Design Tip for Ornamental Grass

NOTE TO SELF: SWITCH OUT HAKONE GRASS.  This has been such an unusual winter so far.  We have had very little snow cover.  Everything looks so brown and dreary. I need to do more to brighten up the winter landscape in front of my condominium when we have snow-starved winters. I already have dwarf Mt…

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2023 Perennial of the Year Rudbeckia American Gold Rush

Rudbeckia ‘American Gold Rush’ stole the show for its beauty, hardiness, ease of growing, and benefit to pollinators!  It is the 2023 Perennial of the Year (voted on by those in the green industry), was also crowned the 2020 All-America Selections National Winner, and The National Gardening Bureau named 2023 The Year of Rudbeckia in its perennial class, a tip of…

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Metasequoia Soul Fire and Amsonia String Theory

Metasequoia g. ‘Soul Fire’  Dwarf Dawn Redwood. Love at first sight! My friend and very talented gardener, Marie, was giving me a tour of her stunning gardens when I stopped in my tracks. A majestic line of 3 brilliant golden Dawn Redwoods planted along the road captured my attention. I have always wanted Dawn Redwood but…

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Narrow Upright Evergreens and Flowering Shrubs

The Leaning Tower of Arborvitae.  I know better! When I lived in Upstate NY I always tied up my ‘Emerald Green’ Arborvitae with jute twine in late fall to prevent heavy show or freezing rain from damaging them. But when I moved to Maine, I let my guard down. Bad idea.  This is what I…

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American Meadows at Your Service

Last fall I was helping a client design a spacious garden for her amazing property. The garden bed had been prepped earlier that year. I stopped in my tracks when I saw a grand display of colorful annuals and a swarm of butterflies and other pollinators dancing above the flowers. Juliet explained that she had…

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Remarkable Natives Online Lecture

Sponsored by The American Horticultural Society, Avant Gardens, Bluestone Perennials,  Espoma Organic Fertilizers and Potting Soils , Great Garden Plants, Plant Delights Nursery, Plantskydd Organic Animal Repellents, Proven Winners I was delighted with the turnout for last month’s Perennial Plant Collector’s webinar. The feedback was terrific, plus folks loved that the lecture included sources for purchasing these unusual, hardworking plants. (Above photo of Karen…

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VIRTUAL HOLIDAY GIFT SHOP

Are you still uncertain what to give a special person in your life? Problem solved!  Below are exceptional companies that offer unique, high-quality products.  I’ve had the pleasure of working with each of these businesses and seeing their merchandise first-hand. They have been vendors at my past Great Gardens and Landscaping Symposiums, attended by hundreds…

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The Last Blooms in the Garden

The last plants to finish blooming in my Maine garden this year was a powerhouse rose called ‘Ringo’ (I took this picture on November 11th after multiple nights in the 20’s) and a nonstop blooming Heuchera called ‘Timeless Night’. ‘Ringo’ has been decorated with many awards, world-wide. The single petaled flowers start out bright yellow with…

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STEP UP YOUR GUARD AGAINST DEER DAMAGE THIS WINTER

Now is NOT the time to let down your guard against gnawing critters, especially deer, that wreak havoc on gardens and landscapes.  Cold winter months can cause deer to devastate plants, even those that are not normally on their radar. I have never seen the extensive damage to unprotected evergreen hollies like I saw last…

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Espoma Organic Products are Beneficial Year-Round!

Many of you have read my praises for Espoma Organic Products in past newsletters. This top-rated manufacturer of organic potting mixes, soil amendments, garden and lawn fertilizers, and more is dedicated to producing premier products that are planet-friendly AND produced sustainably by solar power! Over 43,000 square feet of warehouse rooftops are covered in solar panels; eliminating more than…

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