Serenity in the Garden

I must admit - I love Tardiva Hydrangea. Hydrangea paniculata 'Tardiva' is a loose, carefree shrub that defines exuberance. It is one of the panicle hydrangeas that received a 2010 Cary Award for Outstanding Shrub for New England Gardens. It adapts easily to many situations, blooms  late  in the summer which extends the garden season into October and can be pruned as a small tree if so desired. Tardiva is known for its long, lacy white flowers. They are tinted a pale pink which become darker as the season progresses. This hydrangea can tolerate half shade and is disease resistant. I prune Tardiva in very early spring, leaving just a few buds on the stem - this ensures larger flowers on stiffer branches. Tardiva hydrangeas fit in well in a woodland theme garden as well as in classic mixed flower borders. They make a great screen in the summer and are striking when planted in a mass planting.  They also make a wonderful dried cut f...

The colors of Little Quick Fire flowers in the fall The outstanding Quick Fire® Panicle Hydrangea can grow to be as high as seven feet tall...But what if you have a small outdoor space, such as I do?  Try Little Quick Fire®  hydrangea! the compact Little Quickfire Hydrangea It grows to only 4 feet tall and has long lasting flowers with excellent fall color...and best of all, it is more cold tolerant than most other hydrangeas. And you can grow it in a pot during the summer... Proven Winners has a winner for sure! It starts out with white flowers in late spring which then darken to pink in summer. And by fall, the flowers are a light red. You can cut them and dry them for winter displays indoors. My favorite thing about Little Quick Fire® is that the leaves turn a fiery orange in the autumn.   It loves morning sun and shade in the afternoon. A little protection from winter winds is helpful. Make sure to mulch around the base to protect...

Check out  'Ideas for a Fall Garden'  on gardendesign.com. I share some ideas I have used in my landscape projects.  Please click on the article name above for some great end-of-the-gardening-year ideas for your garden. from gardendesign.com The Garden Design website  is a virtual compendium of ideas for your landscape.

'Lemon Daddy' Hydrangea lights up a soggy scene in one of my gardens.  The theme is rounded forms. The colors are green, yellow and beige. The mood is slightly damp. The lighting is muted, as are the sounds. It is a precious moment and Lemon Daddy adds a simple sizzle. garden and photo - Jan Johnsen, bench - Campania

Summertime is synonymous with hydrangeas in my mind. Here I planted Strawberry Sundae white-pink hydrangeas  behind the blue ones...added pink begonias and more. I did this all on a steep slope. Slopes are like a canvas to plant a colorful, exuberant picture if you want. Use rocks to retain the plants, if needed. And of course water!