Thank you, George

Inspirational garden images abound in books, in magazines, here on the computer.  These 2-dimensional images allow us to imagine the 3-dimensional experience of glorious gardens.

Naturally, exploring a beautiful garden is even better than looking at an image of one.  Experiencing a garden in person allows you to move through it, going up or down or under or between, to see how the parts connect &  what draws you on, what lures you closer.  The scents & sounds, the feel of sun &  breeze, the discovery of surprising elements - and ah yes the plants - all these create a memorable experience.

Among the memorable gardens I love to visit is Hollister House. This is a private garden I saw in a magazine long long ago.  When it later opened to the public for a day, as part of the Garden Conservancy's Open Day program, I made the pilgrimage there and have returned many times since, still enthralled.

Hollister House is a garden that demonstrates a mastery of grade change & planting design.  But it is the mood of this garden that fascinates me.  It feels intimate yet expansive.  It feels unstudied and casual yet it is deliberately constructed and layered.   It is peaceful & soothing yet also excites as it draws you on to explore & discover.

The orderly structure of crisp hedges, brick walls, stone steps, paved paths & reflective pool contrasts with the luscious and exuberant plantings. The interlocking levels, the glimpses of something beyond or below or above, the framing and focal points & of course the marvelous plant palette make this an unforgettable garden.

Here are a few pictures I have taken there over the years.

Gerald's Parterre - the highest point of garden

View from Gerald's Parterre to Gray Garden below

 Descending to Gray Garden

Gray Garden

Gray Garden

View from Gray Garden to Walled Garden below

Walled Garden

Walled Garden

Walled Garden

Planting in Double Border

George Schoellkopf is the owner plantsman sculptor gardener of this property.  This garden reflects his love of the land and his design genius.  Thank you, George, for sharing your garden.

For more information about this garden & how he is sharing it, to see a Garden Plan, and to find out when it is open for visitors,  go to hollisterhousegarden.org.

The Garden Shed

M Y   O W N   S H E D
This shed was on my property when I moved here 20 years ago. It was old then.  Over the years, it has been lovingly adjusted, repaired, re-roofed, & kept upright because it is a garden essential.

I love my shed for 2 reasons:  it is useful for
storing (hiding) things & it is a charming visual anchor for the adjacent garden.  Both garden & shed are small in scale and rustic in character.

The love of my own shed has developed into an ardent interest in sheds of all kinds.  I am wild about sheds the way a bird watcher is wild about birds. Since "shed watcher" is an awkward & strange label, I might best label myself a garden shed enthusiastic.

S O M E   O T H E R   S H E D S
Here are photos of a few of the sheds that have caught my eye - whose character is determined by shape, size, color, siting & decorative elements (somewhat similar to the elements that excite bird watchers), as well as by construction materials, hardware, window placement, & roof pitch.

All of these sheds are adjacent to gardens.  Most are storing garden related supplies, but one is storing pool equipment, one is a chicken coop, and one is not storing things at all, but supporting plants.

G A R D E N   S H E D  F O R  A  C L I E N T
Recently I was delighted to have the opportunity to design a garden shed and vegetable garden for a family of gardeners.

The family residence is a beautiful & dignified antique.  Though the garden is not adjacent to the house, it is within viewing distance, just beyond a large expanse of lawn that serves as the family sports field.

Centered on the shed and framed by picket fencing, this garden is lovely in all seasons.

The shed is the visual anchor of the garden, but does not overwhelm it.  The shed is spacious enough to provide work space as well as ample storage for the large and small items that gardeners acquire. Windows on all 4 sides & a high ceiling create a pleasant interior.  On the exterior, the dormer roof and detailing above the double doors add interest.  The color and materials of the shed are similar to those used elsewhere on the property, thus insuring that it is compatible with its setting.

May it serve its gardeners well for decades to come.

March

April

September

August

                                                                        

Allium & its shadow on Shed

                  B O N U S   I M A G E !

Aging Gracefully : Alliums

Daffodils and tulips are thrilling in bloom.
But after bloom, avert your eyes.

They look shabby as the flowers, stalks, and
foliage begin to ripen.  Horticulturally:  ripening
is the natural & necessary process that
enables a bulb to store up energy for a repeat
performance. Visually:  ripening is collapsing,
shriveling & yellowing of all plant parts.

Thus these bulbs are best used as annuals &
removed after bloom (tulips),  naturalized in the
distance (daffodils), or partnered with plants
that shelter them from view - or upstage them
completely - as they quickly age.

Meet the Allium (onion) family.  It has many
members, ranging from short, pale and low-key
to lofty, dramatic and richly colored.  Falling into
the latter category - & briefly introduced last week -
Allium "Globemaster" is among my favorites.

purple spheres

In full bloom, it is an eye-catching star of the show
that makes everything around it look better.
And after it blooms, it ages gracefully.

lime fireworks

The purple spheres age to lime green before
drying to tan. Yes, the leaves will yellow, but
they are close to the ground & can be disguised
by neighboring plants.  Yes, the allium needs
companions as it ages. Yes, you can absolutely cut
that tan flower right down if you don't like the looks of  it.

beginning to fade

But the stalk and flower head will retain their
shapely form, as they gradually become more
subdued in color.  In the context of a planted
scheme, they eventually make an uneventful exit.

full fade

I took the last 2 photos in a garden designed by Richard Hartlage.

A Spring Souffle - with Onions

Am I hungry? 

The word  "S O U F F L E"  comes to mind as I ponder this billowing spring garden.

Souffle  =   a combination of particular ingredients, an extended period of heat, a specified waiting period, the prospects of something wonderful worth waiting for, and ...after the wait...something rich and light and lofty.

Mother nature baked up this frothy picture.  Spring has transformed the flat earth, dormant perennials, twiggery of deciduous shrubs, and bare vines into something yummy.

Among the ingredients is the dramatic airborne globe-shaped purple flower,  the ornamental onion Allium "Globemaster."

Today a blizzard is blanketing the landscape in white, but in a few months we will once again be immersed in layers of green.

In the spirit of transformation of seasons & of landscapes, I offer some views of a project in which a very small area of neglected lawn was transformed into a lovely private setting which includes a pool, terrace, pergola & shower.

This pool area is adjacent to the garage which is accessed by the family driveway, all of which is located at the back of this property.  

The main entrance to the house has its own driveway on another street, thus keeping the central portion of this property free of vehicles. 

The garage was designed by J.P. Franzen Associates Architects.
 

Family driveway  :  before & after

Pool area from family driveway  : before & after .  The garage is to left.

Pool area from house  :  before & after

 

Poolside Life :
pergola, terrace, lawn, plantings,
shower, pool fence, gates & arbor