Garden Photo of the Day

More from Midge’s garden in Pennsylvania

Garden in spring about 8 years ago. Malus 'Sugar Tyme' in foreground and Malus 'Prariefire' and Carolina silverbell blooming in background. Photo/Illustration: All photos courtesy of Midge Sobolewski

Remember when we visited Midge Sobolewski’s garden a couple of weeks ago? (refresh your memory HERE) Midge had so much fun that day that she decided to send in more photos. Lucky us!

Yellowwood (Cladrastis kentukea) in bloom with bunny topiary

She says, “Hello again from Midge in south central Pennsylvania (Carlisle). We are still deep in snow cover and cold here. Usually I’m out cleaning up gardens for my business by now. Today I’m sending you some different areas of my garden.

Yellowwood blossom

“Much of my garden is wide open to view, but I have a couple of side areas that are more secluded and intimate. The yellowwood is in what I call my ‘secret garden’ as it is hidden from view. I am very fond of trees and feel fortunate that I have room for so many. They have survived their young years of deer stress and now make a real presence in the garden. I’ve also enclosed some close ups of plants. Looking over my garden pictures makes me eager for spring or at least to seeing the snow gone!”

Bunny topiary in fall with Heptacodium miconioides in background

So great, Midge. I’m so glad you came back with more photos! We will always welcome more….

In bloom – alliums, Persicaria polymorpha (white in back) and geranium (maybe ‘Dark Reiter’). In back weeping katsura (one of my favorite trees).

It’s almost SPRING, people! I know you’re going through your photos from last year, planning what you’ll do differently this year. Send some of those photos in to me! [email protected]

Joe pye weed (‘Gateway’) with a very tall lily (I think it’s ‘Black Beauty’).
Another view of Jean Coates’ ‘Fleur’ sculpture with species tulips at her feet.
Cooper’s hawk in birdbath

Want to search the GPOD by STATE? CLICK HERE!

Want us to feature YOUR garden in the Garden Photo of the Day? CLICK HERE!

Want to see every post ever published? CLICK HERE!

**Check out the GPOD Pinterest page! CLICK HERE!**

View Comments

Comments

  1. flowerladydi 02/27/2014

    Good morning Midge!
    I enjoyed it thoroughly earlier,, and I am enjoying these spring views ever so much too! It is so great to see what evolves.,,, and also the backbones of a garden in spring! ,,,and parts of it that just become a memory as the summer marches on,, like your crabs,,, and Heptacodium!,,, Beautiful!,, and of course one of my favorites,,, allium!,,, so dramatic!!! I also LOVE your weeping Katsura!,, I wish I had room for one,, but I am full to the brim!!!,,,do not think we saw that last time,,, and the bunny!, he is great!!! Did you purchase him as a topiary?,, or have you created him yourself through creative pruning??? In any event, he is great!!!
    Thanks for sending more! I never tire of seeing more of anyone's garden!!!

  2. wGardens 02/27/2014

    More great photos... gotta comment on that sculpture again... I just love it! Wonderful photo of the hawk. Lovely Yellowwood; I have only seen it in catalogs. Wish I could grow one!

  3. mainer59 02/27/2014

    What's a garden without plants, and, for me, flowers, and your garden has them in spades. However, it is the human touches that really make your place special. Last time around it was the Fleur sculpture that really captivated me. I still love her with the tulips underfoot, but it is the blue urn that catches my eye this morning. I enjoy the wildlife pictures, too. That coopers hawk looks so tame but I expect he is very wild and you are a great photographer to have captured his picture before he took flight.

  4. User avater
    meander_michaele 02/27/2014

    Hi, Midge, well, I have to ask right off the bat...does your Yellowwood bloom reliably every year for you? I have one that has been in the ground over 12 years and is 25'-30' feet tall and I have gotten only one spring when each branch tip was dripping with a graceful white blossom panicle like yours. Lucky you if that that is a yearly event!

    I have a serious case of Allium envy...why, oh why, do I let every fall slip by without planting a clump? Yours are such a perfect color to stand out amongst the more chartreusy greens that surround them.

    Love your lady sculpture rejoicing in her dress edging of colorful tulips!

  5. User avater
    Tim_Zone_Denial_Vojt 02/27/2014

    wonderful. thanks for sendind more photos. that yellowwood is pretty amazing.

  6. PAdesigner 02/27/2014

    Midge here. The 'bunny' topiary plant is Taxus cuspidata 'Dwarf Bright Gold'. It has very cool variegated yellow new growth. It was planted about 9 years ago as a small formless shrub. I began shaping it as a fan, not very successfully. Then about 4 years ago, I saw it had some bones of a future rabbit topiary and started to go in that direction. It still needs work, but it's fun.

    meadner1. You're right, the yellowwood does not bloom reliable every year. Sometimes it's very sparse. Last year was the wow year. Always some excitement in the garden!

    We had a whole family of Cooper's Hawks here about 3 years ago. It was fun hearing their screeching and seeing the young ones about. Wish they'd return.

  7. gloriaj 02/27/2014

    Love all your pictures, especially love the Yellowwood .

  8. gloriaj 02/27/2014

    Love all your pictures, especially love the Yellowwood .

  9. tractor1 02/27/2014

    Midge, your garden is wonderful, I love it all, especially all your specimen trees. I planted a yellowwood in my wildflower meadow ten years ago, it leafs out each year, however it hasn't grown very much and it lost about a third in an ice storm, but has never flowered... I think that spot is too wet but I'm not going to risk moving it now. That's a fantastic capture of a Cooper's Hawk... There are lots of different hawks here but they are forever soaring in circles way up high, I've only managed (luck) to get a poor capture of red tailed hawk on a post at about five hundred yards with telephoto. Thank you, Midge, for another visit to your wonderful garden.

  10. PeonyFan 02/27/2014

    Fantastic photos of a fantastic garden. Thanks for sharing it. I tried yellowwood here in zone 4 (MN) and it died back to the ground just about every year! Heptacodium miconioides has done very well here; it grew fast and blooms reliably every fall although on my tree the calyces don't color up as vividly as the one in your photo. The peeling bark is beautiful, though,a subtler version of crepe myrtle bark. Thanks again for brightening my day.

  11. PAdesigner 02/27/2014

    Midge here. I know what you mean about trying plants and being disappointed when they underperform or outright die. It's especially hard when they are trees that you hope will make a big, beautiful statement I have had my shares of plants come and gone. There was a Parrotia for instance that just sat there and did nothing. It's very special when a more difficult or hard to find plant thrives.

  12. User avater
    meander_michaele 02/27/2014

    Hi, again, Midge, I seem to have a case of question-itis today. I was looking again at your photos (cold here so I haven't quite steeled myself to go outside and get to work)...anyway, I wanted to ask you about what looks to be a whimsical goose painted in the same blue tones as your fabulous urn. I can't quite tell from the picture...is it three dimensional? What is made of...wood? metal? It's quite fun and eye catching so I'd love to know more about it. Thanks.

  13. greengenes 02/27/2014

    What a great place, Midge! Thanks for sharing because it is so wonderful to see what the yellowwood tree and the heptacodium,[seven sons tree] looks like when quite mature. I am so glad you like trees! I do, too. I just wish I was in my early 20's to be able to plant more so I can see them grown up! But anyways it is so beautiful there. The weeping katsura is awesome, too. The lilies are wonderfully tall! I love it all! Thanks for getting the sap running in my veins this morning! Iam so sorry for you all back there with such long lasting snow and cold...Spring will come!

  14. annek 02/27/2014

    Just breathtaking. I think PeonyFan answered my initial question about what zone the glorious yellowwood prefers. It might not work in Montana, but obviously loves your area. I enjoyed your last posting of photos and these even more. Very soothing and beautifully designed.

  15. GrannyMay 02/27/2014

    Wonderful trees! Midge, I love your photos of your Yellowwood, Heptacodium miconioides, Weeping Katsura, crabapples, and Carolina silverbell. In your previous post you mentioned having a Japanese Maple garden as well. Hope to see photos of that area too. Your garden demonstrates the rewards of thinking long-term and planting trees as soon as possible. Thanks for sharing again!

    Jeff, where are you? Missing your cheery comments with my morning coffee.

  16. sheila_schultz 02/27/2014

    Midge, your Yellowwood took my breath away. It's truly magnificent, as are the rest of your gardens. It's going to be a lovely day... thanks for the start!

  17. PAdesigner 02/27/2014

    Midge here again. The sculpture in the back is of a large bird. It is two dimensional and made out of metal. It is by a Pennsylvania sculpture named Simple. I bought it at least 10 years ago. He has gone on to work in neon and LED. As much as I love plants, I do love that special man made touch - a sculpture, an urn that add a lot of impact and are low maintenance. I'll try to get a close up of the bird later this year. The Japanese maple 'garden' looks like a weed patch with little mulched sticks in it right now (and fences around the sticks to keep deer at bay).

    I thought of other trees that have come and gone - the Franklinia that lasted 10 years and then died. The Sourwood next to the house that just sat and did nothing. I have another Sourwood way back in my woods that is doing just fine. Oh and then there was the Dove tree.

  18. GrannyCC 02/27/2014

    Midge I too love the Yellowwood which I don't know so I will have to look it up. The blue pot as a focal point is wonderful. Lots to see and enjoy this morning.

  19. CJgardens 02/27/2014

    Midge,
    Thanks for sharing more photos, they are wonderful. Loved the first picture with all the spring blooming trees and gorgeous blue urn. The bunny topiary is adorable. I do enjoy all your added man made touches; beautiful and tasteful.
    In Wisconsin they are predicting the whole month of March will be below normal temps so I'm trying to keep spring fever at bay because it is weeks and weeks away.

  20. User avater
    HelloFromMD 02/27/2014

    Hi Midge,

    I'm thrilled by your gorgeous yellowwood too. I don't think I have ever seen one before. Intrigued by the comments about its blooming or lack there of I goggled some info. Missouri Botanical Garden site reports it must be 8-10 years old. Another site says it only blooms every 2 years or as much as 4 years apart. So when that beautiful tree is dripping blooms, it seems like a great reason for a garden party…Looks like we both love cobalt blue in the garden. I have my fountain that you all saw on Tuesday and I have another blue urn in my rock garden. Can't get too much blue in the garden! Are you near the Longwood Garden area by any chance?

  21. PAdesigner 02/27/2014

    Midge here. I'm about two hours away from Longwood (also Chanticleer, Winterthur). Love to visit great public gardens and get ideas. I too love that cobalt blue in a garden. My yellowwood is at least 10 years old now, so maybe it'll bloom more years.

  22. janetsfolly 02/27/2014

    Thanks for sending more photos, Midge! Love it all, very cool to be able to share that yellowwood in bloom that you've tended so successfully. Garden party sounds like a lovely idea! Another great pic of your dancing lady- I'd dance too with those colorful tulips at my feet! Beautiful trees, great choices, all very serene, made special by the touches of whimsy.

    Yes, Jeff, where you be? We're all missing you.

  23. pattyspencer 02/27/2014

    Great pictures - I especially like the yellow-wood and my very favorite is the hawk. I have red tailed hawks in my area and it's always a treat to see them (except when he's after a small bird - lol)

  24. janeeliz 02/27/2014

    Your yellowwood is 'drop-dead gorgeous'! The weeping katsura also is a stunner. All 3 trees in 1st photo are very lovely. Yes, your Heptacodium is the reddest I've seen..very pretty. I'd like to see a close-up of your silver bell in full bloom.I love trees, too-makes me wish I had more property. My plant list of those I've loved and lost is longer than I care to remember. The consolation is, of course, a new spot for a new plant, but I do miss some of my old loves. It's so easy to take them for granted when they are thriving, expecting them to be there forever..and then suddenly they just disappear. Great shot of the handsome coopers hawk in your birdbath!

Log in or create an account to post a comment.

Related Articles

The Latest