Frank and Anne Cabot in 1992. Frank is also the...
A reflection steals the show
This container grouping in Laura Crockett's garden is successful because of several different factors. The screen behind the pots makes the plantings stand out beautifully, mking the plantings stand...
Designing in black and white
This combo in Laura Crockett's garden in Hillsboro, Oregon, is a study in strong contrasts. The black pot and burgundy-leaved eucomis create lots of excitement when combined with the silvery leaves...
A multipurpose wall with wow-factor
This stunning metal wall in Laura Crocket's garden in Hillsboro, Oregon, serves several purposes. It serves as a backdrop for dramatic plantings on the public side, creating strong color contrasts...
A different perspective, just as good
We featured Laura Crockett's garden in the magazine way back in the August 2005 issue, and ever since, I think of her garden as one of my all-time favorites. Laura has a quirky style that makes her...
Luscious leaves
This understaed combo is all about foliage. It almost begs you to lean down and touch the leaves. Who needs flowers with textures like these? Included is 'Catlin's Giant' carpet bugleweed Ajuga...
Yellow lambs' ears done right
The thought of a yellow lambs' ears (Stachys byzantina 'Primrose Heron', USDA Hardiness Zones 4-8) could make you cringe if you haven't seen one before. But this combo designed by Freeland and...
Topped off with plants
Today we feature a staircase at Chanticleer where the sloping handrail walls are planted with a lush combo of tropicals, perennials, and annuals. I would love to know what that beefy vine...
A gardeny spot to enjoy a bite
While in Pennsylvania a couple of weeks ago, our new assistant editor, Tony, and I had a chance to stop in at Terrain, the nursery run by the same stylish folks as Anthropologie and Urban Outfitters...
A heavy rainfall transforms plants
A heavy rainfall in the northeast yesterday was a boon to our bedraggled and parched, late summer gardens, and while many of the plants in the area looked beaten down temporarily, it was interesting...
More from the ruins garden at Chanticleer
We finished off last week with some shots from the ruins garden at Chanticleer, and this week we have just a few more. Let me know if this is getting boring! (I doubt it...) I'm not sure what this...
Playing with fire
Here's another section of the ruins garden at Chanticleer, where the gardeners have turned an old fireplace into a playful place for succulents and plays on words. I love how the plants drip from...
Perfection in reflection
I know I've featured this little area of Chanticleer Garden before, but I just visited it again (it's in the ruins garden) last week, and yet again, I could barely tear myself away. It's as about a...
Two mystery plants at Longwood Gardens
I fell in love with two plants I'd never seen before when I was at Longwood Gardens last week. Unfortunately, neither was labeled. Sure, I could email Longwood to beg for IDs, but I thought I'd ask...
The coolest public restrooms on the planet...
I visited Longwood Gardens down in Pennsylvania late last week, and one of the things I was most excited to see was, believe it or not, their new public bathrooms. When I was there late last summer...
A grand mid-summer display
This was the garden bed that greeted us at one of the gardens we visited a couple of weeks ago for the Garden Conservancy Open Days Program in northwestern Connecticut. It ran alond the entire...
A pool that belongs
Here's an example of a pool that truly fits its surroundings. In this rural, natural setting, a bright turqoise patch of water with a wide, bright patio would have looked jarring and harsh. Instead...
Looking to unlikely materials
When I pulled into the parking lot at Atlock Farm a few weeks ago, this was the first thing to catch my eye. After admiring the intriguing mix of plants and the massive, drool-worthy metal...
Garden visiting through the eyes of a 5-year-old
A couple of weeks ago I dragged my husband and daughter out with me to visit some gardens on a Garden Conservancy Open Day in northwestern Connecticut. To keep her happier longer, I gave my daughter...
The cats of Atlock Farm
You all must know I'm a sucker for any pets in a garden. A few weeks ago I visited an author at Atlock Farm in Somerset, New Jersey, and got a huge fix! There's a big, happy family of cats at this...
A followup on the heavenly hell strip
Remember back in May when I posted about the beautiful hell strip I pass on my way to work each day? Refresh your memory here. Back then it was filled with beautiful purple and white tulips, and I...
Views across the ponds at Matterhorn
The display gardens at Matterhorn Nursery in Spring Valley, New York, surround a series of ponds that offer a beautiful foreground for the structures that surround them. Here are just a...
A garden house with a very specific purpose
When I saw this little hut from across the lawn in the display gardens at Matterhorn Nursery in Spring Valley, New York, I was instantly smitten. I love the structure itself, its massive green...
Simple & stunning
One more scene from Linda Allard's garden in Washington, Connecticut. On the way to Linda's painting studio tucked into the woods, you pass by this beautiful view enhanced simply by a large copper...
White cushions--impractical but gorgeous
Here are a few more scenes from Linda Allard's gorgeous garden in Washington, Connecticut. Every piece of furniture on the terrace and by the pool sports snowy white cushions. I have to say that I...
A truly grand garden tool shed
A few weeks ago I took advantage of the Garden Conservancy's Open Days program and got to visit Linda Allard's gorgeous garden in Washington, Connecticut. Linda Allard designed clothing for Ellen...
Ouch!
When I went to visit Bob and Christa Stamper's garden in Zionsville, Pennsylvania, a few weeks ago, Bob pointed out this tree, and I was horrified... Holy cow! He says, "This is the common...
Perfection is boring
I love wandering a formal garden and finding a coiled garden hose in the midst of the order, in plain sight. It brings everything down to earth and reinforces the fact that a garden is a labor of...
What would you do?
I'm not sure how I feel about this little patio at the Cross Estate Gardens in Bernardsville, New Jersey. I like the globe/circle theme, but perhaps they should have embraced it a little more...
Even in rough shape, old beats new
Someone must really love this huge urn at the Cross Estate Gardens in Bernardsville, New Jersey. It looks good from afar, right? But up close it looks like this gorgeous vessel has had a rough life...
It's Russian sage time!
I visited a bunch of gardens in New Jersey last week, and one of the most surprising was Colonial Park Gardens in Somerset. It was blazing sun by the time I got there, so these photos aren't the...
And finally, some COLOR!
I just took a look at all of the GPODs for the last 2 1/2 weeks and realized that there hasn't been a single ounce of color besides green in any of the photos. Can't have that! So, to get your color...
READER PHOTO! A walkway in Japan
Bob Stamper in Zionsville, Pennsylvania, was inspired by all of the recent photos of Innisfree to send in this photo. He says, "I took this photo in Kanazawa, Japan, a few years ago. It was part...
Yet another cool chair
One last scene from Innisfree and I'm DONE, I promise! Gray wouldn't normally be my first choice as a hardscape color in a garden, but these gray chairs fit this calm scene perfectly. The color...
Wave Hill chairs at Innisfree
Everywhere you go at Innisfree, you find these wonderful chairs. They're generally called Wave Hill chairs (you'll find oodles of them at Wave Hill, too), but they were designed by Gerrit Rietveld in...
Beauty up close and from afar
I hope you're not tired of seeing images from Innisfree Garden yet, because I can't help myself from devoting another couple of days to this amazing place. Today I'm highlighting this beautiful patio...
A walkway amongst the ferns
I adore this walkway through the ferns and over a creek at Innisfree Garden in Millbrook New York. Its meandering path adds so much to this scene, and it was great fun to walk on. It looks simple to...
When stone and wood become one
Here's another shot of some stonework at Innisfree Garden, but here, it's hard to tell where the stone ends and the plants begin. Lichens are the common denominator here, blurring the lines between...
Stonework at Innisfree
Innisfree Garden in Millbrook, New York, is one of my very favorite public gardens ever, and one of the reasons I love it so much is its stonework. Gorgeous, whimsical, intricate, monumental, its...
I've taken a trip in a time machine...
...back to the days of the dinosaurs. That's what it feels like when I see the stand of monster petasites leaves along the pond at Stonecrop Gardens in Cold Spring, New York! These things are...
A Hudson Valley bee skep
A couple of weekends ago I went on a whirlwind tour of some Hudson Valley (New York) gardens with a couple of gardening buddies. I'll be featuring some of the sights we saw this week. I'll start...
Free at last!
I wonder how many years this poor tree spent confined in a too-small planter box? No matter. It seems to have adjusted just fine to its new-found freedom. You could almost think of it as living...
More pets in the garden!
There were too many great pets to choose from yesterday, so I'm continuing the theme today! Have fun meeting some of the cutest garden helpers around... A couple of years ago, FG spoinsored a "Pets...
Our most beloved garden helpers
As promised in yesterday's post, today is dedicated to the pets we've met in gardens across the country. We can't help but snap a few photos of them when we're on photo shoots. After all, they can...
A Hunter in the garden
We finished off last week with Lynn Felici-Gallant's container creations, and we'll start this week with her dog, Hunter, in her garden. Hunter is Lynn's gardening companion, and has quite a story...
Less can be more in containers
Lest you think Lynn Felici-Gallant only designs window boxes (see yesterday's post), check out this simple, gorgeous container she designed with just ‘Belle Blanche’ datura (Datura metel...
Wonderful windowboxes
Window boxes aren't a common sight on my travels. Perhaps they're considered old-fashioned, or maybe high maintenance? I'm happy to see that garden designer Lynn Felici-Gallant is filling the...
Giant lady's slippers
I'm getting super-excited to visit Stonecrop Gardens this weekend. But I'm sad that I won't get to see this beautiful sight again, since this was taken more than a month earlier last year. This stand...
Push your Pot off the Patio and into the Plants!
Containers aren't just for patios and decks, they can also be used as focal points within a planting. Scott Endres pushed this pot off the patio and into the border in his St. Paul, Minnesota, garden. The...
Similar plants make a subtle tapestry
Walking around the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, this might be the last plant combo you'd notice, tucked under a few shrubs near the exit. But when you've walked around as many public gardens as I...
Matchy-matchy! (In a good way)
Can succulents GET any cooler? I snapped this shot in a garden in California a few years ago. I love how the peachy stems match the peachy wall, and how the cascading lotus vine (Lotus berthelotii...
READER PHOTO! A second season in a Utah garden
Way back on May 12th, I posted a photo from Sarah Post Lee (refresh your memory here) that showed her spring garden in St. George, Utah, that utilizes lots of winter-hardy annuals for early color...
READER PHOTOS! Time to leave the nest, kiddies...
Remember when I posted Pam Wittenberg's photos of the hummingbird nest she'd found and some shots of the babies, begging for food from their mother? Click here to refresh your memory. That was just a...
READER PHOTO! The cicadas are back....
Today's photo is from Susan Stork in Jefferson City, Missouri. She says, "The 13-year cicadas have invaded the mid-west and we hear their daily mating call, see the exo-skeletons on the trees and in...
Welcome to the Fine Gardening GARDEN PHOTO OF THE DAY blog & eLetter!
Every weekday we post a new photo of a great garden, a spectacular plant, a stunning plant combination, or any number of other subjects. Think of it as your morning jolt of green.Sign up to...
Veggie trellising ideas from Longwood Gardens
It's impossible to come away from a visit to Longwood Gardens without some serious inspiration. Check out these interesting ideas for trellising veggies with humble materials. Time to dig out...
From orange to purple
Let's move counterclockwise to the other side of the color wheel today and enjoy two purple combos with some of my all-time favorite plants. Photo #1: Chanticleer Garden in Wayne, Pennsylvania. A...
Orange is a lovely distraction
If anything could distract from the awesome pruning job on the huge conical shrub on the upper terrace of this scene at Longwood Gardens, it would be the shocking orange of this azalea. Wow! I'm not...
Repetition is the key to happiness
Even just one of these containers is dreamy (1st photo). But a dozen of them (2nd photo)? Stunning! These photos were taken at Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square...
Is the coast clear?!
Please indulge me while I personify this plant I came across on my walk home from the coffeehouse with my family last weekend. To me, it looks like she was being chased, and is hiding around a...
Winterthur primroses
My trip to Pennsylvania and Delaware a couple of weeks ago coincided with the peak bloom of the candelabra-type primroses. Here's an amazing display of them at the quarry garden at Winterthur in...
Still in Bali...and loving it!
Yesterday just wasn't enough of Michelle Derviss' awesome garden, so today we view it from another angle. Here's what Michelle had to say about this little tableau: "In 2006 I traveled to Bali with a...
A little slice of Bali in California
Today's photos take us to Michelle Derviss' back yard in her garden in Novato, California. I visited her a couple of years ago, and was captivated by this relaxing yet exciting space. I asked her to...
READER PHOTOS! More baby hummingbirds
More great photos from Pam Wittenberg in Santa Rosa, California, today. Of these, she says, "I was down near the creek in our backyard pulling dead twigs and branches down when I got divebombed by an...
READER PHOTOS! A startling visitor
Today's photos are from Pam Wittenberg in Santa Rosa, California. She says, "My husband found this caterpillar hanging out on the backside of a piece of discarded lumber in our side yard. I moved it...
Pondside at the Morris Arboretum
Some peaceful scenes by the pond from our visit to the Morris Arboretum last week. Enjoy your weekend! Welcome to the Fine Gardening GARDEN PHOTO OF THE DAY blog! Every weekday we post a new photo of...
Gingers that every gardener should grow
Our trip to Pennsylvania last week coincided perfectly with the rhododendron and the primrose blooms, which were stunning, but I was equally impressed with the gingers. It's still early days out...
Frogs from another dimension
When you first glance at these photos of some frogs at the Tyler Arboretum outside Philadelphia, you might not think there's anything out of the ordinary, but look again... Their eyes are level with...
A home fit for a gnome
The Tyler Arboretum's Magical Habitats exhibition, which officially opens on Saturday, promises to be enchanting. When our assistant art director, Steven Cominsky, and I visited last week, a few...
EEK, a snake!!
I stumbled upon this little snake in the vegetable garden at the Tyler Arboretum last week. So clever! Stay tuned for more from the Tyler Arboretum tomorrow. They have a Magical Habitats exhibition...
A tree's root system revealed
I've often wondered, when admiring a tree, what its root system looks like. The Morris Arboretum in Philadelphia found an interesting way to illustrate the breadth of a tree's root system: they...
Everything's bigger at Longwood
The rex begonia vine (Cissus discolor, USDA Hardiness Zone 11) is one of the greatest vines you can add to your shady containers. I usually grow it in its own small pot on a homemade bamboo tuteur...
From eyesore to eye-catching
Several years ago my neighbors and friends Laura and Bruce had an absolutely MONSTER dead tree taken down in their back yard at the end of their driveway. Seriously, this thing was huge...
A not-so-humble hell strip
I pass the picturesque Bridgewater Village Store every day on my way to work, and over the years, I've been enthralled by their tiny little hell strip. Every season sees a new, striking design. This...
READER PHOTOS! Light and shadow
Today's photos are from Carol Thompson in Charlotte, North Carolina. She says, "I took these pictures late one spring afternoon in my garden. With the sun backlighting several of the plants, it...
Slideshow: A Self-Sown Garden
In midsummer, Dean Riddle's garden in the Catskill Mountains of upstate New York is in splendid form and composed largely of self-sowing plants. Take a slideshow tour and enjoy the views.
READER PHOTO! A hunter's unique camouflage
They say that pets often begin to look like their owners, but in this case, the pet is beginning to look like its owner's garden! Elizabeth Healy of Danbury, Connecticut (Liz is the copy editor...
READER PHOTO! Blooms in the desert
Today's photo is from Sara Post Lee in St. George, Utah. She says, "I live in the Utah desert not far from Las Vegas, with an annual rainfall of only 8 inches. Learning to garden here after a...
READER PHOTOS! Succulents and water gardens in California containers
One last day of photos from Guida Quon's garden in Santa Ana, California. Today, check out Guida's impressive collection of succulents, as well as the opposite side of the containergardening...
READER PHOTOS! Dripping with atmosphere
Day 2 of Guida Quon's garden in Santa Ana, California! Check out Guida's amazing sitting area festooned with Spanish moss. It's like something out of a fairy tale. Stay tuned for more photos of...
Container Shootout: Vote for Your Favorite
Which container do you like better, Steve's or Michelle's?
READER PHOTOS! The coolest vintage garden tool ever!
Over the past few months, avid gardener Guida Quon from Santa Ana, California, has sent me several photos of her garden, and I'm more and more intriqued with every email that arrives in my inbox...
READER PHOTO! The original robin's egg blue
Today's photo is from Dorothy Kerr. She says, "This is spring at its best. Mother robin's eggs in a weeping mulberry tree in Central Ohio." Beautiful, Dorothy! Thanks for capturing this. Welcome to...
We're gardeners, too!
I get asked all the time whether the FG staffers are actually gardeners or even have gardens. Luckily, the answer is YES! For proof, check out these containers created by our very own art director...
READER PHOTOS! Dr. Seuss would be a fan of this plant...
Today's photo takes us, yet again, to Jan Meissner's garden in Avon, Ohio. Today she says, "Weeping threadleaf arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis 'Filiformis', USDA Hardiness Zones 2-7) seems like a...
READER PHOTO! Hens and chicks in a cage
Today's photo is from Jan Meissner in Avon, Ohio. She says, "Antique bird cages make great planters for succulents. This cage sits out all year long, (for 2 winters so far) and the only upkeep is a...
READER PHOTOS! Containers by Cherry Ong
Today's photos are from Cherry Ong in Richmond, British Columbia. She says, "Just shortly prior to reading your blog post entitled "Can I top this?" I was looking at pictures of my past containers...
A handsome basil for the annual border
Here's another cool plant at the University of Tennessee Research Center in Jackson. It's a basil with highly ruffled, crinkled leaves (Ocimum basilicum 'Green Ruffles', annual). Compared to the...
Behold the giant milkweed!
I ran into this plant (well, not literally...) at the University of Tennessee Research Center in Jackson a few years ago. I immediately thought it was a beefy asclepias. Close, but not quite! Its...
Watering cans as garden ornaments
Here are two charming ways to display collections of vintage watering cans. The first is from Sabrina and Freeland Tanner's garden in Napa, California. The second was taken in a garden in...
Can I top this?
I'm starting to pull my containers out of the shed and place them around my patio, and I'm dreaming up new plant combos every day. It's almost time to plant them up, and like every spring, Im...
Boots and begonias
A back-stoop vignette in a garden in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Welcome to the Fine Gardening GARDEN PHOTO OF THE DAY blog! Every weekday we post a new photo of a great garden, a spectacular plant, a...
Pansies at Filoli
Whenever I think I'm bored with pansies, and won't buy any this year, I look at this photo and start looking for my wallet and car keys. This was taken a few years ago in the springtime at Filoli in...
Succulents in North Carolina
The last time I visited North Carolina, I was consumed by succulents. Between Plant Delights Nursery and the JC Raulston Arboretum, I was in heaven! Here are some shots of my favorites. Welcome to...
Red & white in the herb garden
A striking combo of corn poppy (Papaver rhoeas, annual) and ajowan (Carum copticum, annual). This photo was taken at Cornell Plantations in Ithaca, New York. Welcome to the Fine Gardening GARDEN...
READER PHOTOS! Woolly thyme like tumbling water
Today's photos are from Jan Meissner in Avon, Ohio. She says, "I love the way my woolly creeping thyme (Thymus pseudolanuginosus, USDA Hardiness Zones 5-9) flows into my dry creek bed like water...
Dreamy garden ornaments you can BUY!
I visited Bedrock Gardens, Jill Nooney's garden in Lee, New Hampshire, last year and fell in love with these gem stems. They're made from glass deck prisms, and look amazing in Jills...
One last wacky hosta
Let's wrap up this week's hosta theme with one more from the Thyrums. This one is called 'Praying Hands', and for the life of me, I can't figure out why (any ideas?). But it's cool! Those twisty...
A classic hosta complements a garden ornament
Out of all the hundreds and hundreds of hosta varieties in the world, only a few keep popping up over and over because they're timeless stunners. 'June' is one of those hostas. You can see why...
An itty bitty, irresistible hosta
There's a whole world of tiny hostas out there that are just starting to get the attention they deserve. They all seem to have such cute names, like 'Bitsy Gold', 'Corkscrew', 'Popo', 'Tiny Tears...
Another gorgeous hosta
Yesterday's hosta was tops for glamour, but today's, also in Eve and Per Thyrum's garden in Wilmington, Delaware, is incredibly satisfying, too. This one is neat, tidy, and oh-so-pretty in a...
The most beautiful hosta in the world
OK, so you might disagree, but I think this hosta (the one next to the azalea), in Eve and Per Thyrum's front yard in Wilmington, Delaware, is the most gorgeous hosta I've ever seen. It's called...
Bring the indoors outside
Are you busy planning your container designs for the season? Try bringing some traditional houseplants out into the light. This is a rubber plant (Ficus elastica cv.) I bought cheap at Home Depot a...
A different perspective
The classic sunflower always seems to be photographed head on. But the way my garden is situated, this is what I see as I walk to my car each morning during the summer, since the sunflowers point...
Wisteria at Dumbarton Oaks
I don't think I've ever seen wisteria look as beautiful as it did at Dumbarton Oaks in Washington D.C. when I visited a few years ago. If you ever find yourself in D.C., go and visit this amazing...
At the top of my spring shopping list
I spotted this colewort at White Flower Farm's display gardens in Litchfield, Connecticut, a couple of years ago and fell madly in love. Colewort (Crambe cordifolia, USDA Hardiness Zones 6-9) grows...
READER PHOTO! Beautiful bark
After leaves and overall size and shape, bark seems to be the last thing people consider when choosing a tree, but maybe it should be the first! Kathy Maras in Glen Ellyn, Illinois sent in these...
READER PHOTO! A Gnomefest moment
Today's photo is from John Magee in Chantilly, Virginia. He says, "This was from our “Gnomefest 2006” party. Enjoy!" Thanks, John, for sharing your friends with us! They look like...
READER PHOTOS! Springtime ice
Today's photos are from Amy in Hershey, Pennsylvania. She says, "I really abhor the ice and hail this close to spring, but it melts quickly and I love the little icy prisons the plants become trapped...
Reflections at Chanticleer, revisited
Way back in January of 2010 I posted a photo from the ruins garden at Chanticleer in Wayne, Pennsylvania, but I just found a few more and thought you all might like to revisit this gorgeous setting...
Highlighting a gorgeous tree
I stumbled upon this little stairway vignette a few years ago on a garden tour hosted by Tangletown Gardens in Minneapolis. I love how the white pots harmonize with the birch's bark, and how the...
READER PHOTO! Drumsticks and coneflowers
Today's photo is from Gregory Smaus in Seattle, Washington. He says, "Here is one of my favorite photos from my own garden. I like it because it shows the fun of repeating forms. The cones of...
A purple and white combo for full sun
Here's a great full-sun combo designed by my friend Rebecca Batchie for a garden in South Kent, Connecticut. I love how it's a subtle and cohesive mix of white/cream and purple. Here are the plants...
Take the time to see...
...the fleeting details. I was walking around the lake at Innisfree Garden in Millbrook, New York, a couple of summers ago with a bunch of gardening pals when we just happened to catch this ephemeral...
Creative tree-training?
There wasn't a gardener around to grill when I took this photo of a cutleaf japanese maple at Boscobel Restoration in Garrison, New York, a few years ago. I assume the trunk didn't grow this way on...
The jumbled peony
I love how, even in its tightly coiled state, this peony bud hints at the exuberance and crazy, unorganized extravagance that's to come. No symmetrical, mathematical order to this flower. At least...
In the mist
A misty morning scene at the Chicago Botanic Garden's Japanese garden in October. Welcome to the Fine Gardening GARDEN PHOTO OF THE DAY blog! Every weekday we post a new photo of a great garden, a...
Another sweeping statement
Speaking of sweeps (see Friday's post), here's another inspired sweep of plants from Freeland and Sabrina Tanner in their garden in Napa, California. This time it's a border of lamb's ears Stachys...
Break out of your 'Aureola' rut
When most people think of Japanese forest grass (Hakonechloa macra cvs., USDA Hardiness Zones 5-9), they automatically think of the most popular and most commonly available cultivar 'Aureola'. But...
Mowing made easy
I love the idea of a wide edging of bricks or pavers along a perennial border. I looks neat and tidy, but it also cuts down on maintenance. No need to get out the edger or the weed-whacker here! This...
A planter box on steroids
Scott Endres, co-owner of Tangletown Gardens (one of the coolest nurseries EVER!) in Minneapolis, Minnesota, created this planting for the box on the porch of his St. Paul, Minnesota, home. Its...
A sultry plant combo at NYBG
I found this little combo a few years ago in the Lady's Border at the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx. Red/burgundy is the theme here, and the star of the show is the architectural Oakhurst...
READER PHOTO! Spring blues
Today's photo is from Julie Witmer. She says, "This two-year-old combination is planted at "Gilmore Gardens", the name we have affectionately given to our small borough lot in western Pennsylvania...
READER PHOTO! Falling Snowflake, Cedar Waxwing
There is so much about this photo that I love. First, it was taken by one of my favorite gardeners, and a frequent commenter on the GPOD, Deanne Fortnam. Second, this cedar waxwing is GORGEOUS...
READER PHOTO! Spring reflection
I couldn't resist posting one last beautiful photo from Viktoria Mullin. I'm guessing the tree is a redbud (Cercis canadensis, USDA Hardiness Zones 4-9). Viktoria says, "This is a little spring...
READER PHOTOS! Springtime at Chanticleer
If you like's Viktoria Mullin's springtime photos from Longwood Gardens yesterday, you'll love her photos from Chanticleer Garden in Wayne, Pennsylvania, today. Here's a taste of what we're all...
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READER PHOTOS! Springtime at Longwood
Today's photos are from Viktoria Mullin from Cromwell, Connecticut. She loves to visit Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania in the springtime, and wanted to share some photos she took there last spring...
READER PHOTO! An arch completes the garden
Today's photo is from Gail Gee in Fulton, Maryland. She says, "This area of my garden is planted in all cool colors-- pinks, blues, and silvers. The bed is heavily planted with...
A humble garden ornament
You might think this is a piece of driftwood that Barbara Weirich dragged up from the shores of Lake Michigan into her garden in Benton Harbor, Michigan. That's what I thought, but associate editor...
Formal with a touch of curves
Here's a beautiful, geometric bed designed by Deborah Silver near Detroit, Michigan. Deborah contructed the fountain out of galvanized, acid-washed steel. The formal garden that surrounds it...
High contrast
Here's a great plant combo from one of my favorite gardeners of all time, Sydney Eddison. Former Assistant Editor Kerry Ann Moore took this shot last summer while strolling around her...
Monkey puzzle!
Monkey puzzle TREE, that is. This is one fascinating tree. The monkey puzzle (Araucaria araucana, USDA Hardiness Zones 7-11) is native to Chile and Argentina (the Andes, more specifically), and can...
The Midas touch
Here's an exciting scene from a garden in Oakland, California. I love how the gold pedestal really makes this corner of the garden pop. The trunks of the bananas are like columns in a room, and the...
Garden in Winter photo contest WINNER!
Today's photo is the overall winner of the Garden in Winter photo contest! It's from finegardening.com member pennylph, a.k.a. Lynette Hall from Carmichael, California, who says, "I enjoy the...
Garden in Winter 1st runner-up! Dreaming of Summer
Today's photo, our 1st runner-up in the Garden in Winter photo contest, is from finegardening.com member gottagarden, who says, "Although the garden is buried under at least a foot of snow...
Garden in Winter 2nd runner-up! Winter Grasses
Today's photo, our 2nd runner-up in the Garden in Winter photo contest, is from finegardening.com member Janek15, who says, "These 'Karl Foerster' grasses are the perfect plant for Colorado winter...
Garden in Winter 3rd runner-up! Fairy in the Snow
Today's photo, our 3th runner-up in the Garden in Winter photo contest, is from finegardening.com member Wife_Mother_Gardener, who says, "When the first snows fall, I grab my camera and capture the...
ALL WEEK: Garden in Winter Photo Contest, finalists and winner!
Even while a garden is sleeping, it has joy to share, even though you might have to look a little harder to find it. Back in December, we asked our website visitors to show us the best of their...
READER PHOTO! A memorial garden in Virginia
Today's photo is from Eben Richards in Orange, Virginia. Eben says, "I am an 80 year old who now lives in Orange, Virginia, having moved from Mclean, Virginia, a bit over six years ago. I was at an...
READER PHOTO! Summer abundance in a Minnesota garden
Today's photo is from Tricia Frostad in Chanhassen, Minnesota. She says, "My garden was planted about 8 years ago and it’s amazing how it’s all filled in so nicely and that everything...
A big combo of diverse plants
Here's another combo in our series from NYC's Conservatory Garden in Central Park. I love the subtlety of this combo, and also how different all of the plants are. First you've got a couple of...
Out-of-the-ordinary texture and color
This is one of my absolute favorite combos from NYC's Central Park Conservatory Garden. I love how the flowers of the fennel (hmmm. Is it fennel? Dill? You tell me...) wave in the breeze and act...
Hot tropicals!
OK, let's kick off a few days of combos from Central Park's Conservatory Garden in New York City with this stunner. I'm guessing on a few of the plant names this week, so chime in if you can ID...
Serenity in Central Park
Here's a serene scene from the Conservatory Garden in NYC's Central Park. This is a preview to next week, when I'll be featuring a few plant combos from the spectacularly talented designers there...
A cute little annual combo
Here's a charming little duo of annuals that'd be super-easy to recreate. It's simply cosmos (Cosmos bipinnatus cvs.) and gomphrena (Gomphrena cvs.), both easy to either start from seed or buy in the...
How aggressive IS it?
Here's a gorgeous sweep of houttuynia at Cornell Plantations in Ithaca, New York. I fell in love with this plant then and there, and I think it's beautiful, but every time we feature houttuynia...
Pushing a container over the top with simple materials
I discovered these awesome containers while touring a garden in Michigan several years ago. Sure, the plantings are nice, but what really makes these containers awesome is the towers, made simply of...
A perfect match
I took today's photo while touring some gardens last spring with Rebecca Sweet in Los Altos Hills, California. Since she's worked and designed in this garden, I thought I'd let her describe this...
Containers by Deanne Fortnam, Part 4
One last day of awesome containers from Deanne Fortnam! This is one of my personal favorites. Deanne says, "This is another arrangement from my container border. It uses the pizzazz of the...
Containers by Deanne Fortnam, Part 3
Here's yet another great container design from Deanne Fortnam in New Hampshire. Believe me, she's got dozens more! Of this one she says, "This medley of container plantings is part of a 35footlong...
Containers by Deanne Fortnam, Part 2
Here is the second in our series of four awesome container designs by New Hampshire gardener Deanne Fortnam. Here's what she says about this masterpiece: "This arrangement features from the top in...
Containers by Deanne Fortnam, Part 1
Yesterday's mailbox planting designed by Deanne Fortnam was such a hit that Deanne and I decided we should share some of her containers for the rest of this week. We'll start today with one of...
Wow the mailman!
Deanne Fortnam is one of my favorite container gardeners. Her exuberant style and keen sense for color result in some of the most stunning container designs I've ever seen. She even wrote an article...
Are your plants superhydrophobic?
I think I could spend hours playing with water on lotus leaves. I'm too young to have memories of playing with drops of mercury, but I imagine the effect is similar, right? I went online to see what...
Morning glories in the afternoon
One last shot from Charleston, and then I'm done, I promise. I adore this gateway. The humble morning glory makes quite an impact here, eh? The palms and tropicals that embrace the gate add to the...
There's always room for a garden
Continuing on in the Charleston theme (there seems to be no end to the great garden ideas from my tour there several years ago), here's a photo of the front entryway to a stately Charleston home...
Another Charleston garden scene
Here's a shot from another Charleston garden. I love how this gardener has mixed the tropical exuberance of the elephant ear with the formality of the clipped hedge. Perhaps this is more common...
Keeping cool in a Charleston courtyard
Even in October, Charleston's gardens are still kicking. This was taken a few years ago. It was still pretty darned warm in South Carolina that October, but this garden felt cool and inviting. That...
Remember what spring feels like?
Well this is what it looks like! I took this photo at a local private school in my town last May 1st. I remember what the air felt like. Unfamiliarly balmy, palpably misty, and amazing! It was like...
READER PHOTO! Winter asparagus
Today's winter-themed photo is from Victoria Coates in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She says, "I have been amazed by the ongoing beauty of this asparagus fern. It had a hearty run this...
READER PHOTO! Grasses & a hay bale table
One last photo from Philip Leveridge in Austin, Texas. I fell in love with his hay bale garden table. He says, "These grasses lie between a couple of hidden galvanized steel stock tank pools. I...
READER PHOTO! Busy bee
Today we have another photo from East Side Patch, the garden of Philip Leveridge in Austin, Texas. He says, "I have a bunch of mist flowers in the Patch and when they bloom they are magnets for all...
READER PHOTO! Touchable texture and contrast from two great plants
Today's photo is from Philip Leveridge in Austin, Texas. Philip is a garden designer, and his home garden is called East Side Patch. Of this picture, he says, "I like combining contrasting...
READER PHOTO! Milkweed seeds
Todays photos come from Jenny Koester in Cincinnati, Ohio. She says, "I took these milkweed photos in September 2010 in Ault Park in Cincinnati. Ault Park has gorgeous garden designed and maintained...
READER PHOTO! Curved terrace stairs tame a slope
Today's photos come from Jan Johnsen, who also contributed yesterday's post. Jan is a garden designer from Mount Kisco, New York. Today she says... Welcome to the Fine Gardening GARDEN PHOTO OF THE DAY blog! Every weekday we post a new...
READER PHOTO! A blue gate that's irresistible to visitors
Today's photo is from Jan Johnsen, a garden designer in Mount Kisco, New York. She says, "Who doesn’t love the mystery of a blue gate? This is the main entry to a spiral vegetable garden that I...
Kicking off year #2 of the GPOD!
It was a year ago today that we started up the Garden Photo of the Day blog. Since then we've posted over 450 inspiring garden photos, many of which came from you, our GPOD readers! I took a few...
READER PHOTOS! Wildlife in a California garden
A couple of weeks ago, I asked you to send in photos of wildlife in your garden, and Pam Wittenberg from Santa Rosa, California, had a bunch to share! She says, "Here are some pics of the wildlife in...
The Garden in Winter, Day #5
A rare dusting of snow in Dallas turns an angel into... a snow angel, of course. Today's photo is from Joanne Pospisil in Carrollton, Texas. She said, "It rarely snows in Dallas, Texas, but when it does ...... it's magical!!"
The Garden in Winter, Day #4
Surreal? The alchemy of frost and snow turns ordinary plants into something altogether mesmerizing. Today's photo is another photo from Mike Lane in Victoria, B.C. He said, "There's beauty to be found in the garden, even in winter. This cabbage looked so beautiful after a frost that I...
The Garden in Winter, Day #3
Today's photo has the feel of a 19th-century postcard: soft-edged and restrained. It's another winner from last year's winter garden photography contest, and it's from Dennis Kruse in Virginia. He said, "Gardening is my wife’s passion, but I have become caught up in her enthusiasm. I enjoy photographing the flowers that she tends. While visiting France in 2008, we toured gardens in Loire and Provence. We fell in love with the garden pergolas we saw at various hotels and gardens. We wanted...
The Garden in Winter, Day #2
In a frozen landscape, color is a rare treat. Even shriveled with cold, this forgotten fruit lifts the spirits. Today's photo was another winner from last year's winter garden photography contest, and it's from Mike Lane in Victoria, B.C. He said, "I'm a retired forester who has always been passionate about the outdoors, so my love of gardening flows from that. My garden here in Victoria, BC is in Zone 8 and averages 287 frost free days a year. Growing English roses has been my specialty for some years, however my love of photography has caused me to begin making changes in the garden. Now I'm planting more varieties that photograph...
Garden in Winter photo contest!
The new Garden in Winter photo contest is now on in our online photo gallery! Check out the details here. We started this tradition last year, when we asked our readers to send us photos of the...
READER PHOTO! Now that's some wildlife
In response to Monday's post (Feed the birds), Denise Dyko of Millbrook, New York, sent in these photos of some wildlife in her garden. She says, "If you provide enough of a feast for the birds, you...
There must be a word for this
What is it called when a plant has three different leaf shapes at once? I can't figure it out, but that's what going on with sassafras (Sassafras albidum, USDA Hardiness Zones 4-8). Sassafras is an...
A perfect pairing...
...of plant and hardscape. Could this combo get any better? The stems of the Black Lace elderberry (Sambucus nigra 'Eva', USDA Hardiness Zones 4-7) match the rusty fencing perfectly, and their...
Feed the birds
I took this photo at a children's garden in Raleigh, North Carolina, last fall. This drooping, end-of-the-season sunflower personified how I felt after a long, tough gardening season, and then a few...
READER PHOTO! A water-wise entryway garden in Denver
Today's photo is from Sheila Schultz in Denver, Colorado. She says, "What do you do with a tiny front yard in Denver with zero visual interest? I created a rock garden with a winding...
An unusual English ivy
Ever gone online and seen the selection of English ivies that are for sale these days? It's mindblowing! They come in all shapes and sizes, and in a multitude of shades. But this little ivy has...
Slideshow: Details Make the Difference
Tour the California garden of Sabrina and Freeland Tanner, whose attention to detail takes gardening to another level.
Rock on!
Check out this little combo from the Cotton-Arbo retum in Winchester, Massachusetts, in which a gorgeous chunk of pink quartz is framed by a beautiful stand of 'Chequers' deadnettle (Lamium maculatum 'Chequers', USDA Hardiness Zones 4-8). Dreamy!
A wonderful lawn-to-woodland transition
I love this layered planting on the edge of the woods at Cornell Plantations in Ithaca, New York. A small hosta along the front edge gives way to a swath of extravagently blooming rodgersias next...
READER PHOTO! A lawn of thyme
Today's photos are from Roberta Smith in Cologne, Minnesota. She says, "I have a lot of shrub roses in my front yard. In June when they are all blooming it is quite a sight to see with all the...
Ah, the passionflower...
What's more freakish and fabulous than a passionflower bloom? They come in a bizillion colors and sizes, bloom all summer, and if you live in a warm enough climate, might even give you something to...
READER PHOTO! Mystery flowers
When Mary Palmer from near Monroe, Washington, sent in this photo a couple of days ago, I had an inkling of what these gardening ornaments were, and I begged her to tell me I was right...
READER PHOTOS! Fairy gardens in the land of...Washington
Today's photos are from Patti Sherwood in Kalama, Washington. She says, "This was the first of several fairy gardens that my granddaughters and I have created. I've become a bit...
Use chairs as a canvas for eye-popping color!
In this Michigan garden, the designer didn't stop with just one paint color when dressing up his patio chairs. He went all out with colorful plaids and polka dots! Paired with pots of a happy jumble...
You must pass the creatures of the pool to get cool...
In Laura Crockett's garden in Oregon, foam pool noodles lend a playful alien flair to the clumps of miscanthus at the entrance to her kids' pool. Some curlicue metal antennae complete to poufball...
READER PHOTO! Lemonade from lemons
Today's post is from Katherine Davis. She says, "I had an old oak that had to come down but I thought it would be nice to save part of the trunk and do something "FUN" with it. I now have a tree chair that everyone loves to sit in."
Paint the garden red! Or green...or blue...
Got a dead tree nagging you? An old broken bike hanging around the shed? A junk pile waiting for a trip to the dump? Marry one of those things with a can of brightly colored spraypaint, and youve...
READER PHOTO! Jumbo caterpillar
Here's another fun photo from Mary Sherwood of Littleton, North Carolina. It's a shot from the children's garden at New York Botanical Garden. Mary says, "I liked this garden topiary because of the...
READER PHOTOS! More fun from NYBG
Mary Sherwood from Littleton, North Carolina, was inpired by yesterday's post to send in these photos of the Chihuly exhibit at the New York Botanical Garden in 2006. Beautiful--thanks, Mary! Well...
A whole week of garden FUN!!
This week I'd like to focus on having some FUN in the garden!! We're talking wild and whimsical here, folks. Let's kick it off today with a shot from a few years ago at the entrance to the childrens...
Levels of laciness
Today's combo is pushing the limits of the evergreen/herbaceous theme we've been on this week, but hellebores are evergreen, right?! Anyway, this lacy combo of wonderful textures designed by Mindy...
Silver and gold...
Today's combo from the Cotton-Arbo retum includes dwarf golden Hinoki cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Nana Lutea', USDA Hardiness Zones 4-8) and masterwort (Astrantia major, Zones 4-8). It's a...
An understated combo of evergreens and perennial foliage
Today's combo, also by Mindy Arbo, combines two very different evergreens with the dark, dusky foliage of a popular perennial. It includes 'Yellow Ribbon' arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis Yellow...
Dramatic contrast
Deep purple combined with gold and white makes for some high drama in this combo by Mindy Arbo. Today's combo includes 'Gold Lace' juniper (Juniperus chinensis 'Gold Lace', USDA Hardiness Zones 39...
Let a clematis scramble
Mindy Arbo, who gardens at the Cotton-Arbo retum, her private-turned-public garden in Winchester, Massachusetts, is a master at mixing evergreens with herbaceous plants. Doesn't sound that...
READER PHOTO! Another great native groundcover
Today's photo, wrapping up this week's groundcover theme, is from Veronica Guyre in Lyme, New Hamphire. She says, "This stand of bunchberry (Cornus canadensis, USDA Hardiness Zones 27nbspis...
Even baby plants need to be seen!
More groundcovers! In Liz Niebling's garden in Exeter, New Hampshire, a swath of vinca is the perfect canvas for this vase-shaped hosta. A young hosta like this can be easily lost, visually, in a...
Serious Gifts for Serious Gardeners
Ideas that will delight the plant lovers on your holiday shopping list
READER PHOTO! An unexpected groundcover
Continuing in the groundcover theme, today's photos are from Jane Horn in Prior Lake, Minnesota. She says, "I love using jewels of Opar (Talinum paniculatum cv., annual) as a ground cover. I...
Go native!
As promised, here's the native alternative to the ubiquitous Japanese pachysandra (Pachysandra terminalis, USDA Hardiness Zones 4-8). It's Alleghany spurge (Pachysandra procumbens, Zones 5-9)! It has...
Variegation turns boring to glam!
Why, oh why don't more gardeners plant variegated pachysandra (Pachysandra terminalis 'Variegata', USDA Hardiness Zones 4-8)? It's so much more interesting than the plain Jane unvariegated sort. Is...
Not an ordinary clematis
OK, so I don't think you could call any clematis ordinary. As a whole, they're amazingly beautiul flowers that never fail to draw attention. But there are lots of clematis varieties out there that...
Pink on pink
In the horticulture gardens at Michigan State University, bee balm (Monarda didyma cv., USDA Hardiness Zones 4-9) mingles with mallow (Lavatera cachemiriana, Zones 4-9) by a powder blue post. It's a...
Pink and burgundy for fall?
This autumnal combo of pinks and burgundies in the garden at the Radiology Department at Michigan State University in East Lansing includes Japanese blood grass (Imperata cylindrica 'Rubra', USDA...
Morning glories to end the season
Driving down my street over the weekend, I was surprised to see these morning glories still going strong on a neighbor's porch! Such an unusual color for fall, except for the gorgeous blue...
More of a good thing
Jack Hyland and Larry Wente created a stunning sight with this small field of tall verbena (Verbena bonariensis, USDA Hardiness Zones 7-11) in their garden in Millerton, New York. We like...
Succulents in cold climates--yes you can!
Today's photo is from Mary Yee in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in response to all those California succulents we've been seeing this week. She says, "While I love seeing photos of gardens in other places...
READER PHOTOS! A gem of a succulent garden
Todays photos, continuing in the succulent theme of the week, are from Jane Johnson in Laguna Hills, California. She says, "Sherman Library & Gardens was founded in 1980 in Corona del Mar...
Frightful soil for a frightful Halloween!
It’s a wonder I ever got into gardening. This is what the soil looked like where I grew up in southwestern Virginia. Bright red clay. Hard as a rock when dry, sink-up-to-your-ankles squishy...
Mix it up with succulents!
Succulents mix with more traditional perennials and shrubs in Sabrina and Freeland Tanner's garden in Napa, California. Here, agaves are paired with a 'Red Dragon' persicaria Persicaria...
READER PHOTO! Ditch the flowers & grow succulents
Inspired by yesterday's post, Debra Lee Baldwin sent in this smaller example of succulents in action. This time, as a replacement for a tabletop flower arrangement. She says, "This floralstyle...
Running out of room for plants?
Start looking to the walls! This is the famous living wall at Flora Grubb Gardens in San Francisco. Believe it or not, it's even better in person. Welcome to the Fine Gardening GARDEN PHOTO OF THE...
A simple garden screen idea
Every once in a while, I stumble upon something in a garden that I have to document and file away in my folder of "stuff to do one day in my garden." Several years ago I spotted this series of simple...
Herbs in pots are simple and stunning
From the same garden as yesterday, outside Detroit, Michigan, this little tableau proves that you don't need fancy plants or crazy combinations to create a pleasing container combo. This features...
Look again!
Here's a grand example of using a mirror to expand the visual space in a garden. In this version, however, a large, wall-sized mirror almost fools you into thinking the garden keeps going, when in...
Off-roading in miniature
Laura Crockett's garden in Oregon is a horticultural playground. There are playful details at every turn, and this is no exception. It's a miniature landscape made from a rock garden plant and a...
Even their wheelbarrows are beautiful!
This shot was taken a few years ago in the gardens at Filoli in Woodside, California. Welcome to the Fine Gardening GARDEN PHOTO OF THE DAY blog! Every weekday we post a new photo of a great...
A garden in the treetops
I took a tour of Charleston, South Carolina, gardens several years ago, and amidst all the gorgeous, timeless gardens I saw, this scene may have captivated me most. It brings to mind warm...
READER PHOTO! Plant them and they will come...
Today's photo is from Marc Opperman in Austin, Texas. He says, "I have a yard of mixed Central Texas native wildflowers, shrubs, and grasses, as well as an ever-increasing set of vegetable beds. And...
A stunning, underused native plant
I wish I wasn't so surprised every time I happen upon this plant in a garden. Problem is, it doesn't happen very often. Indian pink (Spigelia marilandica, USDA Hardiness Zones 5-9) is native to the...
A perfect marriage of plant and pot
Here's an example of the perfect plant for a pot. This agave's shape is the perfect mirror image of the pot it lives in, making for a perfectly balanced composition. This matchup was orchestrated by...
Can you spot the flowers?
Neither can I, because there are none! Well, they're there, but we just can't see them. Annual clary sage (Salvia viridis and cvs.) is such a cool plant. The colorful splash you see isn't its...
A successful experiment
Three years ago, Sydney Eddison decided to try something new in her Newtown, Connecticut garden: a sedum hedge. She planted a long row of 'Autumn Joy' sedum (Sedum 'Autumn Joy', Zones 3-9) against a...
READER PHOTO! Small lot, BIG garden!
Today's photos are from garden designer Todd Holloway's private garden in Vancouver, B.C. He says, "This patio area was pieced together over a couple of months with granite stones found in...
READER PHOTO! A combo for dry areas
Today's photo is from Veronica Guyre. She says, "I garden in a cold Zone 4 microclimate at the base of a hill in Lyme, New Hampshire. All of my garden areas are quick draining due to an under layer...
Jenny covers ground!
I seem to remember someone warning me years ago that if I planted golden creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia 'Aurea', USDA Hardiness Zones 4-8) in the ground, I'd never get rid of it. I ignored...
READER PHOTO! From one pack of seeds...
Today's photo is from Nancy Lutts in Salem, Massachusetts. She created this vision with just one packet of foxglove seeds. She sowed them in spring and nurtured them patiently, with plenty of...
A colorful hardscape accent that steals the show
The interesting thing about these mosaic-ed stair risers in Randy Bolin and Tom Nelson's garden in Oakland, California, is that you don't get to see them unless you explore the whole garden and then...
Mixing succulents and herbaceous perennials
Succulents are all the rage these days, but most often we see them clustered togther in pots or arranged in vignettes with each other. But it's worth trying to combine them wth more traditional...
It's all in the details
Sometimes it's the quirky little details that make a garden memorable. In Randy Bolin and Tom Nelson's garden in Oakland, California, a colorful little plastic lizard peeks out from behind a group of...
A meaningful place to rest
This blue bench is a place to rest and reflect in the garden of Randy Bolin and Tom Nelson in Oakland, California, and it was featured in an essay, My Sanctuary, that Randy wrote for the...
A dreamy place for a nap
Randy Bolin and Tom Nelson have a multi-purpose garden, with places to bathe, cook, eat, entertain, grow vegetables, and even sleep! They created this spectaular nook for that purpose. How dreamy...
Clean and crisp
In this combo at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden in Brooklyn, New York, the white midribs of the dinosaur kale (Brassica oleracea 'Lacinato', annual) are echoed by the blooms of both the Diamond Frost...
It's hypnotizing...
You're getting very sleeeeeepy..... I could get lost in the spiral of this plant's leaves. Today's photo is just a pure beauty shot of an aeonium (Aeonium arboreum cv., USDA Hardiness Zones 9-11). Go...
Another gazing globe done right
In the never-ending war against gazing globes (awful or awesome?), here's an example of one done right. Dan Johnson popped one on top of a handsome pot to reflect his patio in his garden in Denver...
This plant's future is in your hands...
How many couples do you know that have arguments over plants? Well. you can help resolve this one. Eric and Danielle Wotzak have been renovating this fantastic house in Northport, New York, for the...
A peculiar pairing of peachy plants
Who'd have thought that sneezeweed (Helenium cv., USDA Hardiness Zones ) and nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus cv., annual) could look so good together? Apparently, the folks up at Campo de' Fiori in...
Just one more cup of tea, please...
Yesterday's photo from the Japanese Tea Garden at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco was pretty popular, so I thought I'd share just a few more shots from this amazing place today. Enjoy, and...
A sublime spot for a cup of tea
A tranquil scene from the Japanese Tea Garden in Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, California. Welcome to the Fine Gardening GARDEN PHOTO OF THE DAY blog! Every weekday we post a new photo of a...
Who needs hostas??
Why spend all that money on gourmet hostas when you can just go down to the local garden center and buy a 6-pack of cabbage or kale? Seriously, though, great hostas are expensive. While you build...
Bed of nails is a piece of cake
No, it's not a carnival side show act, it's just one awesome plant. Bed of nails, also known as Naranjilla (Solanum quitoense, annual), is a fuzzy-leaved tomato relative that brandishes wicked purple...
Can you spot the butterfly?
This fetching combo was designed by Dean Engelmann in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Can you find the butterfly amongst this riot of jewel-like colors? The plants here include coleus Solenostemon...
Another great Smithsonian combo
Check out this combo of tender plants at the Mary Livingston Ripley Garden in Washington, D.C. While the plants' forms are bold, their textures and colors are soft and soothing. Included are foxtail...
READER PHOTO! The babies have grown up
A few weeks ago, Pam Wittenberg of Santa Rosa, California, shared photos of the baby katydids in her garden. They were tiny and adorable. Now they're all grown up, and Pam says that they still like...
African mask shakes up a classic pot
Here's an example of the awesome African mask we featured yesterday (Alocasia sanderiana, USDA Hardiness Zone 11) planted in a container. It's joined in this edgy combo by a couple of bluegreen...
Is there a dinosaur nearby?
It doesn't get much more prehistoric-looking than this foliage. African mask (OK, maybe we should have gone with a different theme!) is a striking foliage plant for containers and tropicalesque...
Blurring the boundary
Nope, we're not done with Scott Endres quite yet! Today, check out how he eased the transition between the stepping stone path in his side garden to the concrete path leading to the sidewalk. Instead...
A spectacular combo at ground level
This jazzy little plant combo is situated along a stepping stone path in the side garden of Scott Endres in St. Paul, Minnesota. The plants here include 'Burgundy Glow' bugleweed (Ajuga reptans...
Green and even more green
Here's another set of photos that illustrate that the color green can be exciting enough all on its own in a container. All of these containers were designed by, yet again, Scott Endres in St. Paul...
Green is enough!
It's amazing what you can do with just the color green. In this grouping of containers designed by Scott Endres in St. Paul, Minnesota, the only other color you'll find is a small dash of orange...
Spice up containers with more than just plants
Along with being a master at combining plants (see yesterday's post), Minnesota garden designer Scott Endres also knows his way around a container, as you'll see in the next three days. In todays...
What to do with blue?
When it comes to blue foliage, I have a garden mental block. I just can't seem to figure out what to put it with. But Scott Endres in St. Paul, Minnesota, sure knows what to do. If these combos are...
A dramatic container combo
Steely blue, bronze, and deep purple make for a dramatic mix in this container combo designed by Miyako Kinoshita in New Milford, Connecticut. The plants in this combo include 'Sweet Caroline Bronze...
Which one of these plants is not like the others?
Can you spot the plant that doesn't belong? A sprig of 'Pink Frost' sweet potato vine (Ipomoea batatas 'Pink Frost', USDA Hardiness Zone 11) fits right in with this patch of 'Burgundy Glow' variegated bugleweed (Ajuga reptans 'Burgundy Glow', Zones 3-9). It's ...
A happy jumble
When the words "cottage garden" come to mind, this is the kind of planting I picture in my mind. This is a mix of yellow and orange cosmos, red and pink zinnias, and purple tall verbena Verbena...
Subtle differences can be just enough
Here's an example of a combo that shouldn't work, but does. All of these plants have quite similar textures and colors, but when you put them together, instead of creating a chaotic mishmash, they...
From humble materials...
A couple of weeks ago, I had the great pleasure of touring Bedrock Gardens in Lee, New Hampshire, with one of its creators, Jill Nooney. Jill's an amazing sculptor and garden designer. Among the many...
Tropical fever
Furcraea (Furcraea foedita 'Mediopicta', USDA Hardiness Zone 11) is the focal point in this combo at the Mary Livingston Ripley Garden of the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C. It's backed up...
Reaching for the sky
OK, so this garden might not be intentional, but isn't it spectacular? This ambitious plant was spotted on a riverside building in Newburgh, New York. Just think about how far water has to travel to...
Gazing balls have a place in gardens...
Some gardeners think that gazing balls are tacky. I tend to think it depends on the base you put it on (or not at all.) At the Enid A. Haupt Garden of the Smithsonian Institue in...
A waterfall of foliage
At the Enid A. Haupt Garden of the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C., 'Silver Falls' dichondra (Dichondra argentea 'Silver Falls', USDA Hardiness Zones 10-11) spills over a wall, creating a...
A simple tuteur for annual vines
If you'd like to add a bit of last-minute verticality to a garden bed, try making this simple tuteur for an annual vine. Choose a spot, collect a bundle of bamboo stakes, and loosely press them into...
Birdhouses are a pop of color in borders
Colorful birdhouses are striking focal points in addition to homes for the local birds in this mixed border at the Mary Livingston Ripley Garden of the Smithsonian Institute in Washington...
Milk glass lights up the garden
Sure, you could spend buckets of money on fancy lanterns for your garden. Or you could drive on down to the local thrift store and pick up a few milk glass vases and teacups for a couple dollars...
An ode to copper
Copper is the name of the game in this little vignette designed by Beth Giebel in New Milford, Connecticut. In it, she combines a ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius cv., Zones 3-7), a sneezeweed...
Foliage like dinosaur feathers!
This variegated version of mountain thistle (Acanthus montabus 'Frieling's Sensation', Zones 7-11) was dicovered by Ohio nursery Glasshouse Works in the early 1980s, and it's just as...
A funky chair-turned-planter
A metal chair without a seat is a perfect opportuniy to make a creative statement in a garden. Give it a vivid coat of paint, build a simple planter box to fit the frame, and plant it up with...
A book-matched set
These subtle and intriguing beds were designed by Rebecca Batchie for a garden in Kent, Connecticut, and punctuate the ends of two long mixed borders. They add continuity to this garden and their...
READER PHOTO! Cute as a button
Today's photo is from Pam Wittenberg in Santa Rosa, California. She says, "It's baby katydid season in our garden, and we've been finding them hiding out everywhere." Adorable. Thanks, Pam, for...
Historic grandeur
Today's photo is of a fountain in the North Garden at Blithewold Mansion, Gardens & Arboretum in Bristol, Rhode Island. It has a timeless beauty that's hard to ignore. Kris Green...
Nicotine & castor oil
Call me crazy, but that's what comes to mind when I see this beautiful combo from the display gardens at Blithewold Mansion & Gardens in Bristol, Rhode Island. The pink flowering tobacco...
Black & blue isn't always painful
Today's photo was taken in the garden of Kristin Green in Bristol, Rhode Island. I was walking around her charming, in-town garden recently when I rounded the far corner of the house and was floored...
READER PHOTO! All the joys of a garden, on a deck
Today's photo is from Miriam Settles in northern Virginia. She says, "I started a container garden about 8 years ago because I don’t have much land around our townhouse for flower beds, but I...
READER PHOTO! A happy accident in hypertufa
Today's photo is from Michael Larkin in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. He says, "This container was handmade using hypertufa. I have made lots of hypertufa containers, but this is by far one of the...
READER PHOTO! 'Star Gazer' & 'Blaze'
Today's photo is from Grace Peterson in western Oregon. She says, "This is a photo I took last year of a 'Star Gazer' oriental lily (Lilium 'Star Gazer', USDA Hardiness Zones 3-8)peeking our from the...
A garden gate fit for a....gardener!
Freeland Tanner created this gate from garden tools to welcome visitors to his enclosed vegetable garden. Freeland's collections of garden tools can be seen all over the garden he shares with his...
Moon window
Rather than a moon gate, this garden feature at Stonecrop Gardens in Cold Spring, New York, is more of a moon window, offering a glimpse into the formal flower garden beyond the wall. Welcome to the...
Better than flowers
While the subtle flowers of Japanese maples usually come and go without notice, the winged seeds are another story. This Japanese maple...
We can't help but personify plants
Especially when they look like this! You can find this happy orchid in the Haupt Conservatory at the New York Botanical Garden in Bronx, New York. Welcome to the Fine Gardening GARDEN PHOTO OF THE...
Floral synchronicity
Some plant combos just can't be planned. In the garden of Sabrina and Freeland Tanner in Napa, California, it was just pure luck that this clematis vine wandered into the euphorbia and they decided...
A property-line seating area
"This sunken woodland patio provides a beautiful, private place to sit along the property line. The fence undulates with the topography, and its construction provides a pleasing texture that alludes...
A simple solution turns into garden art
Animal deterrents needn't be ugly. This solution to a common problem became a whimsical bit of art in the garden of Brian Higley and Meg Rasmussen in Beacon, New York. Brian says, "Before our sedum...
Orange+Green=Bold Contrast
OK, so we've decided to make this "Brian Higley Week" at the GPOD, since we have shots of so many of his great hardscape elements. We hope you'll be inspired by them! Today, we feature a fence and...
A bench built for a lifetime
This is another creation from landscape architect Brian Higley. He says, "These benches were designed to be simple but beautiful fixtures along a trail at Madam Brett Park in Beacon, New York...
A wow-worthy screen that blends right in
This woodland screen was created by landscape architect Brian Higley for a garden in Garrison, New York. He says, "This stick fence screens a small sitting deck in a woodland garden. While it's made...
READER PHOTO! A green roof good enough for a gnome...
Today's photo is from LeAnn Locher in Portland, Oregon. She says, "This is in the funky neighborhood of North Portland, in Portland, Oregon. Located along a sidewalk, this "gnomescape" features a...
READER PHOTO! A happy orange and lime theme for a busy patio
Today's photo is from David Bockman in Fairfax, Virginia. Recently David's studio, greeneyedesign, llc, was approached to design the outdoor dining area containers for Fresh Lunch Catering. The...
READER PHOTO! A faux borrowed view
Todays' photo is from Mindy Arbo in Winchester, Massachusetts. She says, "To distract visitors from some newly built houses next door, we borrowed from a Japanese design element called The...
READER PHOTO! Mirrorstone
Today's photo is from Sally Muspratt in West Roxbury, Massachusetts. She says, "I designed this garden to create beautiful reflections in "Mirrorstone," Adam Frenlin's simple stainless steel column...
Floating stones
At Asticou Azalea Garden in Northeast Harbor, Maine, these stone steps seem to float above the water. It's a serene sight. That said...
Maine Day 5: Candelabra primulas
These candelabra primulas (Primula X bullesiana cvs., Zones 5-8) beside the lower pond in the Lerner Garden of the Five Senses at the Coastal Maine Botanical Garden seem to capture the sun and...
Maine Day 4: Heuchera and catmint
Sometimes two similar textures can work quite well together. Gardeners at the Coastal Maine Botanical Garden combined 'Miracle' heuchera (Heuchera 'Miracle', USDA Hardiness Zones 49nbspwith...
Maine Day 3: Primula vialii
Primula vialii was in full bloom by the lower pond in the Five Senses Garden at the Coastal Maine Botanical Garden in Boothbay, Maine. This primula is native to China and prefers moist soil and...
Maine Day 2: Pondside at the CMBG
This is a planting at the edge of the central pond in the Five Senses Garden at the Coastal Maine Botanical Garden in Boothbay, Maine. Some of these plants include blue oat glass Helictotrichon...
A week of the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens!
Last week, assistant editor Kerry Ann Morre took a garden-themed tour of Maine with her trusty camera by her side. This week in the GPOD, we'll feature five photos from one of her favorite stops, the...
Alliums amongst the ferns
Soft-textured hay-scented ferns (Dennstaedtia punctilobula, USDA Hardiness Zones 3-8) are the perfect foil for the spherical blooms of an allium (Allium sp., Zones 3-11) After the blooms have faded...
Mirror image
At first glance, you'd think these urns were mirror images of each other, but the mirror has nothing to do with them from this angle. Instead, this decorative mirror is a compelling feature on this...
A humble focal point
You don't have to spend a lot of money or time creating a striking focal point in your garden. Designer Nancy Ondra leaves this yellow watering can on a post in her garden, where it's both convenient...
Evening reflection
Garden designer Laura Crockett created this garden lantern from a reclaimed streetlight. Placing it next to a water feature more than doubles its appeal as the sun goes down. Water's not just for...
READER PHOTO! Snow? In the middle of summer?
Todays' photo is from Erle Nickel in Oakland, California. He says, "No, that's not a snow drift blanketing this plant. It's the intriguing Verbascum bombyciferum 'Arctic Summer.' Native to...
A planting for hot, baking sun
A spot like this, in the baking sun by a pool in Denver, Colorado, needs to have plants that can take a beating and still look good all summer. Garden designer Tom Peace used a variety of tough...
A garden that glows at night
Barbara Paul Robinson's "moon garden" in her garden in Washington, Connecticut, is designed to be viewed from an upstairs bedroom window at dawn and dusk. Instead of the white blooms...
A patio that floats!
OK, not really. But the narrow water channel and pool that surround Scott Endres' back patio in St. Paul, Minnesota, sure seem to make this patio seem like an island of tranquility. It's a tiny...
A narrow side yard becomes a fascinating journey
When faced with a narrow passageway on the side of his house, Minneapolis/St. Paul garden designer Scott Endres didn't consider it just a way to get from the front to the back, he saw it as another...
No flowers for me, thanks.
When you're potting up your containers this year, consider trying one that doesn't rely on flower power. Fascinating foliage can be even more compelling than flowers. Rita Randolph in Jackson...
Two seasons of silver sage
Silver sage, a biennial (Salvia argentea, USDA Hardiness Zones 5-8), is most commonly photographed in its first season, when it flaunts beefy, extravagantly silvery and fuzzy leaves in a low rosette...
Borage isn't boring!
Want some true blue for your garden? Borage (Borago officinalis) is an old-fashioned annual herb that many gardeners grow for its edible young leaves and flowers, which taste faintly of cucumber. Its...
A perfect marriage of plants and hardscape
Randy Bolin and Tom Nelson's front entryway in Oakland, California, is a riot of colors, both in hardscape and plants. The vibrant slate steps are the perfect inspiration for their plant palette full...
Whisper-soft texture at dusk
In the garden of Sabrina and Freeland Tanner in Napa, California, a lantern is tucked into a low sweep of feather grass (Stipa sp., USDA Hardiness Zones 7-11), which just serves to enhance the...
An oasis for bored significant others
What garden-obsessed shopper doesn't need one of these at their local nursery? At Annie's Annuals and Perennials in Richmond, California, bored significant others can hang out together at the GUYS...
READER PHOTO! It's a bouncing baby...mantid! Or 500...
Today's photo is from Rebecca Sweet in Los Altos, California. She says, "Every spring we buy a praying mantis nest at our local nursery, hoping it hatches and provides us with at least one praying...
"Driftwood" and grasses
This is Barbara Weirich's Benton Harbor, Michigan, fall garden, where she took advantage of a fallen tree branch to create a beachy atmosphere with flowing grasses. Welcome to the Fine Gardening...
A rusty privacy screen inspires a planting
Barbara Weirich's husband is a metal fabricator, and he created this privacy screen for her garden in Benton Harbor, Michigan. It's at the end of a long, narrow alleyway in her garden, and...
A splash of red makes a big impact
This is yet another example of what a splash of hardscape color can do for a garden. Try to imagine this scene without its bright red bench. Not quite as interesting, right? A punchy focal point like...
Which one of these things is not like the others?
In the garden of Jack Hyland and Larry Wente in Millerton, New York, a series of mirrors acts to expand the visual space in this little hidden garden. The last fence panel, however, isn't a mirror at...
A quiet spot to rest
This shady little nook can be found along an interior wall in the flower garden at Stonecrop Gardens in Cold Spring, New York. The wall of green soothes your eyes and provides a break from the...
There's an anteater in the garden!
In the garden of Randy Bolin and Tom Nelson in Oakland, California, an anteater munches away amongst the pots on the deck. It's these little details that make a garden personal and wonderful, as this...
READER PHOTO: Artichokes are bold and beautiful!
Today's GPOD is from Laura Livengood Schaub in San Jose, California. She says, "Artichokes are a beautiful winter perennial in Northern California, growing 5'-6' tall with large gray-green leaves...
A criss-cross combo
This little vignette is a perfect combination of colors that ties together beautifully. The chartreuse flowering tobacco (Nicotiana cv.) on the front right is echoed by the 'Morning Light' miscanthus...
Chilean rhubarb, a horticultural beast!
Chilean rhubarb (Gunnera tinctoria) is a gargantuan perennial that is hardy in USDA Hardiness Zones 7-10. It prefers moist, rich soil in full sun or partial shade. This plant certainly says "WOW"...
READER PHOTO: Boxwood Buddha
Today's GPOD is from Sherry Willis. She says, "I was advised against turning an ancient, overgrown boxwood into a topiary but I couldn't resist. This is the result after about four years of endeavor." Thanks, Sherry, for sharing this with us!
Blurring the edges
A meadow of cosmos was the perfect way to transition from garden to fields at this garden in Millerton, New York. The flowers sway and dance in the slightest breeze and provide cover for wildlife and...
Matching plants to hardscape
Designer David Feix in California took cues from the colors on this patio when choosing plants for this vignette. The orange tips of the blue-green agave (Agave sp.) match the low stucco wall, while...
Take cues from your surroundings when choosing plants
When choosing plants for this garden bed, designer Rebecca Batchie looked up and took into account the red of this classic barn when she chose the red and white lily. By matching the two, she made...
Tall, dark, and handsome
This dusky container design is quietly dramatic. It was designed by Peter Robideaux and his staff in Brookfield, Connecticut, to be an example of what could be achieved with the plants he sells in...
READER PHOTO: Hummingbird & Honeysuckle
Today's GPOD is from Tina Wilson in Arlington, Washington. She says, "I have a large garden and plant a variety of flowers that naturally attract hummingbirds, bees, birds, dragonflies, and other...
READER PHOTO: Cherry blossoms
Today's GPOD is from Mary Beth Jarrosak on Block Island in Rhode Island. She says, "This weeping cherry tree is on my brothers property on Block Island, and it was given to him by our...
Longwood Gardens, Day 5: Peirce's Woods
It's Longwood Gardens week at the GPOD! This week, we've been celebrating this fabulous public garden in pictures. Longwood, located in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, is a...
Longwood Gardens, Day 4: The Silver Garden
It's Longwood Gardens week at the GPOD! This week, we're celebrating this fabulous public garden in pictures. Longwood, located in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, is a long-time FG staff...
Longwood Gardens, Day 3: Annuals in the Idea Garden
It's Longwood Gardens week at the GPOD! This week, we're celebrating this fabulous public garden in pictures. Longwood, located in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, is a long-time FG staff...
Longwood Gardens, Day 2: The Topiary Garden
It's Longwood Gardens week at the GPOD! This week, we're celebrating this fabulous public garden in pictures. Longwood, located in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, is a long-time FG staff...
It's LONGWOOD GARDENS week at the GPOD!
It's Longwood Gardens week at the GPOD! For the next five days, we'll celebrate this fabulous public garden in pictures. Longwood, located in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, is a long-time FG...
A great vine for shady containers
It's not easy to find colorful plants to make a splash in shade containers. The rex begonia vine (Cissus discolor, USDA Hardiness Zone 11) is one great plant that does the job. It's an Asian...
READER PHOTO: A froth of pink
Today's GPOD is from Deanne Fortnam in Nashua, New Hampshire. She says: "Nothing can beat the exuberance of clematis in full bloom in early July combined with lilies and baby's breath" Thanks...
Pretty, and pretty cheap
Create inexpensive, home-made garden lanterns with some twine, a few Mason or Ball jars, some sand or glass beads, and a few tealights. Welcome to the Fine Gardening Garden Photo of the Day blog...
Create a focal point with pots
Stumped as to how to display a collection of cacti and succulents? Create an island bed on your patio! This stunning display is in the demonstartion gardens at Plant Delights Nursery in Raleigh...
A "kitchen" garden
At the Little Herb House in Raleigh, North Carolina, discarded kitchen implements serve as garden art in a "kitchen" garden bed of herbs. Welcome to the Fine Gardening Garden Photo of the Day blog...
Dressing up a staircase
At Filoli in California, this simple concrete and brick staircase is dressed up and defined by a seasonal display of potted tulips. This is a great way to liven up a bare area of a garden in spring...
READER PHOTO: A simple combo with big impact
Today's GPOD is from Mindy Arbo of the Cotton-Arbo retum in Winchester, Massachusetts. Mindy says: "This striking combination of Hosta 'Sum and Substance' and Chelone 'Hot Lips' comes from the...
READER PHOTO: Clematis 'Jackmanii'
Today's GPOD is from Chris Tidrick in Champaign, Illinois. He says, "This Clematis 'Jackmanii' climbs up the light pole in our front border and makes a wonderful partner to the Baptisia...
#ff = Follow Friday on Twitter!
I've been "tweeting" on Twitter for quite some time now, and I have to say that it's one of my best sources of gardening information, inspiration, and all-out entertainment. I love my "tweeps," and I...
READER PHOTO: Daffodils, daffodils, and more daffodils!
Today's GPOD is from Wendy Niemi Kremer in Oak Hill, Virginia. She says, "This photo shows three of my favorite daffodils in my backyard border: Narcissus 'Thalia', with its orchid-like blooms, tiny...
READER PHOTO: Shades of blue and gray
Today's GPOD is from Michelle Van Heuvelen. She says: "I garden on a farm in Iowa. I have a number of gardens spread out around the farm. Including a small, formal potager, a long border...
A botanical Jack-in-the-box
Todays GPOD is from Kerry Ann Moore, one of FG's assistant editors. She says, "This little summer baby looks like it’s about to explode! Even though this image is frozen in time, it evokes an...
Mix it up with pansies
Want to do something different with your pansies this spring? Plant them with your lettuces! They really dress up a planting, and you can even harvest a few of the edible blooms for your...
Dress up your pots for Easter!
Today's photo is from Danielle Sherry, one of FG's Associate Editors. She says: "There’s not much to choose from at the nurseries in early spring--especially when it comes to container...
READER PHOTO: A second show for a spectacular tulip
Today's photo is from Rebecca and Emily Sweet in Los Altos, California. Rebecca says: "While helping me get ready for a huge garden party last week, Emily, my 14-year-old daughter, was sidetracked...
Beach garden
In this private garden in Michigan, the property drops off steeply, overlooking the shores of Lake Michigan. Sad that her grandchildren couldn't get to the beach, the homeowner/garden designer...
Where's Waldo?
The bunny, that is. Can you find him? Associate Editor Danielle Sherry spent a bit of time with this fellow as she took photos at Blithewold Mansion, Gardens, & Arboretum in Rhode Island. He...
Beautiful AND functional
This metal sculpture serves two purposes. It screens a view of the neighbor's house, but it also makes a stunning focal point that is emphasized by a matching urn in the foreground. This thoughful...
A not-so-delicate container combo
This combo may look refined and fussy, but its anchor is one tough cookie. Japanese blood grass (Imperata cylindrica 'Rubra', USDA Hardiness Zones 5-9) is sometimes banished from borders due to its...
Deep red equals high drama
This sultry, monochromatic bed makes a big impact with its large sweeps of deep red plants. Amaranth and coleus supply the bulk of the drama, and are knitted together with a band of ornamental kale...
READER PHOTO: Poor, tortured trees...
Today's photo is from Susan Morrison in California's San Francisco Bay area. She says: "This house is in the older part of my neighborhood and unfortunately a lot of the trees are still treated this...
READER PHOTO: Mountain bluet
Today's photo is from Andrew Keys in Topsfield, Massachusetts. He says: "The appearance of cool customer Centaurea montana (USDA Hardiness Zones 3-9) means it's a sure thing it's high spring in my...
Common plants, uncommon effect
You don't need the latest and greatest plants to make a stunning plant combo. All of these plants are relatively easy to find in your local garden center: 'Polaris' verbena (Verbena rigida Polaris...
A perfect pairing of plants and pot
Sometimes it's tricky, pairing plants with a stunning, highly decorative pot, but the horticulturists at Cranbrook House and Gardens in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan seem to know what they're doing. The...
I'd like one of those, please.
This collection of begonias at Tower Hill Botanic Garden in Boylston, Massachusetts is eough to give anyone a case of plant envy. Welcome to the Fine Gardening Garden Photo of the Day blog! Every...
An Ode to Coleus
This photo doesn't even begin to illustrate the range of colors and textures that coleus (Solenostemon scutellarioides cvs., USDA Hardiness Zone 11/annual) can provide to both containers and the...
READER PHOTO: Spring comes early!
Today's photo is from Erica Glasner in Atlanta, Georgia. She says: "This is Daphne odora ‘Aureomarginata Alba’ (USDA Hardiness Zones 7 to 9). A mouthful but a great evergreen shrub...
To love a garden
In honor of this blog's most frequest visitor, here's a soothing scene from the Cotton-Arbo retum in Winchester, Massachusetts. FG visited this garden with our cameras last summer, and were wowed by...
A peaceful setting indeed
The Temple of Peace in the woodland at Tower Hill Botanic Garden in Boylston, Massachusetts. Welcome to the Fine Gardening Garden Photo of the Day blog! Every weekday we post a new photo of a great...
A mathematical masterpiece
Not many plants can add the level of texture and drama to a garden that 'Lucifer' crocosmia (Crocosmia 'Lucifer', USDA Hardiness Zones 6-9) can. Its lance-shaped, corrugated leaves are a study in...
Should it be called mountain rue?
Meadow rue (Thalictrum rochebrubeanum and cvs., USDA Hardiness Zones 5-9) is a perennial native to Japan that forms large, 3-foot-tall clumps of muted green foliage and sprays of delicate...
It's a bit rusty...
Rusty metal blends into a garden amazingly well, especially when paired with a bronzy sedge. This photo was taken in Laura Crockett's garden in Hillsboro, Oregon. Welcome to the Fine Gardening...
A juicy combo for a container
This combo might be juicy, but it also has teeth! The flame-licked leaves of Tropicanna canna (Canna 'Phasion', Zones 8-11) are the perfect backdrop for the flashy orange spines of this porcupine...
A promising sign that spring is on its way!
Today's Garden Photo of the Day is from Associate Editor Danielle Sherry. She says, "Despite the snowfall this past weekend in New England, my Purple witch hazel (Hamamelis vernalis 'Purpurea', USDA...
It's all in the details
The designer of this little river-rock tower says that of all the creative hardscape touches she's added to her small garden over the years, this has always gotten the most attention. It's elegant in...
Mixed messages in the garden
Hot-headed or happy-go-lucky? Two sides of a botanical coin. Happy Monday! Welcome to the Fine Gardening Garden Photo of the Day blog! Every weekday we post a new photo of a great garden, a...
Who goes there?!
The staff of Plant Delights Nursery in Raleigh, North Carolina got a little creative last year... Plant Delights is a plant-lover's paradise. But they're not just about to-die-for plants. Their...
Pair one fine texture with another
Sure, we all know that contrast is the name of the garden design name, but sometimes it's just as effective to pair a fine-textured plant with one of a similar texture but with a different color. The...
Love-in-a-mist is one cool annual
Love-in-a-mist (Nigella damascena cvs., annual) delivers a 3-part punch, with it's finely textured foliage, intricate blue flowers, and striped, balloon-like seed pods, all at the same time. It's a...
READER PHOTO: The hummingbirds demand their bath
Today's GPOD comes from LeAnn Locher, a storyteller and gardener in Portland, Oregon. She says: "We've created a water feature in our garden using a rain chain with water dropping into and...
Old world charm in a California garden
Filoli is one of California's most famous and beautiful estates. Its spring display is classic and spectacular. To see how Filoli was the inspiration for another, more casual California garden, check...
A stunning and functional garden focal point
When we first featured this birdhouse on the cover of the December 2000 issue of Fine Gardening, the FG office got dozens of calls from gardeners wanting one just like it. Years later, this garden...
The origins of everyday things
Way back when, I used to collect rubber duckies. When you start to have more than a few dozen of something, you start to wonder where they came from. I began to picture factories in China, pushing...
Ruby grass is pretty in pink
Ruby grass (Melinus nerviglumis) This gray-green, graceful grass is a wonderful, visually soothing addition to summer gardens. The pink blooms begin to appear on arching stems in spring and last...
A Japanese Garden in New York
The Japanese garden at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden in Brooklyn, New York. Welcome to the Fine Gardening Garden Photo of the Day blog! Every weekday we post a new photo of a great garden, a...
A tumble of cool clematis softens hot hardscape
Among the many delights of Cornerstone Gardens in sun-drenched Sonoma, California, is this stucco wall and metal gate softened by an exuberant tumble of purple clematis blooms. Welcome to the Fine...
A simple structure makes a big impact
At the Vesper Hill Chapel garden in Rockport, Maine, a simple bamboo trellis is used to serve as a visual end to this garden space. It's a simple way to add interest and boundary without spending a...
Use paint to make a splash
In the vegetable garden at Tower Hill Botanic Garden in Boyleston, Massachusetts, a bean tower isn't just functional, it's a colorful focal point. Welcome to the Fine Gardening Garden Photo of the...
Catalog Review: Thompson and Morgan Seeds
I've never been to England, so I only have vague ideas about English gardens. But leafing through the pages of Thompson & Morgan makes me feel like I’m just a bit closer than an ocean away...
This is not the way you want to lose a limb...
This just in: man arrested for shotgun pruning.
My favorite Fine Gardening articles ever!
Recently Steve Aitken, FG’s editor, asked the FG editors to name our favorite article from the past 20+ years of FG. That’s a tough one! Rather than just one, I thought I’d share my favorite 10 from the last few years. We have published over 130 issues, after all. Some of these are online now, so you can check them out right away. Here goes (in reverse chronological order)!
A garden to grow with
The kids' garden at Marbles Kids Museum in Raleigh is a deight for young minds.
We're on Twitter!
Yes, Fine Gardening is trying to look younger than it actually is. Wait! The magazine is about 21 years old. That's about right, no? Anyway, if you tweet, follow us!
Neighborhood Workday to the rescue!
I can barely move this morning. My joints are stiff, my muscles are screaming, and I’m so happy! On Saturday the “Neighborhood Workday” came to my house.
Purple Perilla Pesto does not rock my world.
The search continues for a use for my perilla.
A garden gem in Upstate New York
The King's Garden at Fort Ticonderoga in upstate New York
Common Name Conundrums
Fine Gardening's copy editor, Suzanne Noel, and I often get mired in minutia (Suzanne, should that be minutiae?? Long conversation ensues…). These matters often send me on short journeys of...
Finally! A plethora of attractive rain barrels
A couple of years ago Gardener’s Supply came out with a rain barrel that looked like an elegant terra-cotta urn, and I was pretty darned excited (though not excited enough to cough up 219...
I love my Dutchman's pipe!
I planted Dutchman's pipe (Aristolochia macrophylla, syn. A. durior, Zones 5-8) on my pergola maybe 6 years ago, having seen it on some arbors in Saratoga Springs, New York, the summer before...
Things I love in theory
Things I love in theory. In reality? Not so much.
If life gives you dandelions, make wine!
I already have dozens of dandelions blooming in my lawn. Dozens, I say. I've always known you could make dandelion wine, but thought it would be complicated and would require special equipment that wouldn't fit into my budget.
A sunny oasis in the snow
Connecticut is such a maze of back roads that I could drive a different route to work every day. But I’m stuck in a rut, so I usually stick to one scenic route that takes my over the hills...
Next photo challenge: Signs of Spring
Spring is right around the corner, and so is our next photo challenge.
Garden blockade
Keep out!
Don't hate them because their garden is beautiful
"Perfect Gardens" are real gardens, too!
Gardening Resolutions for 2009
A perennial exercise in deluding ourselves? We think not.
More containers, continued
More of my fave containers from my garden
More containers
Some of my favorite containers and container groupings from my garden over the years.
Rex begonia vine
Love this vine - Cissus discolor, AKA rex begonia vine. Got it from Cottage Garden Nursery in IL.
My favorite coleus for containers
Notice a common theme here? I ALWAYS include 'Texas Parking Lot' coleus in my container plantings. It's my absolute favorite coleus, sometimes called 'Alabama Sunset'.
Plant Shopping List
It's not even 2009 yet, and Fine Gardening Associate Editor is already thinking about what plants to buy next year.
Less is More: Finalist Photos from the 2010 Container Challenge
We didn't have room for these 22 photos in the May/June issue, so we published them here instead.
18 Hydrangeas to Know and Grow
Ruth | February 3rd, 2012
READER PHOTOS! Sarah's garden in Illinois, Day 1: The front yard
mgervais | February 3rd, 2012
Commercially Growing Organic Roses For The Retail Market. Can It Be Done?
PFZimmerman | February 2nd, 2012
READER PHOTOS! Carol's garden in Georgia
mgervais | February 2nd, 2012
Recent comments
Re: READER PHOTOS! Tim's garden in Ohio, Day 1: The gravel garden
Tim - that's funny! I give my house and garden projects priority numbers, too, and they always seem to be in the 500-ish range... "Oh, you think we should paint the dining room? Project #542."
posted: 11:44 am on January 25thRe: Hey Girl...
So glad to see these on FG, finally!! Ah, a gardener's dream man...
posted: 9:28 am on January 23rdRe: Lost in the bamboo
Mangobiscuit, go to this website:
posted: 11:35 am on January 3rdhttps://plantinfo.umn.edu/
In the box on the right, click on the pull-down menu for specialty and select bamboo. Then click GO to get a big list of nurseries that specialize in bamboo.
Re: Lost in the bamboo
Hi all,
posted: 11:31 am on January 3rdI'll try to include plant names whenever possible. In this case, there weren't any plant tags or nearby gardeners. My best guess is that this is a pennisetum of some sort, but I could be completely wrong! Anyone else think it looks familiar?
Re: READER PHOTOS! Kielian's garden in Montana
Oh, I HAVE to see the motion-detector leaf-blower setup! Pleeeaaassse send a pic? So funny!
posted: 1:09 pm on December 9thRe: Kiss My Aster's Gifts for Gardeners Guide 2011
I have to have those slugs!!
posted: 2:51 pm on November 30thRe: READER PHOTO! Jan Johnsen in upstate New York
Wow. I have to say that, based on the comments for the last few weeks, I start to get quite a bit nervous every time I prepare a new post these days. Writing a daily blog is challenging, to say the least. Seriously, I'd love to feature only small, home gardens, since it's what seems to make everyone happiest, but I just don't have the volume to do it. Once in a while I have to post photos from a public garden or a grand estate, and I can only hope that some of you will find some element of them inspiring. I certainly do! I LOVE seeing photos of over-the-top gardens. They give me the freedom to dream, and I always see something that I can use in my own garden-making.
posted: 2:00 pm on November 10thHelp me out--send me photos of YOUR gardens! I'd be eternally grateful...
Re: Mystery Plant!
Hey all! Thanks so much for IDing this awesome plant. As promised, I found a couple of sources:
posted: 3:40 pm on November 2ndhttp://www.kartuz.com/p/80070/Pseuderanthemum+alatum.html
http://www.glasshouseworks.com/trop-p3.html
I can't wait to get one!
arboretum--this was taken outside, believe it or not. There's a seating area along the side that has tons of tropicals in pots.
Deanneart--sorry, no closeup of the flowers. :-(
Re: A mesmerizing hedge on Long Island
cwheat000, are we living parallel lives?? We MUST live in the same town! ("town green" tipped me off--I live 3 blocks from it.) Would love to see pics of your garden.
posted: 12:15 pm on October 28thRe: READER PHOTOS! Julie's garden in Pennsylvania
Volunteers are truly amazing. Thanks for spotlighting them, tractor1 & soilgoil!
posted: 12:12 pm on October 18thRe: READER PHOTOS! Julie's garden in Pennsylvania
I could not agree more, tractor1! I've worked for a public garden in the past, have many friends who work in public gardens, and have met oodles of gardeners at public gardens around the country. Lemme tell ya, they're not in it for the money. They just happen to do what they love for a living, and they're thrilled to share what they've learned with me and our readers (they get just as excited as you guys do when their work is featured here). They and the gardens they create are unmistakably real, and really, public gardens exist for the public's inspiration and enjoyment, thanks to the generous people who have funded them throughout the years.
posted: 8:36 am on October 18thThat said, I love today's garden, too! Julie, that canna and anemone combo is KILLER.
Re: Tis the season...
I LOVE cutting back my grasses in the spring! I find it very satisfying. There's nothing complicated about it (unlike pruning shrubs, which terrifies me), and you end up with such tidy mounds waiting to sprout new blades. But I could see how it could get old in this garden!
posted: 9:53 am on October 14thRe: Lounging in the lady's mantle
oldsquaw--those links should be fixed now. Sorry about that!
posted: 9:30 am on October 13thRe: The Ghost Walk
Wow, I'm so glad I'm back from vacation today so that I can switch around some posts, because you guys would NOT have liked what I had planned for tomorrow! :-)
posted: 1:05 pm on October 10thFor the last two years, most of the posts on the GPOD have come from my travels as an editor here at FG over the past 10 years. I've visited tons of private gardens across the country, and featured lots of photos from those gardens, but after more than 460 posts (most with multiple photos), that well is starting to run dry. On top of that, I can only post photos that have no chance of eventually making it into the pages of Fine Gardening, not because they aren't worthy subjects, but because we don't have an angle with which to include them in an article or department.
Lately, I've been traveling to public gardens to gather general shots for future issues, and lots of interesting things have popped up that I've been excited to share. But I can see how images public gardens can start to get old. But keep in mind that public gardens exist to inspire!
Now I'm challenging you: Send me photos of your gardens! We've featured lots of reader photos in the past, and they've always been my favorites. Some tips on how to get your photos featured? I've noticed that portraits of one flower or leaf are snoozers for you guys. All I get are snores (no comments, and very few "likes.") Close-in shots of plant combinations, same thing. But you seem to love outdoor living areas and unusual plantings or ornaments, especially if they're home-made. Whimsical garden elements always generate a smile, too.
Keep the feedback coming!
Re: The flower gardens at Old Westbury
Tractor1,
posted: 9:08 am on October 7thI understand your frustration with the image resolution. Until about 6 months ago we didn't even have the current functionality on our websites that enlarges the images when you click on them, so readers were unable to view the fine details in images at all. Though the blog posts allow image file sizes up to 4MB, there is a built-in limitation of 800-1200 pixels for width and height. Most days, I need to reduce the size (and quality) of the photos by at least 65%. This image-size limitation is one of the projects our developers are working towards eliminating (since our magazines and websites focus on details and high-quality images)--hopefully, we'll be able to roll out this upgrade before the year is out.
Re: Scenes from Millenium Park
I think that's the guy from the extreme left side of the photo! I can't figure it out...
posted: 1:49 pm on September 26thRe: Feelin' the heat...
dashwp-- email me at mgervais (at) taunton dot com
posted: 12:35 pm on September 19th(Don't know why I'm going to the trouble of disguising the email address...)
Re: Repurposing architectural details in the garden
This is what hapens, folks, when you try to take photos in full, blazing sun - the colors come out all wonky! That arbor IS white...
posted: 1:19 pm on September 14thRe: Les Quatre Vents - Cross if you dare
Thanks, oldsquaw! I definitely do. Unfortunately, though, I didn't take any of these photos from Les Quatre Vents. I've never been to this awesome garden, but I hope to in the future. One day...
posted: 9:33 am on September 7thRe: A different perspective, just as good
Don't take it personally, Bob. It doesn't ever remember me, either, and I work here! We're working on getting that fixed.
posted: 10:03 am on August 24thRe: Plant Fever Cured By Heart Attack
I feel that way about Solanum quitoense, even years after I first saw it. It's an annual, so I have to search for it every year, and I get a bit obsessive... I even had trouble finding it mailorder this year! I finally found it at Atlock Farm in New Jersey. I've made such a stink about this plant at one of my local nurseries that they want me to bring it in so they can see it.
posted: 2:32 pm on August 23rdRe: A different perspective, just as good
Oh, and so sorry this went out late today, everyone - there was a glitch on our system last night. Should be all patched up and ready to go for tomorrow morning!
posted: 12:56 pm on August 23rdRe: A different perspective, just as good
Ha!! I'm guessing some sort of aroid - maybe an arisaema - before the berries turn red. Anyone else have any idea?
posted: 12:54 pm on August 23rdRe: Topped off with plants
Chanticleer is in Wayne, Pennsylvania, about 1/2 hour from Longwood. SOOOO worth the extra time, boards.
posted: 10:21 am on August 18thLooks like that vine is tropical and not definitely not hardy in Minnestota, TheNatureofRita. Bummer. But I'll bet it would be worth it to grow it as an annual!
I do wish they labeled more of their plants, Annedean, but I also find that their lack makes me enjoy the garden for what it is, to stop looking for labels and just take it all in. It was an adjustment for me, because I'm obsessed with knowing the Latin name of every plant on earth (ha!), but now I love this about Chanticleer.
Wittyone, there wasn't really a place to put your hand, but you walk so slowly down these stairs, taking it all in, that I didn't seem to need it.
Kris--tahnks so much for the ID! Sounds like you love this plant...
Re: Two mystery plants at Longwood Gardens
Happily_Gardening, I think you've got it! Portulaca molokiniensis seems like a good match. But WOW, I cannot find a source for it online... I'm rarely stumped for a source, darnit!
posted: 3:06 pm on August 10thButterfly leaf plant is giving me just as much trouble... I think I've lost my plant sourcing mojo! :-(
Re: Garden visiting through the eyes of a 5-year-old
Thanks, Paiya! Her dad's genes don't hurt. He's a web producer over at FineHomebuilding.com, as well as a carpenter and ornamental blacksmith. She can't help but be creative!
posted: 8:42 am on August 4thRe: Garden visiting through the eyes of a 5-year-old
Thanks everyone! Kaia took about 25 shots that day (I need to teach her how to take HUNDREDS in a day, like me--yow!), and these were the best. She's definitely a visual kid. I'm so proud! I think a new and better camera will have to be on Santa's list this year...
posted: 12:29 pm on August 3rdRe: Domo Arigato, Mr. Roboto
I'd like my robot to mow in the summer and water my houseplants in the winter. And perhaps some light housekeeping. I am letting him stay inside for the winter, after all...the alternative is standing in the corner of the tool shed for months on end with nothing to do. It's cold out there. Oooh, but there's snow-shoveling! This daydream keeps getting better and better.
posted: 2:33 pm on July 29thRe: White cushions--impractical but gorgeous
littleloiee--thanks!! So glad you like the GPOD! Unfortunately I have this feeling it might be hard to get in touch with Linda Allard to ask her for sources.
posted: 3:38 pm on July 26thlovemyyard--I have to disagree. During the visit I got a chance to meet Linda, and she was incredibly gracious. I believe she helped design her home and her garden, and she obviously loves it. She was willing to share information with anyone interested, which was so nice. I do think that a showplace and a home can be one and the same, especially if it's the home of a seriously talented designer.
Re: Perfection is boring
wwross--Yes, I thought a picture change was due... that said, I hate every picture ever taken of me!
posted: 9:16 am on July 22ndgottagarden--my hoses are NEVER coiled. My husband hates it. But I've been testing this ultra thin hose for the past couple of days, and it's SO much easier to wrestle. I might start being a bit neater. But probably not.
Re: Ouch!
Haha! Kimpansy..... bad, but oh-so-funny! Sorry gottagarden... I hope your friend's thumb is OK! Yikes!
posted: 9:13 am on July 22ndRe: What would you do?
Great ideas, everyone! I love this type of post, where everyone gets to weigh in with a solution to a design problem or helpful suggestions. Unfortunately, they're much harder to come up with than you'd think. I'll keep my eyes open for more examples like this.
posted: 9:40 am on July 20thRegarding this one, according to their website, this garden is maintained almost completely by volunteers, and I'm amazed at how much they accomplish. Kudos to gardeners who work for free, just for the love of it!
Re: A walkway amongst the ferns
bamboomary: I have a LOT of mint, but no, not quite that much!! Let's just say I'm the source of all the mint that Fine Cooking Magazine uses when testing their recipes... I did know someone once who had a FIELD of mint! It was so much fun to walk through.
posted: 11:57 am on July 8thTeriCA: It was actually kind of cool to discover the little creek halfway across the walkway.
Re: A walkway amongst the ferns
The creek is very small and runs through the middle of the ferns. Maybe a foot or two wide.
posted: 8:47 am on July 8thRe: Free at last!
LindaBrandon--email me directly, and I'll check with my editor. Thanks!
posted: 8:18 am on June 30thRe: Cornerstone Sonoma: Where Art, Imagination, and Plants Come to Play
Both times I've been to Cornerstone it's been 20 minutes before closing time, so I didn't really get to experience it. The glimpses I had were enchanting! I can't wait to visit again, making it a destination, not a stop along the way. Thanks for your perspective!
posted: 12:17 pm on June 20thRe: Repetition is the key to happiness
I'm not sure what the underplantings were. It was a few weeks ago, and things were still really small. I wish I'd taken a closer shot so that we could figure it out!
posted: 1:28 pm on June 7thI think you have to consider the location when you take in these pots. This isn't a home garden by any stretch of the imagination (well, I guess it was at one point! Unimaginable.). Longwood is for the most part extremely formal, which makes this repetition appropriate.
I love it, but I can see why it left some of you cold. But oh, if I could have only one of those containers! (I would definitely turn it into a fountain...)
Re: Frogs from another dimension
Ah-HA! Found a source: http://www.cowpainters.com/unpainted/unpaint_frog.htm
posted: 9:21 am on May 26thRe: Gingers that every gardener should grow
Peaceofpie, definitely visit Dumbarton Oaks!! (http://www.doaks.org/) It's so wonderful. Also, I highly recommend the Smithsonian gardens on the mall (http://www.gosmithsonian.com/museums/smithsonian-gardens/).
posted: 8:51 am on May 26thgrayjohnson, I've never heard of these wild gingers being invasive, and they're not listed as invasive on the Invasives Atlas (http://www.invasiveplantatlas.org/distribution.html). Have you had trouble with them?
Re: READER PHOTO! Hens and chicks in a cage
Thanks, Jan (blondeartist)!!
posted: 9:40 am on May 3rdRe: READER PHOTO! Hens and chicks in a cage
Hey all! I emailed Jan to let her know that you're all desperate to know how she created this. Hopefully she'll find a moment today to let you know. Stay tuned!
posted: 8:53 am on May 3rdRe: Behold the giant milkweed!
So sorry, DreamGardener - I should have mentioned that the giant milkweed, where hardy, can reach up to 12 feet tall.
posted: 8:26 am on April 28thRe: Wisteria at Dumbarton Oaks
Peaceofpie, I did a little research on the Dumbarton Oaks website, and it looks like they used mainly Wisteria sinensis. Good thing they have a full-time gardening staff on hand to keep it in check, eh?!
posted: 11:09 am on April 6thhttp://www.doaks.org/publications/doaks_online_publications/PlantBook/BFPlBk5.pdf
Re: Creative tree-training?
Peaceofpie, definitely see Dumbarton Oaks! It's one of my favorite gardens, and right in the middle of D.C. Here's the website: http://www.doaks.org/gardens/
posted: 8:16 am on March 18thRe: How aggressive IS it?
Hey all,
posted: 11:20 am on February 3rdSo it looks like it was a good idea to pull this plant from our last issue, based on your comments! One of our GPOD readers, Barbara Littlefair, lives up near Cornell Plantations and decided to contact them to get their feedback on the plant. Here's what Mary Hirshfeld, Cornell Plantations' Director of Horticulture, had to say about this planting:
"The planting pictured was originally the multi-colored cultivar 'Chameleon' and what you see in the picture is an entirely reverted mass planting that became solid green. Because this plant is so tough, and that spot is very hot and dry, I chanced putting the Houttuynia there. However, because it is very difficult to get rid of, and spreads with dangerous velocity if not physically confined, I decided it was not a good idea to promote this plant. Our Plant Health staff were able to entirely eliminate this mass planting with two summertime applications of RoundUp applied one month apart, and I have replanted the area with a mixture of sedums and grasses. I would NEVER recommend this plant to anyone unless they were using it in a container, or as you describe with your sunken pot for mints, very carefully confined."
Thanks, Barbara and Mary!
Re: Keeping cool in a Charleston courtyard
Thanks for the photo praise, wGardens & arboretum!
posted: 1:42 pm on January 17thCaiside - here is a similar fountain that you don't need a pool for:
https://www.charlestongardens.com/index2007.cfm?categoryID=82&productID=663&action=display.product&isSearch=true
Re: Remember what spring feels like?
Hey all! Glad you liked this dose of spring. I emailed the Canterbury School (http://www.cbury.org/), where this shot was taken, and the nice guy at the other end said that he thinks these are hybrid Chinese apple trees, and that they're over 50 years old. He'll try to get more info. If he does, I'll pass it along!
posted: 2:35 pm on January 14thRe: Kicking off year #2 of the GPOD!
Thanks for the birthday wishes, you guys! And yes, annuals rock. Especially perilla!
posted: 2:35 pm on January 4thRe: There must be a word for this
ah-HA! Thanks, glennt!!
posted: 11:09 am on December 16thRe: There must be a word for this
rwotzak, here'a a source for small trees: http://www.woodlanders.net/index.cfm?fuseaction=plants.plantDetail&plant_id=231
posted: 11:07 am on December 16thThey also have it at that twilight zone nursery we visited last year...
Re: READER PHOTO! A lawn of thyme
soilgoil, I wonder if corn gluten would be a good option for you??
posted: 2:51 pm on December 6thhttp://www.extension.umn.edu/yardandgarden/ygbriefs/h531cornglutenmeal.html
http://www.planetnatural.com/site/corn-gluten-meal.html
Re: READER PHOTO! Jumbo caterpillar
Framework, I'm not sure. I'll bet the coleus needs pruning to keep it in check, and the sweet potato vine would need to be quided, but the ajuga and fountain grass would be pretty self-sufficient. Fun!
posted: 10:15 am on November 24thRe: READER PHOTOS! More fun from NYBG
kaygraves, check out the Wikipedia info on Dale Chihuly here:
posted: 12:40 pm on November 23rdhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dale_Chihuly
Re: Let Mr. Spock Choose Your Plants
Very logical Billy. And that's a compliment, coming from a Star Trek fan...but I am NOT a Trekkie!
posted: 12:07 pm on November 12thRe: READER PHOTO! Another great native groundcover
Thanks, Genevieve!!
posted: 12:01 pm on November 12thRe: READER PHOTO! Another great native groundcover
CollinsLG - I tweeted your question and asked the twittercerse of gardeners for some suggestions for Zones 8-11. I'll keep you posted!
posted: 10:14 am on November 12thwwross - try the following mail-order sources for C. canadensis!
https://plantinfo.umn.edu/sources/sourceresult.asp?plantid=&fgsid=8706&genusid=1491&searchType=sourceresult.asp&plantName=cornus%20canadensis
Re: Go native!
stanhorst & SunnyDispo - It's hardy in USDA Hardiness Zones 5-9.
posted: 9:18 am on November 9thstormy853stormy - I'm guessing it might be a bit sunny for this plant in those spots.
forestdiety - While Japanese pachysandra (P. terminalis and cvs.) is considered invasive in Virginia, and aggressive elsewhere, the plant featured today (P. procumbens) is the native alternative, which is not considered invasive.
Re: Pink on pink
Reggie - I've heard that it helps to thin out the stems of your plants in spring to increase air circulation. There are also a few new varieties that are supposedly more mildew-resistant than most.
posted: 12:26 pm on November 4thRe: Running out of room for plants?
Plus I ADORE corrugated metal.
posted: 12:43 pm on October 25thRe: Running out of room for plants?
Debra - I can totally see where she's coming from. I couldn't stop peering at it from all angles. It was an intricate landscape, and I wanted to keep exploring the textures and colors for hours! I do get the same feeling from flying over the Rockies. Mesmerizing!
posted: 12:42 pm on October 25thRe: A simple garden screen idea
I got the feeling they were just an interesting, temporary decorative feature. They were definitely fabric, and I think bamboo poles.
posted: 8:39 am on October 22ndRe: Off-roading in miniature
Thanks for the ID, littlegreenthumb--I was guessing some sort of Saxifraga, but wasn't sure enough to include it in the post!
posted: 9:53 am on October 19thRe: A peculiar pairing of peachy plants
Unfortunately, no, but I'm guessing they're 'Coppelia' sneezeweed and 'Peach Melba' nasturtium.
posted: 1:23 pm on September 20thRe: READER PHOTO! A happy accident in hypertufa
I love the vertical stones set in the middle of the design!
posted: 1:33 pm on July 28thRe: A garden gate fit for a....gardener!
Ooooh, so jealous, Rebecca! Tell them I say hello!!
posted: 2:27 pm on July 23rdRe: A garden gate fit for a....gardener!
No worries, you'll definitely be seeing more of this garden in FG in the next year or so! In the meantime, here is another GPOD from the same garden.
posted: 1:20 pm on July 23rdhttp://www.finegardening.com/item/14406/whisper-soft-texture-at-dusk
Not enough, I know!
Re: Evenings are the best
Gorgeous!
posted: 11:18 am on July 2ndRe: #ff = Follow Friday on Twitter!
Now see? I knew I was going to forget someone. Cristina, you're definitely worthy of the list!
posted: 10:08 am on June 9thRe: Pasadena Open Days Tour Part II - Urbanite!
Great post, Billy! I'm one of those weird women who finds real excitement in the potential contained within the walls of a building supply shop. The only think more exciting is FREE raw materials! Urbanite is just a great idea, on so many levels.
posted: 9:56 am on May 10thRe: READER PHOTO: Shades of blue and gray
I'm fascinated by that salvia! Those beefy purple leaves - very cool!
posted: 10:09 am on April 8thRe: In A Dinosaur's Garden
Awesome, Billy!!
posted: 5:00 pm on March 31stRe: Deep red equals high drama
Canase, this photo was taken at Longfellow Gardens in Minneapolis. It's a gem of a garden in the middle of town that I stumbled upon by accident a few years ago. The gardeners there do amazing things with annuals!
posted: 10:21 am on March 25thRe: It's all in the details
Not at all, Stan. They're just stacked. If they fall over, they fall over. Then there's an opportunity to do something different!
posted: 10:13 am on March 2ndRe: Medusa, garden-style
Thanks, guys! It's been tons of fun digging through the photo archives. Got any special requests?
posted: 3:43 pm on February 11thRe: My favorite Fine Gardening articles ever!
Well, you'd better get cracking, Steve, and kick out an awesome article or two, fast! In the meantime, what are your favorite articles??
posted: 9:49 am on November 14thRe: Common Name Conundrums
Almost!! Fascinating, though. Still working on it...
posted: 2:42 pm on July 8thhttp://lakecounty.typepad.com/life_in_lake_county/2007/03/a_tale_of_two_s.html
Re: Finally! A plethora of attractive rain barrels
OK, now that I've been clued in that a rain barrel is called a "water butt" overseas, I have a few more to share!
posted: 4:58 pm on June 29thGreat shape & color:
http://www.oaklandsplastics.com/water-storage-rainwater-harvesting/water-butt-bell.asp?Mn=33
LOVE the coordinating watering can!
http://www.greenfingers.com/superstore/product.asp?dept_id=200410&pf_id=LS3077D
Beautiful!
http://www.guardianoffers.co.uk/mall/productpage.cfm/guardianoffers/_pml0000636/-/Large-Water-Butt-(220-Litre-Capacity)
Wall mounted and reminiscent of a wall-mounted mailbox
http://www.gonegardening.com/xq/ASP/dept_id.5002/pf_id.990176/referer./qx/gg_shop/product.htm
Roman temple, anyone?
http://www.getethical.com/products/7863/500_litre_column_water_tank
And finally, from my buddy Ryan (@RyansGarden) on twitter. I'm not sure if I should thank him or yell at him! You'll see....
http://www.waterbutts.com/Butt/index.html
Re: Flowers From A Bad Sci-Fi Flick
Visiting Wave Hill in the Bronx several years ago, a gardener in the parking lot just about tackled me and made me swear to go find the Puya in bloom. Had never heard of it, but judging from his excitement level, the Puya was worth searching out. So I go trekking through the garden, past the visitor center, across the lawn, through the house and cafe, and onto the patio, & there it was! Metallic teal, indeed! Took tons of photos. Such a great plant.
posted: 1:47 pm on June 22ndRe: I love my Dutchman's pipe!
I haven't noticed any seeds, but if I did I'd send some to you! In the meantime, here are some links to mailorder nurseries that offer it:
posted: 10:25 am on June 15thhttp://www.arrowheadalpines.com/vines.htm
http://www.gardenvines.com/shop/other-species-9/aristolochia-macrophylla-28.html
http://www.diggingdog.com/pages2/treesvines.php
http://www.forestfarm.com/product.php?id=537
http://www.goodwincreekgardens.com/
http://www.sunlightgardens.com/lists/search_results.html
Re: Stay the *bleep* away from my peas!
Did you really take that picture? I don't believe you took that picture. It's too darned funny!!!
posted: 6:04 pm on May 15thRe: You Want To Paint My What?
Amen, Billy!! When I see a huge swath of lush, weed-free lawn, I'm not soothed. I immediately get all stressed out thinking about the lawn mower, the chemicals, and the work involved. I have an itty bitty little lawn, but I give it tough love. No water or fertilizer. I save money, time, and my conscience. Not lookin' so hot come August, but I don't really care. It always makes it through that hot spell and comes back green.
posted: 3:05 pm on May 7thRe: garden design NE Ohio
Hey - this garden looks familiar! Loved it then and love it now.
posted: 11:35 am on January 7thRe: Planterly Combinations
Awesome plantings, Michelle. I'm coming out there this spring - maybe we can tour some gardens together!
posted: 3:31 pm on December 29th