Today we’re in Brewster, New York, visiting Dede Lifgren’s beautiful sunroom. We’ve visited Dede’s outdoor garden before (An Artist’s Garden), but here is what is happening inside.
Several years ago we enclosed part of our porch to make a sunroom. We overwinter our favorite tropical and tender perennials there and now get to enjoy them all winter long!
Even the goldfish come inside to keep warm for the winter. The large aquarium helps to add moisture to the room.
Both succulents (Euphorbia trigona, Zones 10–12) and fern (Nephrolepis exaltata, Zones 10–12) share sunroom space side by side.
Lots of green and sun are especially welcomed after a few months of winter!
Warm sunshine is streaming in from the cold outdoors.
This is our giant, HEAVY jade plant (Crassula ovata, Zones 10–12). It’s a favorite because of its size—though sometimes we wish it didn’t grow quite so well!
Asparagus fern (Asparagus setaceus, Zones 9–12)
A giant leopard plant (Farfugium japonicum, Zones 7–10), a tree philodendron (Philodendron bipinnatifidum, Zones 10–12), and some artwork share a corner.
I pinned this begonia up on a moss stake to save space. Even though temperatures are kept cool in the sunroom, it seems content.
Our dogs enjoy the sunroom’s sunny location and the water that’s always available in the aquarium! The goldfish don’t seem to mind.
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.
Have a mobile phone? Tag your photos on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter with #FineGardening!
Do you receive the GPOD by email yet? Sign up here.
Fine Gardening Recommended Products
Sun Joe Cordless Telescoping Pole Chain Saw
Corona® Multi-Purpose Metal Mini Garden Shovel
Corona E-Grip Trowel
Comments
Spectacular photo set with really happy plants. I am delighted that the dogs have not lapped up any fish. BTW, although common names vary, I think many people call the plant you called 'Asparagus Fern' as "Foxtail Fern'.
I LOVE the way you live! I went back to remember your outside garden (LOVE it!) and to see your fabulous sun room now wow!
The photo with your dog really gives the full view and also love the close up photos!
I'm saving some of your photos to my Pinterest for inspiration!
Wow how nice!
My goodness, that is one huge, happy jade plant. It must be a physical challenge to move it without breaking the fragile branches! The porch addition makes perfect sense for a greenhouse, much better than what I had to do when we lived in Denver. We had to haul a multitude of plants inside to 2 upstairs bedrooms filled with grow lights to overwinter. What we wouldn't have given for a porch greenhouse! Enjoy your cozy, winter jungle. It is perfect.
Thanks. You're so right about the challenges of overwintering big plants. That jade is so big and heavy each year I swear it will be the last time it makes the trip. I say the same thing about my banana!
What a fabulous space! It must be heavenly to sit there in winter and be surrounded by plants. Like others who have commented, I'm always looking for places in my house to overwinter a few plants. This year my sister-in-law is fostering a few ferns for me in her sunroom.
What a wonderful space you've created and I love that the fish get to have a bit of a warm holiday inside as well. Everything is amazingly beautiful.
Well, now I'm jealous. So beautiful. This article gets saved to my "Dream House" board.
That looks like a little bit of heaven!
Thanks for sharing this. save with blog
The best of both worlds . I went back an viewed your outside gardens first . Kudos to you on both efforts and accomplishments ! One can tell the love of life through how one gardens their turf and little piece of this Earth . Once again , kudos to you , Dede ! Peace from the Mohawk Valley --- we're not that far apart .....
Log in or create an account to post a comment.
Sign up Log in