From time to time I get submissions to the GPOD that are just one or two photos—not enough to make a full post. Often, though, these photos are beautiful and interesting, so today I have collected a bunch of them to share together.

This first one is from Tascha Raymond, who gardens in Central Illinois and has a very beautiful vegetable garden: Each year I tell myself that this year I will do a better job of pruning my tomatoes. Last year was no exception, but once again when the time came to ‘cut cut cut’ I didn’t have the confidence to really do it—so one plant of yellow pear-shaped cherry tomatoes grew up one side of an 8-foot arch and down the other! Here is a photo. In the foreground you can see my kale, marigold border, a variegated basil, and a determinate tomato plant that I did prune.

Next up is Johanna from Aiken, South Carolina: The island in front of my house looks amazing, and it’s the first time I’ve been able to capture the false cypress (Chamaecyparis pisifera, Zones 4–8) and ‘Black Diamond’ crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia ‘Black Diamond’, Zones 7–10) together in their early stages. The ‘Black Diamond’ will eventually have black leaves with dark red flowers.

Jenny Babcock shared this photo of some truly stunning hydrangeas (Hydrangea macrophylla, Zones 5–9)

Keeping with the hydrangea theme, Dorothy Buckleyi in Monroe, New York, shared her beautiful planting of limelight hydrangeas (Hydrangea paniculata ‘Limelight’, Zones 4–8).

Diane Workman sent in a photo of these beautiful white Japanese irises (Iris ensata, Zones 5–9).

The next three photos are from Christine Petersen: Orientpet Lilium ‘Silver Scheherazade’ (Zones 4–8) is a newly planted favorite suggested by a gardening friend in Canada. I have added dozens of Lilium to my collection over the years even though we now have the dreaded red lily beetle.

Daylilies can grow in partial-sun conditions, as evidenced by Hemerocallis ‘Grey Witch’ (Zones 3–8), which shares a home with Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Cityline Rio’ (Zones 5–9) and other shade-loving shrubs and perennials.

Much of my garden is in partial to full shade. This bed is situated under a towering blue spruce that I planted after using it as a living Christmas tree many years ago. There are also Eastern red cedars (Juniperus virginiana, Zones 2–9) and an old ‘Liberty’ apple tree (Malus ‘Liberty’, Zones 5–8) overhead. Numerous Hosta cultivars (Zones 3–8), Japanese painted ferns (Athyrium niponicum ‘Pictum’, Zones 4–9), Carex ‘Ice Cream’ (Zones 5–9), Pulmonaria ‘Opal’ (Zones 4–8), and pink-flowered Calamintha grandiflora (Zones 5–9) line the shady garden pathway. The creamy white flower in front of the obelisk is Aruncus dioicus (Zones 4–8), or goatsbeard as it’s commonly called. The very large leaves are from a Rodgersia (Zones 4–8). In the background, Heliopsis helianthoides var. scabra ‘Summer Sun’ (Zones 3–9) bathes in a patch of sunlight.

This image, from Catherine Dickerson in San Diego, is a pile of Tilandsia (air plants, Zones 9–11 or as houseplants) in bloom. They’re just sitting naked on the table!

The last photo, also from Catherine, shows assorted trimmings and accidents from her garden made into bouquets.

Have a garden you’d like to share?

Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit!

To submit, send 5-10 photos to [email protected] along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden.

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