tractor1

A wonderful balance of lawn, trees, and plantings... and I really enjoy the wide angle views for perspective. Sue, your property looks very peaceful, thank you.

Brian's garden is quite a transformation from a typical surburban lot, it's lovely and looks like more than the acre... it's a wonderful tribute to his wife. I also like the first picture, it does show a lawn and I'm not sure about that tree but with its bell like blossoms I don't think it's cherry. Everything is so green, fantastic vernal photos! Thank you, Brian.

As an aside, Peachie is finally doing better, last night she finally ate on her own (we've been force feeding her with a syringe), and she's out of isolation and is looking out her favorite window where she can talk to the birds on the electric wire. She's still on antibiotics and will be checked again in a few days. Her liver was failing so if she didn't start eating we'd have to put her down. She's still not out of the woods but we are now very hopeful. Thank you all for your support.

Such wonderful compositions.. just point anywhere and shoot!

Thank you, meander1.

Sorry I'm so late today... I'm dealing with a very sick cat... Peachie is in the Albany animal hospital. At first our local Vet thought pancreatic cancer so he suggested we have an ultra sound scan done at the animal hospital. We brought her there and they said it's not cancer, she has a very serious upper respiratory viral infection (cats rarely get this but Peachie got it). Had we waited two more days she would have died. They have her hooked up to all kinds of tubes with meds and monitors and they say she should have a full recovery. Peachie is 12 years old, she still has several years... this should rack up about a $3,000 bill but she's worth it. I'm hoping she recovers.

Oh, my... what a magnificent sculpture... did Pegasus issue a daughter? Meander, I love the scene of your horse soaring through the wintry storm. Your friend is a fantastic artist! Thank you, Michaele.

Lovely spring views... that sea of forget-me-nots make me think they're a gift from Tiffany & Co.

With so much expansion one can no longer tell there was a pool... fantastic!

Informational link:
http://homeguides.sfgate.com/care-tigereye-sumac-shrubs-48836.html

I notice that adirondack chair is reserved for me, and what a nice view of the street action. In my experience sumac thrives in well drained poor soil, here they grow along roadways, on steep slopes and in rocky hedgerows... the one in the first picture seems to be in an ideal spot on the edge of that steep slope. I'd like to have seen a picture of the entire front yard from the street. More pictures please, Kevin.

I meant to add that I also like the small understory trees for a shady spot, redbud forest pansy makes a wonderful focal point for a shade garden.

I like shade loving plants for their interesting foliage.

I had totally forgotten I had visited Temple Square some 45 years ago. Salt Lake City is a gardener's mecca, every square foot of ground in the city is planted. Thank you for the reminder.

Purrfect garden explorers:

Cali brought her kittens down from the barn rafters, they're not quite a month old. I hated to take them from their mother but on the ground they'd be very suseceptible to preditors so they are now in the house. They are eating very well. I already have a very good home for all three... the grands wanted two but who could possibly choose which to leave behind?

One:
http://i44.tinypic.com/2zodlzt.jpg
http://i44.tinypic.com/1g0wgz.jpg

Two:
http://i43.tinypic.com/ngyd1h.jpg
http://i42.tinypic.com/k4b2ok.jpg

Three:
http://i39.tinypic.com/2zjfekj.jpg
http://i44.tinypic.com/k6ecp.jpg

A lovely tulip display, all's missing are the windmills! The yard seems well fenced from tulip munchers. I like the smattering of grape hiacynths too, matches the gorgeous lapiz lazuli urn. I'd like to see what looks to be a huge Japanese maple by the house. Thank you, Nancy.

meander1: where is everyone? And the emailed invites seemed to have ceased... are we the last of the Mohegans, is GPOD kaput?

It's very common for tract home developers to remove the topsoil, even with spot built homes unless one is aware and watching. The pets look very content.

I like that wide pot in the third photo down on the right, looks like hammered copper... and those red flowers (zinnia?) look so vibrant.

This morning my Redspire pear is in full bloom... another further back along the trees I planted along the property line... makes for a more pleasant fence.

Redspire pear:
http://i43.tinypic.com/jij5uq.jpg
View:
http://i42.tinypic.com/34652kw.jpg

The slate planter rising is other-worldly fantastic... and yet another birthing in the background...

MichelleGervais: This is the bulb auger I bought. So far it has held up to planting several thousand bulbs plus other small digging jobs.
http://www.leevalley.com/US/garden/page.aspx?p=10495&cat=2,2200,33263

trashywoman62: The pictures I just took didn't turn out very well, my creek is very barren of greenery until the temperatures climb higher and the daffs best have passed... and it's been very dry so there's not much water in the creek. I have pictures from past years that are much better but it would take time to find them, they are not by topic, only by date. Here are two links, one for my ornamental pear and one of my barren creek. Send me email and I will send more pictures.

Redspire pear:
http://i44.tinypic.com/34htcll.jpg
Sad looking Creek:
http://i41.tinypic.com/24vlfzq.jpg

trashywoman62: I just went outside to take a few pictures of my daffs, they are mostly along the creek in front. The creek is pretty barren of plants this time of year and the daffs are well past their prime. I did send Michelle a whole slew of photos I took of my property at one time but I don't do the kind of gardening that people submit to this group, individually they wouldn't make a good representation of the kind of gardening folks submit here. So if you want I would be happy to exchange email addresses with you and I will send you lots of pictures with explanations. I am herewith giving Michelle permission to give my email address to trashywoman62.

I will down load the few pictures I just took and see if any is worthy to post a tinylink. My pear tree blossoms are about a third open, they're looking great. A few hyacinths are up too. I plant a lot of bulbs as replacements for those the critters dig up. People often stop in front to check out my creek so that's part of why I keep the bulbs replaced.

trashywoman62: you need a bulb planting auger, and a variable speed 1/2" drill motor... drills a perfect 2" hole in under five seconds and with no effort whatsoever, you don't even touch dirt. If the auger hits a rock simply move over a bit. Due to its 2" diameter you need to use the auger at a fairly low speed. Most 3/8" drill motors don't have enough torque at low speed, 1/2" drill motors work best. And I much prefer a corded drill motor to a cordless... cordless is okay if all you have are a few bulbs to plant but with corded you can drill hundreds of holes with no loss of power. I plant lots of bulbs each fall, most a distance from my house, I have several 100' outdoor extention cords... a small generator would work but extention cords are less hassle, and I use them in winter anyway for ligting my spruce near the road at Christmas time. You can buy a bulb planting auger at the big box hardware stores or order one from Leevalley.com. I bought mine some ten years ago, I don't know how I lived without it.. it's handy for digging small holes for all sorts of planting, for a larger hole drill several holes right next to each other, easier than using a garden spade/trowel... even good for tilling small beds for say planting herbs. The auger brings all the dirt up out of the hole and deposits it along aside, just push it back with a trowel to cover your bulb... after planting all your bulbs your hands will be as clean as when you began. In fact an auger makes bulb planting so easy you'll wish you had more bulbs to plant so buy lots.

Gotta love all those yellow tulips and daffs.

trashywoman62: as I mentioned to Jay those photos are not in shadow, those photos appear dark because were altered from their original submitted state when they were reproduced on this site...I had no problem putting each back to its original state as submitted... had a special effect been used, such as sepia, I would not be able to put each photo back to original... that dark hue is not sepia tint nor is it due to shadow.

Jay_Sifford: That those photos are so dark has nothing to do with shadows, there is either some incorrect setting on the camera that was used or more likely with this website... those photos were taken on a clear sunny day, those pictures should appear bright. I was able to correct those photos but someone removed my posts with the links to the corrected photos.

Michelle: The email issue is beginning to be the New Normal... I just five minutes ago got an email for Jay's Garden... that makes three different emails today for past submissions. And since you already know all about it I won't mention the email issue again.

Hmm, the GPOD email I received this morning is from three days ago.

Irvin's and Pauline's garden is spectacular.

Oh gosh, the "click HERE" to enlarge button for the Chinese doors had to be the one that's out of order, darn... and no email again today. :,-(

Those doors look like they've already received several coats of wood preservative w/stain... and the iron hardware looks like it's met with flat black Rustoleum... really neat doors!

I love all those conifers and Japanese maples... I love it all except for that cheapo gravel... why do people think pea gravel that belongs in concrete enhances garden paths, NOT! Stones work well for paths but use some lovely chipped stone, available in many colors too. One of my neighbors used burgandy chips from a local stone quarry, they look rich, are very walkable as with traffic they compress, and most importantly they don't migrate.

I'd like to see more photos of Jay's garden, wide angle views that include sky. Thank you, Jay.

No GPOD email yet today, and yesterday's arrived late in the PM. But my log-in held from yesterday. :-)

< --- One of my two dawn redwoods. After 10 years it's about 20' tall now, grew about 1' per year... still fenced to keep the deer from munching the lower branches.
http://i43.tinypic.com/1ethld.jpg

Fantastic muted spring hues, I wish I knew the names of all those gorgeous trees, I wonder if they have them labeled.

My favorite photo is the 2nd one down on the left, great composition with the road and sky. I like the bench in the top right photo. Thank you, Michelle.

No GPOD email yet today, and yesterday's arrived late in the PM. But my log-in held from yesterday. :-)

<--- One of my two dawn redwoods. After 10 years it's about 20' tall now, grew about 1' per year... still fenced to keep the deer from munching the lower branches.

Wow... some parts can be my property... I love all those forest amd meadow pictures.

The Laurelwood Arboretum looks like a wonderful place to spend a day. I especially like that pond. And that ancient stump is a magnificent sculpture. Thank you, Michelle, you earned your weekend, enjoy?

Beth's photos today are icing on the cake, they focus on the details we wouldn't have noticed otherwise. I like all her chachkas, especially the tiny cafe patio in the 5th photo down on the left. And the Toad Prince looks so smug, like he owns the place.

Oh, this is the 4th and "final" day... well send lots more Beth... thank you!

Yay! I finally received the GPOD email.. I hope all is repaired.

I really enjoyed today's photos with all the critters, and I like that owl. Spring has officially arrived... today I removed the snow plow from my tractor and attached the mower.

The temperature reached 70 degrees and my barn cats are very happy. Newt has been out and about and his pal Cali had two kittens... not Newt's, he was fixed more than six months ago... we already have a home for the kittens. Cali brought her kittens up to the rafters and is keeping them safe on the catwalk... Cali is next to get fixed. This is Newt & Cali, always together like two peas in a pod: http://i37.tinypic.com/2sb99qa.jpg

Today's Nat Geo photos are the best yet. The only thing missing from those toadstools is the grinning Cheshire cat. Thank you, Beth, for the safari!

Now three days in a row, no GPOD email. :,-(

wittyone: It's less costly to deer fence a corner lot unless you want to fence the roadside, most folks don't, they typically attach the fencing to the sides of their house and then around the back yard, so they only have two long sides to fence... I've not seen where anyone has installed deer fencing in their front yard at the roadway. With large properties it's easier to fence the individual planting beds. I used turkey wire to fence around the perimeter of my house so that I have planting beds all around, I did a far neater job than what's around my veggie garden. In a short time the shiney galvanizing turns dull grey so it's barely noticeable, and eventually begins to rust so it's even less noticeable, and with larger properties the distances are great enough that no one passing can see the wire fencing anyway, and it's lower than your windows so you don't see it from sitting inside your house unless you get right up to a window and look down. And deer won't leap into a small fenced enclosure, they know instinctively that they need a little running space to leap out. And after a short while you don't notice the wire fence, especially once the plantings grow taller. I don't like the plastic netting type deer fencing, it costs less and goes up fast but doesn't last long... and smaller critters run into it and become tangled. Turkey wire in 4' width works well attached to steel fence posts that are driven into the ground... use longer posts so that you can leave a 1' space under the wire fence so that at a 5' height deer won't think of leaping over, and they can't crawl under, and the space makes it much simpler to mow/weed under the fence... I attached my fence to RR ties so there is no under the fence.

Thanks for the info, Antonio, I didn't want to think I was taken off the mailing list.

Meant to say, this is the 2nd day in a row that I didn't recieve the GPOD email... what's up with that?

This has to be the neatest well planned garden ever. There are so many elements and all in harmony without impinging on each other. I like all the interlocking blocks that demark the borders and of course all the bird acouterments. I can see that a lot of thought went into Beth's garden.

My bleeding heart in early spring 2011... I very often need to prune it back and of course the deer nibble what sticks through my fence:
http://i35.tinypic.com/2hhka6b.jpg

Now I can barely wait to see a whole week's worth of Beth's garden... I get the feeling the best is yet to come.

wwross: I just looked, my bleeding heart is already up about 8" and will attain about a 3' height and a 6' width. Mine flowers all summer and doesn't collapse until the first frost, and then creates a bare spot. But mine isn't in so conspicuous spot like the one in today's photo right in front by the garge door. Mine is in a hidden corner near where I place my hummingbird feeder at my rear deck. Bleeding heart is easy to move elsewhere, I'd place a small conifer by that garage door, would also provide winter interest. But perhaps it's an asset to have that spot bare in winter, makes it much easier to remove snow from that area where the driveway and walkway converge. And after studying the pictures they seem to have been taken at very different times, the spot where that bleeding heart is planted doesn't match that same area by the garage door in the bottom left photo... in the bleading heart photo the concrete walk looks very new compared with the concrete driveway... even the garage siding appears to be a different color from the rest of the house.

Wow, hosta heaven! That's quite the deer fence. Everything very neat. I assume the blue house in the picture with the split rail fence is a neighbor. I'm looking forward to seeing the rest.

I didn't receive the GPOD email today? so finally I decided to enter through the main web site.

Jeff has some very unique plantings. I was intrigued by that spikey one (not the cutie four legged 'Spike'), so had to look it up.
http://dangergarden.blogspot.com/2011/03/poncirus-trifoliata-or-flying-dragon.html
I like it because with it's dangerous spikes it appears to be deer proof, I'm just wondering if it can withstand the usual sub zero winter temps up here in the northern Catskills. Btw, how do you manage to grow so many of the deer's favorites or is your property fenced, or are there no deer? I looked up that Texas Traveler too, a very interesting little tree, if it would grow here I'd certainly need to fence it. I also find spring the best time of year for gardens, I'm always anxious to see my favorite plants come to life, and I photograph many several times as they bud out to record their color permutations over time. In the second photo down on the right, what is that huge multi-trunked tree... I can't see its branching so I can only guess it's Accolade Elm: http://www.cirrusimage.com/tree_accolade_elm.htm I planted a sapling three years ago with no expectations I will see it mature. And I enjoyed Jeff's phography, nearly every photo has the correct proportion of sky... see folks, it can be done! Thank you, Jeff, and please send more.

Julie's is another of those delightful gardens that one needs to be there to fully appreciate; too many transitions to capture in its entirety with photos. I love all the chachkas that are incorporated so imaginatively. I would have liked to have seen those "favorite trees", oh well... Being a minimalist who believes that less is more my favorite is the photo of that alluring red basement door with that daintly wall planting alongside (wish it were sharper), I'd love to see what/who lives down there. Thank you, Julie, and I need to see much more.

dukeofargy: Good question about the cabana roof... but it appears that Victoria doesn't receive much snow and what does fall is a relatively small amount at a time. And if that roof is lexon that material is very strong and withstands cold well without crazing, plus that structure looks very sturdy and with no large unsupported areas. I would think Victoria being right on the bay the large body of water moderates the winter temperatures. I like that translucent roof, and I think Victoria recieves a lot of rain so it offers good protection while letting light through... I can sit out there every day while enjoying a 2ni or three. ;) I really like that little cottage with its corrogated roof too.
http://www.currentresults.com/Weather/Canada/British-Columbia/Places/victoria-snowfall-totals-snow-accumulation-averages.php
So far from what I can see that looks like a wonderful garden, I can't wait to see lots more... I'd especially like to see those "favorite" trees and hope they're IDed.

pattyspencer: I meant to write barberry... for some reason I often call them bayberry, a different plant.

SilkPurseGarden: in my opinion Canadian hemlock makes for the king of privacy hedges... evergreen all year... the hedge in the photo (not sure what it is, almost looks like forsythia) looks deciduous so will offer little privacy for half the year, and it sure looks like it needs shearing in the photo and more often than Canadian hemlock. If your Canadian hemlock hedge has become too tall for easy maintenence it can be cut back to a two foot height with no harm, it will send up new leaders and grow back better than ever. I'd think very carefully before removing your healthy Canadian Hemlock hedge, you surely will be very sorry. Canadian Hemlock makes for a wonderfully graceful specimen tree as well as a spectacular privacy hedge. If the deer didn't enjoy it so I'd plant many.

pattyspencer: If you're referring to those low growing plants next to the bird bath I don't see them as purple, my monitor shows them as deep reddish brown, I think they are bayberry... a very hardy perennial shrub, lots of sharp thorns make it attractive to small nesting birds and deer won't eat it, and in fall it's loaded with brightly colored berries. Bayberry does well left naturalized and sheared makes an attractive hedge. There are several varieties of bayberry, with leaves of green and various shades of red like the one shown here... the berries can be hues of red, orange, or yellow. Bayberry with it's bright shiney berries and typically reddish bark makes a very attractive plant in winter. Bayberry does well in full shade or full sun, needs little water, and will do well in poor soil, really needs no care at all... they grow naturally at the forest edge... one of my favorite plants.

Yes, I see two more solar lights in the second picture down on the left... they are similar to mine... they came with two screw-in extensions (made very well) for the post so I can raise them up two feet higher. They also included a bracket for hanging on a wall. I bought them in a two-pack some ten years ago, cost $30. They come on as soon as the sun sets and go off when the sun rises... I never remember them not lighting even in winter when there's heavy cloud cover for days and even with the little solar panels covered with snow. They are a metalic grey and coated with some sort of tough clear plastic, after ten years outdoors in all kinds of weather they show no wear whatsoever. I placed mine inside my fenced beds mostly so I don't run into those corners at night, and so I don't need to mow around them. I originally bought two to place at the foot of my driveway, but then realized that anyone walking by could just pluck them out of the ground. For accent garden lighting solar is the way to go.

That's a mighty fine bird bath, and what looks like barberry near makes great bird habitat I see a lovely large spruce in the background, spruce do well down to zone 2, perhaps plant more of the dwarf varietys as accents. I'm wondering what is that letuce like plant by the birdbath, looks like it'd make a tasty ceasar salad. And I see one solar light, I bet there are more... I used the Malibu brand, got mine at Lowe's but now I see them at Home Depot; http://malibulights.com/. I'd like to see more of that garden... thank you.

cwheat000: for landscape lighting Go Solar... no electrician needed. I have several solar lighting fixtures around my yard that have been working flawlessly for ten years, easy to install, easy to relocate, and no 'lectric bill.

To me the railing appears to be the same as in your original photo, perhaps it was added prior to the paver make over... and so then where's the railing in that night photo?!?!? I'm not crazy about that stark white window and shutters, I'd have chosen an earth tone that doesn't clash with and over power that small but very attractive brick house on a small city lot. The plantings look fine and will certainly fill in, in fact they'll soon need constant pruning (they can always be added to, subtracted, and moved about). The only plant I'm not sure of its location is the Japanese maple, to me it looks too close to the house... it will grow... I'd have placed it directly in one of those grassy areas, right in the lawn, needs no surround coping to detract from the beautiful tree itself. To be perfectly honest, without seeing a wider angle photo that includes both houses alongside and includes the house roof with some sky above and that includes what appears to be a poured concrete sidewalk at the roadway I can't comment on the Unilock (I'd need to see what people see as they drive past). I'd like to see the back yard too.

janetsfolly: actually our eyes/brain see exactly the same way a camera does, if you're squinting you are looking into the sun... you can be standing in the shade of a tree without squinting but still make the error of shooting into the sun. Unless one is attempting special effects it's best to photograpgh outdoors between 9-11 AM and 1-3 PM with the sun always at your back, not to the side either. If you need to photograph a particular subject in the morning and the only way is facing the sun wait for afternoon, no law says you need to photograph all your subjects within the same time frame. Noon is a poor time because with the sun directly overhead it will light the tops of subjects but leave everything below in shade. When unsure always have the sun at your back. Even indoors, don't shoot towards a window, daylight will wash out your photo and at night the glass will reflect your flash back, many a great photo has been ruined by posing the subject in front of a window, even a mirror, a TV, and especially a lit lamp. I hope no one takes offence by my photography suggestions.

Cindy, your container arrangements are wonderful, I can't choose so I won't. And I love your little water feature, and those lake stones make me want to reach out and fondle them... I wish I could see the full 30' stature of that spruce, it has great color. I hope when in use you move your gas grill well away from your house, needs to be at least 15' from combustibles, including trees, and never on a wood deck... with its propane tank attached I'd not store it there even when not in use. And just a friendly hint (for everyone), when taking photos note the position of the sun, the first three lose a lot in shadow by shooting into the sun, I can tell time of day by shadow length. Your container photos are excellent, crisp and clear, the detail of your canna is a pleasure to behold. I love gardens created and maintained by the owner as averse to professional. A great contribution to end the week! Your garden has soul, thank you, Cindy

What an array of plantings! Everything looks well tended. I think one would need to be there to fully appreciate Nongnuch's garden.

I like all those decking walkways, they serve well when lots of children visit for keeping them on track rather than running amok amongst the beds. I'd add solar lamps along the paths, don't want Nongnuch to misstep when she takes her strolls before and after work and it's dark. And that's quite the collection of tulips, makes me think I've died and gone to Holland! I was hoping for those river views, perhaps tomorrow. I like that photo on the right, fourth down, good composition... too bad those children weren't facing the camera, bad joojoo to photograph children's backs... I'd bet the little girl in the pink dress is adorable. Michelle, it would be nice if contributors would ID the more uncommon plantings, like yesterday's tree, but I think everyone recognizes tulips. I'm looking forward to tomorrow's photos, and thank you.

Miyako is doing a great service, I commend her. I was exposed to gardening from a very early age, I can't remember exactly but probably from 2-3 years old. I spent a lot of time living with my grandparents who owned a lima bean farm and had a huge vegetable garden. My cousin and I got into all kinds of mischief on that farm. One memory I'll never forget is being in the barn with the sacks of beans and sticking lima beans into my nose and not being able to get them out. So off to the country doctor who removed them with forceps, a very frightening experience. But I still love lima beans anyway.

I think whether or not one has a lawn depends on several factors, mostly determined by climate and property size. If I lived in the arid southwest like say New Mexico the lawn question is moot. If one is on a typical city lot a lawn really serves no purpose other than to cause extra work caring for the lawn and the mower (it'd take longer to clean the mower than to mow), if all one can have is like 1,000 sq ft of lawn why bother, may as well put down some Astroturf or patio pavers. But in the case of larger properties it's not easy to landscape every sq ft with plantings so that they will stand out, too many over plant and in effect create what may as well be brush. I mow ten acres, I can replace my lawn with farm crops but mowing is a lot less work, and I think a large well tended lawn looks nicer than crops, mainly because for much of the year there'd be just dirt. I thought seriously about putting in a fruit orchard but I'm too old to wait for trees to mature, and I'm retired, I don't want to run a business. Mowing while in an air conditiond cab is relaxing. And a lot of folks pay a lot of money just to spend a few hours on a large well tended lawn, they're called golfers.

meander1: At first I thought that was a birch tree too but then I noticed some sprouting with leaves on the trunk, I don't think those are birch leaves, then I thought cottonwood, could be but I'm not sure. Being in Southern California I'm thinking it could be a type of eucalyptus tree. It would be a big plus if folks would identify the less obvious plants in their photos; I don't think we need labels for tulips, daffodils, marigolds, etc. but it would be helpful to ID the more obscure plantings.

In my book any gardener who grows vegetables is not a rookie. It's refreshing to see a garden that's more about depth of soul than the superficial shallowness of raiding the big box plant nursery. Good job, Karen.

Barn Cats - Newt & Cali survived the winter and are now ready for greeting spring. This summer I will have electric brought to the barn so they will have real bedding heaters instead of those handwarmer thingies, and a heater to keep their water from freezing too.

I'd plant daffs along the barn but they'd not show well against the yellow... if someone hybridized red daffs they'd make a fortune. Meanwhile lots of thistle will soon emerge and they do have gorgeous flowers.

Always together like two peas in a pod:
http://i48.tinypic.com/ru42mg.jpg

Daniela, I love your tulips especially those frosted with snow. The picture of your adorable tuxedo peering from behind the tulips is an excellent composition and enlarged is clear as a bell (I saved it), great photography... you even clearly captured that fly in your daffs. It's very possible you are losing tulip bulbs to critters, squirrels foraging all winter... some people lay chicken wire over their tulip beds for winter and remove it as soon as green appears in spring. Critters won't bother your daffs. I enjoy a garden that's obviously the result of the homeowner's labors as averse to professionals. And your photography is superb and refreshing. Thank you Daniela, send more.

Fantastic, Stupendous, Impressive!

I see a lot of planning and laborious toil expended. The sum of all its parts equals simplicity in design. I love it all but for the last, a path of least resistance, the gravel was easy/cheap, the gravel doesn't match the naturescape. I'd remove the gravel and lay in a mosaic of flagstone, allowing spaces for the moss theme, just my opinion of course. I really abhor gravel in a garden, lends an unfinished appearance, and in the damp woods with shade and dropping leaves becomes unsightly and impossible to clean, to me gravel is a construction medium that should remain buried, ie. in concrete, septic field drainage. Where upstate NY, Barbara... thank you and more pictures please.

Joanne's garden is composed of several different parts yet all blend together flawlessly. I especially like the cottage that might be a gardening shed, and I like the vista in that last photo of what appears to be a property line and depicts the rear of the cottage. The only part lacking is a vegetable garden, the grands would love it. Thank you, Joanne.

Great rock scaping... a monumental task hauling in and placing all those boulders... I'd like to have seen that property before the contractor did that extensive hardscaping... and a talented professional planted it out. All the plants are looking very robust, I'm wondering if there's an irrigation system incorporated... there must be to water that very expansive/expensive lawn. I'd still like to see more of the landscaping at the other parts of that property... it reminds me of many of the properties around Carson City, NV.

Yep, I received the "Problem" notice too, so I waited a while but no new email arrived so like the hired help I entered through the back door... in the picture of the back door it's framed by with what I think are the best pots.

I immediately noticed that picture of books because its centered on my favorite tree, the gingko... anyone else who loves gingkos can enjoy them at The Gingko Pages: http://www.xs4all.nl/~kwanten/
Also here:
http://www.ginkgo-inc.com/
The first thing I planted when I arrived here ten years ago were two gingko saplings, both are doing very well and are now at about 12' full fledged trees.

Lori's pots are spectacular, I think the most luscious I've seen, they do look like she baptises them religiously. From the little landscaping peeking around the edges I can see it looks very professionally done, gorgeous mature plantings. And I do like that view... I know just which direction I'd aim my migh powered spotting scope... I'd bet there are many very interesting wildlife goings on to peep at. ;)

That looks like a lovely mountainside estate type abode, thank you, Lori, and more pictures please.

Oh, did I mention that cute pooch standing guard on the deck...

A garden so precise it looks like a bean counter lives there, all the l/edgers perfectly balanced. I was hoping to see some of those quilter's arbors, but alas. With everything so vibrantly hued this garden reminds me of a Happy Easter basket. Thank you, Kim, more pictures please!

Those stepping stones look like they're from an old stone wall, all covered with lichens.

Only one acre, it looks like a lot more and by your descriptions of what's growing it sounds more like at least ten acres... how does one fit 200 Japanese maples on one acre and have room for anything else, must be rather small/young maples. Anyway Irvin did a grand job, I love lots of specimen trees.

I can't believe it, it's bad enough that the log in doesn't work, now my log in was lost just as I was about to send all I typed praising Kathy's submission... whoever is responsible for maintaining this web site is totally incompetant and needs to be fired! I won't buy any excuses about that's how it is and we need to live with this dreck.

I'm going to follow meander1 with my eyes while I repose on that chaise! LOL That garden does have a fine DIY aura, I like it all.

What a huge undertaking, meander1, not just the water feature but the entire property, there's so much going on it's dizzying, I can't decide on where to focus first. It's very difficult for me to believe that one person put all that together and even more difficult to believe one person maintains it all, looks like it would need a constant crew. I adore that little chachka meandering about in the top right picture, looks homemade from rebar and some sort of bowl.

ridgetop01: Often temperatures are lower in a valley than on a hilltop, cold air falls and gets trapped in a valley.

All those wintry views make me feel right to home... it'll be a few more weeks before teh bulps pop through the snow here. I hope Kathie doesn't mind that I brightened her snow:
http://i47.tinypic.com/1443g53.jpg

Great stone work surrounding that pool. I especilaly like that slate path with those massive blocks retaining the hillside... I can't imagine how they were moved there without a machine unless you hold the secret for building the pyramids... must be an older picture as it looks newly done, I bet all those crevices are stuffed with plants now and the stone covered with lichens. Everywhere very nicely planted, love all those spruce. Terry has proven that adage youth is wasted on the young is a myth. Thank you, Terry.

I thought for sure that when meander1 saw today's GOPD title she would have penned The Petals of Pauline! ;) And I thought the snow had stopped, but it's snowing aqain, large fluffy flakes falling with a vengeance.

http://i46.tinypic.com/314yrds.jpg

Now that I've had more time I looked at all the previous submissions and remember them all, I especially like all the "things"; that wonderful birdbath, and I envy that Japanese lantern. I found all the historical camellia trivia facinating. Unfortunately I don't think camellias will grow in the Catskills, today a quilt of fresh snow is growing here!

I love the frogs on a bench.

janetsfolly: Water fowl are very careful about where they nest. They usually won't nest at a pond because of preditors. My pond in my wildflower meadow is natural, spring fed, and some twenty feet deep, but only the adult geese and ducks will occasionally use it for a short dip on hot summer days... they dive in to cool off and quickly leave... my pond contains snapping turtles and ferocious carp. But in my wildflower meadow there are also several vernal ponds and that's where the water fowl nest and rear their young. Vernal ponds are temporary and shallow (about a foot deep) and hidden by tall thick growth, and once the eggs hatch the young are moved about to avoid preditors... I have lots of wet lands on my property; creeks and seasonal streams are favorite haunts of all kinds of wild life, and of course they migrate to and from my neighbor's properties too. Last year several mallards nested here and there were lots of baby mallards, mallards are gorgeous birds, and with very interesting habits, they're not at all afraid of the geese and boss them about too... their diets are different so they don't clash, geese are vegetarian, ducks are omnivorous. I've no idea what your pond is like but if man made it's really a pool and water fowl will typically ignore it, especially if exposed. Geese and ducks are here all day to feed because I have acres of lawn but each evening they fly off to some hidden lake in the woods miles away... they return for breakfast each morning. It's snowing now in the Catskills, hopefully winter's last hurrah, I'm tiring of plowing snow.

The Eight:
http://i47.tinypic.com/1zyhs94.jpg

This morning I can't decide which view I like best, all are magnificent. I think I'd like to sit a bit and enjoy the panarama from a true blue Adirondak chair. But I'm also intrigued by those round stepping stones leading to that quiet boulder where I can take a pew to nurse a 2ni. I like that stand of young Colorado blue spruce in the background as well. I still think one needs to actually be there to appreciate the entirety of it all. The season in those pictures is especially warming since I woke up to 16 degrees here... spring is official in a couple more days but winter is hanging on for dear life, may even be snow on the way. Oh my, The Eight, the Canada geese that were born here just landed for the third year, all eight safe and sound... they look hungry and there's only brown grass, gave them a loaf of bread. Spring is in the air!

What a spectacular property! There is so much going on in so many areas it's dizzying trying to take it all in. I think one would need to be there in order to appreciate the totality of all its parts. And I'm left breathless imagining how one person fabricated and manages it all... they'd need to be part mountain goat. That property is truly a work of art worthy of that gorgeous house. Thank you, Tricia, and I need to see more pictures.

An interesting low cost hobby, a giant Etch-A-Sketch for adults with too much time on their hands! :-) Notice that the darker areas are the areas of taller growth. I've noticed the same effect on a dewy summer morning, shows me the places I missed mowing. For anyone who has ever done linoleum block printing it's not a difficult concept to form a design like the one shown... first mow the design for the part one wants to be the raised area (in this case the circles and spirals are pretty simple to mow, especially with a zero turn mower), let the lawn grow a few days and then mow all the previously unmown areas leaving the design as the raised areas. It would be difficult if not impossible to mow in all the tall areas of that pattern first but very easy to first mow in the obverse as I've described. The patterns one can form are infinite... die/mold/pattern makers employ the same concept. Just this morning there was frost on my lawn, I could see where critters were walking about all night by the patterns their foot prints created by mashing down the grass. The more difficult part was to capture a clear image with a camera in that dim early morning light, good job, Jon.

To my mind it's wildlife that makes the garden and song birds adorn the plants like jewels... great captures! And I too need to see more and know more about that birdbath... where can I buy one? I don't remember seeing cedar waxwings here in NY but there are many other winged beauties about... one of my favorites is the cardinal (sort of appropriate timing today).
http://i46.tinypic.com/4qoqvt.jpg

What a beautiful and spacious patio! That was a lot of work to prepare that expansive base with a compacted foundation of proper materials that lets water pass so it doesn't flood in a rain, level with the correct pitch away from the house, lug all those bricks to the site, and lay in the edging so it doesn't move... setting the pavers is actually the easiest part of the job. I built a much smaller patio at my last house and it took me an entire week of prep before placing the first paver, and then over several weeks sweeping sand to fill in all the gaps. We know that Dorothy previously lived in Maryland but there's no indication of where her new digs is located... I would suspect from how that patio is constructed that there aren't hard freezes there. For being there only a year Dorothy has accomplished a monumental landscaping job, many of those plantings look so mature like they've been there for years, kudos!

Michelle, I'm so glad to hear that you got that nasty flu bug licked and are on the mend. Feel free to stop in anytime for all the soup you can eat, I still cook like I'm feeding the crew on the John Paul Jones US DD932. I had the most awful sinus infection for three full months, from October through January, after mega doses of three different antibiotics I finally won out... it's no fun being sick. I was so miserable that some days I should not have posted here.

It was 45 degrees today, the snow is melted and it won't be long I'll be spending most of my time mowing again... I'm hoping for a dry summer, I don't mind some rain but not so much that my fields are mud and I can't mow. This us the first year since I can't remember when that I'm not cooking corned beef.

Michelle, the flue is a miserable way to begin spring. I wish you a speedy recovery and an offer of a steaming pot of garden vegetable soup with smoked ham hocks:
http://i50.tinypic.com/2hmleoj.jpg

Pinterest was a most enjoyable stroll down memory lane, great job!

Began snowing yesterday afternoon, all night and still today... a good six inches on the ground and will probably more than double today... but today's photos remind that spring will soon arrive here in the Catskills too. Great array of spring photos, thank you, Nancy.

meander1: redbud forest pansy naturally grows under much larger trees where it's well protected from snow accumulating on its branches. However when growiing out in the open as a specimen tree where snow/ice can acculate on its branches it's prone to damage from the excess weight. It's best to do severe pruning so that its lower branches gain girth before they gain height and breadth and prune so acute branch angles don't form. And since its leaves tend to hang on into late fall/early winter it's a good idea to strip off as many as you can reach of its shriveled leaves before snow/ice can acculate on them which will add excess weight. Mine split too and so I asked the arborist at my favorite nursery and he explained what I wrote above.

Wet soil can be just as much a challenge as dry, sometimes with wet areas all one can grow is a wildflower meadow.

http://i48.tinypic.com/1hth7c.jpg

I'm guessing that to learn where Dorothy is moving we'll have to follow Toto through her superb pergola with its array of gorgeous clematis, pass what appears to be a lovely redbud forest pansy on the right, and follow the yellow brick road... okay, let's all pretend those bricks are gold! I love that screened porch with a view, a grand location for an enjoyable repast without buzzing biters. The soil is probably dry due to that crowd of large trees, their roots constantly wicking moisture from the soil, and with the house up a knoll water naturally runs downhill. But still the plants all look lush and healthy. With my property always wet I can emphatically say there's a lot to be said for dry ground. I'm always suprised at how what seems like half the contributers complain about their poor soil that they didn't discover until after they moved in... I would suggest that anyone into gardening go house hunting armed with a garden spade. Thank you for sharing, Dorothy, and good luck at your new digs.

Linda, you evoked many bittersweet memories of my own parent's and grandparent's gardening. My mother's parents always had a large urban vegetable garden in Brooklyn, where as I child I too raided the crop adn ate right from the ground, what's a little dirt, we unknowingly eat pecks in our liftime. My father's parents owned a lima bean farm here in the Catskills where I hold many good childhood memories, probably more than anything else why I retired here. That old red barn with a new metal roof appears to have a corner workshop just like my Norway yellow one does here... I keep thinking to paint it red but I am afraid to wrankle the Norse Gods. I envy that electric light, it's too expensive for me to bring electric the more than 600' to my barn... the inside is minimally wired, the last owners used a small generator, mostly for splitting firewood... I don't walk out there in darkness anyway, too many nocturnal preditors, don't want to bump into the coyotes, bear, and mountain lions. I like how you captured that sunflower growing under the barn window. All your photos are well done, very crisp. I can understand your romance with your childhood home, I doubt there are many parts of Texas that are so lush and green. I have a good friend who lives in New Braunfels, no real soil, just rock... we kid about how the rising temperatures will soon make it "Texhell". Your parent's home is the typical farmhouse architecture, well maintained and lovely plantings about. Michigan has wonderful rich farmland, maybe one day you'll move back home. Thank you, Linda, for sharing your Michigan and your memories.

Rodents are a very important part of the food chain, get rid of them and the raptors and many animals would depart. You've obviously never driven a tractor (or any other vehicle) across a field and know little about those critters, couldn't squish them with tires on moist ground where they exist if you tried, their bodies are too supple, and besides they feel the vibrations and quickly dive deep underground or scatter out of the way... I only drive over their mounds to flatten the dirt before my rear mower blades hit them and hope the critters move on but they don't, within hours they excavate a new mound. Don't you think that if all it took to get rid of those underground critters was to drive over them there'd be no other eradicating items hawked... I drive right over some of those rodents when I rough mow my wildflower meadow and they just pop right up and vamoose, frogs, snakes, and other critters the same. And if you think I believe you catch them with unbaited mouse traps I don't, maybe folks at your watering hole buy into that BS. And those spikes definitely work, most folks buy one or two to try and within a week come right back to buy all they can afford... the shelves are constantly emptied... they work and work very well... anyone who's interested can read the comments at Amazon and other sites where they're sold... I don't imagine there's any other way to find 47 people who have tried those spikes except in ones dreams.

janetsfolly: Those solar spikes probably don't work well in all cases, I think it's mostly because people are miserly and spread them out too far apart. For my 50' X 50' vegetable garden I used four and they work well but the voles moved out into the surrounding fields, I see their mounds when I mow but I don't care, it's only a hay field that I decided to mow, and I can't see the mounds until I'm right on top of them (I aim for them with the tractor wheels to no avail). I put more spikes around the circumference of my house amongst the foundation plantings (those stinkin' voles loved snacking on my rug juniper roots, nearly killed them all and they are just now reviving), the spikes are working great. I don't concern myself with the rodents out in the fields, they are there to feed all the raptors, there are lots of hawks, eagles, and owls here... not to mention my two half feral barn cats and all the entire community of feral cats that hunt here. Many of my neighbors have cats, but they only come indoors for a quick bowl of food and then they are outdoors all day and night. The feral cats being as nocturnal as the rodents do a very good job of keeping that population at bay... even if well fed cats don't need to be trained to hunt, it's in their DNA. If you put the tinypic links I post into your browser you will readly see that there is no way I can spike all of my 16 acres, nor do I intend to. I like having all the critters here. And all the critters serve an important natural purpose, there is no way I'm going to put out poison or kill traps.

bee1nine: That golf kart is cute but my cart is far more versatile for gardening... my neighbor has one of those golf carts and already I pulled him out of the mud twice... those golf carts have small skinny tires, not much power, and no four wheel drive. Distances are great on my property... I'd otherwise spend too much time and effort walking about lugging tools and supplies, this cart is a real multi-talented workhorse.
http://i48.tinypic.com/2v30dvt.jpg

tntreeman:
Those spikes work great for me. It can take about a week for them to take effect, and in dense moist soil like mine they work best... I've heard not as well in very sandy dry soil. The directions say to pull them during winter but I leave them in the ground all year, they work fine in sub zero temperatures and covered with snow. They cover a lot more area than claimed. I have a dozen going spread about to protect various planting areas, I paid $18 at Lowe's and have been using them for five years now... I've been vole free for less than $20/yr, and no harm to the critters.

brainbear: Sweeny's Solar Spikes will get rid of your voles, moles, and gophers. Amazon.com sells them. Lowe's sells them.
http://www.wrsweeney.com/

appaloosa: the photos are a bit too fuzzy to make out details but my guess is since it's early spring that those yellow flowers are crowds of daffs.

A beautifully parked out five acres. There may not be deer at that location but also many of those plants are generally not eaten by deer... I see mostly trees and shurbs that deer avoid, I see no flower beds that deer would forage. That tree is no ordinary weeping copper leafed beech; it looks to me like: http://hort.ufl.edu/database/documents/pdf/tree_fact_sheets/fagsyle.pdf

gardengal42: some days the "Click to enlarge" feature is simply not enabled, there really is no logical reason why not, just like there is no logical reason why the "save log on" feature doesn't function. But what I gave you is an alternative to use on those photos you want to enlarge.

gardengal42: Right click on picture, click on "Save Picture as", and then save it to wherever you save picture... then you can view full screen. However very often the pictures were not captured with a high resolution cameras so when viewed full screen will be blurry, but try it.

Good job on that helix! I would interspace the perennials with dwarf conifers to add winter interest. And this garden needs a sculpture to keep your gorgeous fish company... perhaps in keeping with the nautical theme a nautilus... or a more thought provoking saucer like UFO. Unfortunately those granite sculptures can break your bank, those prices rock! Thank you, Sarah.

Long Island is unique in that its coastal soil is always salt laden from perpetual ocean spray. The plants that thrive there normally will easily tolerate the salt from a storm, afterall on Long Island's north shore it's just another storm event, it's all part of the natural cycle. The very sandy soil is extremely porous, the spring rains and any remaining snow will soon dilute and purge the salt from a storm as has occured for eons. I remember lilies being especially tenacious on Long Island's north shore, needing constant thinning. What is problematic from storms on Long Island, especially its north shore from Nor'easters is errosion, many folks need to install marine grade bulkheading, very expensive. Christine, your garden looks very safe, if all those trees are surviving so will most of your other plantings. I lived on Suffolk County's north shore right on the coast line, I don't remember ever losing a plant to salt, even my vegetable gardens were barely affected, but I did lose many huge oak and locust trees to the winds of Gloria, snapped them off like match sticks. Thank you Christine, your photos are susperb.

The north shore of "Lung Guyland" is truly spectacular, but living most of my life there I'm naturally biased. An interesting area for gardening as its biome changes foot by foot as it rises from the water's edge. I like that Christine IDs her plants with name tags. Yes, we need more photos, and wider views. Thank you, Christine.

Why won't the Log-In Remember Me???

Jane enhanced...
Cold Crow:
http://i56.tinypic.com/2nl47sk.jpg
Crystal Palace:
http://i54.tinypic.com/v42f4m.jpg
Vernal Sublimity:
http://i53.tinypic.com/wkpxec.jpg

Terrific captures, great composition and clarity. I too love the snowscapes, all the seasons compliment each other, like time lapse photography in real time. I woke up this morning to a fresh blanket of pristine white and it's still snowing here in the northern Catskills. Enchanting, thank you, Jane.

DSBaloi:
Moles, Voles, Gophers, this works well, available at Lowe's, Amazon, etal... I have four in my vegetable garden and several more in the beds around my house... They've been operating for five years now:
http://www.victorpest.com/store/mole-and-gopher-control/s9014

Mandarin Lights Azaleas:
http://i55.tinypic.com/2hr2tn5.jpg

I have several of these orange azaleas in the beds in front of my house; Mandarin Lights:
http://www.gurneys.com/product.asp?pn=82717

Is that foxglove in the 5th picture down on the right?


I sure wish the Log On would remember me. :-(

Lovely plantings, and I like how it's all highlighted by the wooded back drop with all those mature trees. Daniella, be sure your vegetable garden deer fence is also rabbit proof, bunnies can go right through small openings. I use 6' high turkey wire with 2" x 4" openings, but rabbits can pass right through so I cover the bottom two feet with chicken wire. And some critters will dig under the fence, so I sink in a 16" strip of aluminum roof flashing. It pays to go all out on making your vegetable garden as critter proof as possible otherwise why bother. One year I even built a net roof over my strawberry and blueberry patches to keep the birds out but I should have removed it for winter as the weight of the first snow collapsed it all... I gambled that the flakes would pass through... trials and tribulations.

Gorgeous natural woodland composition, my kind of gardening... right click, save... I was going to save it to enlarge, frame, and hang it on my wall but alas, not nearly enough pixels. :-( Calvin, I enjoyed your blog. Send a bunch more pictures. I got the same wagon for my grands, the matching trike too...
Wagon:
http://i47.tinypic.com/rrnlfk.jpg
Jilly The Triker Chick:
http://i46.tinypic.com/20gbofp.jpg
http://i49.tinypic.com/2ltg9k2.jpg

Happily_Gardening: I don't much care for baby back ribs, I much prefer spareribs.

Oh, a great way to prepare summer squash (many vegetables) is to slice lengthwise or into slabs, brush with olive oil, season, and grill... ichiban eggplant is wonderful grilled, so are slabs of regular eggplant atop a burger. If you have overgrown zukes slice into slabs (3/4") on the bias. Naturally you know to never boil corn, grill in its husk... peel back some husk, butter/season and push the husk bak to grill, then peel husk back to eat, corn has its own built in holder.

Happily_Gardening: I don't use any particular recipe, ratatouille is one one of those dishes for cleaning out ones produce drawer... to the veggies already mentioned (any summer squash works) add onions, celery, carrots, potatoes, green beans garlic, herbs, maybe some olives... of course you'll need some olive oil... check the net for and then improvize. Make a lot, it's even better the next day, and it's good eaten cold too. Ratatouille is the French version of chow mein.

pattyspenser: obviously Pattypan Squash of course! Many vegetables grow well in containers; peppers, eggplant, cherry tomatoes... with your squash will make a delicious pattypan ratatouille.

http://www.burpee.com/search/search.jsp?pageNum=0&pageSize=6&facetTrail=&question=pattypan+squash&propSel=&sort=default&_requestid=626065

I sure wish the "Remember LOG-ON" feature would work.

Ha... what kind of southern country boy has to ask what to do with a moose! LOVE that veggie garden... with all that fresh produce this Brooklyn boy can prepare a different moose stewp every day. Nothing gives a gardener more satisfaction than working their vegetable garden, harvesting their crop, and finally indulging in their bounty. I really enjoyed that photo of the two large spuds being offered by someone with a real gardener's manicure. Sheila, with the more tender plants you can extend your growing season with cold frames, and don't forget to plant the cruciferous veggies; cabbages of all types, kale, brussels sprouts, and especially the oriental varieties... they flourish in cool weather, they also keep well after harvest... and do winter squash too. Thank you, Sheila, your vegetable garden makes me gloat. LOL

When my daughter was two she wanted a dog, she picked an adorable black puppy from a shelter but no one mentioned how large a Newfoundland Hound grows but a wonderful gentle giant. When I was in the navy my ship made several visits to Labrador, a beautifully rugged destination... I always planned on returning but that just never happened, and even though I could have traveled from Long Island by ferry I kept putting it off. A fellow I worked with retired to Nova Scotia, no one I know has ever heard from him, that was more than twenty years ago. Were it me I'd leave most of those few acres natural, I'd not disturb the wildflower meadow... and one day you'll be very thankful that you didn't create gardens requiring lots of maintenece... you can always add more wildflowers. Shiela, you've embarked on a grand adventure, enjoy!

Great whale watching:
http://www.newfoundlandlabrador.com/

Sheila_Schultz: tiche?

JTitus: I don't believe that dogwood will thrive in Pensacola, Florida. I suggest choosinbg other small trees that are more suitable for your tropical climate... locate a proper local nursery, one with a full time arborist to advise you. Usually the big box gardening sections don't employ anyone that knows much more about their stock other than what's stated on the tags from the wholesaler. Having never lived in Florida I can't really recommend much but were I living there I know I'd be planting citrus... if they'd grow here in NY I'd have a grove with at least one of each... my favorite being kumquat, a very tasty fruit that I enjoy but mostly because I love how that word rolls off my tongue. :-) I strongly suggest not skimping on size, trees grow slowly so if you plant seedlings you probably won't see them become trees... think quality before quantity.

Just gorgeous! I well remember Betsy's last contribution (one of the few truly impressive contributions) and this is as memorable. Betsy's landscaping skills put any professional's to shame. And her photographic ability rivals the pros, every picture sharp and each composition a carefully thought out work of art (no easy feat in all that shade), it's very evident that Betsy takes as much pride in her photos as her garden. I like dogwoods, I've planted them previously but haven't planted any here because they are susceptible to several diseases and are not very long lived anyway, fifty years if fortunate but thirty years is more the norm before large branches begin dying and need lopping. Instead for small understory trees I prefer redbud forest pansy, and paperbark maple (Acer griseum) does very well in mottled light. Thank you, Betsy, and get well soon!

greenthumblonde: last time I checked my rulz book a container grown veggie garden qualifies, as do raised beds, even veggies grown in pots on your kitchen window sill... I really don't care what photos folks submit so long as they depict their own garden that they've created themselves with their own hands. Submitting photos of other's gardens, public or private, is plagerism. Most all public gardens have a web site that feature many pictures... if you had a good visit submit the URL is all. And seeing professionally created gardens is pretty pointless, everyone who knows anything about gardening realizes that those are done entirely by the work crew, professional landscaper's hands rarely touch dirt, just the dirty lucre.

How coincidental, visiting Great Trees Virgina I have at least one of each tree they have listed, of some I have several.

Am I the only one who noticed that Jennifer's garden fairy is lacking a halo... with her magical scepter she reminds me more of a Tinkerbell. I like the glow of the fourth photo down on the left. I also don't see even one patch of lawn to mow. From the time my daughter could walk she was most interested in my vegetable garden and now she's had a vegetable garden too for each of her 45 years. I'm always so surprised at how few of our gardeners have a vegetable garden. Without a vegetable garden I don't consider one is much of a gardener.

A word of caution, Lamb's Ears can be very invasive:
http://gardening.about.com/od/plantprofile1/p/LambsEars.htm

user-282771: The photos at the Cedarholm Garden Bay Inn web site are stunning, some are of the same views you submitted: http://www.cedarholm.com/gardens_and_grounds.html

I've given this issue some more thought. "Garden Photo Of The Day" is obviously about the garden photos, why else the word "Photo" in the blog title? There are other blogs at Fine Gardening for those who are not into photos. Perhaps to save all this grief the word "Photo" should be removed and since so many voiced how they're not into photos *more accurately* call this blog "Garden Of The Day". . . just a thought.

This site is named (aptly) "Garden PHOTO Of The Day". Without the photos this site wouldn't exist. All we who visit can take from this site is what we can see in the photos. I for one believe that the photography is more important than the verbal descriptions... I firmly believe a picture is worth a thousand words... people who garden don't need anyone to tell them it's a rose, a daisy, a fern. No one needs professional equipment nowadays to take quality photos, a modicum of technique is much more important, especially with today's computerized digicams that do most of the work for us, and of course personal effort. More than anything else in any venue I believe that no one should take offence at constructive criticism, not unless they think that they already know everything and/or they suffer from paranoia. If folks participating here are going to be muzzled then what is the point of having the ability to post our comments... then just display the pictures, remove the comments section altogether, and everyone just shut up... we already know that all the plants are gorgeous in their own right, nature did that, saying so over and over is gross redundancy smacking of supreme disingeuousness. I think the lurkers who ooze out from under their rocks only to make disparaging remarks about those who genuinely care about the quality of this site are who are truly rude, shallow, and totally lacking in maturity, they contribute nothing but negativity. They need to practice what they preach, constructive criticism and personal attacks are planets apart on the nice things to say scale. Have a nice day.

These are very crisp shots because someone has a steady hand or is using a tripod, and even more importantly they are holding the shutter button down half way long enough for the camera to focus before pressing all the way. Many people just point and shoot, taht blurrs the shot but mostly they don't allow the software in the digicam time to negotiate the subject. I am most intrigued by that "flowering maple", is it a tree/shrub/?, it's flowers are very poppy-like and has very interesting varigated foliage. I wish there was a picture that included more of the plant, I will be looking this up in a moment... if it grows in Washington State it very well may grow well here in the northern Catskills. Thank you Tatyana.

tntreeman: Often snow makes a woodland path a lot more attractive ("a lot" is two words). A few days ago the snow here in the Catskills covered a lot more but now it has practically all melted. The sky is now very overcast with thick dark gray clouds, if it gets a few degrees colder (35 deg now) more snow will be arriving. I enjoy the change from green to white.

Oh, more interesting views, I was hoping to see that woodland path.

tntreeman:
Voles are easy to get rid of. I discovered Sonic Spikes five years ago, they work amazingly well for me, saved my blueberry bushes, etc. I have the solar spikes but they make battery operated too. I bought mine at Lowe's, I have a dozen going now. They work best in moist soil. The directions say to remove them in winter but I have mine raised up about 4" out of the ground so that they don't get flooded from melting snow, after 5 years they all work.

http://www.wrsweeney.com/

http://www.amazon.com/Sweeneys-9014-Solar-Powered-Gopher-Repeller/dp/B0013E3TXC

cwheat000: Kentucky coffeetree (one word) is either male or female, so far mine has produced no pods so I suspect it's male. The seeds are highly toxic until roasted. When taking photos I try to choose a time when natural conditions are advantagous.

Great composition and crisp photos in spite of the mist, especially the third down on the left, albeit I must admit I'm not a fan of the glassy chachkas. In the fifth one down it appears that one arborvitae is suffering. I like the macabre face in the hole... is that a real snake? I'm looking forward to many more of Jeff's garden photos.

My Kentucky coffeetree.
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boards:
Check here: http://www.chihuly.com/

Aggghhh... my eyes hurt...terrible photography! Please, if you're into garden pics spend more than $50 on a camera, and use a tripod. What a lost opportunity. :-(

I can see the "collection" but Jeff did a wonderful job of naturalizing, and nothing looks too crowded. I have to agree with meander1, the swards of lawn lift and separate very attractively... "all the lines flow and curve in a very appealing way".

Having owned a similar lakeside property in Washington, New Hampshire (Highland Lake) I know well how difficult it is to landscape and maintain that steeply sloping property... Sunny did a fantastic job.

That's quite a large garden. I like the bottom picture in the first row, I wonder what that is growing on that fence, or is it a living fence? It should be easy distinguishing famous from infamous, just think of me. LOL

That table is set as though dinner is comming... I'll have my burger freshly ground and grilled rare, and I'd prefer a 2ni at my place setting. All that flora is lovely and certainly offers privacy. Don't forget to remove that umbrella, I know what happens to dinner if a wind kicks up... more pictures please, Deborah!

darylsavage: I don't understand being all bent out of shape if a neighbor removes some trees, they're the neighbor's trees so they have a perfect right to do as they please with them, and there must have been a good reason. Maybe they were too over grown, could be diseased and weak... probably doing their neighbor a big favor removing them before they fall on their house in a wind storm... and big old trees don't belong on a city lot anyway. And if you want shade make your own, why steal your neighbor's shade... it's not that difficult to anticipate that a neighbor might remove big old trees some time in the near future, plant your own way in advance... there are many very nice shade trees that are suitable for a city lot that grow quickly, and buy trees of a decent size, it's silly to plant seedlings if it's shade one wants in a relatively short time. And while the new trees are growing one can have shade by planting corn and sunflowers for a few years.

Your shady garden was lovely but now with a sunny garden it would be a shame to pass up the opportunity for a big vegetable garden.

The planters in that Modern Artscape photo are unique in that they can be rotated peridically so light strikes the entire plant equally on all sides. It also appears that whoever was shearing those tall shrubs ran out of ladder height or the tops were left uncut intentionally. Thank you Maria, for the grand tour.

A fantastic woodland garden, my kind of garden, natural and serene.

As good if not better than any professional landscaper can do.

I forgot to mention that I was hoping to see pictures of that vegetable garden... I wish more people would submit pictures of their vegetable gardens.

Today's pictures are even better, love your house and pool area. And seeing your cattle in the snow could easily be a scene here in the Catskills.

Wonderfully arranged beds surrounding swarths of well maintained lawn. Lots more photos please.

Rescue plants is a great concept. Now to be really frugal Mary's yard needs a vegetable garden.

So reminiscent of those Three Little Pigs, one with a fence of sticks to keep the baddies at bay. Those sticks make for a very inconspicuous deer fence, I like it.

I can only imagine the tropics this morning... all bathed in warmth... while I woke up to -0.5 degrees.

Looks like a great place to get away from the 2 degree temperature here this morning... it's already up to a sweltering 16 degrees. I can imagine all those tropical plants radiating warmth.

Amazingly it's January, the dead of winter in Guatamala, plants only get bigger and better during the rest of the year.

Clayton, NY is right on the St. Lawrence R. at the gateway to The Thousand Islands, a magnificnet place to live. I like seeing other people's vegetable gardens, I wish more people here would have and display them. And I like the informality of growing veggies in a home garden, they tend to grow how/where they choose. I especially like how each year we can experiment with different crops. This past summer I tried melons for the first time, was a great success, and there is no comparison between a picked green stupidmarket cantaloupe and a vine ripened home grown, I'll never enjoy a market melon again. I plan on growing a larger variety of melons this spring. Do I see a bit of a strawberry patch by those bottles? Kathy's bottle border sure signifies many a happy evening. LOL Kathy, from your bare yard just a few years ago to a productive garden is a grand achievement, thanks for sharing.

A very serene city sanctuary... I very much like that reflecting pool.

Lovely garden scenes, wish there were more pictures.

The hardscaping is wonderful, otherworldly.

That's a spectacular gazebo! Grapes should ripen easily in Washington state, which type are you growing? For grapes to ripen it's very important to prune them properly; as soon as the tiny grapes form remove all growth past the bunches (that's about 30% of the plant). And after harvesting remove all growth to the second buds. There should be very little vine remaining over winter. There is much info on the net about growing grapes and especially proper pruning.

Zach: Your time lapse video is wonderful! You created a tremedous amount in a very short time. Thank you.

A vast difference fom Colorado to Panama and not just gardening. That's really a lovely landscape, we must see more pictures.

So different from my snow and ice... I like all that warm hardscape.

I like the second picture down on the right side because it contains that lovely blue sky, but then I noticed that oblisk that looks like the Washington monument, and then I noticed that what seems to be on the other side of that fence is a cemetery.

Maybe I need new glasses but from looking at the past photos that house doen't look victorian at all, it's a very contemporary split level. The landscaping can pass for victorian but not the architecture. I remember that house very well by it's old world euro chimneys. Its trim can pass for Scandinavian.

A very nice display of tropical landscape.

pattyspencer: I'm waiting to hear from you. I think with you being in Ohio we are in similar growing zones. It was 9 degrees here at six this morning, but the sun is out and is now up to 30 degrees. I'm hoping the temperature reaches the projected 40 degrees today so more snow melts and Newt's buddies can come to visit.

Helene, you've carved out a lovely oasis and your two blues work well.

pattyspencer: A week or so ago you expressed interest in exchanging email addresses with me, so I posted here that it would be fine for Michelle to send you my email address plus I emailed Michelle giving her permission to send you my email address. To date I have no way of knowing if Michelle sent you my email address as I've not heard from you or Michelle.

Ice n' Snow, winter of 2010

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You can see this clump birch in the distance in the previous picture, miraculously it sprung back and survived quite well:
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Path through the woods:
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Ice can create magnificent sculptures but more often do terrible damage to plants and everything else.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GPOD!
And GRAND KUDOS to Michelle for an exemplarary job!

I can't choose a favorite, all are special in their own way.

Wonderful... and here in the snowy Catskills it was minus two degrees this morning... and even though I was vaccinated I'm fighting the flu.

Tony, your garden looks very well cared for, thank you for sharing.

Bill, you've accomplished a lot, a lovely garden but more importantly good health... and on that note I'll wish everyone a Happy & Healthy New Year.

After yesterday's snow Joy's tropical garden is indeed a joy. The lush tropical plants remind me of when I lived in Belize.

Here in the Catskills we received over a foot of snow last night and this morning. At noon I went out to plow my driveway, and this time I plowed all the way out to the barn so I could get to feed Newt. Plowing took me three times as long today but at least it's done and Newt was fed, albeit a few hours late.

I don't even know the names of many of the plants growing at my creek, mostly whatever wildflowers grow naturally... I know that there's a lot of mint.
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It's nice to hear I'm not the only one with a munching deer problem. After testing all the repellants I decided that the only thing that deters deer all the tme is a good fence. I got tired of plantint what deer are not supposed to eat only to find that after growimg for a few years and watching them mature nicely to have a hard winter when deer fodder is lean they will eat those plants that they are not supposed to eat. The only area on my property where I attempt to propagate deer resistant plants without fencing is at my creek; typically the native plants that grow naturally and only a few that if they don't eat they trample while drinking. As long as it's green I'm satified... mostly the plants are to stem errosion.

I always enjoy seeing gardens and construction at far away places. Those plantings are spectacular, a very nice mix, and I especially like how all those conifers work with snow. The hand wrought iron work of those fences is practically a lost art. Of course maintaining those fences is a laborious job, constant scraping and painting. But today's reproductions of vinyl and plastic clad sheet metal don't compare.

If Michelle would be so kind as to send pattyspencer my email address it's fine with me.

meander1: it's easy to save the thumbnails, right click on the picture and then click on "Save picture as", and on the menu open the folder where you store pictures and click "okay" or "open". Then you will find the picture saved on your computer. Only I don't know if you'd get the entire picture as the FG software crops off quite a bit before displaying photos. Or I'm sure if you'd like I'm sure Michelle will facillitate our exchanging email addresses and then I can send you pictures directly, and I'd be happy to include explanations.

I must admit that this is the first time in the ten years I'm living here that I didn't put up a tree in the house (usually a balsam fir), the one in the picture is from three years ago. I'm seriously considering getting an artificial tree for indoors so will look to see what's on sale after the holiday. Cut tees are becoming expensive but mostly I've grown tired of the constant mess, somehow no matter how often I vacuum I find needles all year. But I do string lots of lights on the Fat Albert Colorado blue spruce that I planted in my front lawn near the road... it was tiny when I planted it seven years ago (3') but now its too tall for me to reach the top (~8') so I put lights on as far up as I can reach using a six foot step ladder... the tree is much wider too so it's not easy to reach in. Now I know why I see so many people who have a graduated row of trees planted with the smallest decorated. I didn't get a picture yet this year as I've been waiting for snow.

Like meander1 I used to log on first thing in the morning and FG was my first stop to read the comments from my extended family but now my first chore is to head out to the barn to feed Newt. He's doing very well and I think he's happier living outdoors, and he has lots of buddies keeping him company too... a calico (Cali) seems to be living in the barn with him so I put out food for her too.

I enjoy the gardening pictures very much but even more I enjoy the regular posters, but feel the empty spot on weekends... I never looked forward to Mondays before but now I do.

HAPPY HOLIDAY TO ALL!

What gorgeous arrangements. Brenda, you have the gift!

A HAPPY HOLIDAY to all!

Quite the hacienda! I think one needs to be there to fully appreciate all there is but Nathan has provided a good peek at some of the highlights. I like that citrus tree, and the pool at the front looks to be very relaxing with a cool beverage... what do they drink in NOLA? I'm especially intrigued by those mini white watering cans... I can't imagine they'd be of much use hauling teacups of water about those huge grounds... perhaps they're for serving that cool NOLA beverage.

Lovely display of morning glory and silver lace vine. All your plantings are not only winning out over the harsh conditions, they are flourishing in spite. I like your ground bird bath a lot. Your desert area is a great landscaping concept, only needs the obligatory dry poison water hole with skull and crossbones sign. Judy, please explain your repaired fence and what appears to be a wire barrier atop... looks like it's constructed to keep something in rather than out. Good photography, more please.

Strange indeed.

That gorgeous park was already a memorial waiting for an event, unfortunately it should have been a positive event. This recent tragedy like so many others that have occured in the past is yet another blot on humanity. When our founding fathers wrote our Constitution giving society the right to bear arms firearms were extremely crude and were muzzle loaded one shot at a time, who knew technology would evolve that produces today's laser guided automatic weapons... and this is why I abhor "hunting", which today is exactly/precisely tantamont to this most recent tragedy, MASS MURDER of INNOCENTS! There is absolutely no sane reason for such weapons to be available to the general society... and "hunting" must be outlawed, all it teaches young folks is that life has no value... so long as humans "hunt" and attend church (proving hipocritally absolutely that life is not valued) such tragedys will escalate. There is no good argument in support of modern weaponry/"hunting". I hate the term "wild game", murdering innocent animals is NOT a game/sport.

KVgarden: after digging a hole and planting a tree I wasn't about to let the deer get at it. I drove in four steel fence posts and hung chicken wire all around to a height the deer couldn't reach over to nibble. At first I had the chicken wire to the ground but that was a mistake, I was unable to weed or mow, so I raised the wire high enough to push a mower underneath... deer can't get under a fence anyway. Once the trees were tall enough to be safe from the deer I'd remove the fence, could be five years, longer with slower growing trees. I've learned to fence all plants deer like to eat, which is most. I've tried all sorts of sprays and other deterents but none worked, and they were expensive and laborious, especially trudging through deep snow in winter when deer are most ravenous.

It's hard to believe how Kathy created so many interesting unique scenes on just a 1/4 acre. And how the deer don't devour all those tender plants leaves me stunned. I love the bamboo corner with its bubbling birdbath. Golden eyed JoJo is beautiful.

I think Kathy's phlox look more robust than mine. I have my entire house surrounded with turkey wire fencing or the deer would eat it all. Phlox has such an alluring aroma:
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Oh, my... my kind of small property garden, with many unique areas each blending into the next, like reading a poet's journal. Kathy, you sure squeezed a lot into a small space yet nothing looks crowded. I reallky can't choose a favorite without insulting the others, all fantastic. I can't wait until part II. And I love your chimney!

Nancy, I love your hillside, adds wonderful interest. And I envy your Acer 'Sango Kaku' (coral bark maple), it looks a good size, was it already there or did you plant it? I'd like one but they are slow growers and don't get very large so it would be a long time before it would be safe from deer and I'm tired of looking at fenced trees. Thank you, Nancy, I enjoyed your pictures.

NevadaSue: There are many web sites about gardening in southern Nevada, you may find them useful. and there are many books on the subject: http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=gardening+in+nevada&tag=googhydr-20&index=stripbooks&hvadid=1728385301&hvpos=1t2&hvexid=&hvnetw=s&hvrand=1138508664566358424&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=b&ref=pd_sl_7yt3l3ch0u_b

At one point some 30 years ago I considered moving to Carson City, NV, even there gardening is difficult. I have a friend who lives in 29 Palms, CA, most folks there don't ever consider gardening... there are many gorgeous homes there but very few bother with any gardening... folks who live there say that's the beauty of living in a desert, essentially there are no outdoor gardening chores... some shift rocks about and rake their sand. I think for those who must do some gardening containers and raised beds is the way to go.

A gardner moving from Washington state to southern Nevada is like producing a '50s scifi movie. Everying in southern Nevada is anti gardening; no water, the poorest of soils, and extreme temperatures (120 deg during the day plunging to 40 deg at night). I know that some people build small irrigated garden plots around a miniscule swarth of irrigated sod. The rest of the property left to native plants that grow sparsely... I think the best one can hope for is to plant the hardiest of cacti and continue with the container gardening. I'm not even going to ask why anyone would move to southern Nevada. Beware of scorpions. Gook luck, Sue.

annred97: to keep your grass from spreading you need to install barrier edging. There are many types and of different materials; wood, plastic, metal... making a slit with an edger and sinking in aluminum roof flashing will work.

Ann, your array of daylilies add great color. Please don't eradicate more grassy areas, those large swarths of green are what highlight your other plantings and cause your property to be considered landscaped. I will never understand why so many seem to abhor lawns, mowing is the least laborious gardening chore and I find it most enjoyable, and if one doesn't water lawns just go dormant and turn brown, but with a little rain rapidly become green again. I mow ten acres of lawn and look forward to dry spells so I can miss a few mowings, because with the price of diesel I save $50 each week of drought. A dormant period is actually heatthy for a lawn, when it greens up again it's mostly the true sod grasses that come back... folks living in Kansas would know that. I never water, never fertilze, and never add any chemicals... really couldn't afford to with ten acres and I don't want to harm teh critters... mostly my lawn is bright green and from a distance I can't see weeds. Even now with freezing nights my lawn is green, the Canada geese still stop off all day on their way to wherever to rest and fuel up. Thank you for a peek into your garden, Ann.
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cwheat000: I bet Lily is a foodhound, aren't all dogs. LOL

I sure wish the Log-On-Save feature would work.

That blue monkshood is stunning even in low light. And that cutey Lily of the Valley looks so sweet. I like that hanging planter, I hope there's wire embedded in the macrame or it may rot and let loose... I'd sew in fishing monofilament.

Windwalker810: Just a friendly reminder to caution your grands about not eating or even touching the plants in your fenced woods, many are highly toxic... wooded areas are usually not all that safe for adults, let alone children, fenced or not. And the ticks are there whether there are deer present or not, check yourself and your grands carefully and often... and when coming in from the woods it's a good idea to leave all worn clothing outdoors, and carefully check footwear. Launder all that clothing in hot water and dry on high. Besides ticks that's how fleas are brought indoors... you don't need to have pets to have fleas in your house, fleas like human blood as well as dogs and cats. And one other very important caution, if there are tall trees in your woods have your grands wear head protection, people who work in the woods always wear hardhats, a small branch falling from height can easily penetrate the skull and death is as instant as if from a bullet... lumber jacks call those "widowmakers". Children running about cause vibrations that will shake branches loose. The woods is not a very safe playground on many levels, there are stinging/biting insects of all types, poisonous snakes, and even tree frogs can be highly toxic to the touch. I wouldn't allow children to play in my woods.

Meadow:
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Ah, Lung Guyland's north shore, my old stomping grounds, I lived in Rocky Point, Port Jefferson Village, and mostly in Shoreham Village, just seven miles north of where I worked, at Brookhaven National Laboratory, in good weather I rode a bicycle to and from work, can't count how many times the weather was sunny in the morning and then I pedaled home in a rain storm. During warmer weather the deer migrated accross LI Sound to CN and returned, they also would visit Block Island. I was amazed that deer could swim those distances but they certainly can and do. Deer are very boyant for the same reason they easily survive very cold winters, their hair is hollow. Long Island has a large deer population but not nearly so large as here in the Catskills. Here I fence individual plants and beds that are at risk and mostly leave and clear around the native plants that deer don't eat add to the landscape... my totally natural wildflower meadow of about three acres is more gorgeous in bloom than any anyone could plant... there are deer browsing in the meadow all year but the plants keep flowering faster than they can eat, and most they avoid; thistle, goldenrod, and many others have the most beautiful blooms but the deer don't touch them. Joan, please send lots more pictures (those two are just a tease), wait for a sunny day and stand further from your subject, include a horizon and sky. I plant foxglove too, they're highly toxic, the deer avoid those.

I too like that last photo best, it's nicely composed and offers a depth perspective due to the inclusion of objects at various distances. The other plantings are very colorful but look flat, including the surrondings (and sky) would make them come alive. Okay Constance, where are all those trees you're so passionate about? The camera is focused on your clematis, making that 50 year old maple a red blur... wait for a sunny day and capture your maple again, with the sun at your back, but just the tree, and get all of it with some surroundings and the sky. I bet it's a gorgeous tree but in that photo I can't tell, one wouldn't know it's a Japanese red maple tree from a bush except you said so.

A very artful garden! And it appears fall foiliage is as vivid in Alabama as it is here in New England. Your twenty years of dedicated gardening is certainly evident, eveything is just perfect. I had not relized that your wall was painted. I just assumed that the lapis blue colorant was added to the concrete. I'd probably not repaint, let it continue to fade, or remove the loose paint and prep the surface with light wire brushing and locate someone who's adept at applying stucco then add colorant to the stucco mix... with the color throughout the matrix it won't fade and can occasionally be power washed for cleaning. Your wall really only needs a skim coat and that won't obliterate its textural detail... the mix used for ceramic tile setting would work outdoors, and any large ceramic tile emporium will have a broad array of grout colorants. You both seem very creative, you can probably rehab your wall yourselves. Phillip and Michael, your garden is beautiful, you are to be commended.

Gee, where is everybody, there are fewer and fewer people posting lately.

Front of my house from a few years ago, yesterday I decorated my Fat Albert Colorado blue spruce, it's now about eight feet tall, I could barely reach with a six foot step ladder because it's also much wider, I'm sure next year I won't be able to reach the top. I'll take more pictures after a snow.
Simplicity:
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Wonderful topiaries,and in time will become bigger and better. Dan, your photos would be better if you consider the direction and intensity of the natural light, choose a sunny day with the sun behind you (mid morning or mid afternoon, not directly overhead or most of your subject will shade itself), and include some sky in your photos, even if you need to lie on the ground... it's much better to have the bright sky behind your subject instead of a bright object in front, like all those light hued plantings and concrete in front of your flamingo for your camera to focus on rather than your subject. Your horse photographed more clearly because of how the sun strikes it from behind you and the shaded background. I don't know what kind of digicam you're using but I'd suggest it needs a tune up, put it back to its factory setting and your photos will capture more detail and won't be so blurred. Unless you're a professional photographer it's best to leave your camera on Auto and don't use the various features, or you'll not remember how to return to the factory setting, you'll lose your way just like Hansel and Gretel. Contact your camera's tech department and they will be happy to walk you through to return to the factory setting. What trees are you thinking to use as replacements in front of your house, and what will you do with those already there... they are quite large and look well established, I'm sure you will need them moved professionally, can easily run over a grand each. I would suggest you do this before those trees become larger, and I agree that the white one is much too large to be in front of your entryway and so close to your house, the red one seems okay if it don't get much larger, keep it well pruned. I would suggest dwarf crabapple (if it grows in your area), there are so many to choose from. But I don't think you need a tree in that spot to replace the white one, it's too close to your house and you already have some sort of small tree on that side, hopefully one that doesn't grow much larger... I think a second tree in that spot to match your red one would clash, kind of overkill... I'd plant something different and nothing that grows taller than your eaves. If you really must replace that tree I'd check out the semi dwarf conifers, spruce do very well in dry soil and many have very unique growing habits... perhaps a small rock garden of various dwarf conifers would add more interest in that spot. I think in the front the house itself should be the focal point, I'd not plant a forest just because you can, you'll only obscure your house, save your heavier planting for the rear yard, where it's more important to desigh from the view you see from your windows than what people see looking from the outside. I think too many landscapers place too much stress on what passersby see than what the homeowner sees from inside their house. In front yards less is more.
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I hope my suggestions are helpful, Dan.

blue_nigella: Thank you, I try to be real. I don't expect everyone to agree with me, if I did there'd be no purpose to my input. To wit: the hunting question, I've not met a hunter yet who doesn't think they are doing a great service. But from my point of view hunting was never a sport, it used to be a necessity but not anymore, least not in the US. Today in the US killing wild animals is murder, pure and simple... any brainless twit can shoot defenseless animals, typically the same miscreants who as children derived great joy in pulling off butterfly wings.

This was my neighbor's dog, Rocky, loved to chase deer and fetch thrown rocks.
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GrammyGranddad: A crossword puzzle is just a jigsaw puzzle but with a higher IQ.

meander1: dogs don't do much to thwart deer. Many of my neighbors have dogs, but that doesn't stop the deer, dogs are indoors at night and that's when the deer browse. My next door neighbor had a big dog, Rocky would race after the deer but never catch any, luckily, sometimes a deer would stop and turn, Rocky would slink back to the house with his tail between his legs. Rocky knew better, a deer can easily kill a dog, a deer will bash its head in with it's front hooves. One dog can't do much except get out of breath, it takes a whole pack to take down a deer... that's how coyote hunt deer, in a large pack, they encircle the deer so it can't escape, but more than half the time the coyote aren't sucessful. And one deer is not a lot of food for a pack of coyotes.

Michelle, I really don't believe in hunting since with all the stupidmarkets everywhere it is no longer necessary for survival, and today's hunting is no kind of sport, the critters haven't a chance. With all the high tech hunting paraphenalia (peruse Cabella's catalogue) hunting is no more sport than shooting fish in a barrel. Nowadays people hunt as an excuse to get out of the house for a few days with the guys and most drink themselves stupid, every year there are awful hunting accidents around here. I'll agree that some actually consume the meat but sadly that's very few, the majority of deer are photographed with the big bad shooter and then left for the coyotes and turkey vultures to feast on. Every spring when I get out to my back field I find a few deer carcasses that have mostly been consumed by the carrion eaters, some with an arrow in it, some with their heads hacked off... I have a bucketful of arrows in my barn. Very few along this road allow hunting on their property but on the next road behind me there are much larger lots; dairy farms, hay fields, and woods, so the hunters come in from that direction. Personally I don't equate wild animals with farmed animals, today killing wild animals is immoral. Coyotes taking down the weaker deer is nature, there is nothing natural about humans killing deer anymore. Look at the picture of the deer in my yard, how is shooting them sport, shooting them is not hunting, that's premeditated murder. And all those excuses about deer starving because there are too many is pure BS, there is plenty of food for deer to eat here. Deer don't live very long, five years is a long life for a deer, the old and weak are taken by their natural preditors, and that's how it should be. Did you know that it's illegal for restaurants to serve venison from wild deer, they have to serve venison from farmed deer. There are several deer farms in NYS. Farmed deer meat tastes much better too, wild deer browsing on conifers is going to smell/taste like Pine-Sol. I like the deer in my yard, I protect them here.

This photo is very typical, by about 4 PM they begin to feed and continue through the night until first light. How do you others do it, and I tried every repellent on the market, none work even a little bit, I just wasted my time and money. The only thing that keeps deer off my plants, especially my small specimen trees until they become tall enough is fencing. The only answer I'll believe is that they simply don't have any deer where they live.
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This is truly a remarkable landscaping creation, the pros couldn't do half as well. And what a spectacular blend of plantings of all sizes, configurations, and hues, and all in harmony. Like Vojt I'm also am in awe of how so many on large rural properties don't have a deer problem... I know where I live very few of those plantings would survive, besides the deer the rabbits would desimate those hostas, etc.... and the voles would eat all their roots, voles can't resist juniper roots, and blueberry roots are high on their menu. Here I'd need to fence my entire 16 acres at least eight feet high.

Ten acres with so many manicured areas is certainly a full time job, just all that edging can keep someone busy all day every day... like painting a bridge... you no sooner come to the end it's time to begin all over again, and weeds grow a whole lot faster than paint peels. It looks like a great property and well tended to, my only question, Jo, is how do you keep the deer from eating all those plants, and I know many I see are their favorites. I tried planting out my borders but it became much too time consuming trying to weed so many thousands of feet, and the deer decimated everything.

pattyspencer: Newt has been exploring some but there hasn't been any real interaction between him and the others, they are more or less avoiding him, cats can take a while to accept a new interloper. Mooch and Sarah are too old to pay him any attention and probably will never. Blackie is a big wuss and is keeping clear. Peach is sort of aggressive/possessive so has hissed at him a few times and he hissed back. Jilly is the dominant cat but has stayed away, she has her breakfast and then goes to sleep because she is awake mousing all night. Each has their routine, it will take a while for Newt to learn the schedualing and develop a routine too. He goes back to the Vet on Monday for his two week check up. The Vet did a very good job on patching up all Newt's battle wounds too, did plastic surgery to repair an old torn ear, dressed a new wound on his neck, and even gave him an ID chip. I'm sure Newt will do well. Thank's for asking, Patty.

I sure wish the "Keep Logged On" issue would get resolved, shouldn't be that difficult, should be simpler than installing the pop-up ads... it's a real pain having to log on every time. The only thing I can figure is there must be many thousands of people who log on just to read and the server hasn't the capacity to retain so many.

Newt is improving more each day, he spent this morning exploring.
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Those redbuds make wonderful sentries, and those are not just ordinary eastern redbuds, they're special, with their red heart shaped leaves they can't be other than redbud forest pansy... I love how they begin to flower in early spring right on their branches before they leaf out. I like your pear tree too, does it produce edible pears or is it an ornamental? Your stockade privacy fence is well weathered so is really not so obvious, it needs some shrubs planted along it's length; pyrocantha, lilac, and some small conifers, perhaps a vine or two, maybe grapes. And last but not least your gorgeous tuxedo. Thank you, Nancy.

I forgot to mention that Newt is now a lap cat and a big time purrer.
Newt:
http://i45.tinypic.com/dq6gyq.jpg
http://i50.tinypic.com/2zfj12t.jpg

I love Barb's Tiffany & Company blue birdhouse, and that crab apple tree bark is gorgeous.

I have to agree that Barb's water feature has a very natural relaxed look, one of the best I've seen, nothing Disneyish about it. And that's a great lady slipper, looks like it's sent out a new shoot. All Barb's plants look lush and healthy, and I am most impressed with her steller photography, excellent compositions and spectacular clarity. The photo of her clematis is so vivid it makes me feel like I can walk right into it, even shows the grain of the landscape ties. I can tell that Barb put a lot of thought and effort into her picures, not just taken quick n' dirty as if to get it over with. Thank you, Barb.

Your garden looks great, well laid out and vibrant, too vibrant. There is something wrong with your camera, it doesn't capture any detail and the color setting is definitely off. Try again with a better camera, it's a shame to miss out on seeing all your hard work clearly.

Tillers...

Mantis:
http://i45.tinypic.com/2gybp5e.jpg

Simplicity:
http://i47.tinypic.com/6psx3q.jpg

kmhumes: I don't know what kind of tiller you tried but if you can dig by hand the proper tiller can make easy work of it. With very hard dry compacted soil a tiller with straight pointed scarifying tines is what's needed, not one with bent/hook tines. The straight pointy hardened steel type of tines on a Mantis tiller are perfect for breaking up hard pan. Any home gardener considering a tiller really ought to examine a Mantis first... it's small but definitely not a toy. Its very light weight and having no wheels allows the machine to feed itself at it's own rate rather than how larger machines use their great weight with self propelled wheels to attempt bulldozing through all at once. With hardpan a tiller that takes small bites with each pass is much more efficient than one that tries to dig in deep all at once. I have three tillers, the monster in my barn that attaches to my tractor is not good for hardpan, there are different types of agri tillers for different soils. My agri tiller, with its hooked tines, is best on previously broken ground (run a plow through first), it's good for mixing in ammendments on large parcels. I also have a 7 HP Simplicty rear tined tiller with hooked tines, probably like the one you rented, it's awful on hardpan, because it's too powerful, too heavy, and is self propelled, so when it hits anything hard it bounces around like a bucking bronco and takes you with it, really dangerous for a small person... it's the reason I bought the Mantis... and I'm a big strong person and that Simplicity tossed me around, so why stress myself when a Mantis makes tilling so easy... I've been thinking of selling the Simplicity, I havent used in in seven years. When you see those ads showing some granny tilling with one hand don't you believe it. But the Mantis does it all, its light weight, no self propel, and well engineered tines for all types of soil make it the perfect do-everything home gardener tiller (there are even several attachments available for different situations) it can be used as an edger and shallow weeder, and is so easy to use a ten year old can handle it. But if one has several easily accessable acres to till than I would recommend a whole different approach, call an excavating company, hire someone with a small dozer with a scarifying attachment. Every job is easy with the correct tool. I can't do every earth moving job here myself, occasionally I use the services of a local excavating company. Locals who do garden tilling for pocket money probably drove to your property at the appointed time, took one look at your property and kept going... they are only equipt to rototill relatively small previously tilled vegetable gardens, small annual plots, and the like... they are not into spending all day struggling to make a garden in virgin ground or till acres for the few measly dollars that homeowners are willing to pay for what they presume will entail a couple of hour's light labor. People who do the job you did by hand very likely weren't willing to pay the price of hiring someone equipt to do what you wanted. Your description sounded like a very big job, really what you needed was a professional landscaping company but that can be very expensive, and you'd still need to do regular maintenence, that's where a Mantis shines.

I don't know if you'll read this, its the next day, but my posts here are meant for everyone.

janetsfolly: A Mantis tiller will sit idle most of the time but it comes in very handy when you need it, and saves a lot of sweat. You can use it to prep an area for planting but blanting 26 trees is a lot. I tiller is not meant for digging holes but can be a help in certain situations, if soil is too hard to shovel it will loosen it. If your trees are small (seedlings) I'd suggest using one of those 2" augers used with an electric drill... you can drill several holes in a grouping and voila, you have a good sized planting hole. The auger works with a 3/8" cordless drill but I found it works much better with the low speed power of a corded 1/2" drill, if you have an electrical outlet nearby... I've used it to plant bulbs with 200' of extension cord. Happy planting.

This is my 5' wide rototiller (in the corner of my barn behind my snow plow), it attaches to the PTO at the rear of my tractor and can be offset so I don't drive over the freshly tilled swarth. This is a high quality professional agri tiller yet still is designed to till no deeper than ordinary consumer tillers:
http://i50.tinypic.com/2ceois9.jpg

If your topsoil layer is shallow ("thin") plowing/tilling deeper makes it poorer, instead ammend... the best remedy is to haul in lots of high quality topsoil... till it in but no more than six inches deep or all you'd do is dilute your new topsoil with sub strata and be back to square one. Plant roots don't need to be in the topsoil to extract nutrients, roots extract many nutrients from the deeper moister levels, especially when it rains... tilling too deep loosens the soil deeper making it more permeable so causes the nutrients to wash to depths the that the plant's shallow feeder roots can't reach. Tilling too deep will also necessitate much more copious irrigation, water will perculate to depths plant roots can't reach.

mainer59: To prepare a planting bed you really don't want to dig down any deeper than the depth of one garden spade lest you ruin your topsoil, and any rototiller can dig deeper easily sith subsequent passes, in fact the better ones have a depth stop one can set so it's doesn't dig too deep... you really don't want that sub strata mixed into your topsoil, if your topsoil is poor then ammend, mixing in sub strata makes your topsoil poorer. Tillers are designed to dig down at that depth for good reason, that's the proper planting depth... were deeper necessary they could have easily intalled larger diameter tines. Plant roots don't go down nearly so deep as many think, most are near the surface, and plants that need to go deeper have taproots that go deep without your help. I also have a rototiller that attaches to my tractor, it tills a five foot swarth but on the first pass tills no deeper than a Mantis. I can dig a three foot deep tree planting hole with my Mantis, just keep loosening soil and shoveling it out. I can't do that with my big Simplicity tiller, it's much too large, heavy, and dangerous to handle in a hole. If your topsoil is "thin" ammend with better topsoil. And it is necessary to till at least once a year, especially for annual beds and vegetable gardens... it's good to till at the drip line of shrubs and trees too, pruning root tips strengthens the root system and permits more nutrients to get to those feeder roots... you don't fertilze at the shrub base and tree trunk.

Double dug by hand, wow, why not a yoke of oxen pulling a plow? There are things called rototillers nowadays. Many years ago I would fork and spade by hand but then I got smart and bought a rototiller. I will admit that they can take a bit of muscle to control but they are a lot less effort than digging by hand. And a good sized tiller with enough power to break virgin ground can be pricy but one really only needs to rent one for the day (I bought a 7 HP Simplicity and there it sits in my shed rarely used). But once ground is broken and cleared of large stones all one needs is a Mantis, a terrific machine that anyone can handle, even a ten year old... I love my mantis for prepping my vegetable garden and my veggie plot is 2,500 sq ft, with the Mantis I don't even work up a sweat, and it's light enough to tote from place to place with one hand. I have the 2 cycle (they make a 4 cycle now), but I don't mind mixing the gas with oil because my leaf blower and string trimmer are 2 cycle too. The mantis is a fuel miser, one little tankful goes a long way, and the machine is very easy to start. I've had people see my Mantis and laugh saying "that puny thing", but it's plenty powerful, you'd be amazed. Every gardener *needs* a Mantis.

Kate, your cottage garden is lovely, unlike most cottage gardens it's very neatly arranged, more on the formal side. In the first row, third picture down, in the lower left hand corner, is that a smokers butt recepticle I see? Your plants all look well cared for, they are very lush. Thank you, Kate.

Hmm, I logged on a few minutes ago but didn't check the keep me logged on box, then after my last posted I left the site. a few minuts passed and I came back to the site and I was still logged on. Of course no telling how long that will last... but it should not have remembered me.

pattyspencer: Thank you. Thanksgiving is the only time I prepare a turkey. This one turned out perfect, and the cats ate until they couldn't eat anymore, even Newt got his fill, he's a great eater. He's still in that back bedroom but I go in many times each day to check on him and pet him some, also I put him in my lap for his ear drops, he doesn't struggle at all, he's very docile. I also noticed that the Vet repaired his ear, previously one was flopped over but now it stands up like the other. Jilly, Peachie, and Blackie already peeked in but I don't let them get close, not yet. He still needs to rest and heal, I noticed his scar is a lot larger than I had thought. This will take time but will be well worth it, Newt is a very good boy, and he's so cute.

pattyspencer: I know what you mean about log in issues, rarely remembers me... sometimes I feel foolish checking that remember me box... hey, maybe it's set backwards adn will remember if I don't click it, I will try that next time but haven't much hope.

Here's my turkey all rready to eat:
http://i48.tinypic.com/2jed5qh.jpg

Kate, you've accomplished a magnificent feat and all on your own... I'm sorry about your husband. Three acres is a lot of ground to park out as you've done, kudos! I too like your dogwood, and Canadian hemlock makes a fine privacy hedge, I had a 100' row two houses ago.

I was up and about early too and just now was able to take a break from the kitchen. Here's my bird all seasoned and is already in the oven... the cats are novering, I wonder why.
http://i47.tinypic.com/34rvkew.jpg

Happy Thanksgiving!

pattyspencer: Newt seems to be doing well, he eats and uses his potty but mostly he sleeps. He won't have contact with the other cats for a week, he needs time to heal before he does much moving about. Thank you for asking. And everyone have a Happy Holiday!

So many interesting succulents/cacti without being crowded and overgrown. I like how the patio shades when not needed add another dimension billowing at the top. And that fountain is a stunner, and with that view in the distance looking like down town San Diego creates yet another dimention. Thank you, Chip.

Newt is home! He's kind of comatose from his surgery and meds but the vet says he's fine, and he looks good from what I can see of him, he's in a small carrier with towels and covered with a big towel. The carrier door is open and he has a brand new litter pan nearby. The Vet said he already ate this morning and not to feed him for a few hours, they don't want him throwing up. He's in the small bedroom with the door closed, only Jilly is very is very interested, she's sort of the mommy cat, she cared for Peach and Blackie from since they were one day old. The Vet said Newt should have a week to recuperate before introducing the five. The Vet already called to find out how Newt is doing. I'd much rather be treated by a Vet than a people doctor... today's MDs are not nearly so caring as they were years ago when they still made house calls... when I was ten years old doctors came to the house and charged $4, and medical insurance wasn't invented yet, poor people paid when they could.

Sally, your garden is exquisite and so multi-faceted, your pictures are wonderful but your garden really needs to be enjoyed in person. Thank you so much.

pattyspencer: Thank you. None of my cats ever go out so I'm very used to watching whenever I open a door. None of the five ever try to get out anyway and Newt will soon forget all about the outdoors. Sarah used to be an outdoor cat, lived in my garage but when I retired and moved I couldn't leave her... she instantly became an indoor cat and never tries to go out. I have a catdoor in my basement door, they all explore/patrol the basement except for Peach, she's deathly afraid of the basement. The litter pans are in the basement but Peach has her own upstairs in a back room.

meander1: Easy to miss so early in the AM, look at all my fat fingered typos. lol. I missed the witch hazel blurb too but only spotted it when I went back to read it again. At first I wasn't sure as witch hazel is typically multi-trunked.
The vet just called and Newt did fine. He'll come home tomorrow morning. He will need time to recuperate so I will keep him in a spare bedroom for a few days to acclimate to new smells and sounds, and he will get pain meds in his food for a few days. Then he will slowly get introduced to the five, I'm sure he will be fine, the five had to be introduced to each other too, and they all have very different temperments and personalities... even Peach and Blackie who are sister and brother are as opposite as opposites can be.

I wanted a lilac bush to soften my utility pole. It's now fenced and will probably be a long time before it hides anything. I bought this at my local nursery but here's a reference:
http://www.naturehills.com/product/mount_baker_lilac.aspx?gclid=CL213sHBoqkCFYFM4Aod_0CQvA
Was planted spring of 2011:
http://i48.tinypic.com/28vzuv4.jpg

Newt may be coming home from the vet today, if not tomorrow. I decided the barn is too hostile, plus it's a trek to bring food everyday, especially in winter, so I will bring him home and slowly introduce him to the five.

meander1: You do have a good eye, the foliage on that plant does look like witch hazel amd Stacie does say it is witch hazel "The Hamamelis x intermedia 'Jelena' provides fragrance and color with its copper-tinted blooms. Witch hazels also have great fall leaf colors." I'd like to plant some witch hazel myself only they're very slow growing and don't become tall enough so I think the deer may make a feast of them. A couple of years ago I planted a small lilac because it's not sopposed to be on the deer menu but the first night they ate more than half so now it's fenced, and will be many years before it's tall enough for me to remove the fence.

I wish those photos were brighter, and their composition better... the dimness of that photography makes it very difficult to appreciate the garden. Those river stones are lovely, only if everyone gloms a bucketful there soon won't be any for others to enjoy... I so wish folks would only take photos.

Newt is a boy! Whew, no kittens... I was getting worried. The Vet said Newt is about 5-7 years old and is in very good shape except for ear mites and an ear infection. The Vet said Newt is not feral, he was probably discarded and was very scared of people. But they were able to handle him with no problem, didn't even need the gloves. All his blood work was clean, no diseases. He now has all his shots and won't need boosters until next year. I left him at the Vet and they will try to fit him in for neutering tomorrow morning, if not Monday. Then they will board him for a day or two before I bring him home. I still need to decide if I'll put him back in his barn or bring him in my house, just not sure how that will work with the five... I have time to mull it over. Was cold here and I've been fighting bronchitis for two weeks now.

Newt:
http://i45.tinypic.com/2a68apw.jpg

Great fall color. I enjoyed yesterday's dry stream bed and now this treat. I like the bottom photo in the first row, the sky really makes it. Thank you, Karen.

This morning when going out to the barn to feed Newt it looked like Newt is pregnant or maybe getting fed too well. So before winter sets in it'd be best to get Newt to the Vet. I phoned and they said to bring Newt in. I got my Havahart trap set up in the barn with a small can of Fancy Feast with shrimp as bait. I returned an hour later and Newt was trapped. Newt is at the Vet now. The Vet and all the staff but someone to answer the phone was out to lunch. I still don't know if Newt is a boy or a girl. Now you all know as much as I do, next chapter soon.

A very nice job of naturalizng, but I'd like to see a photo of that dry stream bed in a heavy downpour. It makes a very nice visual in that woodsy setting but I think it needs more larger stones. I'm interested in these kinds of water projects because I have a creek on my property that I had to rehab due to severe erosion at its turns during a few heavy rains. I had it dug deeper, wider, and reconfigured to increase it's volume carrying capacity. It's too large a creek to do myself so I hired an excavating company, their first attempt didn't hold up to the next downpour, the rock they used for rip-rap was too small and most washed away. They returned and did the job over with much larger rocks and it has held up well even in a torrent with its banks overflowing. That was five years ago and for a while looked a mess, but now the plants are back and I keep adding more, of course those the deer reject. I have a lot of photos of the creek prior to the devestation, of the devestation, and during the rehab. Most of the year water runs in the creek at different levels and during dry summers it is barely damp. The creek attracts a lot of wildlife, especially birds that hunt the small fish and frogs. The strip of land where the creek runs is catagorized as state wetlands so I am limited at what I can do, even the plantings I put in.

pattyspencer: I agree, he's gorgeous. "Moocher" is a term of endearment I give all the critters, even one of my cat's name is Mooch. I always feel honored that a few will trust me to come up to my deck to mooch snacks. I don't step out, I just crack the door quietly and toss out snacks, deer get whatever expired bread I find when I shop and they get a couple of carrots. Walmart always has loaves of bread and big bags of rolls at less than half price, the expiration date has just passed but they are actually still fine to eat. Crows enjoy all my meat trimmings. Nothing edible goes in my trash can... poultry frames are tossed out and by morning they are gone. Even the crumbs from the bottom of a box of crackers go out with the birdseed, and I buy over a thousand pounds of birdseed each year, and suet cakes by the case. I buy big bags of in-shell roasted peanuts, the bluejays and squirrels enjoy those. I buy food for the local animal shelter too. I spend quite a bit of money on feeding critters, that's my charity, I don't give charity to people organizations, because very little goes for good use, people steal and lie, animals don't have pockets and they never lie. Too many times I've sent money to people charities and found out that they are totally phoney, especially those that claim to help children in third world countries under the umbrella of a religion, they are absolutely a scam.

A new moocher to contend with, what a cutie:
http://i46.tinypic.com/2lkr390.jpg
He had better hide.

Could have fooled me, Teresa, your garden looks like it's been there forever, it looks very mature so no need to appologize for it's newness. And I always tell new homeowners to get their basic plantings and hardscaping in first, trees and shrubs take a long time to grow and smaller specimens cost a lot less than their more mature versions, are easier to plant, and a lot easier to hardscape when folks are younger. Save the indoor renovations for winter. Thank you for sharing your garden.

And I thought I lived rural. There seems to be not another soul around. There looks to be a lot of interesting plants but no people, it must get lonely.

I've been kind of busy today so I didn't have time to stir the FG pot. The weather was good, about 65 deg so I took advantage by attempting to power wash the little rental cottage I have on my property (still available if anyone needs a nice place in The Catskills). It really wasn't a great day as by 3 PM the temperature dropped down to about 45 degs, there was no sun all day, and was windy. But I perservered and was able to wash the front and one side, the north and west sides were covered with the most mildew... the north side (front) never gets any sun and the west side only has a narrow walkway between the detached garage, no sun in there either, but I digress. A few weeks ago I finally broke down and bought a power washer, should have bought one years ago. I did a lot of thinking before deciding on an electric model, I already have enough fueled motors to care for, and I really didn't need one with commercial power and a mile high price. So I ordered this, works great and has all the good features, such as two soap tanks, rolls about easy, and like many others that stand upright this one has a low profile so won't tip over. Anyone needs a power washer I can recommend this: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007DAZKR8/ref=oh_details_o01_s00_i00
I worked for three hours and would have finished the job but it got too cold to deal with the wind and cold spray on my glasses... it was actuallay fun seeing how nicely the schmutz peeled away. Next opportunity I will finish and tackle my house, but with the weather forecast that could well be after this winter. I'm extremely pleased with this little machine... they make a smaller model but I think this larger one is the much better choice. This is the company's web site, but they don't sell there, Amazon has a good price and free shipping: http://powerworkstools.com/pressure-washers.php
I did enough today, was a good Veteran's Day.

pattyspencer: I like lots of open space inside and out. I abhor clutter. And I'm not an accumulator, if I don't need something I toss it in the trash. Outdoor I don't like plants all crowded together, I have the woods for that.
Michelle, I will try to post more cat pictures.
I'm glad you both liked my pictures.

Oh, my... Chistine is on her way to becoming a Jolly Green Farmer. What a terrific crop, love your collage. The birds will enjoy your sunflowers. Perhaps you'll consider clearing some of those trees to let in more sun. Thnank you for sharing, Christine.

My gardening is about finished for this year, winter is around the corner. My back yard after the last mowing of the season; shows my veggie garden all harvested, my new fenced-in Acer griseum is doing well, one of the gingkos I planted, two young London Plane trees I planted ten years ago as bare root seedlings, a young weeping copper leaf beech, another new Fat Albert Colorado blue spruce, etc.:
http://i48.tinypic.com/o5cj6s.jpg
http://i45.tinypic.com/o6iioz.jpg
http://i47.tinypic.com/2nsnm8l.jpg
Sorry, it's already rented:
http://i45.tinypic.com/14dpqoo.jpg
That's better, head for your woods:
http://i50.tinypic.com/5p0aj9.jpg
Newt, my feral barn cat on the prowl:
http://i48.tinypic.com/1z23wvp.jpg
My Jilly, what a ham:
http://i49.tinypic.com/15xclv.jpg
Tha, tha, tha, that's all folks:
http://i48.tinypic.com/24fcww5.jpg

Jan, that's a great sculpture of mother with child. And I like all that bright white, shows off all your plantings and makes the space appear larger. Thank you for sharing. And Vojt, there are many cold hardy birds of paradise, put out a bird feeder! LOL I know quite a few of my neighbors are snow birds but personally I couldn't, I enjoy all the seasons too much and wouldn't want to miss even one day, and I especially love winter, everything blanketed in pristine white makes this a winter paradise. The thing is that several of my snowbird neighbors have become elderly and living in two places has become too much for them so one by one they have given up their southern abode and come home.

Perfectly sophisticated... does exactly what it's supposed to do, no more, no less. Kudos!

Water spewing from that boulder of epic proportions is very biblical, the neighbors must think Cecil B. DeMille lives there, or at least Charlton Heston. That sort of waterscaping is a bit too much Hollywood kitsch for my taste. From the road that monolith is an outragious way to gain a little privacy, I'd have planted a bush. I know I will receive flak but I must say that rock with water gushing from it planted in the front yard the goulish way it is (a la Disney) to me evokes a pyschosis. Sorry, but that's how I see it... I almost expect Tony Curtis shepherding goats and tootling a flute to emerge from behind that rock. LOL

Some very interesting landscaping concepts. I like that last photo.

I like the view from your deck... what are those two tall multi-trunk trees? And your raised bed veggie garden is very neat, especially that cage with a door. I cage some of my veggies with a cylinder of turkey wire, it lifts off. Clare, your garden is amazing, thank you for sharing.

Clare, it's difficult to be precise regarding geometry from a photograph on a monitor (being two dimensional), so being how your husband measures about one inch and the tree measures about four inches and allowing for depth (the tree is further away) I'd guess your tree is about 35-40 feet tall. Most weeping cheery trees one sees are of the type amidst your daffs. Those don't grow much taller than 8' but become fuller and their trunk attains a relatively large caliper, perhaps a foot or more in diameter. There is quite a bit of information on the net about weeping higan cherry, here's one: http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/55696/
I love your garden, but you two must work your tails off from sunup til sundown. Soon the snow will start, you'll be able to take a break. I'm done with mowing for 2012, yesterday I removed my mower, attached my front loader, and put on my snow plow, I'm ready.

After doing some research I've discovered that's a Weeping Higan Cherry: http://plantfacts.osu.edu/pdf/0247-908.pdf

Clare, your garden looks very Botanicesque, I bet you could charge admission. It's hard to believe you two do all that on weekends only, everything looks spectacular. My only question is about your huge weeping cherry, are you positive it's a cherry tree, it doesn't have the growing habit of any weeping cherry I've ever seen. Isn't weeping cherry a graft, and grows like the small one you have among your daffodils. Enjoy your weekend, everyone.

I love fall. Each fall a few leaves from my red maple blow into my garage and I leave them there as a reminder throughout winter. Kathy's compositions are quite remarkable and the detail is stunning, thank you.

Here is my favorite spruce tree, a 65th birthday gift:
http://i50.tinypic.com/2yyeh42.jpg

Michelle, I don't blame you for knocking on that door, what a welcoming pocrh, and doubly welcoming with all that gorgeous flora.. they even left their hospitality light on for you... means they have electric, people I know don't have have power. My friend on Long Island in Port Washington has no power and it's estimated it won't be back for two weeks. All the roads are closed, under water, so people can't get out to shop. It's cold and they have no heat, he collects tropical fish and they are dying. I told him to be thankful, that people have lost a lot more than a few fish. I hope this is a lessen for the richest country on the planet to do a lot more to reinforce its infrastructure, I firmly believe that much of the destruction was fully preventable... and *everyone*, do NOT put off removing those big old trees near your house.


Here is my Redspire Pear in spring:
http://i50.tinypic.com/2dkbb6f.jpg

So far I haven't lost power (very grateful) but my old APC battery back-up has been cutting out so I'll refrain from staying on line much until the new one arrives. I'm very glad to have had all the big old trees removed had they fallen would have hit the house (seven huge trees removed when I first moved here), everyone else needs to do the same... then plant new trees and of appropriate growing size.

The damage caused by Sandy is horrendous and will need weeks, even months to repair. I'm very happy so few people were hurt. Everyone, now is the time to tend to any measures for damage control... an ounce of prevention... do not wait until the next time.

Here is a picture of one of my ornimental pear trees, Redspire. The light was poor due to rain but had I waited all its deep red foilage would have blown away.
http://i45.tinypic.com/23kdge0.jpg

I'm glad you're enjoying my pictures. I've been very busy preparing for Sandy, battening down the hatches. Of all times this is the day my APC battery back up decided to die, it lasted six years, I didn't realize I've had it that long. Fortunately I saved my old under powered one and it still works, just can't plug in anything extra. I phoned APC and they have a trade-up progarm so I ordered a new larger unit.

So far the weather here in The Catskills is wet and blustery, the wind is kicking up and the rain is coming down harder, and I expect the rain and wind to increase shortly. But I'm very happy I'm no longer living on Long Island. Everyone stay safe.

Full size:
http://i47.tinypic.com/dftyth.jpg

All that lush grass makes me want to give up my lawnmower... looks fantastic!


Red maple in my front yard, bottom neatly pruned by deer.

A better picture:
http://i50.tinypic.com/nl8jo9.jpg

Ms. Neat lives here! Heather, your labors of love shine through. I really like all your various conifers. What looks like a Norway spruce behind your basketball hoop is magnificent. Thank you for sharing.

Maple dropping leaves.

It's settled, next year I'm planting a pumpkin patch! Maybe next year your neighbor can display their pumpkins at Bikini Beach. LOL

Walked about in the drizzle yesterday, here's my Acer griseum bark.

Fall in NYS is my favorite time of year too, signals that the heavy yard work is over and I get to enjoy all the changing colors as my trees begin their hibernation. It's been raining constantly here in the Catskills the past six weeks and more rain coming this week but there was enough of a break the past two days for me to get in my last mowing of the year... and just in the nick of time as it began raining while I was putting the tractor back in the barn. I like Terie's blue slate walk, offers an interesting effect and the bluebirds look great on the sumac. And the reflecting pond is fantastic. Thank you, Terie.

Barbara, your garden looks very relaxed and low maintenence... weeds pop up just smother them with a bathtub! lol I really like that bathtub with a shower, great kitch. One thing I'd suggest to let more sun in is to remove a lot of those old spindly limbless conifers, they are also dangerous so near your house as they're shallow rooted and with all their resistance on top and growing is sandy soil they'd come down easily in a wind. I'd take down all of them and plant some shorter growing conifers and small understory trees, redbud forest pansy does very well in partial shade. Thank you for sharing.

I didn't realize there are so many different dahlias. A difficult decision but I think I like Sherwood's Peach best.

This is my Peachie.

I love the pastel like autumn hues of the grasses and the softened textures of the photos. Northern sea oats is a good composition as is sedum. Thank you for sharing, John. And a great weekend to all.

susanc648: To save a picture simply right click on the picture and then click "save picture as", then open your picture file and 'save' the picture to a file. It's best to first enlarge the picture to it's largest size.

Jan's pots are gorgeous. I can't choose a favorite... I like the stone face but I also like that you grew a pineapple. Pineapples (bromeliads) are native to Central America. They were brought to Hawaii about 1900 in an attempt at farming. As it turned out over time Hawaii's real estate became much too valuable for farming so nowadays most pinapple are grown in the Philappines. Field ripened pineapple are too fragile to ship so about the only place one can taste fresh field ripened pineapple is near to where they are grown. The pinepple one finds at US mainland markets were picked green and once picked pineapple does not ripen further, instead they ferment, they seem to become a bit sweeter but actually do not produce more sugar... they should be eaten within about three days or they will become rotten. Jan's pineapple was so sweet because it had ripened on her plant. Store your store bought pineapple leaves down, gravity will redistribute the fruit's sugar more equally throughout. The vast majority of field ripened pineapple are canned. The bromelin in pineapple is used as a meat tenderizer, if you value your lips, when preparing pineapple do not suck the juice or attempt to eat the clinging flesh from pineapple rinds... most of the bromelin is concentrated just beneath the rind, it will shred your lips.

For a better view put this into your browser:
http://i50.tinypic.com/syqyxu.jpg

This is the view from the porch of that Montana cabin. At the time all I had was a simple film camera, so I took three shots thinking some day I'd stitch them together to make a sort of panaramic view, and tonight was the night. My scanner was only able to capture two photos, and some was cropped out by the Fine Gardening software, so this was the best I could do. If you click on my name a new window will open that has a larger view.

GreenGrowler: Teddy Roosevelt's grand daughter was Patricia A. Manetsch. I never met her in person or even spoke with her on the phone. All correspondance was through the realtor and by snail mail. Her big thing was that she didn't want to pay the capital gains tax. I offered to pay it but she simply didn't want there to be any tax levied on the sale of that property... I tried mightily but couldn't persuade her to sell. It was listed at only $100K, I thought it was a bargan. I even promised her I would leave it as I found it, no improvements. There was no indoor plumbing, just an outhouse. Water was from a spring. In warm weather refrigertaion was a wooden box built into the spring. Heat was a wood burning cook stove. I haven't been back, I assume the cabin is still there, or so I'd like to think. It was a beautiful property, virgin forest, never been logged.

A cornicopia of flowers! I only wish the lighting was better, would be magnificent had a sunny day been chosen.

Annek: One of the flexible tripods works well. fits in a handbag.
http://www.amazon.com/Joby-GP1-A1EN-GorillaPod-Flexible-Tripod/dp/B000EVSLRO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1350421767&sr=8-1&keywords=camera+tripod+flexible

That log cabin is located on 54 acres on the western shore of Spoon Lake (aka 9 Mile Lake) in Colombia Falls, MT... built by and belonged to President Roosevelt. It was listed for sale and I tried to buy it from his grand daughter, Patricia, but in the end she wouldn't part with it... she passed on some ten years ago and I don't know what happened to that property but apparently many very expensive homes have been built by that lake, when I last visited (~1988) it was total wilderness, only that cabin was on the lake... I still have some letters from Patricia.

Great fall color! I like the third photo down on the right, good composition and the only one showing a bit of that big sky country. The watery scene below it would have been postcard perfect had it been shot up from the ground to include some sky. Often to get good photos one much get into some uncomfortable positions. Most of the shots of individual plantings would turn out far better if one were to take the picture while prone down on the ground, even better using one of those small inexpensive tripods. When I go on a photo walk about I carry one of those gardener's kneeling cushions, especially useful when the ground is wet. Thank you for sharing your Montana, Kielian.

Plant_Paradise: I've tried several deer repellent sprays but they are not nearly 100% effective, some don't seem to work at all. So I use fencing, I've discovered that fencing is the only thing that works 100%. And that "Plantskydd is pricey, so I suppose if one writes it off on a business then the cost is not so bad. The thing is since I know there are no guarantees with those repellants I'm not willing to gamble and lose any of my specimen plants, on years with bad winters the deer will eat everything they can get to. Your plants are much less of an investment and are more easily replaceable as you have many of the same, my favorites are one of a kind and have been growing a long time so I'm not going to take the risk. And the plant nurserys around here also use deer fencing enclosing their acreage, whether they have 20 acres or 120 acres, repellent sprays are too costly, too laborious, and too much of a gamble. And no one wants to go around spraying in winter with many feet of snow on the ground and trhat is when deer are mor elikely to be famished and will dig down to get every bit of plant they can find I've found fencing is not very expensive, lasts 30-40 years, and once it's in place requires no labor. Anyway I like your array of plants, and I wish you the best for your business.
Btw, that lump under my sugar maple is a doe, the software clipped out part. And I noticed that changes were made to this site, but still it won't remember my log on.

Allow me to be first to commend Lorraine for starting a wonderful small business that she and I'm sure her husband built themselves. I really like the under deck garden, a good use of space that most use for storing junk... at first glance I thought what deck... but then realized it was way up atop those posts. My only question is are there no deer on those 24 acres in what appears to be mostly conifer woods? I know I could never grow those perennials here unless well fenced... the deer even keep my trees pruned to the perfect height... there's a newly planted sugar maple.

GreenGrowler: I couldn't resist, but I meant no harm. My only reasons for not liking expanses of gravel is because it goes down a zillion times easier than it can be removed and it tends to migrate. I would prefer flagstone or pavers with spaces where small plants and moss can grow, otherwise organic mulch that can be perodically replenished or easily removed to change the landscape.
That's a picture of the 2 1/2 acre field at the side of my property, that dark swarth is a seasonal spring fed stream that I often can't mow until it dries some... it passes along side my vegetable garden so even in a drought I don't need to water.

Carolyn, I really like how your garden has matured over the years, your plants look well established yet not overgrown. I especially like your assortment of conifers, all types and sizes and lookinbg so naturalized. It appears that you are located on the edge of farmland so your half acre extends forever. I like that last photo, looks like spring, with all the conifers just budding out and what looks like a mature azaelea in full bloom with a spectacular hue, and everything framed with soft organic mulch and lush green lawn. Oh, have your contractor plumb your weathervane, I notice it's a bit askew, detracts from your lovely architectural shingles, perhaps add a small cupola, with a copper roof, with age its patina will blend perfectly with the earth tone of your shingles. Gravel, what gravel,I never noticed any gravel. LOL

pattyspencer: You're doing better than me, I have to log back on almost every time, even if I leave the site for ten minutes when I return I need to log on again. For a while I was feeling paranoid like I was going to be locked out for something I said. Anyway we're quite the team, we both like the filing cabinet. I like to attend the local auction where I often pick up interesting stuff at good prices, and even if I end up with nothing it's a fun time.
http://mooneys.net/

Ingenious recycling! I really like that raised bed file cabinet, and those two eclectic chairs guarding the pallet table, with the herbal gnome. It looks like a lot of time was spent scouring yard sales for bargains, maybe even the town dump, but it's amazing how the Newman's injected new life into what appears to be others discards... I'm hearing the theme from Twilight Zone with Serlings voice invoking that upcoming sci fi hit, "Transform!". I also have a penchant for discards, to wit my ancient Brooklyn 2 cent plain bottle.

Kaia is a natural photographer, good composition and somehow knows to have some sky in her shots. Photo quality is lacking but that's the fault of the phone camera, not hers. She's ready for a real camera. And Kaia is a very pretty girl, take lots of pictures of her, years from now you'll both be glad you did.

pattyspencer: At this point I think it best to let Newt be. Plus I don't think Newt would want to become a house cat. I have five cats that never go out so I don't think it would be a good match. Meanwhile I'll continue to provide Newt a cozy home in my barn and food. Also a few cats visit and I'm sure Newt visits them, probably check out each others menu. Oh, I forgot, my beef barley mushroom soup gets a few bay leaves too.

My feral barn cat, Newt, was out patroling and came close enough for me to get a decent picture. Newt usually stays close to the barn and patrols the back fields but occasionally comes close to the house and prowls my vegetable garden for moles, usually after dark but this time being cooler weather was heading in that direction. I'm glad Newt keeps to the rear of my property and stays away from the road. I bought Newt two more heavy wool blankets, like brand new and fresh from the dry cleaners at the local thrift shop for $5 each, a bargain. Newt needs to keep warm, winters here can be brutally cold. Newt was a skinny bag of bones at first but living in a cozy house in my barn out of the weather and being well fed every day Newt has filled out nicely.

What a grand way to recycle bowling balls. And I often see discarded bowling balls at yard sales for a buck and the next morning at the side of the road put out with the trash because no one buys them. I imagine millions of bowling balls are discarded each year, I'm wondering what else can be done to recycle them.

Planting new trees makes for a very rewarding experience while watching them evolve over the years albiet slowly. Trees are captivating through all seasons but I especially enjoy them at this time of year as their fall foliage peaks and in spring when the conifers burst forth with the magnificent hues of their new growth. Now I too have learned about the killdeer, I've not noticed it here in the Catskills but I'll have to keep an eye out.
http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birding/killdeer/

cwheat000: I think I paid like $1.39 for a pound of barley. I keep my pantry filled with barley and all kinds of dried beans and such, I never know when the mood will strike me to cook a big pot of something. I don't know how to cook small amounts, I still cook like it's for the crew, I can cook for four hundred easier than for four.

It rained all day but at about 5 PM the sun peeked out and I got a shot of my Kentucky coffee tree all golden, in the foreground is one of my gingkos that will soon be a lurid yellow.

I grow some mamouth sunflowers each year. Naturally I need to plant them behind a fence or the deer will eat them. In fact when I plant the seeds I need to place a chicken wire cage (quonset hut style) over the row or the birds will yank them out of the ground, crows love sunflower sprouts. I need to use the cage with several types of seeds; melon, winter squash, pumpkin, any of the larger seeds that people eat too. Once the seed heads have ripened I place them out for the birds, bluejays are the masters of sunflower seed eating. I've grown sunflowers with seed heads as large as trash can covers, a couple of bluejays can eat one clean within a few hours. The birds that would eat sunflower seeds can't get to them while they are still growing, the heads hang seed side down and with the sepals acting as a fence.

And so easy to make:
4 lbs top round trimmed of excess fat and small dice (~3/8")
1/2~ cup olive oil (for browning meat)
3 lbs pearl barley (rinsed)
1 lb carrots pared/diced
1 bunch celery sliced
4 medium onions diced
1 Tbls diced bells (red/green) dehys
1 Tbls parsley dehy
2 tsps dillweed dehy
1 Tbls marjoram dehy
Fresh ground black & white pepper, to taste
3 pkts Goya beef bouillion
Water to fill pot

Brown meat.
Add water and simmer about an hour to partially tenderize meat.
Then add everything else and simmer on lowest heat for several hours.
Stir occasionally, taste occasionally, adjust seasoning.
Actually nothing was accurately measured... sometimes I use fresh herbs, this time not. Everything prepped via chefs knife, no stinkin' food processor/mangler. I'll have plenty to freeze in quart containers, will make for wonderful winter meals.
If too thick freeze it that way, will take less freezer space, then dilute a bit when reheating.

cwheat000: I'm glad you enjoy my photos. Today I cooked a 16 quart potful of beef barley mushroom soup.

This electric pressure washer is plenty powerful enough for the homeowner: http://www.lowes.com/pd_336396-53393-51012_0__?productId=3295400&Ntt=pressure+washer+electric&pl=1¤tURL=%2Fpl__0__s%3FNtt%3Dpressure%2Bwasher%2Belectric&facetInfo=

Early this morning I spotted a turkey vulture soaring (magnificent fliers) and suddenly it decided to perch atop my barn, about 600' away... I rushed to get a picture before it departed...lighting was almost non existant and I didn't think I'd have time for a tripod, this was the best of three. This is a large bird; stands about 25", has a 60" wing span, and weighs about 4.5 pounds.

I too was immediately drawn to that hermit crab suculent in a conch shell. I also find very interesting what looks like a marble tile supportting what appears to be an opened geode as a focus for more succulents, and those cat's eye marbles add a finishing touch. All the colors are vibrant but I especially like that coral-orange. A grand display of interacting textures as well, as in the last, and in the third down, every one a winner. And great photo compositions. The only critique I have is something I plan to do myself and have been remiss this year but come spring for sure, pressure wash my concrete steps. Thank you for sharing, Tim.

Interesting settings. I'm curious about those light tan barked trees.

Fabulous flowers! Carla has created a magnificent palette of shapes and colors. More pictures with that azure sky please.

All those plantings go a long way to brighten up what would otherwise be ordinary parking spaces.

So many flowers, so little time! I too like that last photo with the lapiz clematis and white hydrangeas.

Amazing display! But I don't see even one pot. I'm curious about who lives in that bird cage.

First let me say that I'm still hopeful that the Log In "Remember Me" will get repaired.

Now onto this wonderful Wisconsin garden, there's so much good stuff on those three acres yet it doesn't seem crowded, thanks to the beauty of those swarths of green lawn that frame each area the same as a frame does a picture on the wall. Kudos on those great bird feeders and birdbath. Once again I want to thank Jacky and Lynn for sharing their creativity. Oh, and don't forget to take pictures with everything blanketed in pristine snow.

pattyspencer: I'm pretty certain that tree was struck by lightening during a recent storm. I didn't notice it until a few days later when I went to mow one of my paths and spotted its top portion laying across the path. I went out with a chainsaw so now it's gone. Every year several trees fall for one reason or another. Many just get old and die. Many in the forest become too tall and spindly reasching for the sun so fall from becoming top heavy. Some give up the ghost from trying to survive in wet areas. Usually in spring is when I have the most clean ups to tend to, the weight of the winter snows culls out the weak wood. I don't bother with those that fall in the forest, I only clean up those that fall where I mow.

Looks like all three acres are parked out, quite an undertaking for just two people in only nine years. It looks amazing and must take every waking hour to maintain. I love all the hardscaping, a monumental feat! And with all the trees and conifers I'd love to see your property in winter. Thank you, Jacky and Lynn. Oh, I'm not much into wine but you can fill that lovely birdbath with 2nis for me.

I definitely approve, Michelle, and as usual you always save the best for last. This glorious acre will keep me happy over the weekend, as I intend to return often to see what I missed. As Meander1 says this property looks like a lot more than one acre, and perfectly landscaped with open space in balance with planted areas. I love that understated bridge, proving less is more. I especially like the view from the pergola that also includes the bridge. And of course what more can I add about all those amazing critters, they're all fabulous. And that's the same tree frog that I encountered while removing a lightening struck tree last weekend, it splattered itself on my head and at first I didn't know what it was. Thank you Gregg and Kindra.

Yo, Jakeypoo, ain'tcha ever hoid the term "figure of speech"... it won't break yer face to smile once in a while, you'll live longer. I got something to ease the pain while you pull that pointy stick outta yer orifice... check out the crop I harvested today! LOL

SteepDrive: At least someone agrees... I wasn't going to mention that arbor but since Plant Lady 55 brought it up I don't like that either, it's huge, it's white, it sticks out like a sore thumb in the middle of nowhere... may be okay were it a muted shade and had lots of something growing on it. But those obelisks gotta go elsewhere. Otherwise it's a gorgeous property... needs no lily gilding.

My kind of garden, where one can sit back to observe a panoramic view from a distance, very relaxing and meditative. I know a lot of labor was invested into creating those obelisks but located as they are I find them highly offensive/intrusive, they look like high tension wire supports. I would place them somewhere else, perhaps closer to the house where they don't pollute that spectacular sweeping panorama with their harsh stark white no less, grrr. I know that if my neighbor erected those obelisks in my view I'd be out there in the middle of the night with my bow saw. Move those eyesores and instead plant a couple of small trees, weeping mulberry would blend in softly. If you must erect some kitch perhaps a small gazebo, off to the side, in earth tones. Sorry.

pattyspencer: Yes, the brazen bluejays are very entertaining. I love how they loudly announce their arrival, and that they stay the winter. Since a bear destroyed my birdfeeder I now use the table on my deck, I think it's much better and my cats spend hours watching the show every day, and there are so many different birds and squrrels too.

A wonderful array of color and texture, all the hard work and dedication is very evident. I noticed the succulent about to bloom, nearly everyone in Brooklyn had one in a cement pot on their stoop, with absolutely no care it sprouted each spring and mid summer put out a voluminous cushion of pink flowers. I have one here (for nostalgia) and is one of the few plants that is invasive in a kind way, leaves fall off and sprout but there is no root invasion... in winter it melts into the ground to hibernate. Keep up the good work, Kiah.

Annek: Thank you for the info about your name, I kept going back to reread thinking I must have missed something. I have no idea why I chose tractor1, when I subscribed here that was the first thing I thought of, my real name is Sheldon. And I didn't think the climate here would be suitable for growing those trees but I wasn't sure. I'd think much of the seasonal produce in Ecuador is imported the same as here in the US... I still remember when just about the only produce available in NY during winter were root vegetables, and from storage at that. Not all that much was shipped from the California and Florida, and what arrived took a long time by rail so wasn't in wonderful condition... the rail cars weren't refrigerated, thay were iced and re-iced along the way through a series of hatches in the roof. Air transportation and modern refrigeration has made a huge difference to what foods are available.

An amazing produce market, I want to sample them all... just look at the size of those red radishes, snow white cauliflower, and perfect broccoli. Ducks, llamas, flora, fauna, an adventurer's dream. Thank you, Kielian.

I always find Nat Geo contributions facinating. That countryside doesn't look as tropical as I first imagined, I suppose due to the elevation, which leads me to wonder whether those interesting trees would survive the fridgid Catskill winters, or do they not get hard freezes there? That's a very picturesque countryside, actually looks very much like north west Montana in summer (Kalispell?). Now I'm confused, is Annek and Kielian DeWitt one and the same?

That's a lovely assortment of plants. I like the stone house. I only with the photography was better. I can see the pot with the caterpilar plant but I can barely make out the plant.

That's a very nice woodsy property. And I wouldn't call that house small.

I spent the afternoon mowing my back field.

My goodness, that's quite an accomplishment getting a spruce tree to grow sixty feet tall in so confined a space and abuting a wall, where are its roots? And most types of spruce trees simply don't grow that tall even under ideal conditions. I have many Norway spruce growing here right out in the open that were planted fifty years ago but I doubt many are sixty feet tall.

This must be the week of miniatures. That's a lovely garden created in a very small space. In the 3rd picture down I'm wondering if that's a living tree trunk or a hewn log used for effect. I know from my own experience that many city apartment buildings have these air shafts. However typically at the ground floor apartment level there'd be a grate, whereas the ground (typically paved) would only be accesible from the basement below for clean out. As to the many floors above there'd be many windows from which some toss trash into the air shaft. My memory of such space is they are typically dirty, smelly, and filled with trash and vermin... they were far from a safe place to sit let alone construct a garden. Anyone who remembers the Molly Goldberg sitcom from the '50s they'd know that the building's air shaft was the main communications conduit. For me this is an anomoly.

From the new growth on the spruce it must be early summer. It's a challenge gardening at those higher elevations, especially when water is scarce during summer but I see those hoses. Great job.

How wonderful, reminds me of my great uncle's hobby, he created miniature gardens in tiny containers, in toothpaste caps and the like. He worked with tweezers, and a jeweler's loupe. He lived in a tiny apartment in Brownsville, NY, all his creations were in his kitchen window. He'd collect mosses and lichens from vacant lots and what he could pick from sidewalk cracks and planted seeds from fruit. Some of his larger gardens were in sardine tins, medicine bottles held terrariums. He'd use bits of mirrors and broken glass to create water features. There was an article about him in the NY Daily Mirror magazine section, this was long ago, in the early 1950s, I was barely ten years old but I remember loving when my my parents would visit so I could see his gardens. I searched for the article thinking it would be in the archieves but alas the NY Daily Mirror is no longer. Thank you, Susan, for sharing your work and for evoking fond memories.

Meander1: I'm sorry for the spelling error, it's "lath".
http://www.lowes.com/ProductDisplay?partNumber=11811-46086-715169&langId=-1&storeId=10151&productId=3374310&catalogId=10051&cmRelshp=req&rel=nofollow&cId=PDIO1

The screws are called "lath screws".

Meander1: I don't think the mastic is so much the problem as the very different expansion coeffients of hard tile and PVC, especially when outdoors where temperatures fluctuate constantly and widely. I wouldn't glue th etile directly to the PVC. I think I would cover the PVC pipe with some sort of metal mesh (hardware cloth?)and adhere the tiles to the mesh... wire lathe that plasterers use would probably work well, you can attach the lathe with just a few small sheetmetal screws, just be sure they're short enough that the points don't protrude into the interior (there are also self-tapping screws that don't have points). Tiles will adhere to wire lathe with the same mastic tilers use for outdoor swimming pools. This is only a suggestion but I'm pretty certain this will work... I'd hate to see your tiling fall off the PVC with the first cold snap. Wire lathe is inexpensive and can be easily cut with small sheet metal snips.

Antonio: You're right, the log in remembered me all night but then forgot me just now when I returned. The larger picture is nice, would be even better if it enlarged when clicked like those here, I think it would make a nice feature for contributors to share photos... I know, I sound greedy! LOL

Those are the twins that were born here this year, frollicing about one of my gingkos.

Gotta thank Ries, the site remembered me over night, and the thumbnail now displays much larger... good work!

That's some serious greenhousing! There's a lot growing on that one acre yet it doesn't appear cramped, there're enough lawn areas so one can stand back and soak it all in with perspective. And I know exactly how the Sislows overcame the drought, lots of hose time, think I mistook (yes, that's a word, had to look it up) that hose in picture 11 for a garden snake? That's a lovely garden, and shows tremendous effort, thank you.

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

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

Try this:
http://www.reelmowersetc.com/residential_light_com
mercial_gang_reel_mower.htm

http://www.deere.com/wps/dcom/en_INT/products/equipment/f
airway_mowers/5_gang_reel_mowers/1905/1905.page

GreenGrowler: Push reel mowers are nice if you have a very small lawn and don't mind the workout. Reel mowers work well if one has a very nice turf (golf course grade) and you are willing to mow often, they don't do well with tall grass, they are not good for mowing more than 1" per cut, so you pretty much need to mow every 2-3 days. Reel mowers give a better cut than rotary mowers because reel mowers shear rather than whack off the the grass leaving a mangled end on each blade of grass that will quickly brown. There are many companys that sell push reel mowers, here's one:
http://www.leevalley.com/US/garden/page.aspx?p=10190&cat=2,2160,51170,10190

If you have a very nice estate type yard you can mow like they do at the finer golf courses, with gang reel mowers towed behind garden tractors or even larger machines.
http://www.reelmowersetc.com/residential_light_commercial_gang_reel_mower.htm
The beast:
http://www.deere.com/wps/dcom/en_INT/products/equipment/fairway_mowers/5_gang_reel_mowers/1905/1905.page

Michelle, it all depends on what you use to mow. For small bits of lawn here and there a light weight push mower should do it in about thirty minutes, but if you need to push a mower for much more than 30 minutes then you really need a riding mower, and if your property is fairly level then consider one of those new zero turn mowers, they are terrific for mowing around things. My neighbor bought one last year and it cut his mowing time in half... works for him because he has a lot of things about to mow around. I mow with two tractors (I'm partial to Kubota), one large one with a seven foot rear mower and a smaller tractor with a five foot belly mower... and I still use a push mower in some areas and a string trimmer too. The one thing you don't want is a self propelled mower, they are much too heavy to use in confined areas. Being in NY growing conditions are the same as Connecticut. The last people who lived here mowed the meadow with goats and sheep, most of the rest was in hay, very dirty, buggy, loaded with pollen, and after cut leaves the land with nothing but ugly stubble. I enjoy the mowing, maybe because I'm retired, I have the time. Speaking of retirement, I don't understand why so many people who really enjoy gardening choose to live on such small lots that they need to squeeze in and jumble everything together one plant atop another, especially those who are retired. Me, I'd rather mow from an air conditioned cab than spending the day on my hands and knees weeding. And I still have plenty of room for gardening, but before I plant anything I consider how it will fit into my mowing pattern. Last week I planted an open spot in a hedgerow with Norway spruce and juniper, these were volunteers I plucked from the foundation plantings in front of my house, they didn't belong there but I hated to throw them out... I didn't notice them until I worked in those beds pruning shrubs, they were growing up into my muhgo pines. My property at first looks like all lawn but with all the forest hedgerows, rock walls,and paths I created there are literally miles of edges where there are interesting plants growing that would go unnoticed without walking about.

I've been spending some time perusing Jean's pictures and noticed in the first one what looks like a peach? tree that's half dead, I'd trim off the dead portion, it should put out new growth and fill out. I'd also like to know what those trees are in front of Jean's lovely old farm house, the larger one to the left looks interesting. Jean has a lot of interesting plantings, I wish they were identified.
Thank you, Jean.

After reading the lawn comments I must say that I come from a very different perspective, I like wide expanses of lawn, and I have no problem with maintenence, how hard is it to mow? I mow ten acres of lawn area once a week all through the growing season, and all I do is mow, no watering, no chems, no fertilizer except that deposited by the critters, and no edging, from a distance it looks edged. My lawn is no specail kind of grass, actually it isn't much real grass, it's every kind of flora that decides to grow, but when mowed it's neat and green, on a sunny day so green it hurts ones eyes. I have flower beds and shrubs around my house, and I tend to the plantings along my creek (three hundred feet each side, mostly wild flowers and daffodils in spring, things the critters dont't eat). I have a large vegetable garden that keeps me busy, and I have a three acre wildflower meadow that I rough mow once a year in late summer/early fall to keep it healthy and to help it reseed, in fact I mowed it last week, takes most of a day bouncing around on a tractor... rough mowing a wildflower meadow with mulching blades creates a layer of mulch from the six foot plus growth and at the same time ensures a greater quantity of seeds get planted, seed heads left on the stems most get eaten by birds, by mowing about half get distributed in the mulch with half laying on the surface, while I'm mowing the birds arrive to feast. I mow the wildflower meadow at a six inch height, so as not to harm the many small critters that call it home; all kinds of frogs, snakes, moles, mice, and many insects... there are several small vernal ponds in the meadow too. I have quite a bit of forest area that I pretty much let be except for removing fallen trees. I have several specimen trees planted but I like them to have lots of space to reach their full potential and so that I can enjoy them without other trees impinging on their space. I don't like the cluttered landscape look, it all together has to make one picture rather than many disconnected pockets. I don't have an obsession with having one of everything, especially not indoors either, I like lots of empty space in my closets and cupbords, and I don't like too much furniture, I don't like to feel like I'm living in a rummage sale.

Just snapped this view from my PC... my mowed meadow is beyond that rock wall.

Josefly, that close button is not really all that noticeable until you know it's there... it's in a much smaller font than the Shop Our Store right next to it, and that yellow "<" looks like a decoration/garnish. I think the Close would be more noticeable were it in a rectangle like the Subscribe rectangle at the other side along with the direction arrow in the rectangle (it really should say Hide bar). However I never found anything about that bar annoying, I never paid it any mind until today... I'll likely never hide it. I just scrolled all the way to teh bottom of the page, the fine Gardening banner at the left does cover a few words but nothing I need to know about.

Antonio_Reis: thank you for looking into the log on and photo features.

Antonio_Reis: I'm befuddled about what exactly is bothersome about the Fine Gardening bar at the bottom of the page, I never noticed it until now... all one needs to do in order to read is scroll. duh This makes me wonder how some manage to read a book since they need to turn pages. And when the pictures are enlarged the bar disappears.

The only thing that irks me is that the software doesn't keep me Logged On for very long even though I check that little box... I get annoyed having to constantly type my email and password... and it's not consistant as sometimes when I power down and boot up the next day it will hold over night, other times it won't hold for even an hour even though I'm still on line, just not at this site. No one else uses my computer so I'd rather stay logged on.

Another feature that I think can be improved is when one clicks on the user name the the little thumbnail comes up a little larger on the new page, I think it would be nice were it to come up a lot larger so that more detail can be viewed... and then it wouldn't chop the top of your head off. lol

Ahh, a tree does grows in Brooklyn, and a lot more... I was born and grew up in Brooklyn. I spent many a day at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden where as a young lad I volunteered to plant bulbs, pull weeds, rake leaves, etc., and that's where I purchased vegetable seeds for my mom to plant in her tiny city lot garden. My favorite feature were those magnicent greenhouses, now I wonder if they still exist... I haven't been back for some fifty years. Very nice cabbages, I love cole slaw. Ellen, thanks for a peek into your garden and for the memories.

Mom in her garden.

Wow, how bright, where are my 'shades'? What a color palette, almost blinding. And if studio27art is wondering how those pots are fed to make their babies so healthy I'd venture with love and they're breastfed! LOL I really do like Verna's Little Boy Blue pond, it fits in perfectly, not at all pretentious. And that deck receives loving care too, looks like Michaelangelo Built That, and applies the wood preservative too. Those ladders are a great idea, won't be long Verna will put in a spiral staircase... two... one going up and another coming down. I think Verna's favorite color is blue, lapis lazuli blue! Thank you Verna... as someone said recently "You make my day".

Formandfoliage: At the Cady's Falls Nursery web site there are sections with wonderful seasonal pictures. I only wish I lived a bit closer.

Cady's Falls Nursery is outstanding with its plant selections and displays, I enjoyed their web site immensely, and most especially their conifers in winter... there you will see why I'm forever suggesting folks in the northern climes plant conifers.

What a spectacular Wyoming sky! You seem to be well on your way to creating your garden, it's already taking on shape. And I like your fiber art a lot. Phillippa , now that you're in Wyoming you need to take up serious knitting, winters there are long and fridgid, you'll need some warm garments. I've been to Wyoming several times, I love the western parts. And I've eaten in Cody at a small family run Chinese restaurant, a memorable experience for sure. Thank you and send more pictures when you can.

Kimberly has accomplished a herculean task in so short a time, everything looks wonderful, from the distant vistas, to the gorgeous setting, and so many lush plantings. Plant several more of those spruce, their color is magnificent and the deer don't eat them.

What a great Nat Geo contribution.

meander1: The pool is their man made water feature, and it's not New Hampshire, in Florida a swimming pool is natural/normal. LOL That's one of the things I love about that garden, that they didn't squeeze in so many plants as so many professional landscapers wont to do (the more plants the larger the bill) that it looks like the plant nursery at a Lowe's garden center. Leslie has a very good eye for arrangement and how she relates the plants proves that she is a master gardener... and hubby must be a board certified plastic surgeon, everything pruned with precision yet natural. I like Leslies planter pots too, not so many plants squeezed in so that the individual plants are lost among each other. I think Leslie needs to plant a couple three semi dwarf citrus trees, I can't here in NY or I most certainly would; lemon, tangerine, and kumquat... I love saying kumquat, I love eating kumquat too.

Oh my, I have to vote Leslie's the nicest garden I've seen here, it's harmonious with wonderful balance. I like the spacial element that so many seem to ignore, here the plants aren't all crowded and jumbled together yet they belong in their place near to each other. This is one of the few gardens presented here that is truly serene and relaxing to view. I enjoy all the details and how neatly everything is groomed but without being obvious, a very natural setting. And thank you very much for describing the size of the property and your honesty for telling how it began with some professional help, albiet one would never think it because it's not at all pretentious... Leslie, your property says real people live here... thank you.

Fantastic stonework with a very broad array of unique and mature plantings, very professionally configured and maintained... my immediate impression is that it was started 18 years ago by writing a massive boulder sized check to a major landscaping company.

So many plants, so little time. Everything looks very lush and I love all those birdbaths. I'd replace those fallen trees with dense conifers, they add winter interest and terific homes for the birds that winter over. Thank you, Jill.

I like that vegetable garden, I wish more contributors would include pictures of their vegetable gardens. I'm curious about that wave of deep reddish plants standing tall in that sea of green. My vegetable garden is suffering this year, too hot and dry for nearly all the first two months of this short growing season, and during droughts the fauna desimate more flora, the crows plucked all my pepper seedlings. Karin's son's vegetable garden looks very lush, as does everything else. Thank you, Karin.

Beth, I came back to look at your pictures more leisurely, I'm hoping in the future that you share some picures of the back of your house. I noticed that large tree next to your Luve Shack, what kind of tree is it and is it in good condition, it looks old. And it appears that it's got vines growing on it (English ivy?), I would remove those as they will sap the nutrients from the tree and eventually kill it... just a suggestion. I see the two ladders right there so I needn't suggest you paint your shed, two coats. LOL Boxwoods are really a large shrub, often pruned into various configurations, mostly privacy hedges, perhaps yours were too old and gnarly or you just wanted them gone. I would plant a small specimen tree in your front yard as replacement, something that won't shade your flower beds, maybe a semi-dwarf conifer or a witch hazel. I like old farm houses, they are interesting. Oh, it's day time and I see your Luv Shack light is lit, and the blinds are drawn, I wonder what that means. ;)

That's a very fine example of the classic farm house that seems to be in the process of rehabing, I the new roofing. All the plantings in the beds look very attractive and healthy. Hurry up and put in your vegetable garden so it will be ready for planting come spring. Beth, enjoy your new home and thank you for sharing.

My kind of garden, has that DIY relaxed look rather than obvious professionally done uptight pretentiousness. It's very refreshing to hear someone indicate what elements were professionally done rather than imply by their silence that they did all the major earth moving, boulder placement, and mature tree planting. I love the tiered decking, everything about it, and blackeye susans everywhere are one of my favorite 'deerpruf' flowers. I see two empty deck chairs waiting for me and a friend. Thank you Ann, for a peek at your scrumptious garden.

It's extremely easy to rehab a leaky birdbath, a metal or glass insert, which are readily available for little money, will remedy the situation quickly with little effort... in fact a liner makes maintaining a birdbath much easier. Birds don't want deep water, especially not small song birds, a 2" depth is plenty... waterfowl don't get into birdbaths however Canada geese, mallards, and several large birds drink from mine during droughts. Water is very important for the survival of birds (all critters). Birdbath water should be changed daily and the bath scrubed clean with a stiff brush, use no cleaning compounds. Using a birdbath for a planter is extremely offensive to nature (like using a bible for a trivet) and should be so to anyone who claims to be into gardening. I would have given instructions but figured it's common sense for mature adults. For anyone who doesn't appreciate me or my contributions here guess what two woids I have for yoose.

All very attractive planters, except using a birdbath outdoors for a planter is something I find offends my sensibilities... and that particular arrangement isn't even attractive.

Leslie, I love your gorgeous flamboyant flamingos, who'd a thunk tipsy purple! And your fountain birdbaths are serendipitous, they appear handmade by a potter... is that tequila I see flowing? And all your plants are thriving. I'm so glad you remained unscathed by the fire. Thank you for sharing.

Yes, cwheat000, that salacious eggplant got lots of comments. I attempt a vegetable garden every year, some years the results are better than others, mostly due to the weather. My vegetable garden is 2,500 sq ft, really too large and produces too much, so a few years ago I gave up a third to growing a dozen blueberry bushes. On another note, I also have a nice 800 sq ft cottage available for rent ($750 + utils), if anyone is serious about living in the northern Catskills, it's quiet, plenty of privacy and elbow room, and lots of gardening possibilities.

I'm trying to wrap my mind around how growing plants just for the sake of growing plants with no goal torwards structure is gardening. Melissa needs some acreage, like 40.

A lovely assortment of flora, and I went back to view Pam's fauna, all fabulous. Now I'm hoping to see that crick, and I'm wondering what nectar is flowing in those two large barrels. Thank you, Pam.

I don't think that's a destination where one visits, that's a destination where one remains. I see someone reserved those Adirondack chairs for me, thank you.

I dug this boulder out of my lawn in 2006, maybe if I relocate and position it I can use it for a boulder beast too. The darn thing weighs about a ton, my tractor's front loader strained to lift it. But I didn't waste the crater it left, I used it to plant a Redbud Forest Pansey.

Fantastic creations, all wonderful. Those boulder beasts with their fountain blowholes are spectacular. And Jolly Green with Green Kitty look very happy. Amaze Me Lawn is great. Michelle, I'm so glad you remembered these, thank you.

GreenGrowler: I do most of my important reading in my library, it has the best view in the house! LOL

I really like Terie's cobalt globe theme, subdued enhancements without being outlandish. I looked back over all Terie's past submissions and found it very refreshing to see a garden that is created and maintained by the owner rather than obviously by a professional landscaping company. Great garden, Terie, and very nice photography... thank you.

All looks very professional, great job.

FrancieLee: In that fuzzy picture it's difficult to say with certainty what that tree is, can't make out the leaf detail of any of those plants... but I'd guess maybe weeping cherry, but I think from it's branching habit I'm more inclined to say it's a weeping mulberry that's been severely pruned.

Wow, what a tremendous assortment of plants in so small a space, who can remember them all, makes me dizzy.

I'd guess that yew is as old as the house, probably planted by the first occupants. That looks to be a very interesting property with a lot of very mature plantings. I'd like to see that yew on a sunny day without shooting into that white structure. Thank you, Kathy.

An amazing challenge. Who'd a thunk growing veggies in Antarctica. Well done!

Michelle, I'm glad to see you're on the mend, and your new pictures are looking great.

I like those purple-lilac bottle brush spikes, they look like gaylord? Hurry up and get well, Michelle!

I like those pictures, especially the first one with it's pink, blue, and white. I hope you're beginning to feel better, Michelle.

Unfortunately the author didn't suggest alternatives.

Instead of American sycamore grow London planetree, they are not prone to athracnose. Just be sure to give them plenty of space, they become huge... they also do very well in moderately wet areas (near waterways). Sycamore should not be planted within a 100' of a structure... no large tree should be planted were it to fall it can reach your house, barn, your neighbor's structures.

Instead of bradford pear grow redspire pear, I think they are more spectacular.

For excellent screening plant Canadian hemlock.
Instead of leyland cypress try dawn redwood, a gorgeous specimen tree.

Instead of birch plant paperbark maple (Acer griseum), you'll fall in love.

A summer cold is awful, I know because I came down with a cold yesterday and today it's full blown... my nose is already red and raw from blowing. Have a bowl of my famous chicken vegetable wild rice soup... feel better soon, Michelle!

solana1234: Rain chains are mostly decorative but they are also functional in as there's no downspout to clog, however there needs to be a vessel at the bottom to collect the water and then a conduit to direct the water safely away from the house. Rain chains don't work well in many situations, they don't work well with two story houses and with wind the water blows in whichever direction. I think they could be fine on a small garden shed but I'd not want one for a house, with a heavy rain a lot of serious damage can ensue.

I can see that rain chain really caught your fancy, I like it too, and you were fortunate for the rain to show it in operation. And someone put a lot of effort into creating those majestic stainless steel? watering cans, filled with water no one could walk off with them, the same creativity could turn them into a great water feature... smaller watering cans would make an interesting rain chain. That garden looks like one can spend a very enjoyable day there, thank you, Michelle.

Actually except for the fuel consumed in mowing lawns they are no more environmentally unsound than any other plantings, and more environmentaly valuable than what the typical gardner plants (lawns support a lot of wildlife), and lawns are certainly better for the environment than pavement (trees, shrubs, and other plants grow much better in a lawn than in small openings in pavement), lawns are environmentally better than planter pots. I mow ten acres of lawn every week, I never planted any grass seed, I've never applied any chemicals, and I never water. Occasionally in a severe drought it browns and goes dormant, but with the first rain it's green again. I had no rain here for nearly a month yet I spent all day yesterday mowing nearly a foot of growth... it finally rained last night. My lawn is composed of more different kinds of plants than can be counted, so even in a drought certain plants thrive... my back "forty" (a four acre pasture) was still green but was a virtual forest of queen annes lace, black eyed susans, shasta daisies, and several other wildflowers. I mowed them but they'll be back. The problematic lawns are those folks try to keep like golf greens, but even those are better than pavement. Between the critters and my mulching blades I need no fertilizer. I can see by the deep green and its consistant texture that the lawn in today's contribution has had a heavy application of weed n' feed. But it appears to be a small lawn, so I see no problem with retaining that type of lawn in surburbia, and it offers contrast to the plantings... if all one wants is a forest of wall to wall shrubs I suggest visiting plant nurseries.

Janet's garden looks very lush. But even with just perennials I think there's still just as much work. I also refrain from annuals for lack of fenced space, critters love annuals. And in a way I think annuals are easier to deal with, they're inexpensive so very little money covers a large space. I plant some marigolds in my vegetable garden for color and supposedly they repel insects, however no one can prove that to me. Some years I plant mammoth sunflowers in my vegetable garden, I have some growing now. Birds love to pluck newly sprouted sunflowers and other large seeds, I've learned to protect those rows with a "quonset" of chicken wire until they well established. I think Janet needs some sunflowers against her fence. I too appreciate that deep green lawn. Thank you Janet.

Whoever first coined the phrase "Perfection eludes us." didn't meet Jane Crewey's precision garden... I bet Jane is the only gardener on the planet with a micrometer pruner. I'm impressed!

pattyspenser: Thank you. Blackie is a boy. He's very mellow and very friendly. Each morning he goes around greeting everyone. His sister, Peach, is the exact opposite, very pushy and territorial, but Blackie is bigger and much stronger so it all balances out. Blackie eats slowly and isn't at all agressive so to make sure he eats all his food I have to take him into a bathroom and shut us in. Once he eats more than half I give him his insulin. Every once in a while he refuses to eat, then I need to sit with him all day and try different foods. Now he is back on schedule and is fine.

Michaele, you're a natural! I love them all, it's so difficult to choose a favorite but I have to go with Chicken Little, or is that Lucy Goosey, and those pot trivets are a great idea. Thank you for sharing.

pattyspenser: Thank you for letting me know you missed me, it's nice to feel appreciated. I needed a couple of days to tend to a sick cat, Blackie is a severe diabetic, I need to inject him with insulin twice a day, but only if he eats and he stopped eating... he's doing much better now. Blackie is twelve and I've been injecting him for ten years, he's a very good little boy.

My next door neighbor built a similar "grotto" himself near the rear of his house alongside a babbling brook. All refer to it as "The Pit". He ran electric to power lighting and most importantly a fridge. He also ran underground piping so there's fresh water for ice making, washing, and watering plants. I like those votives but there do exist LEDs that flicker. I don't think calling a fern a seedling is proper, ferns don't produce seeds, they reproduce from spores. I'm very impressed by the floating gazebo.

cwheat000: perhaps you can obtain a new paperbark maple, I'm sure you can find some spot to plant it as they grow very slowly and they don't grow very large. I still find it difficult to believe that anyone would kill such a rare tree. Canada geese may not be very elegant on the ground but the instant they become airborne no other bird flies so spectacularly, or as high, they own the stratosphere... and their landings are so perfectly synchronized that they don't look real. Some years I have over a hundred here, some years only a few, but that can change at any time... right now I have eight residents that were born here but as the summer progresses more will arrive, as fall approaches my yard is busier than Ohare. I don't mind them at all, lot's of free organic fertilizer. I can't tell which are which just by looking but I can recognize their movements, they all walk differently. Even the crows that live here, each have a particular walk. Oh, I do have neighbors, but we are all some distance apart, the minimum property size on this road is five acres. I sure wish it would rain.

cwheat000: Your husband cut it up?!?!?was he punishing you? That was some mighty pricy bonsai material, wouldn't an old lettuce crate have worked as well? I planted dozens of trees of all types... in those two pictures you can see two sycamores, a blue spruce, and a gingko. There's a huge multi-trunked Norway maple that was obviously there before I existed... and of course my vegetable garden. But right now I'm most pleased with my new water feature, I even added a flat stone, makes a nice island for the smaller birds. I actually searched diligently for a birdbath but those I liked cost hundreds of dollars, were not much larger than a dinner plate, and weren't made very well. I can buy a three pack of those snow saucers at Amazon for $12, and they are much larger, are simple to clean, and the birds love it, the bluejays put on quite a show.

A better picture of my new water feature:
http://i48.tinypic.com/2gvsu1y.jpg

As one can see I like lots of space between my plantings.

We're having an awful drought here in The Catskills and it's been hot (85-95). The other day I was in my garage and noticed how I still had my grand's snow coaster that they grew out of some five years ago so there it hung on the wall all that time. Suddenly a light came on, what a great (and inexpensive) way to kill two birds with one stone so to speak, waters the birds and their splashing waters my new Acer griseum.

Very nice plantings and excellent photography. I also planted a weeping copper beech some ten years ago, purchased in a one gallon pot from a local nursery that propagates their own (it was still in the greenhouse and wasn't ready to be sold but I'm a good customer), was two years old, and it's doing very well (http://www.storysnursery.com/). But mine is a good twenty feet from my house. I'm hoping you won't need to move yours as even though they are very slow growers and often columnar once they attain their full height (~20') they do tend to widen to a width of 10-15 feet. Yours looks like it was fairly mature nursery stock and so likely had to have been professionally planted as one you'd be able to plant on your own couldn't have attained that size in only five years... I'm just curious to why so close to your house, I'm positive an experienced nursery person would have strongly urged against it... also its roots can and probably will damage your home's foundation, beech roots are massive and extensive. Everything else looks lovely, and thank you very much for your crisp and well composed photography.

Everything is so vibrant and healthy looking. I love the lupine, mine are just begining to bud out (I guess Ellen is correct, lupine are guys!). And the color combo of the peony and sage is fantastic... sage blossoms are very edible and make for a wonderful presentation with a roast pork entree. Thank you, Ellen.

For GreenGrowler. ;)

Vojt: I think the white siding you see at the front of the house is still shingles but painted white, painting the less costly shakes was a common practice at one time to stylize the street view. The mold/mildew on the lower shakes at the rear can be chemically removed, and can be prevented from reoccuring by stopping water from splashing earth up during rains, many New Englanders pave the ground with flat fieldstone, some plant groundcover, many do both. The dark staining can also be from snow drifts piling up, one may consider installing a snow fence during winter, or plant a wind screen of conifers, a hedge of Canadian hemlock would work well. Also the eaves on that house don't project enough and those gutters look small, I'd guess there are ice jams during winter, I'd correct that immediately lest water back up inside the walls and cause very extensive damage. I think that house would benefit greatly from a metal roof.

Transforming such a grand old house from its past splendor to its present graciousness must have given Ellen much satisfaction along every step of the way, a transendent work in progress carried out over time with apparent contemplation, done so much better than any professional landscaper can with their instant gratification let's get it all done in a weekend profit maximizing methods... everything looks so informal like it's always been there, blends with the structure without clashing, timeless and relaxed, understated magnificence with no attempt to impress any but the resident. There's even a vegetable garden and I love that old copper beech, I'll guess it's a lot more than 100 years old, probably twice that age... only thing missing is my hammock. Oh, and that escape ladder from the attic to the porch roof didn't go unnoticed, very commendable. Thank you, Ellen.

Mooch is 20 years old, she'd love reigning over Ellen's porch.

Thank you, Michelle. By today's standards at 21 I was a mere child then. Here I'm at my 25th High School reunion.

An interesting planting layout for a circular driveway. Those spruce were definitely too large, being so close to the house they long ago outlived their usefulness, they needed to go before creating a disaster, and viewed from the house they would only serve as an obstruction. But I think I would have replaced them with some conifers of the semi-dwarf variety, with some rhodies and azalias, and then left areas for annuals... that way there'd be winter interest and a progression of color during warm weather... and perhaps added a small deciduous tree as a focal point, that island would be a wonderful showcase for a paperbark maple (Acer griseum). I honestly don't care for those overly broad gravel paths, I'd have used organic mulch for the walking/working paths because it much more easily allows for future design alterations, and saved the coblestone for deliniating the island's perimeter... as I've already stated, pea [pinhead] gravel in gardens should be illegal. It's so apropos how kitty walks the coblestone, a queen's toes should never touch dirt.

meander1: The America I grew up in was certainly much different from the present. Young folks today will never know the America I knew. I'm glad I'm old because from what I see now I suspect the America of the future is something I don't want to know. I fully expect that America won't celebrate a Tricentennial because government is totally devoid of intellect and creativity, but mostly it lacks a backbone... people are so scared to verbalize what they're really thinking, likely they don't think.

Mommy and twins.

meander1; thank you for your kind words. I didn't think it's a great photo but there were no digital cameras back then so I don't have too many to choose from, and a lot is lost in the scanning. I served prior to Viet Nam, I participated in the Bay of Pigs Blockade. The irony is that I enlisted in the Navy at seventeen, still in High School, and shipped off to boot camp shortly after my 18th birthday and graduation, because naturally there was a draft and I was afraid I'd end up in the Army and have to live in all that dirt, digging foxholes, latrines, and such... and here I am now digging in the dirt all the time. Looking back it was the best time of my life, and a real education in responsibility, tolerance, human nature, and acceptance. The military experience tests ones mettle like no other, I believe everyone should serve, no exceptions.

Irma, thank you for your web site. I enjoyed perusing your company's various projects and they are quite interesting and some are expansive such as entire golf courses. It's been a lifetime ago I was in Rota so I'm sure much has changed for the better, but as you relate, it's still dangerous.

There I am some 50 years ago, two days before departing the US John Paul Jones DD932 for Rota and then on to becoming a civilian again.

Rota, Spain was my last duty station before separation from the USN. Homes like that were very typical for housing dignitaries, they were leased short term, perhaps two years. They came with grounds/house keepers and a security contingent including dogs... residents did no gardening, no grocery shopping either. In the second picture one can see the heavily secured windows and doors and what appears to be a dish for either radar or a missle director.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naval_Station_Rota_Spain

What a grand project, I love it. Your cottage garden has already progressed quite a bit, appears to only need final grooming. No cottage garden is complete without some food crop, perhaps a small raised bed strewberry patch would do well. And for interest, and if space permits, it may be possible to include: http://www.mirlitons.org/growing-guide.html

And a cottage garden needs a small shed, perhaps Michelle would supply a set of plans.

Sheila_Schultz: I'm not the one with rules, I have no rules, I said that I detest/abhor rules... I live by the dogma that good fences make good neighbors. I also don't admire quantity, I respect quality. But most of all I respect honesty and sinceriety. Those who always make only positive comments are neither honest or sincere. And I hold those who hold themselve out as professionals to a far higher standard, and you don't really wnant to hear what I think of those who attempt to pawn off something that was required a whole crew as somthing they've done and maintained all by themselves.

GreenGrowler: I appreciate that you agree with me on this issue. These circumstances occur for the same reason they always have, payola and dishonesty. I know it's not easy in these economic times but perhaps you should consider moving, your area won't change. I tried living in a development once, lasted eleven months, too many silly rules gleefully obeyed by too many infantile sheeple. And by now you must realize that I wouldn't do well with silly rules and I abhor dishonesty, nor do I waste energy arguing trying to change people. Consider your options.

GreenGrowler: I'm so glad to hear that you and your home are safe. Fire is horrifying and I am constantly concerned here in the Catskills as well as we are now in the midst of a terrible drought. With large expanses of forest and so many careless people fire is always on my mind. I saw the news about the Colorado fires on TV and was horrified to see how in those wide open spaces the homes were built so near each other and right up against conifer forests, entire developments with no surrounding buffer zone whatsoever, just reach out the window and pick a pinecone. I wondered how the town zoning departments permit builders of relatively new developments to cram so many homes into so small a space of heavily forested land without a perimeter buffer. And the homeowners even kept several large conifers right up against their homes. Watching the news of those fires made me forget all the hours I spend keeping a wide clear swarth around my home. Welcome back!

I forgot to say that if that humongous house is on a relatively small lot (which I suspect from how so much is compacted into so little space), and if all the hardscaping was already in place, especially that absolutely grotesque driveway (that in no way is harmonious with the architecture and coloration of that *eyesore* of a house) then Jay really didn't have much to work with so I must say he did a fabulous job with his plantings.

That's quite a flashy castle... I'd love to be able to see the views through its windows from inside. To me the most important element of landscaping a home is what people see and how the view affects the senses from the inside looking out. If the view from the exterior is more impressive to the senses than is the view from the interior then residential landscaping fails. I don't think that landscaping has much to do with gardening, they are very seperate and different topics, many of the most impressive landscapes on the planet include no gardens... a garden per se is not landscaping because in most all cases the people who the gardens belong to rarely if ever actually see them, they are mostly to impress passers by, and to me that is not landscaping a home as much as it is putting on a public spectacle.

Jay has so many wonderful plantings, I only wish his photography was better/sharper. I love all those rare trees, and how they're arranged, but I can't see them clearly. However I can see a tremendous effort in creation and maintenence. The only element I don't like is the gravel, I think it's a quick low cost cop out... I'd rather see flagstone/pavers. And gravel always migrates so becomes messy and very difficult to eliminate... I think loose gravel in gardens should be illegal, but is very attractive embedded in concrete and broomed just enough to expose its texture, maybe he'll take the hint. Blue Atlas Cedar is one of my most coveted trees, if not for the deer I'd have several. Jay's professional landscaping ability is certainly evident, I'm looking forward to seeing his other creations. For ceres, I believe that conifer among the coleus is another Blue Atlas Cedar. I'd not plant anything with height in front of the espaliered one lest the shade kills off it's foliage. Okay, I've had a taste, I need more.

Very professional, reminecent of Jurassic Park. I agree with meander1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwHWbsvgQUE

They're all evoking those long ago times with pennies clutched in my hand at the candy store, I want them all but I can't choose!

A very nicely done low maintenence feature... often less is more... I'd not expand further it lest it takes on that plant nursery look.

Like Michelle I had my doubts as well, so I'm very suprized that there wre any potatoes at all as they don't do well in large containers and those are small. I think for next season I'd plant the spud crop directly in the ground and use those buckets for growing mixed baby salad greens. The assorted daylilies are each unique. Um, I'll have my spuds boiled in their skins, chilled with sourcream and fresh dillweed. Thanks for the update.

I have to agree with meander1, a vertual cateract of flora cascading in flumes of rapid profusion, I don't know where to look first. I haven't decided if that's a real window on the porch or a mirror specifically placed to reflect the obverse of the plants, a very nice effect. And I love the color of the potted plant in the last picture, that contrasting tree adds interest in form too. A lovely plant palette, thank you.

The ceramic tiles mesh very well with the red brick, I imagine folks running out to buy a box of tiles just to enhance a mundane garden path. I like that old fashioned garden gate too, it's open and inviting even when closed. I went back to look at all the other photos, truly a labor of love. Thanks for sharing.

I wish the plants/trees in that first picture were sharper, from what I can see I imagine they're lovely. Earlier I didn't know what to think but upon returning it struck me that I found those cement things disturbing, I appreciate artistry but I'm not a fan of that macabre scifi schitk... I know that some enjoy the occult but I don't.

Interesting.

Succulents and bromiliads are some of my favorite plants, I think because they are the ancients, like my ginkgos and dawn redwoods. I used to have a collection of potted plants, I like cacti too, but alas I can no longer have them with cats. Michelle's arrangents are lovely, I especially like that last one. Thank you for sharing.

Cheryl, if I wanted a cottage garden first thing I'd build is the cottage... there are many resources with plans for building garden sheds in cottage mode... still not too late. And as to having trees, from your pictures it appears your neighbors have trees. There are many trees that do very well in very sandy soils, Long Island, NY consists of retreating glacial deposits and many trees grow there wonderfully well... especially many pines, the various oaks, and the locusts... stone fruit trees do very well there too. You don't seem to be having any problem growing a lovely lawn in sand and your roses look spectacular. I perused your blog and I like your salmon colored antique cast iron butcher's string holder. Thank you for sharing.

I love the setting, the distant vistas are magnificent and showcase Harriet's plantings so spectacularly. I especially like the photo with the neat bird house, if hubby would like to build another to contrast, I have a photo of the 300 year old church around the corner here, I can send a photo to Michelle and I'm sure she wouldn't mind fowarding it to you, just a thought.

Hi neighbor! I'm less than an hour from downtown Albany, in Greene County. I'm very impressed with how Betsy practices remarkable frugality by getting so much from so little space, not a wasted square inch anywhere, yet nothing looks cramped, from the pictures it looks like it can be several acres. And I love your stone work, however I can't imagine you hauling all those rocks one by one through your house, that alone was a truly *monumental* task. Everything looks fantastic, I even like your little water feature. And I love, LOVE your patio. Betsy's garden is a photographer's paradise. Kudos!

Wow, this looks like it requires two, maybe three full time grounds keepers. That raised bed section alone needs a full time caretaker, not to mention all that hedge clipping, lawn mowing/edging, acres of beds to groom, a certified arborist can be employed full time tending to all the trees in that park, etc., and that house looks huge, where does one find time, has to have a live-in housekeeper too/two, at least one professional cook just to harvest and prepare that abundant cornucopia of produce. And I know for a fact that tending to bees and chickens is a full time job 24/7. And one needs to devote a minimum of three hours every day just tending to poochie, takes me more than three hours every day tending to my six cats and they don't go out so I don't walk them. I have to agree with wwross, with 57 acres it would be nice to view the more natural less professionally manicured sections.

Okay, I found one purple gazing ball in picture 2... what do I win? LOL

Alyson's garden sounds wonderful, I wish there were more pictures... where are the purple glass gazing balls? I hope folks are monitoring young children carefully in gardens, many plants are toxic, even just touching some plants can cause serious injury, some plants are covered with microscopic barbs that can transfer from fingers to mouths and eyes. It was frightening reading about a fifteen month old picking up everything and especially exploring ponds.

Aleen: I thought about a pully arrangement but bear and other large critters can climb trees and ropes very easily, so I went back to my old way of feeding birds, tossing seed out my window onto the ground. I use a mixture of quality bird seed mixed 50-50 with cracked corn, all different size birds find somethinjg they like, including the geese, ducks, wild turkey, and of course the deer... I just make sure not to put out too much as night comes or the deer will eat it all. I also buy cheap packaged bread to put out on my deck, keeps my cats entertained. And of course Hopalong, a gimpy crow comes for bread every morning... Hoppy flies fine but is slow on the ground so I make sure Hoppy gets breakfast.

Virginiaed SPAM is actually very good, coated with mustard and powdered ham glaze, studded with cloves, and microwaved. I'm a very good cook, baker, and butcher... I attended the finast culinary schools in Great Lakes Ill and fed thousands in the US Navy.

cwheat000: I resemble that remark, there is nothing dreary and barren about the New England landscape in winter, or Hallmark would be out of the Christmas card business. I can see how Stacy's yard would look barren and dreary in winter but not her neighbor's yards... but then she's not there having to look at her snow covered blah. I look forward to a snow covered landscape, everything is gorgeous covered in pristine white, nature's sculpture... the landscape is different from summer but definitely not dreary and barren... open your eyes. And the best part of winter here is that I get a six month reprieve from mowing ten acres of lawn every week... and during winter the landscape is different every day... it's different every day all year, I love the four seasons. I seriously considered living tropical, no way, that's boring landscape, exactly/precisely the same 24/7.

There are coyotes where I live too (Catskills) and also mountain lions, and black bear (one got my bird feeder this spring). I often glimpse coyote loping past my window, at first I think it's a neighbor's dog that broke loose, but then I spot those loong legs... domesticated pets wouldn't last a day here outdoors. And there are all sorts of critters about, skunk, raccoon, possum, and many others. Right now I'm having a problem with feeding Newt, the ferral cat that took up residence in my barn, some critter(s) are eating all Newt's food, so I plan on getting a battery powered pet feeder (no electric out there), I just need to figure a way to protect the feeder from getting smashed open, I'm thinking of putting it into a 55 gallon drum with an opening just big enough for the feeding tray to poke out: http://www.amazon.com/Automatic-Electronic-Programmable-Portion-Control/dp/B004SBSNB0/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1339626228&sr=8-3
Stacy's gardening concept is very interesting, I imagine her planting sugar maple and Norway spruce in Hawaii. You all do realize that the National meat dish of Hawaii is Hormel SPAM, it's served in more ways than you can imagine, even sushi. I love SPAM.

meander1; thank you for the link. Earlier I was perusing the works of the other artists linked on that page but I ran out of time to look further. For about a year now I've been looking for a statue to set on my septic tank cover but so far nothing appeals... one of those copper frogs may work if weightly enough not to be blown away but it would need to be about 2' high. We really should thank Michelle for giving the artist's name and location, that made it easy to search... thank you, Michelle.

Gotta love Boodles the 2ni frog... yeah, I could join him for my favorite quaff. I imagine that art is dear, more examples here but no prices: http://www.hamletgallery.com/charles.php
I love that pool because it doesn't pretend to be a pond, and those potted plants are very intriguing speciments. And I really enjoyed those conifers, only wish the photos were sharper.

(a lucky photo at 600')

What Annek said!

perennial_gardener;
http://www.fruit.cornell.edu/mfruit/elderberries.html

Excellent photo capture of that elderberry and rack wall. I love Miyako's elderberry, if I knew the deer wouldn't decimate it I'd plant a bunch, I have many ancient rock walls and hedgerows, and along my creek where it would thrive... I will have to research this. I noticed a small clay pot of succulents that appears to have had an accident, instead of repotting I'd consider finding it a home in a niche in that lovely rock wall... that wall is crying out for succulents, mosses, and lychens... perhaps some sedum at its base. More pictures please, Miyako.

Bookshelves-R-Us; A window box was what I was thinking to dissuade the privy comments, I'd add curtains too. And if it's too shady there then plant plastic flowers and they won't need to be remembered to water. I might instead put a bookshelve, maybe an entire book case... a place to display little garden whimseys... one of my hobbies is collecting bronze and brass bookends, I find interesting examples at local estate auctions, I often attend, a wonderfully entertaining way to spend a winter evening even if I don't bid on anything.
--->http://mooneys.net/

Michelle, my photography comment was actually meant for everyone's benefit but in particular I was addressing/answering pattyspensor regarding Sally's contribution as we were discussing my inability to access the photos at her web site... and I did mention yesterday that Sally's gardening was superb but not so her photography. I think a lot of hard work and effort is lost when photos of gardens are not nearly as good as they can be, especially sice gardens are dynamic, they are constantly in flux, so when a photo is lost it's lost forever Actually your photo work is pretty good considering you're working in heavy shade, and I appreciate the minimal antique effect you achieved whether puposely or by accident with those sepia overtones... in keeping with your This Olde Circa House. Even in sunny gardens, especially in sunny gardens, one should plan their day of photo taking around where the sun will strike their various compositions, it's not a good idea to take all the photos within the same short space of time just because that's when one is out with their camera... take some in the morning, some around noon, and others later in afternoon, and often over several days due to climatic conditions and peak plant development. I'm sorry if you thought I was critiquing your photography, I wasn't. Also Canon will walk you through putting your camera back to the factory default settings over the phone, and help you resolve any other issues, for free. And at the Canon web site one can sign up to receive their photography newsletters, they are very informative.

It's raining again, I can't mow, I'll soon be haying.

pattyspenser; I see no button for a slideshow... I'm thinking perhaps I'd need to sign in and I really don't want to create yet another account just to see a few photos.

I'd like to suggest again, that anyone who takes garden photos, especially to post on the net, really should be using a tripod... and be aware of lighting, natural and artificial... keep all stronger lighting behind you. And the best landscape compositions include some sky, idealy about 1/3 above the horizon, I know that can be difficult but if need be lie on the ground to focus, a small tripod will prove invaluable. And unless you're a professional photographer put your digicam back to factory settings and take all shots in Auto. Fuzzy photos make me nuts, and are totally unnecessary.

Michelle, with your schedual how do you find time to garden too? You have quite a variety of plants to tend and I love that massively built pergola. Your little garden shed doesn't look like an outhouse to me, when did anyone ever see an outhouse with a window... btw, that shed can use a window box planter. And for your friends that say it looks like an outhouse hang a little sign on the door that says "Occupied" on one side and "Vacant" on the other. I really like the relaxed look of your garden, thank you, Michelle.

(newly planted "Fat Albert" Colorado blue spruce... I need to plant things deer don't eat)

I tried several times yesterday and again this morning, I still don't see any pictures at Sally's web site. :-(

Fantastic variety and placement that all comes together exquisitely. It sure looks very professionally done and like more garden than one person can maintain, Sally must work at it constantly. I wish I knew what that tree is in the first picture, details are blurred. The garden is lovely, the photography not so much. I was disappointed that there are no photos at Sally's web site, perhaps a work in progress. I'm looking forward to Sally's next contribution.

MAGICAL IMAGINATIVE!

Bonnie's gardening is much better than professional, what she's created can't be learned in any classroom... Bonnie is extremely talented, a true artist!

RenoDiva, don't you know that size doesn't matter... but seriously, a small yard can be landscaped just as beautifully as a large yard, the only real difference is the amount of labor and I'll assume that you're not a professional landscape designer. I had a great uncle who the NY Mirror featured in their Sunday magazine section, he lived in a tiny Brownsville apartment in Brooklyn but created the most amazing gardens in his kitchen window in toothpaste tube caps, thimbles, and other small containers, he gardened with a magnifying glass... planted common fruit seeds, found tiny plants, lichens, and mosses in vacant city lots, used slivers of mirrors and broken colored glass for ponds and streams, and landscaped from a sewing kit. I'm talking some sixty years ago.

The red brick in herringbone fits in beautifully with the lawn but the flagstone definitely looks like leftovers, I'd continue the red brick and use the leftover flagstone elsewhere, maybe to build a planter where it's used in front. And what's really a mismatch is all that river stone, I just don't get it, but I'd get rid of it. I'd have made the shed roof match that shade of red brick (the silver gray shingle clashes with the taupe shed) and eliminate all that white on the shed door, it's too, too much, like a target... makes the shed the entire focal point... draws the eye so one doesn't even see any plants... in fact I'd make all the shed trim a darker shade of taupe, encluding the gutter and downspout. Between the garish shed, the alien river stone, and left over flagstone there are just too many visual distractions, it's like there are no plants. I do like the privacy fence, the shed should have matched... I really like those last two pictures. You need to plant something tall *behind* the shed, to hide the neighbor and that utility pole. If you like citrus perhaps a kumquat or two in front of the shed would work. Naturally these are just my opinions.

Beth, if as you say your yard was just plain sod, like your neighbor's, then in eight short years you did a yeoman's job creating a cornicopia of blossoms balanced with whimsey. Consider some carefully chosen conifers to add interest in winter and to offer homes for the birds. Thank you, Beth.

Michael has a lush tropical paradise, all that's missing is a hammock for me and my pina colada. My brother lives in Florida, his complaint is that everything grows so fast, pruning and mowing is never ending... sometimes he mows in the morning and again in the afternoon... the middle of the day is too hot and usually too wet for any outdoor work. Michael's yard reminds me of when I lived in Belize, but there people hired locals to do much of the yard work, most everything done by machette.

It's said variety is the spice of life and Tim's garden makes him a spice merchant... too much detail for those crisp clear photos to do justice to how Tim wove in so many plant varieties to create a lovely tapestry, from all sorts of flowering plants to gorgeous conifers, deciduous trees, to lichen hugging rocks. Tim's is a garden that I'm certain to be fully appreciated must be seen close up and personal in person. Great talent, Tim.

(New arrivals, pair of Eastern Kingbirds on Acer griseum)

Carla, sounds like you have your mowing under control, a 5' mower is fine for two acres. Naturally one needs a push mower for the detailing and edges, I use a string trimmer too. I wish they still made light weight narrow push mowers but alas no more, there used to be 18" push mowers with decks of magnesium, if I remember correctly they were by Lawnboy... they made mowing much less fatiguing. Unless one springs for a $2,000 golf course greens mower what they sell today are all garbage, bulky and heavy. I would never buy a self propelled, better to go with a riding mower, depending on terrain one of the zero turn models may be best. My neighbor has one, with the mower out front they give a superb mow but they don't have four wheel drive and they have small skinny front wheels, I've already pulled him out of the mud four times. It's still raining here, but I went to my favorite local nursery and bouth veggie plants and another "Fat Albert" Colorado blue spruce... now all I need is sun to dry things out so I can plant. Have a good weekend.

user-26134: I think it was a tad early for roses in the northeast at the time of those pictures. However I'm sure the wild rugosas were blooming, they are here in the Catskills. Rugosa is pretty but deadly, especially how they take over the borders of hedgerows where I mow... they grow at SST speed and way their thorny canes reach out to tear flesh I'm surprised there wasn't a movie made to rival The Blob... I found the best way to battle rugosa is with my trusty machette.

Carla: Your property looks lovely and cozy and with all those spring blooms it's like a bit of Eden... I particularly like those fire engine red peonies. Next I'd like to see that two acre meadow and surrounding borders, sounds like mowing it is daunting but with the correct machine it's a mere 40 minute ride. Thank you for displaying your garden.

A lovely display of formal flora... Cherry missed her calling, Cherry's Florist Shoppe.

Veronica: next you want to protect grass seed and other ground cover seed from birds use straw, hay contains too many seeds of all types of plants, many of which can become problematic. The trick to reclaiming several acres is to mow, mow, and MOW! Mow often and mow short (2"). I'm sorry you had to install irrigation, that can be costly for several acres... I'd gladly give you all my extra water and it's substantial, think Noah's Ark. You did a fabulous job.

A mind blowing transformation with spectacular results.

I don't know much about Zen, Yin, or Yang but I do know what I like and I really like the Zing in the effect Bob created in his upper right picture, that bonsaied conifer is in harmony with the balanced blend of other tree types and plantings and with lots of space between to appreciate each and all together, all connected by that palettte of vibrant jade lawn. For me this is one with nature, Grasshoppers. Bob has a wonderful eye for harmony, thank you.

Marilyn: I only just noticed that you have two gates at your front entrance, one at the bottom and one at the top of those stairs, I'm sure there must be a good reason... I can understand the top gate if there's a child, otherwise I don't see a reason for either, and there appears to be another front gate to the right but with no path. Also litterers tend to mostly commit their dastardly deeds under cover of darkness, perhaps a lampost at the foot of those stairs would be a deterent, those stairs should be lit at night anyway... I might place a planter as a trash basket marked Litter.

My goodness, that's more than enough gardening crammed into a small lot for any two Olympic atheletes... I'm amazed that someone with a serious disablity can care for all that's growing there, grand kudos to Marilyn. To be honest I'd rather mow grass and use bedding plants at highlights... I like space between specimen plantings. I mow ten acres worth once every week for six months of the year. I have perennial flower/shrub beds but I don't spend a lot of time with those, they seem to tend themselves other than occasional pruning/dead heading... with a good thick mulch of pine bark nuggets over commercial weed block cloth and large patches of rug juniper I rarely find a weed or anything spreading from its home. However I spend a lot of time and labor clearing the brush that constantly works at taking over from all sides. And I have a rather large vegetable garden (50' X 50') that I work at diligently, only this year with all the wet weather I haven't been able to work at it untl just yesterday when I began weeding and tilling... every gardener needs to own a Mantis. I have a 7 horsepower Simplicity tiller for breaking sod but once the earth is made friable and stones raked out the Mantis is much easier than having that beast pull me about. Another job I don't particularly like is string trimming, and I have literally miles of edging, that thing grows heavier with every hour... all I have remaining now is to knock down the jungle from around my barn, maybe late this afternoon when it's not so hot out, unfortunately it all grows back and too quickly. I love Marilyn's hospitality pineapple birdbath, and incorporating fence posts to give herself a lift demonstrates great ingenuity. Unfortunately several pictures don't enlarge.

HAPPY HOLIDAY TO ALL!

Lotta is lucky to have inherited such a lovely mature property and she is certainly doing a grand job of maintaining its character. I like that little out building with its typical Scandinavian tile roof, and of course the flag of Sweden is so apropos. Thank you for sharing.

Thank you, ladies, for realizing I'm not an ogre, I'm actually quite kind and very helpful but I readily admit to being honest and frank to a flaw... I've never been one to pussyfoot around, I call em as I see em... and I can better respect those who are the same, I don't get along well with those who candy coat, I find that behaviour smarmy and repulsive.

And thank you cwheat000 for identifying ornamental millet for me, now I wonder if deer will eat it, somehow I suspect they will love millet regardless it's the ornamental variety... still I may try sowing a packet in my wildflower meadow, and though it's an annual it may be self seeding... I'll need to do some reasearch to be sure it's not invasive.

pattyspencer: I couldn't help myself, the devil made me do it. Bet you can't guess that I was the class clown. Growing up in Brooklyn that was the way a nerd could survive. And I'm one of those some resent because I wake up happy and full of humor every morning... I firmly believe that laughter is truly the best medicine. It's been raining (pouring) here the past three days and sporadic thunderstorms are forcast for the next three days. I'm hoping for hot and dry so everything outdoors dries, I need to till my vegetable garden and mow my back field before it's ready for haying. That's my favorite spruce, I love its twisted growing habit and it buds out in the most vibrant teal. It had no name when I bought it five years ago from a famous local nursery: http://www.storysnursery.com/ It's grown about a foot each year. I like spruce because it's one of the trees I don't need to fence from deer. It would be difficult for me to submit a grouping of pictures as I don't really do gardening per se, I mostly fit my plantings into the natural environment, essentially I feel I'm rescuing to I give a plant a good home.

meamder1: with all the thought Judy puts into her container arrangements she deserves the title of Pot Head, and her pots are all so marvy. But it's not just brain work, I can see a tremendous amount of labor goes into creating and maintaining, an obvious labor of love. I like those tall corn-like plants with the interesting bottle brushes but I don't know what they are. And I just love Judy's olde tyme screen door. Judy's home is lovely with all those seating spots, if only she had time to sit and knit.

Judy, Judy, Judy... doesn't get more perfect! Every photo has perfect composition, wide angles show actual *gardening*, the entire completed jigsaw puzzle, not just individual pieces of the puzzle with everything cropped to the nth degree like trying to hide something... if I want to see individual plants in a generic setting I can go to any nursery. And Judy's explanation about her iris hobby/business makes perfect sense, her irises are gorgeous, the full spectrum of the rainbow, and the arrangement is perfect, everything well spaced, I can enjoy the individual plants. Judy's path is very inviting, what a grand entrance to her lovely home, and all those groovey birdhouses give it the perfect red carpet treatment. And what a perfect location, set within magnificent hayfields with spectacular vistas that go on to infinity. I can't make any suggestions, everything is perfect.

Plants that are toxic to humans are not necessarilly toxic to deer. Deer will definitely browse rhododendren and azaela, during severe winters they will nibble them to the ground. Hungry deer will eat everything.
http://www.myohiolandscape.com/deer-resistant-plants.cfm
There are plenty more web sites that concur.

pattyspenser: Yes, the deer picture was taken from my back deck, a young buck begging for bread and carrots, I have many critter pictures, I offer all snacks but I don't feed them, I don't need to, there is plenty of natural food growing here. It's been raining in the Catskills, it's raining now, everything is green and lush, unfortunately there's been too much rain for me to begin my vegetable garden, it's literally under water. My vegetable garden is about 15' from a natural spring fed stream so during times of normal weather and even droughts I don't need to water, but in spring even before the ground has dried from the melting winter snows when there are days of rain my stream becomes a small river... I'll have to wait, it will dry soon. -- I did say that's a magnificent display, unfortunately very commercial, Disneylandish, obviously with several grounds keepers attending. I think they would have done those flowering shrubs more justice had they spaced them further apart leaving native plants between, it would look much more like a real forest path, just my opinion.

That's a magnificent display but so unatural showcased in a forest path, that couldn't exist in a real forest, the critters would fress them all. I often dream of planting out my wooded areas with flowering shrubs but alas, I know it would be all in vain, those plantings wouldn't survive the first night. Obviously that entire area is well fenced... and all the native under story plants have been removed (so sad). I could fence too but then without the critters I'd not want to live here.

Absolutely amazing how many goodies can be crammed into a small space... and I just love those morning glories, they've always been a favorite. There appears to be a pergola over an old Adirondack chair, and a swimming pool too. I bet there's a lot more in that yard, I need more pictures, wider views, and from different angles. Thank you, Christine.

Obviously lumber country; neat hefty table with great tree stump legs, and love that seating.

I can understand that sort of verticle gardening if as aoder1 says there isn't much space available, but it appears to me there is more than enough good tillable farm land in those photos, enough to grow more crops than any ten families can consume... I don't think taters would do well in such small containers anyway. I think the containers have many uses as storeage containers, and that belting would make great garden edging. I like the look of the silo roof for a gazebo, except sitting in there when it's raining would be deafening... my barn roof is corrogated steel so I know the decibles generated from rain pelting a metal roof, there are lower sound levels at a rock concert. I'd coat that metal roof with aluminized sound deadening roofing paint, the type used to quiet/protect house trailer roofs.

Wonderful stonework, obviously placed by machine... I especially love that huge stone path in the last picture. I'm also wondering about what looks like a fruit tree to the left in that last picture, what is it? And it appears that property is surrounded by deep forest, how are the deer etal. kept from feasting, I know deer don't eat peony but what about the others, here the deer will even eat bleeding heart. Think about having those utility lines buried, it'll look better, but one doesn't need the ensuing power outages from falling trees. Great job.

Woodlands are my favorite, I almost expected to see Hansel and Gretel dropping crumbs... oh wait, there's a lovely red brick path! Ir's all good.

Why did I expect to see acres of corn field, just doesn't seem Iowan otherwise. The twigs to protect the trellis is a grand concept, I bet it will keep Brer Rabbit out, but it won't keep The Streak from the pole beans, close your eyes! LOL I love that privacy fence, means the neighbors are wonderful, but still it needs more things growing on it, or at least in front... some semi dwarf conifers will add winter interest too... I'd plant a corn patch along the sunny portion of that fence, maybe some mammoth sunflowers too. Very nice yard.

Oh my, Michelle saved the best for the last day of the week. I enjoy the naturalness of Dan's plantings much more than the soldiered plant nursery look that most seem to like. His "Nessie" is fabulous. That purple leaf plum looks a lot older than fourteen years, looks more like forty years, probably more. Everything looks perfect, the only improvement I'd suggest is that Dan gets a better camera so his pictures will be sharper, without all that fuzzyness... with it being right in the foreground should have been able to see each blossom on that plum clear and crisp. I appreciate all Dan's hard work.

What a lot of work to create your aqua feature, just perfect. I'm ready to sprawl in a hammock and relax listening to to your fountain... it is filled with mimosa, right? LOL

I love Chef's Salad, they look so scrumptious I want them all... looks like Peter has already claimed the Escargot Medley. Lovely, I just knew that Cherry is the Sexpot Princess.

I like succulents, they are so neat. And Cherry's arrangements are so alluring and provocative, they are all sexpots!

Duke; your property looks well tended, and I can tell a lot of thought and labor went into its creation. I'm guessing from how close the next house is that the properties are not large but still yours looks like a spacious park. I was amazed that I was first this morning, but I got going early as a big rain storm is forcast for the Catskills and I have ten acres of turf that needed mowing before the ground gets wet... I just now finished racing the rain and the light and I'm exhausted.. but I managed to fix a double screwdriver before logging on. LOL Btw, a pair of Canada geese are brand new parents, see The Five! Sorry for the quality but I had to use tele at about 800 feet... actually I was very lucky to get the few pictures as by sheer accident I spotted them hustling from my pond out into field and then they crossed my creek and then the road, naturally I ran out to stop traffic but fortunately there was none. Those little feet sure can move. Oh well, they probably won't be back till they're grown, goslings are moved often as protection against preditors. Now it can rain, I'm finished mowing and rain doesn't bother geese. Your birdhouses are lovely, now you need feeders. A black bear got my feeder so now I'm back to tossing seed out my window onto the ground... Mr/s bear got all my neighbor's bee hives too. Critters gotta eat.

Wow, there's so much it's dizzying, leaves me reeling... I can't decide whether it's a small property jammed full or a large property that requires several in attendance. Where's that river, I'm hoping for a relaxing spot. Everything so busy, busy, busy! If ever there was a sow's ear turned into a silk purse this is it.

Expansive meadows are a feast for the eyes and the soul. But they are indeed a lot of work. At minimum to maintain their health they need to be mowed each fall, to aid reseeding and to add a cover of mulch, same as maintaining a hay field. If left to its own device a man made meadow will quickly return to brush and then forest. I can see where Connie has helped out by adding lots of plants, it's very obvious that there are no deer browsing her meadow. That's a lovely property.

Montana (Columbia Falls) is my old stomping grounds, rugged country but gorgeous, everyone needs to visit. Kielian's garden is just waking up and looks fabulous.

What a royal pair of regal poochinis... my neighbor has a boxer; Poochini! I like all that cobalt blue, are those bottles utiltarian, whimsical, both? More pictures, please!

I really like the concept of those separate wooden sections for a patio, would be cooler than heat radiating from masonary on a sunny day and much easier to construct... but why is so much of that rear corner rotting away, could be that it's on the very edge a flood plain... guessing from the rock (riprap) in that creek suggesting that the area floods from torrential rains, the riprap keeps the creek from erroding when it floods its banks... that arched bridge suggests that the water rises quite high and moves rapidly and with great force, without the arch adding extra clearence that bridge would wash away.

I like the statue in the pool. ;) That's a lovely glassed room overlooking the garden, I bet there are lots of nice plants inside. What is the tree in that large pot? A very interesting eclectic garden.

The one thing I noticed immediately that I'd change is to eliminate that ivy climbing on the brickwork, it will weaken and eventually destroy that lovely masonary... it would cost a small fortune to have that chimney repaired/replaced, if you can find someone today who knows how. As to lessening one's gardening chores it's rather simple to eliminate/shrink plantings, which makes maintenence less and less laborious until it matches ones capabilities. I know that in youth folks tend to expand their chores to and beyond their abilities, but hopefully in time one gathers the wisdom to eliminate that which they no longer need and/or can do. One can enjoy fewer plantings more than they can many, I firmly believe that with many things, and gadening is just one, that less is more... I'm a great proponent of quality over quantity. I truly abhor a crowded garden, especially where there is no deliniation where one plant ends and the next begins... if you're planting a forest you are no kind of gardener because I know very well that a forest grows itself. A forest has it's own beauty yet requires little to no care. I learned that in retirement that so long as one isn't growing crops large rural acreage is far easier to manage than the typical suburban lot. I exert much more energy growing my 50' X 50' vegetable garden than on all the rest of my 16 acres combined. In retirement I plant trees and shrubs rather than expansive flower beds for a reason; slow growth and little to no maintenence... it's very easy to weed a spruce tree, for the most part the rabbits that live beneath eat the weeds. Where Kathy lives I'd systmatically exchange many of her plantings for dwarf and semi dwarf conifers.

I trust that Kathy checked out her new destination carefully, most all retirement communities maintain very strict rules pertaining to everything and especially gardening, most don't allow any gardening, hardly allow a potted plant, the HOA/Condo contracts with a landscaping service that does it all. Some 35 years ago I tried condo living, I lasted less than one year. I have a friend who recently retired to an HOA near Austin TX, they wouldn't allow her a small rock garden at the foot of her driveway, she hates living there. I have another friend who a few years ago retired to a retirement community on a golf course on an island off the coast of South Carolina, they never noticed that there were no hose bibs at the exterior of the houses, they are not allowed to use a garden hose they are not permitted to plant anything, they are trying to sell now but it's a hard time for moving real estate. I wish Kathy much success.

That looks like a long term labor of love (34 years is a life time), much thought, effort, and emotion went into creating so perfect a property. And I love that house, looks so strong, welcoming, and comforting. Which brings me to WHY? After perusing what I can see of that propety with my extremely critical eye (both) I conclude that there is no better retirement community home than the one I'm looking at. I know like the others I'm supposed Ooo, Ahh, Scrape, Bow, and Fawn, but I can't, my ennate logic won't allow me to think other than what is wrong with this picture. I can comprehend leaving for something different if one is infirm and can no longer tend to a garden but here Kathy is already planning on digging up plants to begin a new garden. I can comprehend someone tiring of cold icy winters, but half my retired neighbors head south for the winter and return to the old homestead about now. I just don't get it... I hope Kathy is not making a huge mistake... I've met lots of folks who sold their homes, moved to a retirement community, hate it and can't come back. I truly hope I am wrong.

Rrrrrribit! Rrrrrribit!

Perrrrfect! Perrrrfect!

Striking!

What a great way to salvage retired bowling balls, turn them into practically indestructable gazing balls. Only it looks mighty close to the Gutter, someone is liable to Split with it. This one is right up my Alley!

I'd rather see those sprinklers in use, the old ones were made much better than any of the crumby plastic ones made nowadays... I see no reason to retire those sprinklers.

Perhaps I'm clueless but I see zero artistry in that display.

Terie, your crabapple will recover quickly, I lop lower limbs off mine (see today's pic-malus Cardinal) often so when I mow my tractor clears. Sometimes relatively mild storms prune away weak wood making our plants stronger and better. Inclement weather reminds us to properly care for our plants in advance... I'm all the time pruning large limbs from trees, this way I get some say. My next door neighbor has a stand of beautiful Colorado blue spruce, whenever it snows he's out there with a long handled broom sweeping the limbs several times over a 24 hour period, even in the middle of the night... sometimes I think he's obsessed, like me. LOL I'm just happy that the water is down in my creek and my basement is dry... I have a French drain in my basement that exits into my creek, when the water is high it backs up, I've had over a foot of water in my basement, cat litter pans floating like arks. I really don't mind as the water recedes quickly but at times sand also backs in and then I have a big job cleaning. I love living rural... if someone bought me a ten million dollar penthouse in NYC and paid all my bills I'd still stay right here. Reminds me, it's time to put out corn for my pair of resident mallards.

I like that clay pot fountain corsage concept, but I'd have done whimsy all the way, painted the pots in bright colors and added faces.

I hope Terie's garden doesn't suffer too much damage, I know very well what havoc even a light a wet snow can wreak this time of year in NY. I don't have snow in the northern Catskills but everywhere is flooding, my creek is at the top of it's bank and so far my basement is dry... my cats hate water in their basement.

Happily Gardening: I post different pictures of my "garden(s)" nearly every day. Today it's one of my flowering pear trees in bloom in its line of different trees that demark one of my property boundarys. I don't do formal gardening, what I do is maintain the naturalness of the 16 Catskill acres I live on. I have a huge library of photos I've taken here over the years but more than half are of the critters I share with... the last was of a doe feeding her fawn in my forest path that I maintain. This morning I was out hauling 40# bags of topspoil to dress around my newly planted trees... I just finished that flowering pear tree depicted and I'll be heading out shortly to do the next in line, American beech. If you click on my name the picture will enlarge enough to see more detail. I've already shared a number of pictures with Michelle via email and she posted my birch trees in fall color. A few days ago a bear destroyed my bird feeder so now I'm back to tossing bird seed onto the ground from my window, I think that works best here. I also own a 100 acre lot just across the county line, it's in organic hay, maintaine3d by a local cattle farmer. I don't do much on that property as it's naturally gorgeous and needs no help.

I think having large grassy sections between highlights the specimen plantings, crowding plants makes them lose much of their value. I like that small tree in the first picture, it looks like mulberry but it's difficult to tell without seeing the leaf detail... most of the detail in that photo was lost by the camera focusiong on that porch post in the foreground and also from the bright light reflcting back from that light colored privacy fence at the very rear... those two elements caused everything between to blur. If that's a mulberry tree it will grow a lot larger and become a valuable element to that garden, I wouldn't plant anything else nearby, it's already being crowded. If not for the deer here I'd plant a number of mulberry trees in a stand, they're one of my favorites.

Kingwood Center has some spectacular plantings. I look forward to my plants blossoming each spring too.

What a grand labor of love. Those sweeping views are gorgeous. With that abundance of sun it's still not too late to construct a vegetable garden. Thank you, Brooke.

Lovely photo composition of individual plants but I wish there were also wide angle views depicting that it's a garden.

Exquisite attention to detail, Sally Barker is the Michelangelo of gardeners.

Wow, Stephani is a professional farmer.

I can understand having an outdoor pool, even in Maine, when there are children who will use it but I much prefer that space without the pool, the garden is more natural in the landscape.

A native plant wildflower meadow is a wonderful critter home and as greengrowler says is as easy maintenence as it gets, at the end of summer/beginning of fall when plants begin to wither roll over everything with a mower at a high setting (so as not to harm critters), distributes all the seeds and at the same time covers them with good mulch, with each successive spring it'll be healthier.

Meander1: have a speedy recovery!

Oh my, Joy Joy... FINALLY, someone who knows how to use a camera... yoose can no longer blame FG software. Every plant is crystal clear, no fuzzies, not even in the distance, I can see every leaf vein as if I were right there, love it! And what a tidy gardener, not trying to hide booboos with extensive cropping... Susan is not embarrassed to flaunt all her stuff. And I know from personal experience that a smaller plot is more difficult to landscape than an expansive area, because everything is up close and personal... Susan has managed to make her garden look much larger than it is. Great job, Susan, and kudos on the wonderful camera work.

APPLAUSE ! ! !

Who needs an in ground pool in Maine. I have a few neighbors here in NY who have pools, with fridgid winter temperatures and rainy summer weekends they are lucky to get ten days of use a year... and the cost of maintenence is astronomical in cold climes, winters wreak havoc on in ground pools. Fill it in and make a garden, very wise! I only hope there were lots of drainage holes made before filling... I would have had an excavator remove the pool entirely.

I like that woodsy look. I can see that most plants haven't leafed out yet but those bleeding hearts are about three weeks ahead of mine. There appears to be plenty of space to plant more on that property.

Pattyspensor, everytime I approach my barn Newt hears me and dashes out and into the woods so I've never seen Newt close up. I see Newt from my window but that's about 600 feet away. Maybe eventually I'll be able to get closer. Meanwhile I set up a cozy abode in an old horse stall (see above), so Newt has a home.

Spencer looks like the ferral cat that recently took up residence in my barn. I put a small insulated fiberglass dog house in a corner and filled it with old blankets. I make sure the giant food tower and water bowl are filled. I named the cat Newt, because I don't know if it's a boy or a girl, I haven't been able to get anywhere close enough.

FOCUS!

Pattyspenser, I can't comment on your situation with your son but if instead of grass you lay down a blanket of mulch around your trees there'll be nothing to mow, and understory trees especially prefer to grow in mulch same as they would on a forest floor. And you'd be better off not having lawn on the north side of a structure, it would mostly be in shade which is not wonderful for grass but is perfect for understory trees. Of course there are always bonsai. Good luck.

Just goes to prove that size doesn't matter. Marc created a lovely intimate oasis, that fountain is sublime.

Pattyspencer, just plant some. Understory trees are typically not very expensive and not so large that you can't plant them yourself. I'd like to plant more but the deer would have feast, so I have just one that after five years is still fenced, a redbud forest pansey. In fact I just checked it two days ago and it's tiny buds are going to open soon, it flowers before it begins to leaf out. I only planted it because I dug up a 500 pound boulder near my barn and didn't want to waste the hole. The boulder was mostly buried but stuck up enough for my mower to hit it so it had to go, I got tired of spray painting it with day glo. I didn't know it was going to be so big when I began digging, I needed the front loader on the tractor to move it, and still it was quite a job to scoop it from its hole. So where is everyone today?

Those are some splendid specimen trees but they are difficult to appreciate in those photos due to poor composition... if at all possible therfe should be ~1/3 sky in every photo and with chachkas in front that's what the camera focuses on... have the whimsy behind the plant you're highlighting.

Yes, GreenGrowler, all the stonework is marvelous, very indicative that some skilled craftperson spent a lot of time and effort choosing each stone and fitting them perfectly. But mostly I appreciate that there is so much open space framing each garden feature... even with small properties one really shouldn't cram in plantings so that the total effect is more like a wholesale plant nursery than a garden. For total effect less is more, one needs to know when to stop squeezing in yet another plant. Anyway yesterday I removed the plow and front loader, and attached the mower to my tractor. The flatbed arrived an hour ago to haul both tractors in for routine servicing... now it's officially spring in the Catskills.

FANTASTIC!

Brenda's potted plant creativity is superb, very well balanced arrangements.
Bulb augers can be purchased at major hardware emporiums, I buy many of my gardening tools from http://www.leevalley.com

Brenda, my tripod came with my Nikon spotting scope that I bought some ten years ago, ordered it from here: http://www.binoculars.com/
I phoned and they were very helpful.
You probably don't need an expensive professional tripod (very pricey). My spotting scope is permanently set up at its home at my rear sliders so I can view the wildlife. I have an adaptor for fitting a camera to the scope but rarely use it as the critters move past faster than I can get the camera and clip it on. You really don't need a tripod priced higher than the $100 range. My Nikon spotting scope was expensive but I think priced separately the tripod was maybe $89. I think you have your camera set to focus on near objects but to blur everything in the distance. I think you'd do better to set your camera to the default factory setting and use it in Auto mode. Unless one is a Pro they shouldn't play with the settings on important fleeting shots like flowers at their best for the moment... today's camera microprocessors are far smarter at photography than the users. Right now I'm waiting for my new Acer griseum to leaf out (planted last summer).
http://www.hort.uconn.edu/plants/a/acegri/acegri1.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acer_griseum
I plant trees to leave a legacy, I know I'll never see them mature.
Your plantings are spectacular, thanks for sharing.

Wonderful stonemason work on that bridge, I only wish there were real water flowing in that stream bed. I love all those conifers, they look like Iseli specimens. And I know what it's like to plant a couple of hundred bulbs at a clip but I've never done thousands, and I use an auger too. I can't imagine that was a one person job... an auger finds lots of rocks and tree roots, and then to actually plant a thousand bulbs has to take several days. I tried using an auger with a cordless drill but those don't have the low speed torque required, I ended up using a 1/2" corded drill. That's a lovely garden, my only suggestion is to put that camera back to its factory settings, and consider using a tripod, it's a shame to lose all that detail from lack of sharpness. Now I'm wondering what will grow in all that area once the bulbs die down.

Brenda, there are all sorts of light weight garden tractors to choose from, those one sees at the Home Depot, Lowe's etal are not tractors, those are riding mowers made to look like tractors. I like the little Kabota because it's diesel, has an 18 horsepower engine that produces twice the torque of a gasolene engine, is very economical on fuel, and I liked that it has power steering. It's a real tractor with a three point hitch. And there are infinite tire types one can choose for any terrain, even sandy beaches. Mine has a mid point mower but it's easily removeable. With a small Agri Fab cart I can carry all I need for a days work and I'm positive it will hold a wheel chair to use at a destination. There have been quite a few times that I've used that little tractor with it's small mower to mow my entire 10 acres of lawn because the ground was too muddy to use my big tractor.

Meander1, hoses are fairly light until filled with water. When I first moved here I was perplexed about how to water plants that were a distance from the house so I bought ten 100' hoses on sale at Lowe's. The first time I connected them and turned on the water I instantly knew I made a big mistake... there is no way to drag that much water filled hose even a short distance. That's when I decided on getting the cart and hauling 5 gallon buckets of water to wherever I needed to water a plant. I learned to go slow and not fill the buckets more than 3/4 full to keep the water from sloshing out. The tractor and the cart are a real life saver here or I'd not be able to accomplish a tenth of my regular chores.

I decided to add that I wonder why Brenda doesn't avail herself of a motorized wheel chair (or some sort of powered vehicle),I'd think that would make gardening (and much more) so much more accessable. As I've gotten older my 16 acre property has apparently gotten larger, at least this 70 year old body has perceived it so, so more and more I traverse the distances with a small tractor, besides myself it also makes transporting tools and materials effortless... I can't drag a garden hose a 1,000 feet but by hitching a wagon I can haul many buckets of water. it was becoming pointless to lug myself with a heavy load a thousand feet only to be too tuckered out to garden when I got there. I think it's so much wiser to orchestrate ones mobility than attempting to alter ones environment, that's literally spinning ones wheels. I've spent over fifty years as a master tool & diemaker, time and motion study is my expertise... the best mechanics are the laziest.

What a wonderous accomplishment,it's as though Brenda overcame her disability by growing wings.

So wonderful... my kind of gardening... I love au natural landscape. Karen's meadow looks very much like mine, but I let wildflowers grow rather than lawn. I kind of have to let native plants grow as anything I plant that doesn't belong becomes deer salad. I like that bench but I have to laugh, no one can sit there very long during warm weather lest they get eaten alive. Great job, Karen.

It's easy to see why Sheila is a winner, her composition and sense of perspective is awesome, not to mention wonderfully crisp photos. Thank you, Sheila.

For those who are interested there's commercial grade weed barrier cloth such as used along Interstates, it's nearly an inch thick and is available in rolls of more than ten foot widths... it's very expensive. Some landscapers use heavy gauge plastic sheeting but even if one perforates it with slits it still collects standing water and breeds mosquitoes. And none of those barriers are permanent so may need periodic replacement, but mostly they are meant as a temporary weed barrier and are intended to decompose once the new plantings mature (mostly they are intended for erosion control until new plant roots mature). Personally I would never use gravel as a ground cover, I find it very unattractive plus all those stones tend to migrate. And I would never expect anyone to believe that gravel simulates flowing water, that's an affront to ones sensibilities. I know of several people who decided to use gravel as a landscape feature and were very sorry they did. I have a real creek on my property that a few years ago during heavy rain it overflowed and its banks eroded. I had to have an excavating company come during a dry spell and reconfigure the creek so it would hold a greater volume (it was made deeper and wider). It was lined with commercial weed barrier and surfaced over with large crushed rock (riprap the size of footballs) to prevent future erosion. That was five years ago and it has held up well through several storms, the plants are back (they rooted in the weed barrier, which is probably decomposing). My creek always contains flowing water, it's level depending on conditions... it has overflowed twice already since the repair but no erosion occured, the rocks held... you wouldn't want to fall into that creek when there's flooding. The same creek flows through my neighbor's property, he had a bridge built similar to the one in today's contribution, it washed away five years ago during the flooding.

I was going to say I liked that bridge but then realized it spans some dry white stones, what's with that? And there is definitely something wrong with that camera that all the photos are so blurry. I'm not sure about how those palms are arranged on that property/landscape, they look very unnatural and stunted. Those pink flowers look like a version of tiger lilies, maybe flamingo lilies. It looks like a very interesting property but I wish a better photographer shoots the next round.

I was wondering the same, it's obviously Ohio but those sure look like transplants from Florida. Btw, bananas don't grow on trees, they're banana plants, the largest herbacious plants. I really like that sunken patio, affords lots of privacy among all that lush greenery. A lovely garden.

How apropos for celebrating the first day of spring, just gorgeous.

I love the copper roof on that gazebo and that fountain is magnificent... looks like a very stress free nook amongst all those plants.

Lovely with everything in bloom... I wish there were more pictures of the rest of Melissa's half acre. I'd like to see the driveway from the other end too, I think I see tall hollyhocks and some pretty sunflowers. Every time I see one of these surburban gardens I'm envious because I can no longer plant all that deer diet... I'll have to settle for vicarious.

WOW is right, what a lot of wisteria! I had one wisteria vine years ago but it required severe pruning down to nubs each year if it was to flower the following year,and the flowers don't last long so mustly it was a very fast growing green vine... but the blooms look and smell heavenly. It was a monumental task to dig up its roots, I replaced it with concord grapes, made a lovely privacy fence. I'll guess that Ana lives in central or northern portugal, I think the southern portion is too arid for wisteria. At first glance I thought that flower is mimosa but then saw that the foliage didn't match. A very nice contribution.

Benjamin has created a beautiful composition of plantings yet very utilitarian in how they coincide with nature, I like it a lot.

What huge perfect peachy roses... must like growing in all the heady winery fumes... and their color sort of matches the building. That's my Peachie.

As an aside, I love the name Belinda... I think it's a typical Belizean name.

Living right inside the forest with all the critters including the six legged beasties must be a biting experience, but still I love viewing all those plants close up and personal. And I like those maintenence free paths, they look like crushed stone nicely compacted... no mowing!

All those plants remind me of how I keep the beds around my deck, as hodgepodge of various nectars and seeds, to attract birds and butterflys, especially the hummers. One year I planted giant sunflowers, not realizing that birds can't get to the seeds while they are still growing... after cutting the flower heads (the size of trash can covers)the bluejays attacked with a vengence, they are masters at opening and devouring sunflower seeds. Good job, Kathy

Last time I vacationed in the Blue Ridge and Smokey Mountains was some 25 years ago... these pictures bring back good memories... thank you, Michelle.

What luscious green, and here I am looking at everything covered in that wet white stuff. But very soon now I'll be able to enjoy that woodsy earthy woodland aroma again, bugs and all, and I'm betting on an early spring, and hopefully not too wet. That vibrant carpeted green path looks so freshly vacuumed... who'll make the first foot prints?

Symba looks right at home exploring that wonderful garden. And seeing all that green certainly takes the edge off all the white stuff that has just arrived here in The Catskills. Thank you, Terie and Symba.

I don't see any point in expending ones energies putting in live branches that only need to be removed before they create a nuisance. If I wanted a living border for a veggie garden I'd plant a row of carrots, basil, parsley, radish, something both attractive and useful.. remember the marigolds from two days ago, I plant those too. When I prune my fruit trees, even ornamental crabapple and pear, I snip all the branches into small bits and toss them in the creek to get rid of them. I used to burn them but open fires are no longer permitted. I also haul cuttings and fallen branches into the woods where I have a brush pile for critters. Fruit tree cuttings should be properly disposed of as they bring the plant diseases that attack fruit trees... one should do the same when pruning roses as they are related to apple. If folks want a gardening tip they should make it a habit to collect *all* prunings and dispose of them far away from where they were cut.

pattyspencer: To be perfctly honest at very first glance I thought, gee, someone forgot to put their garden hose away. Then when I realized what it is I thought it would be better had it been the garden hose, I see nothing attactive about that mangled metal, and I can't see how it's a gate, anyone can walk right through. The stone steles are kind of attractive but I'd remove that twisted metal, I see no need for a gate there... in fact someone is liable to go through without paying attention and mangle their face, I can envision some child dashing through, tripping on the bottom portion, smashing their head on the flagstone and ending up a cripple, or worse. To me it's a trap, it presents a hazard... either install a proper gate or nothing at all... that's a big fat law suit waiting to happen.

As is "Vojt" I too am intrigued by the oddly bent metal rod and stone steles that appears to be some sort of stile; perhaps an intergallactic transporter port for the ET gardeners among us... ah, I see one of you aliens in that last picture! Very appetizing chair, just don't sit in it lest you get swept away by little green beings/beans.
Very interesting garden, thanks.

Bittersweet and whimsy all in one human interest package wrapped in a garden of wonderful memories.

My mom was my gardening angel since my first steps.

I have Silver Birch (Betula pendula) growing here in the Catskills, however I like the exfoliating bark of that River Birch. Yes, birch are messy, mine drop entire limbs... I recently had a large one removed as it was interfering with my utility wires. One of my Silver Birch was shown here a number of months ago dressed in its fall foliage.

That's one of the nicest constructed water features I've seen. That the yard is a certified wildlife habitat I wonder what sorts of wildlife visits/resides. Those birdhouses are more whimsical than utilitarian, I think they're more for people than birds. Maybe if there were some bird feeders the feathered friends might take up residency but I suspect the birds are making their homes higher up in the flora. I'd love to know what kind of tree that is in the last picture and if it would survive my fridgid winters, I'd plant it in a NY minute, its bark is magnificent. I'd rank that as one of the more beautiful gardens I've seen here.

I'm wondering if Cynthia will be tending to the plantation grounds herself or as is typical in third world countries the "haves" maintain native staff; housekeepers who also go into town to shop, a driver, grounds keepers, and of course security. I know first hand that in tropical climes the bush grows much too quickly for one or even two to keep the jungle at bay. That property appears much too large and involved for just one person to tend to it. And trimming the vegetation will do nothing to keep the mosquito population down (biters love lawns), people wear protective clothing and avail themselves of screened lanais and sleep under netting. In town the locals deal with insects by having zero vegetation and using smoke. Beware the tropical sun.

What interesting flora, I wish the photos included more of the surroundings.

Meander1: it's easy to find information about Rwanda's climate, etc.
http://www.worldtravelguide.net/rwanda/weather-climate-geography

I'm sure it would be a fabulous place to visit however I don't think I'd want to live there. I lived in Belize for a while thinking to retire there and although facinating I decided not to stay, life there is too difficult, third world living is fine for young people but not so much as one becomes older. The flora and fauna of Belize is probably the most spectacular on the planet.

Jan's plantings are lovely, and I especially like those mature trees and all the evergreens. I'm happy to see bird feeders in pictures 2&4, I wish more people would have them. The little pond is artistically edged in stones, is it natural? I know others must be wondering so I'll ask, what is the significance of that pair of blue balls by the pond? And what is the purpose of what appears to be electrical wire wrapped round and round those tree trunks at the pond, I'd think they'd make a good lightening attractant. And lastly those two mature trees need some arborist remediation, the one to the right needs that hollow filled to keep water out, looks like it's already split to the ground from water entering and freezing; may need to be cabled. And the severed horizontal limb stump on the tree to the left needs protection from rain and snow to keep moisture from entering and causing dry rot... maybe a large hanging planter suspended to act as an umbrella but leaving an air space for ventilation. If insects are noticed boring in protect the cut wood with a cap of window screen attached to the bark with caulking compound.

Barb's garden contains many very nice plants but I'd like to also see distant/wide angle photos included to gain a better perspective of the overall effect of what one sees as if actually there. I feel the microscopic views are fine but too cropped to enjoy a full appreciation for all the labors that went into creating a *garden* (one or three plants does not a garden make), and not just close ups of individual plants and small groupings, for that I can peruse a nursery catalog. Even the effect of the water feature is lost without seeing how it fits into the landscape and I'm certain a lot of thought and effort went into it's location and association with other elements along with its form. All just my opinion of course.
GreenGrowler: I think 'usenet' might solve the "connectivity" issue for you, I think the unmoderated Newsgroups are best for honest discussion, providing one has thick skin. I think Facebook has no value whatsoever as a venue for discussion unless one appreciates disingenuousness, better off taking it to email. Again just my never humble opinion.

Me too! I will also be checking out that butterfly bush, hoping it will survive my zone 5a winters and the deer... I have a perfect spot for it in a small clearing I made in a hedgerow, actually my pet cemetery I can see from my window. I love those bird houses, but needs bird feeders too. That's a gorgeous garden that really needs to be viewed up close and personal, photos don't do it justice. I have my eye on this newcomer, it's unique design and great capacity is very tempting: http://www.amazon.com/Varicraft-AV-2M-Avian-Mixed-Feeder/dp/B00063DP30/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1329000361&sr=8-1

The first thing I thought upon seeing that wall was where's the fountain for tossing coins... that wall cries out for one of those gargoyle fountains. http://www.designtoscano.com/

Hmm, Apricot Brandy, I knew there was a reason I liked it... probably I'd put more in me than on the wall! Denise, I'm probably not too far away (Northern Catskills), I have several areas for you to use as your personal palette.

Wonderful fall color in the last picture, and matches the garage wall perfectly... I'll assume painted by Denise (love that color). Now if the next roof (it needs a new roof, and gutter cleaned) is done in chocolate/adobe, and a real copper gutter/downspout added... can also benefit from a cupola with weathervane. Denise needs more yard, I'd be happy to lend her a couple of acres here to putter on.;)

WOW! Looks like Michelle did a lot of work. I clicked on the Help page and Pininterest seems complicated/involved, at least to me... I'll have to study this. Thank you, Michelle, for all your effort.

Outdoor potted plants are great, I just need to remember to water mine. Good use of salvage containers.

My property doesn't lend itself to dealing with deer with repellants (I've tried), my property is too large (16 acres) to go from area to area on a regular basis so I use fencing until planted trees and shrubs attain enough growth to where the deer can't reach the lower branches. I tend to use a small tractor to travel about but thazt doesn't work in winter and when the ground is muddy in spring and fall... and winter is when deer diet changes from lawn to trees. I learned not to risk plants thinking that the deer won't eat them because they haven't for a season, next season they will. I have all my foundation plantings around my house neatly fenced with turkey wire nearly five feet high. When I first planted over a hundred shrubs I woke the next morning to find them all munched to nubs... I put up the fence and replanted. At first I thought the fence would be unattractive but since my house is set back from the road nearly 200' the fence becomes invisible, especially since the plants have grown and the galvanized turkey wire is no longer shiny. My vegetable garden (50' X 50') is also fenced with turkey wire six feet high. I either plant trees that are fairly well grown or kinds the deer won't eat (spruce). I've discovered many flowering annuals that deer won't eat, most are toxic (foxglove flowers beautifully). Most of my property is in native plants, the deer and other critters are free to browse whatever they like. I feed the deer and other critters too, the animals are why I live here.

That's some very well done stone terracing. The stonework looks of the period to have been done shortly after the house was built. I did some reaseach on Norris, TN and it seems that same style of stone work is prevalant with the area's historical attractions. This could well be Eve's house: http://frank.mtsu.edu/~tah/sites/norris.pdf
Thanks for sharing.

So Simon is the American Idol judge who offers constuctive criticism. And Paula is the wuss who is ascared to offend anyone's widdle feelings. I much prefer and appreciate honesty and helpfulness. I checked out the hops vine and will think about it, however it may be too vigorous. I wanted something to soften one of my utility poles, for now I planted a lilac bush next to it (mount baker), I had to fence it as deer like lilac leaves... once it exceeds six feet in height I should be able to remove the fence. On Saturday I pruned my two apple trees and two plum trees, semi-dwarf; gala & empire/mt. royal & green gage. I'm patiently awaiting spring when the plants will bud out. Thanks folks.

Sarah has some wonderful vines, I wish I had them. I tried clematis and trumpet but not much luck, maybe because I bought them mail order and they were kind of wimpy, I was assured they'd grow quickly but they didn't. I'm thinking of trying morning glory next, or Jack's magic beans; fee fi, fo fum. The vines are lovely but they really won't offer much privacy from nosy neighbor's upper windows a mere arm's length away and none once the temps drop as will their leaves. I'd plant conifers in the corner along that privacy fence, a half dozen arborvitae should suffice, even better are Canadian hemlock as they do well in partial shade and lend themselves to heavy shearing... there are many other choices... I'd much rather a dense wall of green year round than be hemmed in by a nearby bamboo shade. I love that wooden deck but PLEASE, get that grill off or it will burn down your house! Move that grill onto the ground and a minimum of 15' from any combustible material including trees and bushes... don't even store it there.

Who/what are Simon/Paula?

Ah, Sarah is another touchy-feel-me gardener who makes me want to caress her all her softness. For textural contrast I'd find a sunny spot for 'Jeans Dilly': http://www.iselinursery.com/photopages/PiceaglaucaJeansDilly.htm

I love the texture of Carol's garden. With how all those plants are arranged they look so soft and voluptuous that they make me want to reach into that picture and caress them, like a cat. What type of grass is that, it looks like velvet, like a putting green, or Georgia peach fuzz. I think you need a peach tree, clings are my favorites but they're not readily available nowadays. I can't grow peaches here, they won't survive the Catskill's frigid winters.

Very neatly done! I tried espalier with pyracantha thinking the thorns would deter the deer, no such luck, they somehow managed to nip off all the leaves while avoiding the thorns. Fruit tree crop size is mostly determined by weather; has to do with blossoms being fertilized in a timely fashion. Many times the pollinators don't blossom during the same time and also when the insects are buzzing... everything needs to fall into place timewise with temperature being the trigger. Today in the Catskills the temperature reached 60 degrees, not good because if temperaturs stay there for a few days buds will begin to open. Then when the frost returns the blossom buds will be damaged. With fruit trees it's actually best not to fertilize heavily, you don't want them to grow too quickly at the transition from winter to spring. I don't fertilize my fruit trees, the birds and other critters do that chore. If you want larger apples early on when the fruit is the size of a marble pinch off every other one and any that look misshapen/damaged, that's what's done at commercial orchards. From two espaliered apple trees I wouldn't cook any, perfect apples are best eaten out of hand or make wonderful gifts. For cooking go to an orchard and buy a bushel of drops for cheap. The best most appley flavored apple pie is made with dehydrated apples.

Apple Pie Filling from Dehydrated Apples

The nicest apple pies I've ever made were where the filling was prepared from dried (dehydrated) apples, the apple flavor is more intense and the texture less mushy; obviously there is less work and no waste. Dried apples are easily available from stupidmarkets at reasonable prices especially from markets that sell bulk and from so-called health food shops. And of course there are no storage problems with dehydrated fruits, they last about forever.

One pound of dehydated apples equals approximately ten pounds of fresh. To one pound of dehydrated apples add 2 quarts of water and *slowly* bring to a gentle boil, stir occasionally and cook 5 minutes, covered. Turn off heat and let rest, covered, till room temperature.

Make a slurry of cornstarch and cold water; bring apples back to boil and add cornstarch mixture and cook until thick and clear. Turn off heat.

While still hot carefully blend in sugar (about 1 pound), a pinch of salt, butter (about 2 ounces), a tsp of cinnamon, 1/4 tsp nutmeg and the juice of one lemon. Cool throughly. May be refrigerated up to two days for later use.

Scale about 3 1/2 cups filling into each unbaked pie crust, cover with top crust and bake at 425 degrees F for about 45 minutes, until crust is nicely browned.

I was a US Navy cook (US John Paul Jones DD932), I baked countless apple pies/cakes using that recipe.

Shed schmed... that's a house, okay, a cottage... I can live in it! And I love the porch. Is it insulated, does it have heat? How much is the rent? It looks very woodsy so I'm wondering how without a fence you keep the deer from munching your cypress etc. I tried cypress twice but by morning they were gone so I gave up. And you did a fantastic job on your water feature, looks close to natural, best I've seen, and I don't like man made. The entire scene looks natural, I love it, I don't care much for formal gardens or the plant nursery look with as many plants as possible crammed in like soldiers in close order drill, especially in the woods. And I don't see any privacy fencing, wonderful. Everything looks native, no hidiously hued lurid flowers transplanted from the other side of the planet. Liz did great!

I love Tim's brick walk, it contrasts well with his perfect plants, and it doesn't pretend to be natural. And I believe there's a bit of fern peeking out to the left side, I like to plant ferns as they make great privacy barriers and deer don't eat them... I have large ferns hiding my 500 gallon propane tank, at least during warm weather, in winter the deep snow takes over that task... except this year. I'd dedicate some space along that walk for evergreens, they'd add good winter interest... there are many dwarf conifers to choose from that make spectacular specimen plantings. Also I'm not quite sure of that large tree at the end of the walk but I'd guess wild cherry. I noticed some limbs have been removed, but they were cut too close to the main trunk. When removing tree limbs start the cut on top about 2" out and taper inward so it ends about 1' from the trunk, so it forms a little stump that projects from the top to form a drip eave so that the cut stays dry (it's also important not to create a shelf where snow and ice can accumulate in winter). This will help keep the cut surface dry and prevent dry rot which promotes disease and insect infestation. I suggest repairing the present cuts by applying a few beads of caulking compound above the cuts to form an eave so that water runs off to the sides of the cuts. Do not caulk, paint, or otherwise apply any sealant directly to the cut surfaces or they will not be able to dry and so will rot from the inside. Eventually as the bark grows it will actually form a collar that pushes the dry plug until it ejects and will then heal over leaving a healthier tree and no scar. Most folks tend towards instant gratification so they prune flush and hide the cut with those silly pruning sprays, don't use those, not good, they inhibit healing and do more harm than good.

My curmudgeon tip for today: for all your shady spots, don't forget "Lily Of The Valley"... makes a wonderfully textured maintenence free ground cover and produces the most gorgeous perfectly configured flowers, with a luscious sweet scent that can only be described unmistakeably as "Lily Of The Valley". Whether you've only a square foot or an entire hillside in shade, no other plant is in all respects as rewarding.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MICHELLE!

I just know all you nice folks are gonna hate me but I have to be perfectly honest, I like the grassy slope much more than that Barny Rubble approach, just doesn't compliment that period style home... insteasd of blending into the hood it sticks out like a sore [green] thumb... all that hardscaping would maybe compliment ultra modern contemporary architecture. That yard is small to begin with, totally covered with rocks makes it appear much smaller. When one abhors mowing there are many ways to cover a slope with live plants rather than that jumble of mismatched stones... I can see a small outcroping of matching stone slabs for a focal point to act as a retainer, but that sci fi hodgepodge robs more than half the planting space, and will look very boring when it all those plants die back come Ohio's cold weather. To me those stones say a grave digger lives here, not a gardener. Also if that sapling planted at the curb is a maple or oak it's not going to do well as a street tree, and once it gets to growing it will raise that sidewalk... while it's still young I'd swap it for a gingko or a linden. Sorry, but I've never been one to knuckle under to political correctness.

Isn't Ohio icy cold and covered with that white stuff a good part of the year... that yard will be awfully boring during the cold months, will look like the Ohio State Penetentiary exercise yard, only thing missing are the guard towers. There needs to be shrubs, trees, and especially evergreens/conifers... should be easy pickings with no deer in that yard to contend with... I'm locked into spruce or fence. Sorry but I'm not liking all that moonscape gravelly appearance (says a septic system contractor lives here). No matter how contained that gravel flows like lava, I'd become very annoyed with having to constantly pick up all those pebbles and have to drag them back where they belong... everytime a vehicle backs out at least a pound of gravel will end up in the road. Now that there's a good gravel base rent a vibratory tamper to compress the driveway, add a layer of sand, and cover it with pavers, perhaps an attractive herringbone pattern. From what I can see of the neighbor's yards they look lush.

Fantastic array with great appeal, draws the eye to look everywhere. I really like the inobtrusive plastic edging; low maintenence, cuts way down on invasive roots, and presents a much cleaner demarcation than a jumble of fieldstone. I have one question, what is the purpose of those chains hanging from that tree limb, I hope they are not damaging the bark.

2012 must be the Year of The Arbor... however they scream out for bird feeders... enough said. I suggest leaving your grassy areas and keep them well mowed/edged, the green swarths highlight your plantings. I find nothing attractive about wall to wall plantings all jumbled together in a relatively small area, they make ones yard look more like a plant nursery than a garden. With gardening I believe less is more... think specimens with a distinct pecking order, with complimentary plantings minimized. I think in smaller yards with formal privacy fencing the more formal concrete edging fits in better than the informal field stone one might find in a woodland setting. Unless fieldstone is used to build an actual revolutionary era wall or are natural outcroppings I think it looks Disneyish, like miniature golf course decor... it's what I find so visually offensive about fake water features, they look nothing like that in nature. If one must do water at least make it include a utilitarian bird bath. In a tract home yard a very nice water feature is an automatic irrigation system, the birds and other critters enjoy it too. Julia's yard looks very much like where I lived last on Lung Guyland, I had the very same red scalloped concrete edging. I had an automatic sprinkler system covering th eentire 1/4 acre and Fabian's Landscaping arrived every week and spent all of twenty minutes to maintain my little lawn... now retired I have some ten acres of just lawn to tend and no Fabian.

Each year I look forward to the snow, a pristine blanket to hide flaws and gives me a long needed break by greatly lessening outdoor chores. I really like that arbor framing the snow covered conifer, but with that dense tree so near that arbor is lacking a bird feeder or two... would make that scene come alive!

FORMANDFOLIAGE: I too shop for end of season stock just before nurserys here in NY shut down for winter so I agree that's a good point, albiet much of what's left by then is kind of Charlie Brownish, but since I only buy 2-3 I usually make some good finds. You and others may find this site of interest: http://www.iselinursery.com/index.html

What a stupendous assortment of specimen plantings, looks like someone hit the mega lottery and brought all the local nursery stock home. I envy those weeping conifers, unfortunately I'd have to keep most of them fenced from the deer here, and even then the voles love juniper roots (Solar Sonic Spikes help a lot). Most look freshly planted, I hope with enough space between to still appreciate them as they grow.

WWROSS: you are correct, diluting water based paint enables it to better penetrate. It is also beneficial to throughly wet the lumber, a few times so that it's more saturated, and then paint. As the moisture in the wood evaporates it will pull the pigments in deeper by hydrolic action... then the paint may not need thinning unless one wants a more subdued tone (it's a good idea to make tests on scrap lumber or in an inconspicuous area. The same works with painting masonary. It's also important to not do this in direct sun, the longer the drying time the deeper the pigments will penetrate.

That's a lovely wildflower meadow, surrounded with what appears to be an abandoned Christmas tree farm of white pine, a great wildlife refuge. I suggest rough mowing that meadow in late summer/early fall to maintain its health and encourage a greater profusion of wildflowers. And I like the mowed path, I'd mow the entire perimeter for winter snowshoeing.

Lovely yard. That swimming pool looks very inviting.
Is that a young mimosa tree focused on next to the stocked pool... must be more proud of it than of the cropped out pool. I planted a mimosa tree in the front yard of my first house (1970), I was very proud of it too, but that time bomb blew up in my face. Its seeds eventually sprouted everywhere, needless to say my neighbors were not happy.
http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/node/29
http://forestry.about.com/od/silviculture/p/mimosa.htm
I'd remove it immediately before it grows larger and plant something appropriate... that's a perfect spot for Acer griseum.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acer_griseum
http://www.hort.uconn.edu/plants/a/acegri/acegri1.html

Ahh, my kind of gardening! Anyone can poke potted plants into the ground and forcing them to live where they truly don't belong, but encouraging, maintaining, and preserving naturalness is the real gardening. Thank you for those wonderful panaramas.

Just a reminder, be very cautious about planting bamboo, most types are extremely invasive. I don't suggest planting bamboo near property lines. For those who insist be certain to sink a very substantial barrier in the soil and deep enough to prevent the roots from spreading.

I'm not good at keeping long term resolutions. I'll make a short term resolution to get out there and prune my two apple and two plum trees... hopefully this year I'll finally get some green gage plums. The only method I know of to keep marauding deer away from plants is o plant those they don't eat (foxglove) or a fence... I use turkey wire, once its shinyness dulls it's hardly noticeable. A very nice tree to plant is Acer griseum, would work very well on Lunguyland... I don't recommend planting any trees where if they fall can land on your house (or a neighbor's), especially on LI (hurricanes). Unless one has a large lot stay away from the large trees, and the fast growing trees generally have weak wood and are short lived.

Looks like my wildflower meadow after brush hogging. I think those are all dead branches that were gathered and arranged... if it's like where I live any flowering vine planted would become deer salad.

A Happy & Healthy New Year To All!

Peace!

I'm sure a lot of labor went into that creation but I don't find it calming at all... to me it conjures up visions sardonic rituals and an alter of human sacrifices.

I don't think nailing kids to a tree would go over well with the neighbors. hehe

What a terrific idea for recycling all shoes... gotta go rummage through my closets... come spring all those expensive worn out sneakers I hadn't the heart to toss in the trash will get a new life laced to my veggie garden fence. Thank you!

A grand assortment of plantings! Those bleeding hearts are vibrant... don't forget to put out the hummingbird feeders.

Oh boy, my AIM image is a Gingerbread Boy... am I going to have fun with all those Gingerbread Girls!

Very nice Japanese garden acouterments. If one has the ability I'd like to see a more traditional Japanese style roof on that shed... I think it can be done easily and inexpensively with a small shed: http://www.secrets-of-shed-building.com/japanese_garden_shed.html

FANTASTIC! No weeding! No mowing! Rich, a wealth of interest! I love it.

There's a tremendous amount of arhitectural details and chachkas, and everything seems so meticulously tended; spit shined and enameled. Next have the orthodontist align that block curb along the driveway and while you're at it lay down a coat of sealer and your vehicles need Depends! LOL I have a graveled parking area for visiters, especially workmen, I haven't met a contractor's truck yet that doesn't suffer incontinence... it doesn't take long in northern climes for oil drips to erode clear through blacktop. Lay down cat litter over winter and come warm dry weather have a good seal coat applied before the winter road salt does more damage. And remember it's a driveway, not a parking lot... repaving runs into the several thousand$.

The photog's great composition enhances well beyond what's actually there.

For me it's those trees and shrubs forming the back drop that are what make the scene live. I've not decided what that lovely multi trunked tree is, lools like a type of maple but I can't make out its leaf configuration well enough.

I love that lantern so I had to check it out. I'd like to have one but I need to decide where to place it. And of course in my searching I found so many more outdoor items I'd like to have. http://www.japanesestyle.com/oribe-lantern

It's wonderful that your growing seasson is short as that requires an enormous amount of labor for just one person, but you must love it, it's all gorgeous! And I'm so glad that you didn't cheapen the effect with any of those grotesque fake water features... everytime I see one of those Disneyish motorized streams it reminds me of honky tonk miniature golf. I love Montana, I came very close to retiring near Colombia Falls.

It has great aesthetic value but I wonder if birds actually use that, it appears too near the ground and very climbable, looks more like a cat feeder. I've seen ferral cats attempt to leap up to snatch the birds from my feeder but it's placed a little too high (6') I've been feeding wild birds for many years and just recently bought a new high capacity feeder and retired my small feeders (got tired of refilling them especially in inclement weather... and plastic feeders dont last long where I live, they shatter at the -20 temps. I bought the all metal Heritage Farms seeds n' more in red, from Amazon (best price), it holds 15 pounds of seed. The pole is hand wrought iron, made in USA by The Hookery, I got one with double adjustable hooks, bought from the same place I buy seed, a local farm feed company. I buy seed in 40# sacks, I like the Fancy Flight brand ultimate birdmix. I also buy 50# sacks of cracked corn that I keep to feed wild turkeys and other critters but also blend some into the bird seed. I never put any edible scraps into my trash, I toss it out into my backyard where it quickly disappears, from apple cores to this years turkey frame (broke it up some and the crows flew off with it before I closed the door behind me). I don't suggest placing bird feeders attached to your eaves or too near your house or the woodpeckers will soon begin destroying your house. I placed my new feeder where I can see it from where I sit at my computer, right near my new Acer griseum.

My wife likes gardening but not so much as she loves knitting, she would live on that porch.

Terrific contrast of colors and textures well balanced and complimentry... great job!

A vivid pallete to stimulate the senses, all of them. My first impression was the earthy aroma of decaying leaves on the forest floor, then the crunch of crisp leaves issuing a different note with each step, with every breath I could taste the woodsy air.

For me that it's Long Island, where I lived most of my life, is what makes Old Westbury Gardens special, but what impresses me most in that scene is how it's framed by those stately ancient trees, they appear to be weeping beech.

You've done a magnificent job, your labor of love shines through. One of my first chores each spring is to scour my mowed areas for rocks to harvest lest they wreak havoc with my mower. Here in the Catskills the land grows rocks, so ever you need more feel free to take all you want from those I've piled in the woods. They just stick their nose up but once I begin digging I never know what I will find, most are manageable but several are nearly the size of a VW bug and certainly weigh more. With the front loader on my tractor I manage to move them, leaving a free hole for planting a tree. I applaud your perserverence to rebuild.

Happy Thanksgiving To All!

I love wild turkeys. I have them on my property here in the catskills. Here you can see some newly hatched and how they grew:
http://i44.tinypic.com/r9jxqv.jpg
http://i41.tinypic.com/igbxft.jpg
http://i39.tinypic.com/n2btky.jpg
http://i43.tinypic.com/nbag6a.jpg

Spectacular color and I love the mature plantings, especially that tree with its machinating gnarly limbs.

I want to thank everyone for your nice comments, and a special thank you to Michelle for posting my pictures.

I will look for another batch of something to send in.

A very nice window framing job, especially adding panes too. I like the variety of plants as well, dogwood, Japanese red maple, and what a appears to be a very lush weeping beech? all set the scene well.

WWRoss; that water feature is so pristine because it is fake, the same water is constantly pumped so is easy to filter, and can be turned off at will to give the entire water feature a hose down. I wish people wouldn't build water features like that, they remind me of when I was a teenager into aquariums, with fake sunken pirate chests and such. I agree that such gardens should be indicted up front so that average gardeners don't swoon with oohs and ahhs over them... anyone with lots of money can have that kind of garden. Like WWRoss I have a natural creek that crosses my front yard but it requires constant labor to maintain. A few years ago during heavy flooding it became so eroded that I needed to have an excavating company come in to reform it and and put in riprap to help hold it in case of more flooding... had I just left it to its own devises it would have eventually erroded right up to the foundation walls of my house, and probably washed the house away. Real water features are a lot more involved than fakes.

Now that I've seen the video I can see that this is all professional landscaping, probably a wealthy estate, very laborious and extremely costly, not something any one individual can accomplish, or should covet. I didn't read the blog so I don't know how much acreage is involved or if it's even indicated. I'm very disappointed in the water features, they're fakes, which is what I thought from my first impression. Those kind of gardens do not impress me... they just mean someone has a lot of money to pay people to do it. The only green thumbs those kind have are from the ink rubbing off as they fondle their cash... those are hands that never touched dirt. I consider that video more a advert for the landscaping company. There are professional landscapers where I live in the Catskills who do much more natural looking water features... to me that stream looks like it came out of a kit.

I like water features. I like the use of boulders to define the perimeters. But I'm wondering if that's a natural woodland stream or it's on a city lot with a pump recirculating the same water. I'd like to see a wider view depicting how that stream fits into the surrounding landscape, that picture looks so heavily cropped that there is no way to get a sense of scale. Those juniper look very healthy... I'm jealous because here the deer would treat them as salad. Nice stone work.

Spectacular color explosion... watching fall foliage is my favorite gardening chore.

Spectacular fall foliage!

How does one send in pictures?

How does one add a picture to their thumbnail?

Of course the elephant would be the favorite... watering can envy! LOL

A very organized garden but where are the koalas?

Funtastic punkins! Love all those birdy houses.

Magnificent stonework, and so precise! And trees are my passion, especially conifers, I'd love to see more detailed pictures of those trees. Living in that freeze-free zone have you thought of incorporating a water feature with that river rock stream bed... would be a perfect location for a koi pool at the bottom. Thank you for the lovely photos.

It's very unfair/shallow to denigrate those who do a labor of love in the public gardens... they are REAL people too... most of whom are volunteers, individuals and groups from local gardening clubs. For more years than I care to remember, since grade school, I volunteered at The Brooklyn Botanic Gardens, and now I give of my time, efforts, and personal funds helping to beautify our small rural village, and I also volunteer my gardening skills along with many other volunteers at the local golf course... what is this REAL people business, ALL gardeners are REAL people and all gardens are REAL gardens. Differentiate by calling them public/private gardens, but stop it with this infantile REAL business. Thank you for your understanding.

Nice composition and superb photo quality.

mgervais - Thank you for your explanation. I'm hoping your awaited improvements come to be... I appreciate all your efforts.

For those who don't appreciate honest constructive criticism I feel very sad for you. And for anyone who doesn't believe that I garden you couldn't be more wrong. I work very hard tending to a lovely piece of north Catskill acreage, with many interesting settings and rare plantings that I do my best to keep natural and in harmony with the native wildlife. I have literally thousands of photographs that I'd be happy to share. Here is a recent one that I was very lucky to grab from my back deck right after Irene, the wind was strong and the clouds scuding blocked the sun in an instant, I didn't get a second shot.
http://i54.tinypic.com/98hfd4.jpg
For anyone who doesn't want me to participate here just say so and you'll never hear from me again... I don't make personal attacks and I don't appreciate them.

Best regards,
Tractor1

I don't know how else to say this but the photographer needs a better digicam or needs to learn how to use it... those pictures have gorgeous subject matter but the resolution is awful... a cell phone cam produces crisper images. I've noticed this for a while but until now didn't say anything but now I have... flame away. I would strongly suggest putting that camera back to its factory settings... phone the camera manufacturer and the techie will gladly instruct... then use the Auto setting only and do not use any custom settings unless/until becoming proficient. And invest in a tripod. It's a shame to have lost all those photo opportunities.

Those huge sculpted tiered shrubs are magnificent, must take two gardeners an entire day to trim.

Lovely old planting, like a walk in the woods without the woods. Some of my acreage is an old abandoned Christmas tree farm now becoming mixed but I have several very long paths through towering Norway spruce... wildlife paradise. I'd love to plant a Weeping Atlas Cedar but alas the deer would have it for breakfast, deer love soft needled evergreens, during hard winters they'll even nibble spruce.

A magnicent garden but unfortunately the camera's auto-fucus zeroed in on the briteness of the water (like shooting into the sun) causing everything else to be out of focus. Next time use the zoom feature to zero in on just the fountain framed by a minimum of plantings. Hopefully compositions of individual specimens will be forthcoming.

A lovely rural oasis amidst urban squalor... needs only a few deer.

Through The Looking Glass - Chaotic/Psychotic - Tea & Crumpets Among High Tension Wires. Definitely NOT A Relaxing/Calming Scenario. Where's The Mad Hatter?

I think the concept is silly, low class, and rude, something the neighborhood busybodies would subscribe to. I moved from a crowded city to a rural area to get away from the "front stoop mentality"... so the rumor mongers can gossip about who associates with who... blech! Some people, have no decency.

A lovely salvage but that color is awful, reminds me of how my father would mix all the left overs to paint the kitchen and bathrooms, drove my mother crazy with his depression mentality. It needs the rust wire brushed/sanded and a fresh coat of white Rustoleum, and it's too naked, needs clothing, a vine/climbing rose.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ailanthus_webworm

I found a nest of them here in the Catskills yesterday on my plum tree. It was pouring rain so I didn't have my camera. I nipped off the small twig with the nest and dispatched it with water softener salt brine I keep in a plastic jug just for that purpose. If not for the small gypsy moth-like webbing I never would have spotted it while out filling my hummer feeders... it's still teeming.

That sure looks like a section from an antique bucket-wheel excavator, still used today but far larger.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bucket-wheel_excavator

I must be missing something... I don't get it with all the ooing and aahing... it's a toilet, not the emporer's new clothes. I live on a farm, when I want to see greenery up close and personal I climb down from my tractor and squat behind a bush/tree in a hedgerow and fertilze. That total waste of dollars on the ludicrus reminds me of a military latrine in Nam but with doors.

An impractible pool... it must get filthy with grass right up to the edge and a tree hanging over is as big no-no, leaves and bird poop are not good... would have been much wiser to have a pool for koi.

Lovely planter but that ugli cement block has to go, detracts from the naturalness.. has to be a flat natural stone somewhere...