A Summer Abundance of Dahlias

At maturity, dahlias produce and abundance of ready-made cut flowers — the more you cut the more blooms to come. Dahlias come in a multitude of different colors, forms and sizes making them the perfect addition to your summer garden. Flower forms go from tiny, one-inch pompoms to massive dinner plate sizes, making them a

The Formal Garden

Dating back to Persia and the Islamic tradition of courtyard gardens, popular elements of formal gardens found their way into those of the Italian Renaissance. Today, they are echoed in tiered French parterres used throughout Europe and the imaginative ground tapestries of Elizabethan knot gardens prevalent in historical British gardens. For us to borrow from

Infuse Your Garden with Late Winter Blooms

“In a way, Winter is the real Spring, the time when the inner things happen, the resurgence of nature.” — Edna O’Brian At present, your home landscape may look barren and devoid of life. We all tend to wait for the first warm days of March when daffodils and crocus magically appear to suggest that

Finding Beauty in Imperfection

Wabi-Sabi is a Japanese aesthetic that reflects the very core of Zen philosophy. Age, imperfection and impermanence are the underlying qualities inherent in Wabi-Sabi. This cultivated and refined approach in all art forms suggests the sublime transient beauty in all living things. It is a significant concept in Japanese culture, and one that can be

The Serendipity of Spring Bulbs

  I never feel a perennial garden is complete without the addition of spring bulbs. The wonderful serendipitous quality of bulbs make the early spring garden truly come alive — a vivid reminder that we can bid adieu to the long cold and grey of winter. Whether you are just a beginner or a more

Autumn Considerations

Walk This Way

“No single element in the design of a garden is as important as where you put your paths.” — Hugh Johnson Spring is a great time to take a fresh look at one very important passageway leading to your front door. Yes, it’s your walkway. While the journey from driveway to front door may not

Make It Tulips!

Tulips are truly a breath of fresh air — like taking in the fragrance of sheets off the clothesline. For early spring color and sheer garden abundance, nothing beats a bed of willowy tulips in full bloom. A undulating sea of tulips will certainly lift your spirits after any lingering grey of winter. Generally, tulip

Readying Roses for Spring

April is a great time to prune roses. Start by removing the dead and diseased canes. Since this was a severe winter, there may be a lot of winter damage on roses. All the more reason to prune out the dead stems to stimulate strong growth. Cut rose bushes down about 50% — this will

A Concert of Summer Perennials

Stand-alone perennials can be pleasing to look at, but to make a garden sing, it’s the interplay of colors, textures and forms that create grand crescendos! Perennial combinations create visual symphonies, and the pure serendipity can seem wonderful, especially when plants entwine and the colors vibrate and echo each other. But, it takes real planning