Advice
As peony madness fades with the summer heat, it’s time to hail the beauty of dahlias. Dahlias are an easy addition to any existing garden and offer a large range of colors, petal shapes and sizes to fit your desires. Also, planting a tuber around the frost free date will provide you with beautiful blooms in July and August, a quick, … READ MORE
My Work, Perennials
While talking plant options for our garden at home, I looked at the three varieties of Amsonia growing around our offices. I use this plant in my designs predominately for the texture of the foliage, however the flower is a strong attraction in the garden in late spring. Amsonia is the perfect plant to showcase the subtle variation between the … READ MORE
My Work
Leading up to Memorial Day weekend is our busiest planting week across all clients and projects. The weekend follows shortly after our frost-free date, which results in a buildup in the greenhouse followed by a mass clearing out by early June. The following photos show the progression of our greenhouse over the past few weeks leading up to this week and … READ MORE
Arrangement of the Week
I start each spring watching and anticipating each new bloom, watching the succession of daffodils and hellebore blooming to the burst of the foliage on trees. Now that I am surrounded by blooms and fresh greens, taking the time to walk the gardens each week and cutting blooms allows me to pause and appreciate the ever evolving selection. Right … READ MORE
Landscape Design, Perennials
The National Garden Bureau has designated 2016 as the year of the allium! To celebrate, I have partnered with Longfield Gardens to design two perennial boarders highlighting the unique spring explosion of these rounded blooms. I frequently include allium bulbs in my perennial border designs for their color, which goes with my typical cool palette, deer resistance, and unexpected texture. … READ MORE
Landscape Design, My Work
Over the pas few years, we have planted our share of espaliers trees. For our projects, I prefer to use established trees, with about 18-24 inch root balls. This gives us a tree that is already established in its form, still allows us to plant close to a wall and provides the client with instant gratification of an established tree at a good value. … READ MORE
Brick, cobblestone, Inspiration
This is the time of the year when I need to be on my game, the most creative, innovative….. However this the point in the year when I feel most removed and beaten down by the winter. To combat this “Designer’s Block” I peruse through images…. Pinterest, Instagram, and pictures from my travels. Garden visiting is so vital to my … READ MORE
Holiday
It’s time of the year for holiday gift guides. Not typically a fan of “gardener gift suggestions”, since they often created by folks that don’t garden and think all gardeners use are hoses, shovels, gloves and hand cream. Here are my recommended items for either yourself or a gardener on your list based entirely on items I use or have. The Gardens … READ MORE
Landscape Design
Earlier in July, we visited Malabar Farms in Lucas, Ohio. The farm’s claim to fame is the home of Louis Bromfield, Pulitzer Prize winner author and the location of Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall’s wedding. Besides these notable characteristics, Bromfield and Malabar are notable for pioneering sustainable agriculture practices. The farm is now a State Park, with miles of trails, … READ MORE