Serenity in the Garden

Its Halloween!...and you plan to carve the Jack O'Lantern TONIGHT...triangle eyes, triangle nose.....yawn..... What you need is some inspiration! You can find it at the Van Cortlandt Manor located in  my little village of Croton-on-Hudson because we have what must be the world's largest display of carved Jack O'Lanterns...it is called the  Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze . Why do we have such a thing?  Well, Croton is in 'Sleepy Hollow Country' and Sleepy Hollow is the home of the Headless Horseman. It is right down the road from us.  (And he rides through the countryside every Halloween)....thus, we are a natural for Jack O'Lanterns..... That is my opinion as to the reason why we hold it although the website  Things You Should Do  says this: "Blaze’s creative director, Michael Natiello, said the true inspiration for Blaze is the landscape of Van Cortlandt Manor itself.  The event is really a land art instal...

Hinkley Lighting - Harbor Lights Outdoor light illuminates and  silently leads us on. I just had a discussion with a lovely friend about the lanterns by her front door. She is replacing them and that is why I am sharing this post  I wrote a few years ago.  People invariably choose lanterns that are too small for an  outdoor site.  This  informative piece is from a great lighting company -  HINKLEY LIGHTING (click here)....  can help change that. ALL PHOTOS HERE ARE FROM THE HINKLEY WEBSITE. The height of an outdoor lantern should be based on the height of the door: FOR ONE LANTERN:   If you place a lantern on only one side of the door, it should measure one-third the height of the door. The center of the bulb should rest 66" above the threshold of the door. FOR TWO LANTERNS:   When two lanterns are used, they should each measure approximately one-fourth the height of the door. The center ...

Beatrix Farrand, 'Landscape Gardener' and designer, left her mark on many landscapes around the country. Her most celebrated garden is the wonderful Dumbarton Oaks in Georgetown in Washington, DC. She worked with the Bliss Family to create a world class estate garden there - and you can visit it. Split staircase at Dumbarton Oaks Finally a documentary has been made to tell her life story f rom Maine to California.  Karyl Evans, the filmmaker, used  interviews and footage of over 50 remaining gardens that Beatrix Farrand designed. A six-time award-winning documentarian, Karyl tells how Beatrix was  employed by her Aunt Edith Wharton and mentored by Dr. Charles Sprague Sargent. She became one of the Founders of the American Society of Landscape Architects.  Beatrix Farrand is an important part of landscape architecture to this day. All designers should know about her and her work! This film can be purchased by cl...

I must admit I first discovered  Drumstick Allium  when I could not find any other allium bulb to buy...it was late fall and I had waited too long to buy the popular Globemaster Alliums... What to DO? I bought the Drumsticks and was thrilled at the result. These purplish - red blooms are small - 1" -and oval shaped.  They bloom in my part of the world in June atop wiry 24" - 30" tall stems and wave in the breeze...and they make a superb cut flower (which you can dry to be an 'everlasting').   Drumstick Allium bouquet - Martha Stewart Photo Drumstick Alliums look fantastic tucked in the early summer flower border...You can add these small bulbs easily in the fall around clumps of established perennials such as Artemesia, Yarrow, Nepeta and Agastache. They peek out around these plants and are a delightful addition that come back every year! Artemesia Powis Castle - Great with Drumstick Alliums - Great ...

ALERT!   Only 7 more days until the  fabulous Dale Chihuly exhibit at NY Botanical Garden closes : Tuesdays through Sundays, 10 a.m.–6 p.m.  CHIHULY Nights: Every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday through October 2017, plus Wednesday, October 25,  and  Sunday, October 29; 6:30–10:30 p.m.  RESERVE NOW:   https://www.nybg.org/visit/admission/ in the day, as you walk around, you might find this.... This is your last chance to see the immensely popular show - by day or night. I suggest you start in early evening and watch as the darkness brings out the glass sculptures in a way nothing else can. It features 20 installations! In the spotlights, the plants seem to dance along with the art.... That is what I did with my family visiting from Florida. We entered, visited the phenomenal bookstore ( another must for garden lovers) and then walked  the grounds  in the late afternoon light. The sweeping vistas and art co...

Purple is fast becoming the most popular color in the world, surpassing the perennial favorite color, blue. Why? It vibrates at a higher frequency. The younger people are drawn to this.  Natures uses purple to communicate to pollinators. They like purple too. Here are some 'purple in the garden' photos I have taken ( except for the bee photo):

illustration of Christopher Alexander's 'Positive Outdoor Space' by Matt Noiseux One of the books I used in my Landscape Design Studio class in Columbia University is the classic,  'A Pattern Language ' Towns- Buildings- Construction by Christopher Alexander and others.  It offers 'patterns' as basic design templates for you to follow.  These are principles of  design that are founded on common sense as much as anything else.  Alexander says his design language  is based on human and natural considerations. Adding to the delight it that they are numbered for easy reference in the book:   'Accessible Green' is # 60.    'Quiet Backs' is #59.  One of the more elusive patterns is   #106 Positive Outdoor Space.   It is a favorite of mine.  It talks about manipulating outdoor space and refers to space as being 'negative' and ...