Garden Photo of the Day

Clare’s garden in New Jersey, Day 2 of 2

Glorious white ('David') and pink phlox in bloom in early August. In the foreground, pink ornamental oregano is in bloom. Photo: Courtesy of Clare Oliva

Happy Monday, everyone! Let’s start the week off right with more photos from Clare’s garden in Saddle River, New Jersey.

Raised vegetable/cutting flower beds in late July. You can see the cage my husband built around the pole beans to keep the groundhog from eating them (the cage has a door that swings open so we can harvest the beans). On the right is a hedge of pink ‘Knockout’ roses. Photo: Courtesy of Clare Oliva

We featured the first batch on Friday. In case you forgot, here’s what Clare had to say: “My husband and I both love gardening and spend every spare minute we can working in our one-acre garden (that basically means weekends since we both work full-time in New York City).

View from our deck in late July of the northeast-facing shady side of the garden. The perimeter is lined with big old white pine trees, under which we planted a long row of ‘Manhattan’ euonymus for privacy. The beds are filled with mountain laurels and rhododendrons (obviously not in bloom at this time of year) along with hostas and wax begonias for summer color. In the far distance, you can see our angel statue and on the left in the picture, you can see our huge bed of ‘Goldsturm’ rudbeckias in full bloom. Photo: Courtesy of Clare Oliva

“I recently went through my garden pictures from April through September and picked out some of my favorites (That is always hard to do when you love everything in your garden — it’s like choosing which child is your favorite!)”

Parasol Lady topiary surrounded by coral pink ‘Profusion’ zinnias with ‘Goldsturm’ rudbeckias in the distance. Photo: Courtesy of Clare Oliva

Yet again…WOW. Send more photos any time, Clare! We’d love to see more.

***You’ll find LOTS more info in the captions.***

Formal beds on patio in mid-August: The beds are planted with red, pink and white wax begonias for an explosion of color. The two urn planters are planted with ‘Alabama Sunset’ coleus, ‘Margarita’ sweet potato vines and ‘Red Star’ cordyline. In the distance, you can see ‘Carefree Delight’ and ‘Knockout’ roses in bloom. Photo: Courtesy of Clare Oliva
‘First Lady’ mums in bloom in September along rock wall of one of the terraces. Photo: Courtesy of Clare Oliva

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Comments

  1. mainer59 11/05/2012

    There's not much left to say after yesterday's comments. I think "WOW", said by many, sums it up. I like the way a vegetable garden is part of the cultivated area.

  2. Beazel 11/05/2012

    Just lovely. . .nice massing, and I admire the making and maintenance of those very crisp borders.

  3. ClareRocky 11/05/2012

    Thanks so much for the feedback! I really appreciate it.

  4. User avater
    meander_michaele 11/05/2012

    Hi, Clare, love everything and especially your delightful parasol lady! Is she strategically placed in the bush the way she is because she is only half a torso to start with? Or has the bush grown up and around her to give that effect? Your garden has beautiful lines and great bones...no doubt, it looks wonderful in all four seasons.

  5. plantlady57 11/05/2012

    Wow. Love your gardens. Love the rose hedge. If you had to choose between a "Knockout hehge" and a "carefree" hedge, which one would you choose? How far apart did you plant them? Do they bloom at the same time?

    I have the "parasol lady" with a rose growing around her. I think I prefer your bush. What kind is it and how often do you have to prune the bush?

    As others said, please keep the photos comming. Your gardens are amazing.

  6. pattyspencer 11/05/2012

    I missed the other photos so I went back today - wow! You've got some great shots and I can't just pick one as a favorite. Making me dream of possibilites for my garden next season.

  7. TeriCA 11/05/2012

    Love the pictures and LOVE the identifying captions!! Thanks!

  8. tractor1 11/05/2012

    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.

  9. terieLR 11/05/2012

    I'm in love with your beautiful row of "First Lady" mums Clare. This surrounds your patio, correct? Your numerous sweeps of color & texture are magnificent!

    There are snowflakes drifting today in central NY. When I clicked on Clare's name I was transported to her "My Own Private Narnia" winter gardens. Breathtaking.

    Keep snapping and posting for all your new fans!

  10. ClareRocky 11/06/2012

    Thanks so much for the wonderful feedback, everyone.

    meander1 and plantlady57, one boxwood shrub was planted under the Parasol Lady frame. The frame has the head, arm and parasol, along with with a metal frame for the skirt. I planted the boxwood under it in 2007 and did not trim it until it grew through the frame. Here is a link that will show you the progression as it grew: http://www.garden-share.com/photo/parasol-lady-history-through-2011?context=album&albumId=3193295%3AAlbum%3A1752532 Now, we only trim Parasol Lady's skirt twice a year. Once in late spring after the first flush of growth, and then again in late July or early August.

    It would be tough to choose between a hedge of Carefree Delight roses and one of Knockout roses, since I love them both. (Both are disease free and vigorous). The Carefree Delight roses have a magnificent first flush of blooms that totally cover the hedge (as seen in the picture)and then they bloom sporadically after that. (I think we planted them about 2 feet apart) The Knockouts also have a magnificent first flush of blooms and after those blooms are "done" we cut them back to control the size, which then stimulates a second great flush of bloom. We actually cut back the knockouts a third time and have a great third flush of bloom in September and October. The Knockouts are a BIT less thornier than the Carefree Delights, so they are easier to prune. Usually, the first flush of blooms for each don't happen at the same time, the Carefree Delights bloom first.

    terieLR, that row of First Lady mums sits on top of the rock wall that is one of three level terraces we installed to deal with the downward sloping backyard.

    tractor1,the two multi-trunked trees in the view from the deck picture are huge old oak trees. I think they are about 70 feet tall. We have a lot of HUGE old trees on our property and our neighborhood.

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