Color-Everywhere In the Garden

I thought I'd display some of the wonderful colors plants can offer us in our gardens-sans blooms. This fall has been splendid and as I wander my garden I try ever so hard to appreciate every small thing my eyes take in-and it is a lot here. Mr. Fix-it says our garden is 'cluttered'. Those are just about fighting words but because I love him I tend to overlook that opinion and  just head to the garden for some solace. Here is some of what I see. 


The above shot is of Edgeworthia chyrsantha, aka Paperbush. It is a wonderful winter blooming shrub opening its fragrant buds in February or March. This is this shrub's second year in my gardens and this year it is doing much better since it has not been nibbled on by the evil dog, aka Lady Lou. That bud will stay looking good all winter even as the leaves turn yellow and fall from the bush.

I added Panicum virgatum 'Northwinds' to my garden early this summer and wow on it. The form alone is what had me sold but just look at that fall color. It will stay upright and golden all winter long. This is a keeper grass and I plan to divide it up and spread it around next spring. This grass is unlike most ornamental grasses in that it likes a moist area. It is a warm season ornamental that provides all year long interest.

The seedheads are quite pretty too.




Amsonia hubrictii, aka Threadleaf Amsonia or dogbane, is one of my all time favorite perennials. If you do not grow this perennial run out and buy it soon. It takes a few years to get going but once it is going nicely it provides a stately presence in the garden. This perennial blooms in the spring with pale blue flowers, then provides structure in the form of beautiful green foliage all season long. Come fall that foliage will turn a straw gold and shine in the garden like a beacon. It grows in both sun and shade, dry or wet soil. I have been very happy that it self seeds regularly in my garden and so of course I dig the seedlings and spread them all around Tiger Gardens. This amsonia was also the Perennial Plant Association's Plant of the Year for 2011. This plant is hardy from Zones 4-9.

Now this grass is my all time favorite grass. It is 'Adagio' Miscanthus sinensis. It is a grass that can take some shade and definitely some dry soil. It never fails to disappoint. This grass stays looking good throughout most of the winter. I cut mine down in the spring and don't enjoy that task but since it is all I do to this perennial I try not to begrudge that task too awfully much. This view is looking east from a vantage point on the north side of my home. This is part of my Foundation Bed gardens.

Do you remember my Front Center Garden? It is a focal point garden from my home. This is the view I get from the porch and front windows in the living room when I look out toward the road. Believe it or not the highway is back behind these gardens. My house faces east so each of  these plants are backlit by the rising sun. The yellow and red small trees are unknown Japanese maple seedlings. What a delight they are! The lower growing red shrubs are oakleaf hydrangeas. They provide great color and structure that complements the Japanese maples.



And here is a final view of one side of the garden. I am particularly fond of the bird bath and matching bird feeder. I tend to have lots of bird baths and bird feeders in my garden. I prefer the bird baths much more because I tell you the birds around here simply adore the bird baths. I will be tipping most of these ones over soon but I usually heat the concrete bird bath so I can enjoy the birds drinking in the winter. You'd be surprised at just how many birds come to drink when everything else is frozen. 


in the garden....

I wanted to tell you all many thanks for liking my professional FaceBook page found here. This blog may get all of the attention but I consider the blog, FB and my professional business (Coach In the Garden) and clients all facets of gardening and they meld together equally. Gardening has always been a passion for me and I work very hard to learn all I can about it so I can help others achieve their gardening dreams. 

I also want to thank my clients for trusting me. And a special thanks for the very nice recommendations on my page! You all know who you are!  
Words and Photos Property of In the Garden Blog Team, In the Garden

A Couple of Oranges from the Vegetable Garden & a Guessing Game

While it is not nearly time for Halloween I feel like Halloween is already here with all these oranges in my vegetable garden. The first orange we shall start with is this great squash. Anyone recognize it? It is a very expensive squash to buy fresh and might be difficult to find in stores. Guess in a comment and I'll let you know what it is at a later date. Isn't it cute? 





I keep going back to the Pumpkins on a Stick because they are just so cool. The vivid oranges really show nicely.



'Tangerine Beauty' is a wonderful vine that keeps reblooming after its initial big flush of blooms in the spring.

Cosmos are the real Enegerizer bunnies of the vegetable garden. They keep going and going and going. I suspect I'll have tons of seedlings next year.

Finally, my mystery bed with cantaloupes, the unknown squash pictured above, and another seed that I planted has made me most happy. I had no idea all of the seeds I tried out would take and bear fruit. My only hope was to have a good cantaloupe crop (that we did) but I got a bonus. Do you recognize the above blossom?

I am pretty sure it is a pumpkin blossom and here is a pumpkin! A delightful surprise. Normally I plant pumpkins much too early. They ripen in August and then by the time Halloween rolls around they are not good anymore. Not so this year. I believe this one will turn orange just in time for Halloween. It is the only one too so it's a good thing. 


Another notable accomplishment from the vegetable garden (it's not orange) is that I still have zucchini plants growing and bearing. This is the FIRST year I have not had an issue with squash vine borers and I am amazed. I do not regularly use pesticides as you can tell by the Pumpkin on a Stick's leaves. They are eaten up by flea beetles. So I am not sure why no squash vine borers this year. I think it may be that I interplant so many things that the insect population is fairly diverse and took care of the issue? Or maybe the borers just couldn't find the zucchini plants this year? Whatever it was I like it. I also still have the original cucumbers bearing fruit. In my garden cucumbers are usually finished by late July to early August. I can't believe it has been such a good year for vegetables and oranges....


in the garden....

Go ahead and give it a try on guessing the above squash. Whoever gets it right may get a surprise. I have collected several seeds and I think I may be able to get around to mailing them to you-United States only due to agriculture issues. (I've been busy lately)  Seeds such as Love in a Mist (need to sow now) or nicotiana or even the cosmos pictured here. So go ahead, be brave....

in the garden.... 

I will moderate the comments so no one will have an unfair advantage on the guessing game.  

Okay guys, I'm going to give you all a hint on the squash name. I think it will make it too easy but here goes. The name of the squash starts with a K. 

Here is hint number two. The name of this squash rhymes with an Indian spice.  


Words and Photos Property of In the Garden Blog Team, In the Garden

A Lovely Combination

Love and marriage, father's day gifts....they go together just like a horse and carriage, or in this case like pink and blue. A fortuitous combination came along in the front foundation border-pinks and blues. Catmint and 'May Night' salvia provide the blues whereas a peony and 'Rolly's Favorite' silene make up the pinks.





This is a soft orchids color combination that works well just about anywhere. Right now in the garden it seems to be the mode of operation-with a few newly blooming lilies kicking in some yellows and oranges.





The fine texture of the catmint combined with the rougher texture of the salvia and strong foliage of the peony and silene make for a pleasing flower and foliage combination even without the soft pinks and blues....


in the garden....

What are some of your favorite color combinations?


Words and Photos Property of In the Garden Blog Team, In the Garden

The Three Purples, and Maybe a Little Yellow Too

I was walking by the Sunny Side Perennial Border (a frontyard garden) when I noticed these three purples consisting of the white and purple irises, the lavender woodland phlox, and finally the dark purple of the columbine. At first I wanted to change out the irises due to the intense purple of the irises. I had thought an iris that matched the woodland phlox would be a better fit. But then I looked again and I liked what I saw. Sometimes it pays not to jump the gun. 





The three purple combination is nice enough but then when you add in the 'Carolina Moonlight' baptisia it is like wow, not so bad. The yellow seems to offset the purples a bit. One reason this works is that yellow and purple are opposite of each other on the color wheel, they are contrasting colors so they work well. Another reason the yellow and purples work, at least in my humble opinion, is that all four of the flowers (baptisia, irises, woodland phlox, and columbine) have different flower shapes.





When we look at the two low growing purples we find they work okay. Not only are the colors complementary (both are purples) but the textures of the foliage and surrounding perennials help with tones and differentiation.





Here we see a close up of these oldie but goodie irises. These irises are fabulous by themselves but can be difficult to work with when pairing them in the garden with other perennials. But in my case I am happy with the effect and have decided to leave the purples with a bit of yellow alone....


in the garden....

Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers out there-especially to my dear mother. May she and all the mothers have lots of flowers in their lives on their special day and every day...

in the garden...

Words and Photos Property of In the Garden Blog Team, In the Garden

Trees With and Without Leaves in Winter

From In the Garden

What is a gardener to do in the winter when the garden is asleep, the trees are bare, the sun is low and it is just too cold to garden? Well, take pictures of course and see what is interesting in the garden even without the dressings of the spring, summer and fall garden seasons.

One of my most indispensable type of trees in my garden are Japanese maples. I am most fond of them because of their colors, their growth habit, their form, structure and year round interest. A very special tree is my 'Sango Kaku' Japanese maple, aka Coral Bark Japanese maple, aka Christine's Tree. Can you see from the above picture why it is called the Coral Bark Japanese maple?

During the cold of winter the newer limbs of the Coral Bark Japanese maples can glow with a vivid red color. They are really colorful against a blue sky or neutral background. The neutral background in this case is an oak tree that holds on to its leaves all winter (I believe it is a Willow Oak).

Just look around for interest in the garden. You don't need fancy or special trees in order to have interest. Interest is everywhere-you need only look. Trees are one of the most valuable resources we have in this world (in my humble opinion). They are more precious than the most precious mineral or gem because they provide us with so much-think shade, oxygen, moderation of temperatures, beauty, and value. Trees are a renewable resource but one that takes many many years to replace and I don't know about you, but I only have one lifetime and I want to enjoy my trees-now-so I take care of my trees and value them each day.

Some interesting trees during the winter include: sycamores, J. maples, birch trees, all evergreens, hickories, Kentucky coffee bean tree, oaks, crabapples, pines, magnolias, sumacs, junipers, beeches, and many more. These trees don't necessarily need leaves to provide interest in the garden.

What types of trees do you find interesting in the winter and why?

Words and Photos Property of In the Garden Blog Team,

In the Garden

Sparkles for Earth Day-Each Gem Part of a Whole

From In the Garden

Jan at Thanks for 2Day is asking bloggers to prepare a post on how they live sustainably in honor of Earth Day; which is April 22, 2010. In return not only will you share some tips and ideas for living in conjunction with Earth while keeping your carbon footprint small, you will be entered in a give a way with the chance to win some nice prizes.

Here are ways I live sustainably and try to reduce my carbon footprint:

You know the saying REDUCE, REUSE and RECYCLE? Well I had to add one more R to the saying and that word is REPURPOSE. I live by these four words to the point I am a bit of a packrat and maybe a bit zealous. No excuse for it but when I was growing up we held on to things 'just in case it might come in handy sometime'. And you know what? I've almost always been able to find a new purpose or use for something I have hanging around the house. The window frame above is one such thing. Many folks are replacing their old windows with new. You would not believe how many perfectly good wood sash windows are dumped in the bins at our dump. Windows can be used for decor, on coldframes, new greenhouses and a multitude of other uses. Hold on to them or give them away to someone else who can use them on Freecycle.

Speaking of Freecycle, this is another way I work to reduce my carbon footprint. Freecycle is a community of people who are geographically close enough to give others their cast offs in order to keep usable items out of the dump. Freecycle is not a place to dump trash but if you have something you think someone else may be able to use (old clothes, lawn furniture, plants, etc) then put it on Freecycle. Things like: plants, bricks, concrete, and a million other things are things I've picked up-all free. If you are not a member of Freecycle there is no time like the present to join.

Here in the Ramsey house we recycle. Recycling is naturally easy for all of us because after having in lived in Germany for over 10 years recycling became second nature. Germans and Europeans in general are more earth conscious and do a great job of recycling. Their resources are a bit more limited so they've had to be smart about the land and the natural resources they do have. Recycling is a big deal and is really easy. We have separate bins in our garage and sort them as we go. As a result we normally only have one bag of trash per week from our family of three that is actually dumped in the landfill.

Composting is a really good thing to do. I believe in giving back to my garden. As such just about anything that will rot goes into one of three 4'x4' wooden compost bins. All compost is used up quickly and my garden plants thank me for returning organic matter to the soil in the ways they grow and bloom and give back to me.

Conserving energy is another way in which we help to reduce our impact on earth. Our temperature is generally set at 68 degrees during the day in the winter, 65 degrees at night. I keep the thermostat set on 78 or 80 degrees in the summer. It sounds high but when it is 90 degrees outside 80 degrees feels pretty good. As a reward for watching our thermostat numbers our electric bills are lower. I believe the formula is that you can save 1-2% off your bill for each degree you lower your thermostat in the winter and raise it in the summer. Not bad for conserving a bit of energy-you conserve your green money too.

Another good and easy way to conserve electricity is to run your dishwasher only when it is full and run it when peak power loads are lower. Sometimes I wait until 9 or 10 at night to run my dishwasher, especially in the summer when air conditioners are running full time and really putting a drain on the power grid. Every little bit helps.

Water conservation is an important consideration for all gardeners.Rain barrels are a biggy here. I have the barrels and the hardware but have not put them together yet (a bit of procrastination maybe?). I really need to get going on putting them in place before summer. In my defense though I do not water my lawn in the summer and I only water my gardens when things looks pretty dire. I hope this summer is as good as last summer and I won't need to water. I also try to plant drought tolerant species as much as possible. These plants are in my most inhospitable areas of my garden and are able to stand on their own. The hydrangeas are close by so if I need to water I can do it efficiently. Watching water use is another way to live sustainably.

I do not litter-ever. I absolutely dislike litterers and I can tell you we have quite a few where I live. I'll save this rant for another day but let me just say the roads in Tennessee are in a deplorable condition and not even the inmates who quietly police up others' trash can make a dent in the amount we Tennesseans have on our roadways. I do my small part in fighting the litter battle by policing the litter in front of my home. I pick up everything from cigarette butts to beer cans and bottles almost on a weekly basis. I wish my neighbors would help out and police the road in front of their yards, even if it is only one day every six months it would help. When motorists see a trashy roadway they are more likely to toss out more trash. It is a vicious cycle. I think if we all just make an effort to police around our properties and to NOT litter then our communities would be a much better place to live and work and raise our children. Pride goes up and the atmosphere of a community changes in a positive way when we live in a clean and litter free community. All it takes is a conscious effort to dispose of trash properly and responsibly to honor our earth. Disposing of trash into a neighbor's yard is never the proper way to dispose of trash. Don't litter and clean up where you can and help out earth and your community and we all live better.

Lastly, I plant a garden and I plant trees. I have given serious consideration to how my house is oriented so I can ensure the trees around my home are in the best locations to provide me shade during the summer while letting in the sunlight in the winter time. It is estimated you can save 10% off you annual electric bill just by having some well placed trees around your property. My garden is a purely pleasure thing for me but I like to think it provides the earth and it's creatures with a sustainable living space. In fact, it is the mission of my garden.

Remember:

Earth Laughs in Flowers. Raph Waldo Emerson.

From In the Garden

I like to think the earth around me is laughing an awful lot when I walk out my front door because as you can see from the picture of my late summer Front Foundation Gardens, there are lots of flowers nearby. But even more important than the flowers and gardens, I like to think I am setting a good example for my children and for others around me. I hope that in some small way we can all work together to make our lives sustainable and work in conjunction with our earth.

Singly we are but a gem, but put together as a whole we can all shine....

in the garden....on Earth Day.

Words and Photos Property of In the Garden Blog Team,

In the Garden

Cannas-The Gaudy, Bawdy, Flashiest Flower In the Garden

From In the Garden

Who likes cannas? It is one of those plants you either really like, or you really hate. It is never in between with this gaudy, bawdy, flashy flower. As you can tell, I am one who loves these plants. When I lived in sunny and hot North Carolina I somehow wound up with a few cannas. I planted them in a bed all of their own and wow! Did they ever take off! I've been smitten ever since.

The more color the better. Not only do the flowers come in a rainbow of colors, but the leaves are also brightly colored. Here you see a yellow flowered canna, two orange flowered cannas and a red flowered canna. The first orange flowered cannas is Tropicana. A gift from a fellow gardener. The second orange canna is an unknown cultivar and has typical green leaves. The red canna pictured above has very dark foliage but look at the foliage on the red canna below-it is most different. You can mix and match any color flower or leaf and really have fun with the colors of cannas. Cannas are typically hardy to Zone 7 but here in my Zone 6 on the border of Zone 7 these cannas not only come back each year but absolutely thrive. They do so well they are growing up through landscape fabric and bricks. I've had to do a lot of thinning in this area so make sure they have room to spread.

Cannas also need lots and lots of sun. They are not even the slightest bit shade tolerant and will languish in the shade, at least here in my garden. The more sun the better.

Cannas can be bothered by Japanese beetles and canna leaf rollers. Both insects are very frustrating but will not kill the canna. I hand pick the Japanese beetles and use Bayer Systemic for the canna leaf rollers.

Do you really want to know why I like these guys so much? The color yes, but really I like the ease of care and the fact these perennials bloom all season with little or no care from me. It is very hard to find a perennial that blooms for a longer period so I enjoy these gaudy, bawdy, flashy flowers....

in the garden....

Under the Sea.......Dave's GB Fall Color Project

Have you ever went swimming and while underwater opened your eyes to look up at the sun through the water? It was a neat thing wasn't it? So different and wonderful.

I have been feeling like I am under the sea when looking up at the beautiful fall colors of trees. The sun shines through kind of like it does through the water. You know there is a sparkle coming from somewhere. But you can't see it for the water magnifies the sun's rays and somehow distorts the rays. Still you look because you are mesmerized by the way the sun's rays play on the surface of the water as you seek the sun. The leaves do the same by spreading the suns rays around through the canopy of the tree. Let's go under the sea to view some magical colors and sun.I think this was a maple. I took it in sunny Massachusetts on my recent trip to Maine. It truly gave me the feeling I was under the sea.

Forest pansy redbud. This guy just glows.

Sumac from Sumac Attack. Love the rainbow colors. Sadly, no blooms this year but that is okay. This is a volunteer sumac that is very low care. I love its spot and am letting it go wild. Perhaps it will someday reward me with blooms.

Japanese Maple in front of the house. This maple has not turned its color yet, but is a pleasure to enjoy when the sun hits it just right, as on this day.
A maple in Indiana. The colors were just glorious this past Sunday, the weather perfect for fall pictures....under the sea

Thanks for viewing my fall colors under the sea. For more fall colors do check out Dave at The Home Garden.

in the garden....

Leaf Peeping-Maine Fall Foliage

One of the wonderful things about living in New England is the dramatic season changes. Everyone hub bubs in the spring, getting garden and lawns ready, to being slow and steady in the summer, laying in the warm sun.

Fall time is an especially pretty, vibrant, crisp time of the year. We always experience busloads of leaf peepers traveling to special areas where hardwood is plentiful. They picture snap the scenic views, eat the last of the summertime hot dogs, and leave remembering the gasps of breath they took with them.

Two days ago I took a road trip to photograph our lakes and ponds. Within a twenty mile radius I drove through four towns and visited 8 bodies of water. My only regret is the weather, since Hurricane Kyle last weekend we have had constant rain, it burned off later Thursday afternoon but by then, I was committed to another place to be.

Here is the best of my trip, all photos are untouched and in the originality of which they were taken, several are overcast and do not display the true colors that are present when viewing in person but I wanted to retain the "everyday" color and I felt it would be unfair the lighten them.

Locations are included.

I may or may not have mentioned my town is nestled in a valley of our foothills, this photo is approximately 2 miles from my home.
A shot of the gas pipeline, I'm heading home.
Keoka Lake.....
Bear Mountain Pond.....
Whoops! I caught these guys out for a stroll, they seem to be in not too much of a hurry! Two more months guy! Find your heidie hole now.....

Twin bridges......have to remember the red berries in the bushes...lol
Within walking distance of my home.....

Crooked River, because of Kyle, everything was at high water level.....
Lake Pennaseewassee, not quite sure how to spell that! Ohhhh, Norway Lake.....
These are my favorite, sugar maple, I believe....
Comparing contrasts.......
Another angle of Norway Lake.....

Hobbs Pond.......
One camera view over (from top photo) of Hobbs Pond.....,local legend has it, once the color starts, from one end to another, and once the trees loose their leaves, from one end to another.....it will snow. The year someone told me this....it did!
Long Lake....with the clouds breaking....
Not sure of the name of this lake, the photo doesn't really show how dotted the foliage was in the distance mountains......
Shawnee Peak chalet......

Another view of the mountain......Moose Pond in the foreground.....
Returning home after my commitment, approximately 600 yards down the street from home, I caught the sun setting.....
My favorite spot in my yard....a sugar maple, a stately oak behind it, and the lighter yellow behind the oak.....my paper birch.
A view to the top......
Funny how the same tree can have so many different hues of color.....

For more fall color postings see Dave's "The Garden Blogger Fall Color Project"!

In the Garden......