In garden design, there is no philosophy more commonly admired, desired, or replicated than the English Garden. The very thought of the phrase conjures images of lush, manicured, and serene vistas brimming with beautiful plants in harmony. The English garden essentially is a combination of staunchly symmetrical French gardens and naturally-arranged Chinese gardens. The English philosophy relies on the juxtaposition of these two beautiful styles. Another keystone of the English garden is the incorporation of manmade structures set among pastoral landscapes. What makes an English garden my favorite is how easily these principles can be utilized in any garden, no matter how big or small. To best understand the English garden, it helps to know a bit about its origins.
Mar 30 2012 | Posted in
Master Gardener |
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As I have touched on already this winter, gardeners easily grow restless this time of year. Forcing bulbs inside helps but unfortunately there are few substitutes for working earth between one’s hands. There is, however, one easy project that is a fabulous way to start the summer garden in the quiet lull of winter: composting.
Jan 21 2012 | Posted in
Master Gardener |
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Finally snow has begun to fall, and unbelievably Christmas is here. The trees are up, the outside décor is perfectly in place, and the refrigerator (and in my case — the patio) is packed and stacked far beyond capacity full of ingredients for the holiday meal.
Dec 24 2011 | Posted in
Master Gardener |
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I feel like it was such a short time ago I was anxiously writing about spring gardening, it is hard to believe we have made it to December and true winter is just a few weeks away. Despite the bitter cold, howling winds, and difficult travel — OK, I will stop — undoubtedly the brightest time of the winter is the holidays. Otherwise dark streets by night are illuminated and transformed by decorative lights in all colors, doorways are bedecked in greenery and ribbon, and trees shine from inside packed to the gills with family mementos. While I do love the freedom of summer warmth, my absolute favorite time of the year is December. This special time of year is made even more special by using natural materials in your décor. As soon as I was old enough to hijack my family holidays, I pawned the cumbersome, dusty artificial off on a family friend and proclaimed we would only have real trees from this point on.
Dec 2 2011 | Posted in
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This time of year presents the onslaught of many favorite things: the fragrance of cinnamon and nutmeg fill shops, children get their first break since summer, holiday lights begin to illuminate the streets in the evening and everyone pays attention to my very favorite herb — sage. Sage is the quintessential flavor of Thanksgiving because many staples of the Thanksgiving table include sage. I would like to share with you a few of my favorite ways to use sage for Thanksgiving, but also for the other 364 days. Also, sage is tremendously easy to grow in your summer garden or even in a windowsill through the winter.
Nov 11 2011 | Posted in
Master Gardener |
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With summer in the rear view mirror, a chill in the air, and a blush of color to the foliage of our deciduous trees, it is time to begin tying the loose ends in your garden before the end of the season. It seems that no matter how well-laid a garden plan is, every year there is at least one plant that needs to be transplanted. Not getting enough morning sun, not getting enough afternoon shade, filling out more than expected, etc. Variables that sometimes simply are not apparent until the plant has lived in the spot for a season. While sometimes frustrating, transplanting in a garden is actually a wonderful necessity that keeps the flow of the garden fresh and interesting. After all, the unknown is half the fun in gardening anyway. One of the troubles with transplanting is the timing. Often the decision is made in high summer that a particular plant needs to move, however this is a terrible time for transplanting. Then in the ideal transplanting window, mid-autumn, when most of us are not in the garden every day it easily slips the mind. With a few key specifications, transplanting success is quite attainable.
Sep 30 2011 | Posted in
Master Gardener |
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Despite unbearable heat this time last week, it seems autumn has completely enveloped us. I suppose having lived here my whole life it is about time I get used to the volatility of our climate! Luckily it is the perfect time to plant mums. Mums are the absolute icon of the season, blooming in deep gold, buttery ivory, gorgeous burgundy, vivid yellow, and dark violet they capture the essence of the season. While “mum” is always applied to the common garden variety of the crysanthemum family, there are actually about 30 different varieties.
Sep 10 2011 | Posted in
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Although on a calendar it is still midsummer, by most standards summer is drawing to a close. A new school year is just around the corner and the easy days of summer are suddenly packed with appointments and errands. As a result, often the garden suffers. Annuals and perennials alike are overgrown and under-watered, draining their soil every day of nutrients. Of course it is somewhat tempting to just let it go until autumn…but with just a little bit of effort and a well-laid plan you can maximize the rest of your garden’s summer and begin to prepare for the changing season. Behind every successful garden, there is a master plan.
Aug 12 2011 | Posted in
Master Gardener |
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