Garden Photo of the Day

READER PHOTOS! Mike and Sheila’s garden in New York State

Front view from our street TWO WAYS TO ENLARGE! Click directly on the image to enlarge in a pop-up. Click HERE to view the image in a new browser window.
Photo/Illustration: Courtesy of Mike and Sheila Schneider

Today’s photos are from Mike and Sheila Schneider in Stony Point, New York. They say, “Our garden has been 13 years in its creation on 2 acres of land and it is our dream come true. Some gardens start with a specific plan, some gardens landscapers create. Our garden is a product of combined dreams. Every flower and tree was planted and watered with love. That love brought not only beauty but the peace it created became an invitation to butterflies, hummingbirds, groundhogs, birds, and yes, even deer. No matter where we walk in the gardens we are serene and incredibly grateful for Nature’s creation.”

Front view from our street
Photo/Illustration: Courtesy of Mike and Sheila Schneider

Mike and Sheila sent in so many great photos that I’m splitting them up into two days. Today we’re focusing on the front and side gardens, while tomorrow we’ll feature a few other locations. Enjoy!

Front walkway
Photo/Illustration: Courtesy of Mike and Sheila Schneider
Driveway going up to the garage
Photo/Illustration: Courtesy of Mike and Sheila Schneider
Front, left of driveway
Photo/Illustration: Courtesy of Mike and Sheila Schneider
Front view from street
Photo/Illustration: Courtesy of Mike and Sheila Schneider
Side garden
Photo/Illustration: Courtesy of Mike and Sheila Schneider
Side garden
Photo/Illustration: Courtesy of Mike and Sheila Schneider
Photo/Illustration: Courtesy of Mike and Sheila Schneider

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Comments

  1. tractor1 08/07/2012

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

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    Tim_Zone_Denial_Vojt 08/07/2012

    love the focus on trees and shrubs. great palette.

  3. Jay_Sifford 08/07/2012

    What a great space. Gardening on a slope can be very challenging, but, if done correctly, can have spectacular results. Mastering an aesthetically pleasing layout for such a collection of conifers is also challenging. Congrats.
    Personally, I'm a big conifer, Japanese maple and ornamental grass kind of guy, so of course this garden makes me very happy. Thanks so much for sharing. I'll look forward to seeing the rest of the photos tomorrow.

  4. flowerladydi 08/07/2012

    FABULOUS!!!!,,, Just Fabulous!!!!!

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    meander_michaele 08/07/2012

    Mike and Sheila, you really have some lovely specimen size conifers...love the weeping Blue Atlas Cedar and the weeeping Norway Spruce(?) along your driveway. I can certainly understand why your area gives you such a sense of serenity and satisfaction. Although there is a lot of variety to what you have planted, there is, nevertheless, a sense of calm...I guess that must be because you have given your trees and shrubs enough room to fully develop...things are in balance. Looking forward to seeing tomorrow's edition!

  6. user-7006939 08/07/2012

    Please tell me what the tree is that is located to the left side in the main photo and is in front of the Japanese Maple. This area is lovely and I can use some of the ideas. I lost a tree in an ice storm and am looking for "that look" for the replacement.
    Thanks

  7. tractor1 08/07/2012

    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.

  8. Zperson 08/07/2012

    Beautifully done. Being a "flower" person, would love to have seen more of your flowers.

  9. kimberlyfawn 08/07/2012

    13 years well spent! I love designs that focus on evergreens and it's wonderful that you have invited nature back in when so many focus on keeping the creatures out! Stunning design! Thank you for inspiring :)

  10. LWyre 08/07/2012

    This is so beautiful. I love the spacing which allows each plant, shrub and tree to be showcased. I also like the pathways and the different stone usage. I have pathways and struggle with how to dress them, whether with pebbles, or mulch. Thanks for the inspiration and can't wait to see tomorrow's pictures!

  11. wwross 08/07/2012

    This is great. But I have a general question. How do these gardens with lots of rock pathway, rock "mulch" do over time? They look wonderful during the first couple of years. But in my experience, whenever a place rocks in the landscape, eventually weeds come through and the rocks start to get interspersed and covered with soil. Landscape mulch, which I don't prefer either, doesn't work. Over time, crushed leaves, broken twigs, blown soil creeps in on top of the mulch and weeds grow up in that medium. As you know, weeds are difficult to extract from rocks, as opposed to pure soil.

  12. MaryAnnNJ 08/07/2012

    How beautiful! I used to love to drive up to Stony Point (from where I lived in Valley Cottage) and remember all those hills & valleys. The scenery in Rockland is magnificent and you have created a beautiful cascade of landscape in your garden. I was in real estate & sold some of the homes in Tara Estates in Garnerville and watched the stone wall construction at the base of Low Tor Mt. Thanks so much for sharing your labor of love, and a pleasant memory of my years in that area.

  13. TeriCA 08/07/2012

    I love these pictures and the use of what appears to be black bark in your mulching. My question is on the last photo today "Front, left of driveway", there appears to be a weeping silver colored conifer? And I was wondering what it was??? Thanks! Beautiful work by the way!!

  14. pattyspencer 08/08/2012

    Beautiful garden!! You've done a beautiful job with all your plantings. And I'm surprised no one has noticed that sweet deer that also has visited your garden.

  15. greengrowler 08/08/2012

    Mike & Sheila, what a peaceful, texturally rich landscape you've created. Like the others commented, the appropriate spacing for each plant and thoughtful, yet seemingly natural siting, gives it a nice flow. I love flowers, but over the years have come to appreciate foliage and texture as the garden's backbone will definitely use yours as future inspiration.

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