Serenity in the Garden

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 - '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 wonderful for a sunny fall garden.  Greenwood Nursery  describes why this is so: "Strolling ...

I am interested in what opens the inner eye that children have, that makes you aware of what matters.  Gardens are good at that. ~  Mary Keen Gardens and children go together. Like the little girl in the garden in the children's classic, ' The Secret Garden'  by Frances Hodgson Burnett, gardens open a world of wonder if we only stop and peer into its mysteries... this is a book for all ages - a great read! Of course, the garden described in Hodgson's book was an English walled landscape but it could have been any kind of outdoor space devoted to bridging the gap between the human and the green world..... A serene garden can be a magnificent boxwood construct filled with flowers or  a little sunny spot carved out of a wooded hill...it is a place where 'feeling ' is paramount, where the atmosphere tingles with Nature's radiance. 'Crystal Palace' Lobelia in a hanging basket upon a carved tree stump in one of my gard...

Plant Wintergreen ( glossy green leaves with the red berries) and yellow pansies around a boxwood. Then place small gourds in the planter for an autumn touch.   ( Johnsen Landscapes & Pools )

(photographer - unknown) Everyone wants Blue Hydrangeas.  The rarity of naturally blue flowers is an irresistible draw to gardeners.  How to Turn Your Hydrangeas Blue?  Here are a few tips from Proven Winners: Nikko Blue Hydrangea from Missouri Botanical garden 1. Be sure you’re working with the right kind of hydrangea.  You must have a Hydrangea macrophylla or H. serrata to have pink or blue flowers.  (photographer -unknown) 2. Aluminum availability determines flower color. The availability of aluminum makes the flowers turn blue. Without aluminum the blooms will be pink.  Soil pH must be low or acid (5.2-5.5) for the plant to absorb the aluminum. from nely.bluehortensia blogspot.com 3. Color changes need time to take effect.  Consistent treatment is necessary to  turn your hydrangeas blue:  Plant your hydrangeas in a phosphorous-free medium, and use a phosphorus-free fertilizer with lots of p...

photo by Jan Johnsen In 2006, the  National Gardening Association  in South Burlington, Vermont (I used to be a garden design consultant for them in the early 80s) decided to celebrate National Garden Month by inviting readers to share their garden tales for a " This is My Garden"  Sweepstakes. Here is one of the inspiring stories that they received: Deciding to Cure  by Joanne B. "Darryl, my husband, lived in what is now our home for 9 years before we married. Each fall I planted daffodil bulbs. He had no interest in planting anything.  During the winter of 2004-2005 Darryl suffered a bad bout of depression. So that spring and summer  flowers became his cure .  Petunias in planter - by Jan Johnsen He built a planter at the front edge of the lawn, planted perennials and lots of petunias in hanging baskets and scattered large pots about the yard. During the autumn we planted tulip bulbs and pansies in ...

photo and garden by Jan Johnsen (That is a Kwanzan cherry tree)   It is now time to plant those spring flowering bulbs in the colder regions of the northern half of the world.   Photo by Jan Johnsen   So in the spirit of arousing enthusiasm for what may appear to be a job with no pay-off...   keep these images in mind while you labor away planting daffodils, tulips, allium, hyacinths, scilla and more in cool earth....   The photos here are of Mark Egener's garden.   Multi-petaled daffodil - so luscious   I worked with him to transform his property into a sweeping landscape complete with deer fence, gate, new drive, terrace, walls, grass steps, etc. I then planted some bulbs for him and his family to enjoy in spring   ...it was a small gesture of gratitude for such a wonderful project.     Well, the next spring, when Mark saw tulips blooming around a lovely Kwanza...

Norwegian reindeer moss  is a perfect covering at the base of plants, in dried arrangements, set around stones, and any other idea you may have. It is really a lichen - a combination of a fungus and an algae. It is sold as a  preserved material.  You can buy it in boxes or bags. It comes in a wide variety of colors which makes it a must have, especially in autumn... Here are some colors (among many): There are so many things you can do with this living material....Make items from it like shown below: The artist  Olafur Eliasson  made an entire wall from reindeer moss and has exhibited it in museums around the world... This installation is appropriately titled  Moss Wall .  It is a wall covered from floor to ceiling in reindeer moss, a study in living texture. (It resembles what I have done on a hidden wall in my house which was to put a carpet on a wall... I call it  Carpet Wall .(not) ...