a garden maker's notes

Out the kitchen door, to the right off the landing, I’ve positioned the compost bin for easy access. I’m rewarded with views of my back garden and this one of my front.  It’s a view of the front I only see from this angle so it’s a treat. Today I was rewarded by pink dianthus [...]

Mid-day yesterday I finally got outside to see what I had been admiring all morning from my office window. Not the best time of day to photograph, but today it’s about what I can share.  And I can share my delight in the red tulips that capture my attention with their vivid cheerfulness.  Coupled with [...]

Arriving at this home before this landscape renovation (see ‘before’ photo below), you may well wonder why this landscape needed renovation. After all, the lawn looks great and the plantings are okay. That’s it.  Just looked ok.  But the great lawn can’t make it a special place to live. Walking the path on a dry [...]

I’ve just updated the plantings with some fall blooming mums and asters on the steps and landing. But I’ve loved this foliage tapestry that greets me daily all thru the seasons.  Now the richness of color, contrast, and detail of form in the foliage combination reflects a fall garden in that the large purple aster [...]

This home used be hidden by plants–well groomed, but awful! It was like a pretty girl with a bad haircut. The “before design” and “after design renovation” shows an overgrown landscape planting that hides the best features of this traditional New England home. The “after” landscape improvement photo, shows a carefully designed mix of foliage [...]

Forgot to publish this photo of the landscape I designed that includes the existing flowering trees leading the eye up the drive. Working with the client I created new driveway perennial bed for waves of seasonal color. The Spring bulbs that you see flowering  in harmony above is the first wave of the season.  Now in early July the beds are filled [...]

I designed and managed the installation of this landscape  (gate, steppers, planting combinations, lighting and more) several years ago.  It’s matured quite nicely and I’m very happy with my design and happily so are my clients. Besides the peonies, roses, and dogwood, catmint, and ladies mantle combine for this lovely seasonal ‘wave of color’.

The large mass of pink dianthus greeted me recently.  The first photo shows it as part of the garden as a whole–notice the way the green Japanese maple foliage and silvery green nepeta foliage masses balance the spread of the dianthus.  Also, the bit of purple foliage of the heuchera echos the red side of the color wheel [...]

We’re waiting for the lighting and railing contractors.  When the lighting’s installed, the mulch can be applied. But in the meantime, this brand new landscape works its magic.  The wall, walkway, large ornamental stones, landing and steps refurbish, and the plantings all just installed.

Thoroughly enjoyed my morning at the Boston Flower Show, so much lovely color to our winter starved eyes. Okay, I’m talking color and tons of flowers, yet the image I chose displays huge stones and plantings to create a wonderful garden room. Note the suggested walls, windows, and floor. And this landscape’s got a little of everything– a deciduous [...]