Structure, to me, is all important in garden making. Without it, a garden usually looks wimpy, mushy, and kind of inconsequential. There are exceptions, of course, but I’m just saying. Anyhow, I like using manufactured items from time to time, but feel as if the basic bones of a garden should come from its plants. So [...]
plant combinations
Garden Bloggers’ Design Workshop – The Garden in Fall
September 3, 2009 – Posted in: Garden DesignHere in Pennsylvania, fall has made an early appearance, before summer ever had much of a chance to settle in. But that’s fine by me, because autumn is definitely my favorite time of year in the garden. Sure, I can appreciate the glories of spring bulbs and ephemerals, as well as the beauty of [...]
Rhymes With Orange
August 15, 2009 – Posted in: Garden Design, Garden DesignLast month I started my seasonal orange bender. It being the color of all kinds of wonderful things, from mangoes to sunsets to campfire embers. I can’t get enough of it–in the garden or elsewhere. So I shared some of my favorite flowers and promised a return to the topic with a post on good [...]
Anchoring Vignettes with Tropical Foliage
January 3, 2009 – Posted in: Garden Design, Garden PlantsFor the past several weeks, I have been poring over photos of the Gardens at the Bank of Springfield, scrutinizing this season’s plant combinations and working on my spring planting plan. I’ve come to appreciate the large percentage of annuals and tropicals used on the site. They are essential to the success of this 55-mph [...]
Gardening in Black and White
December 25, 2008 – Posted in: Garden PhotographyLike most of you, I’m sure, I’ve collected quite a few gardening books over the years – enough to fill a few bookcases. But a few of those books rarely spend much time on a shelf; instead, they’re usually in a pile somewhere near my desk, so they’re within easy reach when I need to [...]