The Featured Plant- Paulownia tomentosa

If you're looking for a plant that makes a bold architectural statement, Paulownia tomentosa may be for you.  But first make sure you have plenty of space.

New Hampshire and Vermont Open Days

Congratulations to all of the gardeners who opened their gardens this past weekend for The Garden Conservancy's Open Days event that happened in New Hampshire and Vermont!

Preparing gardens for a high-profile national event such as this is no small feat but all of the gardens looked spectacular.  Every season, the Garden Conservancy gives the public a chance to visit some of the best private gardens in the country. This year, sixteen gardens represented New Hampshire and Vermont, showcasing the high quality of horticultural talent in this region of the country.  In addition, visitors had the opportunity to visit public gardens in the area such as the town gardens in Peterborough, NH and The Fells in Newbury, NH.

Visitors to the eight beautiful private gardens that participated this past weekend came from many distant locations including Georgia, Texas, New York, Illinois, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey.

For a glimpse of the wonderful gardens that were open this past weekend, see the photos below.  For more information on the Garden Conservancy, click here.

Rachel's Garden- Caterpillar!

For more art from Rachel's Garden, click here.

To see what this is all about, click here.

Well, This Really Stinks!

We have had our share of uninvited visitors this season.  And some have appreciated the garden more than others.

Dig In- Tips from Nettie at Uncanoonuc

Hydrangeas


Much beloved by gardeners, Hydrangeas are a large, diverse group of plants that can be vines, shrubs or small trees. The main types grown in Northern climates are discussed below (including descriptive information, cultural and pruning advice) and a section answering frequently asked questions follows.

English Gardens- Kiftsgate Court

Three Generations of Women Gardeners

Almost directly across the road from the world famous Hidcote Manor gardens, near Chipping Campden in Gloucestershire, is the entrance to Kiftsgate Court. Although sometimes overshadowed by Hidcote, Kiftsgate is no mere doorstop for its more famous neighbor.  The gardens at Kiftsgate Court rank right up there with the finest English gardens.  They are gardens noted for their fine detail and rich tapestry of color.  But what really distinguishes Kiftsgate is its uninterrupted stewardship by three successive generations of women gardeners.

Trying Hard to Contain Ourselves

As you could probably tell from my post about Whichford Pottery, we simply love beautiful clay and stone pots.  Each year, we tell ourselves that we have enough and that we should really try to control ourselves.  And each year we ignore our own advice.

Paula does a wonderful job designing and planting all of the containers in the garden.  They are gorgeous but also a lot of work.  There's not only the time invested in planting each container but it takes even more time to track down and purchase interesting plants.  And, since we are located at least a half-hour drive from any nursery, that means a lot of time spent in the car.  And then there's winter storage as well as the time it takes to regularly water all the pots!   We won't even go there. Despite some of these drawbacks, we can't even imagine our garden without the beauty and versatility of containers.

Gardens of The Berkshires- The Mount

At least once every summer I head out to the Berkshires.  There are some wonderful gardens there and I almost always make a stop at The Mount, Edith Wharton's home in Lenox, Massachusetts.

English Gardens- Whichford Pottery

We have a great passion for container gardening and so, on our recent trip to England, it was great fun to head for Whichford Pottery, in Warwickshire, where some of the best clay pots in the world are made. Established in 1976, by Jim and Dominique Keeling, the business continues to be family run. All of Whichford's pots are made by hand by a team of about thirty craftsmen and women who are committed to keeping traditional potting skills alive. I loved the atmosphere there. Jim and Dominique have made it a mission to train and employ local people and, over the past 35 years, have built up one of the most highly skilled teams of potters in Europe. These men and women take great pride in their craft; they are a friendly bunch, and are more than willing to share the love they have for their work with visitors.

Rachel's Garden- Wildflower Meadow

For more art from Rachel's Garden, click here.

To see what this is all about, click here.