First thoughts about Piet and Anja Oudolf's garden

I knew I'd like this garden, but I was overwhelmed. It was extraordinary. I couldn't believe how creative the juxtaposition of textures, shapes, and colors were, and the way senescing plants were part of it- amazing.The Joe-Pye and Vernonia were in full flower and all of the grasses were in their glory,...

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Mien Ruys garden

The collection of small gardens created by the influential Dutch garden designer at her family's nursery now make up the public garden open to visitors. Some of the gardens are truly remarkable, all are interesting. It was well worth the trek (long drive, really) through countryside that seemed an odd...

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Botanical gardens and natural plant communities

A primary incentive to visit gardens in Germany and the Netherlands was to see the gardens inspired by nature, created in public spaces. But an unexpected pleasure (on my first garden visiting day) has been the wonderful collections of native plants in naturalistic plant community plantings in two University...

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Views out the front door

Female goldfinch gleaning seedI spent the morning cleaning up the last of the beans and squash from my vegetable beds in the mountains.I won't be back for several weeks, although my gardening companion will be as well as the folks who keep an eye on things, etc., so I wanted to tidy up the garden.Echinacea...

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Changes...

 The newest section of lawn to bite the dust will be the unmowed portion next to the front meadow. We've been reducing the lawn since my husband and I moved into this house in 2004. In the top photo, the lawn sodded with St. Augustine grass extended almost to the fence. The previous owners had left...

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Long-horned beetles (mating) on goldenrod

 Long-horned beetles A wonderful excursion to a private garden capped off (for me) a delightful experience at the Highlands Native Plant symposium. Great folks and an excellent native plant garden - what could be nicer! A great cause to contribute to, for sure.A meadow visit found a couple of...

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A September nocturnal symphony

Coming back from an evening walk just as night was settling in, the nocturnal symphony was cranking up.  The night-singers, especially the crickets, are still melodic (and loud). Katydids and related insects are also part of the nocturnal symphony this time of year, in late summer towards fall and the first frost.It reminds me that the shrill calls of cicadas have largely dropped out of daytime...

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