Today’s photos are from Barbara Owen in Wellesley, Massachusetts.
I’ve been enjoying the submissions from many gardeners showing their “best in show” or “summer highlights.” As I reviewed my photos from the past gardening season, I was reminded of the surprises and lessons my garden had for me.
Sargent cherry (Prunus sargentii, Zones 4–7) is so beautiful for about three weeks. Take time to appreciate its beauty while it’s blooming.
Hellebores (Helleborus hybrid, Zones 4–9) are such workhorses, starting early in the season, blooming like this mid-April in Massachusetts. It’s wonderful to have plants blooming in the garden for early bees. Plant more!
We had a snowstorm on April 16. Mother Nature is full of surprises. Gardeners live with a constant reminder to be resilient and able to adapt to whatever happens.
Self-seeding columbine (Aquilegia hybrid, Zones 3–8). These flowers grow where they choose, moving around the garden with occasional encouragement from me, sometimes surprising me with their choices. Sometimes the garden is best appreciated from a sitting-in-the-dirt level.
Rhododendron (Zones 5–9). As I listen to my California family count each raindrop, I’m extra appreciative of the rain that falls in my garden, even when it seems like more than necessary in one storm.
This is ‘Strawberry Candy’ daylily (Hemerocallis ‘Strawberry Candy’, Zones 3–9). I plant, sometimes it rains; often it’s sunny and this exuberance happens. I am so grateful for the joy of the garden flowers.
Remember to be appreciative of the visitors who appear.
Monarch butterflies alight on zinnias (Zinnia elegans, annual) grown from collected seed. Monarchs, painted ladies, viceroys—all are welcome visitors. Next summer I’ll plant even more zinnias as well as other plants important to pollinators.
Sometimes the most carefully planned color schemes don’t work out. My “red” garden didn’t look right until I added some accents of purple and white. I think I needed to learn from the range of colors in the zinnias and build from that.
I put a randomly purchased deep burgundy coleus (Coleus scutellarioides, Zones 10–11 or as an annual) in an out-of-the-way place behind a red-orange dahlia (Dahlia variabilis, Zones 8–10 or as a tender bulb) and zinnias bordered by red salvia (Salvia splendens, Zones 9–11 or as an annual). It decided to grow to have a major place in the color scheme, picking up the color of the dahlia leaves and contrasting with all the flowers. Sometimes the plants have their own message to share.
Today the garden is covered with a blanket of 8 inches of snow, a reminder of the dramatic and beautiful changes in our New England landscape from one season to another.
Comments
Great garden!! love the colors - well kept
Everything is gorgeous but that cherry is just a wowzer!
Thank you. The transition from a teacher's garden to a retiree's garden was helpful.
When so many more people were out walking in the spring of 2020, it was fun to see how many people stopped to take a photo or selfie with the cherry. It in a perfect spot to be enjoyed by anyone on the street.
looks like a Leave it to Beaver street....LOVE IT! Also your photos and plantings are beautiful.
Lovely gardens! Thanks for sharing!
Beautiful photos of beautiful flowers Barbara! As one of your Boston suburb neighbors, I hope you get to NativePlantTrust to pick up some natives to boost your pollinator powers, like Rose Milkweed for your Monarchs to deposit eggs on! And "Jeana" phlox and Mountain Mint- you will be amazed!
Definitely - that's one of my favorite spring walks. Thank you for your suggestions of specific plants to look for.
Beautiful! This is a wonderful set of photos, and some interesting lessons that that gardens can teach us, if we're willing to take the time watch and observe. I think it is a truism that gardeners are among the most thoughtful, observant, and patient people I know. This garden is always a delight to see, and even better when we can learn from it. Thank you!
Thank you for your comments and appreciation!
Hi, Barbara.
I enjoyed reading your text and looking at the wide views of your garden and the close-ups of the flowers and wildlife. I appreciate you sharing your challenges and surprises - like how the addition of burgundy, pink, and white affected the red theme - made me think of advancing or receding hues, tones, tints, and shades.
I always appreciate the chance to play around with the color palate in my garden with each season, though I think the reds, oranges and yellows end up dominating in the garden as well as in my closet. I try to put the pastels against the fence, a 20' setback from the house to give some illusion of space.
Just love your posting, both photos and text. But, you didn't label that snake and it is beautiful if not scary. I love all my creatures too. Love your shot of the Monarchs on the zinnias. Your colors are wonderful!
Snake- basic New England garter snake, helpful, not dangerous, just often a surprise when they choose to appear.
The snake is an Eastern Garter snake and they are beautiful and very beneficial in the garden. Your gorgeous cherry tree reminded me of the two beautiful crabapple trees I had in my garden in northern NJ - when they were in full bloom they were traffic stoppers, too. Part of their beauty is their ephemeral bloom period. Thanks for sharing your truly lovely garden.
Thank you for your comments! Yes, capture the moment.
Wow your Hellebores are amazing...the best I've ever seen!
The snake is beautiful and I like your appreciation for allowing nature to exist peacefully in your garden.
Such a nice river rock wall too!
I really enjoyed this post, your writing and garden photos!
PS....oh how could I forget to marvel at the beauty of your Cherry Tree, such a perfect tree!
The rock wall- New England soil! All dug from garden areas in our 1/4 acre. The last time I rebuilt it was a scorching hot day so I appreciate your noticing it.
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