Serenity in the Garden

What plant likes sun or shade - is Fast Growing - Easy to Grow - Adds a visual POP to planters or beds? the answer  :  Coleus (Solenostemon scutellarioides ) 'Sedona' Coleus - Planting by Melanie Granger Coleus is a versatile foliage plant that is always at your service, no special requirements other than water and maybe a little pinching as the season progresses... and it thrives in part shade! What's not to love? It is an exuberant houseplant, a summertime dazzler and a fabuloso filler plant suitable for any and all applications... It looks especially wonderful in pots. Place several together like this: Inky Fingers Coleus, Chartreuse Sweet Potato Vine and others - by Melanie Granger or in a low, wide mouth planter with ferns: Or you can plant it in shady plant bed alongside the perennial Ladies Mantle ( alchemilla mollis): Alabama Sunset Coleus with Ladies Mantle Or you plant it beneath larger pla...

Those of us who love color (me! me!) can’t resist the urge to include all the hues on the color wheel in their garden.   wow - look at that picnic table! at Stone Meadow Kennel...love it.   Color certainly adds a dramatic punch to a garden but it can also result in a visual cacophony.      courtesy : Timber Press   Longwood Gardens, in Kennett Square, Pa addressed this dilemma in their 600 foot long ‘ Flower Garden Walk’.     Along this broad brick walk is a mix of annual and perennial flowers, spring bulbs, woody shrubs and ornamental grasses showcasing one individual color followed by another.    As you stroll, you experience the full impact of each color of the rainbow, one at a time.     At the start is a grand sweep of lavender, purple and blue courtesy: historicfloralgardens.blogspot    which melds into soft pinks and reds then changes to o...

Sedum, Salvia and Dwarf Pennisetum In fall, fountain grasses are a stand out. And there are so many to choose from! Fountain grass (Pennisetum sp.) is a graceful, DEER RESISTANT and sun loving ornamental grass with feathery plumes that persist into fall. Its relatively small size makes it a great plant for containers, rock gardens, borders, massing or as a specimen.     Once established, they tolerate heat, humidity and full sun. Johnsen Landscapes & Pools Of course with all this wonderfulness there is a down side - certain fountain grasses are considered invasive, not all, but some.  There is a lot of discussion on which varieties are invasive with people saying,  'This species is OK but that one isn't'.  Some people, to be safe, don't buy any. I would counsel you to look in your area to see which ones are no nos. Nonetheless, the dwarf fountain grass is a must for a sunny fall garden. Greenwood Nurser...

There is no more fitting to place to honor and remember those that were lost than in a garden.... it reminds us that  life goes on, in all Nature's wondrous  forms... I Heard an Angel by William Blake I heard an Angel singing When the day was springing, "Mercy, Pity, Peace Is the world's release. "     Eleven years ago I suggested to my village, Croton on Hudson, NY, that we plant daffodils to commemorate those who perished on September 11, 2001.  And so every year the people of Croton of all ages come out and plant daffodils in public areas .    Daffodil Planting Village of Croton-on-Hudson The Croton Conservation Advisory Council invites you to join  the 11th annual Daffodil planting  on October 13, 2012   at DUCK POND, Croton.. 9am to 12 pm. Rain or shine

The "Water-dividing Stone" is placed at the bottom of a Japanese garden cascade where the torrent splashes evenly. (Mizuwake-ishi) The mizu wake stone is symbolic of the mythical carp that, through unwavering effort, climbed to the top of the waterfall to become a dragon, a regular teaching parable in the Soto Zen monastery. This stone is essential for all wonderful cascades...the sound it makes as water hits it is reason enough to place one there!

Double Cascade by Jan Johnsen Roberta Chinsky Matuson is an expert on increasing profitability by maximizing employee contribution. Her website is www.yourhrexperts.com . She writes that quiet people are often the most productive, explaining that, Being quiet strengthens focus and calms others. Being quiet gives you the space to delve deeply into ideas. She says,"  at the end of the day, it’s not about the noise one makes, but what one actually gets done." So it follows that a workplace should provide quiet spaces that encourage productivity! I hereby suggest to Google, Apple and Microsoft, among other businesses that they include Serenity Spaces for their employees to work in.... ( I can show you how to create them) A few ideas: Cascades and fountains Shaded benches or nooks Reflexology Paths to enhance concentration. Zig Zag Bridges and lots of outdoor outlets!

The most well known reflecting pool in the United States is the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington, D.C. This huge rectangular pool measures a little more than 2,000 feet long and is 167 feet wide and spans the length between the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial.     It reflects both facades of these structures which is a magnificent sight to behold, especially at night.   Its excellent mirroring quality is due to the fact that it is only 30 inches deep at its deepest point! In addition, the interior finish of the pool is a dark color with hardly any lighting. This makes a dramatic contrast to the adjacent light stone buildings. At night these structures are illuminated and the light bounces off the dark, still water, creating a spectacular reflection. This also works during the day when direct sunlight strikes the buildings.