tractor1

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...