Gatsbys Gardens

The Choices We Make

2015-07-23T16:28:00.000-05:00

I have often wondered why I have chosen the color orange for several of my daylilies, but today as I was taking some photos, I realized the orange tones retain their color. My darker colored daylilies tend to fade very quickly in the heat and sun, their mushies are anything but attractive. I have many yellow and light colors such as pink tones and cream, all retaining their colors.

Another Show!

2015-07-13T06:24:00.000-05:00

Can you just hear Ethel Merman singing, another opening, another show? Well, this is showtime in the garden world. I still have a few days before the cymbals bang but I thought it would be wise to show what I have - another big storm predicted. Altari Orienpet Lily I have mostly Orienpets because of their drama. Most of them stand without support, but I have a few that

Winter At Gatsbys Gardens

2014-12-28T15:15:00.001-06:00

I don't normally take many photos of my winter garden unless it is covered in snow. However, this year, we have not had any snow except for a dusting. I love the look of a four-season garden without the snow and the many variations of color and texture. There is a great deal of color with the greens, browns, tans and reds in the front border. Azalea Karen has darker leaves in the

Fall Color Is Not Just About The Trees!

2014-11-03T13:46:00.000-06:00

My goal has been to create a four season garden in a three season climate. Obviously, I am not going to succeed in regard to blooming plants in the winter but if carefully planned there can still be color. The trees are a given for beautiful fall color but there are many perennials, grasses and shrubs that are stunning in both the fall and winter. Azalea Karen This is

Extending The Season

2014-10-08T14:00:00.000-05:00

In the cooler climates it is all about enjoying our gardens as long as possible. It takes a little forethought to make this happen. Front Border Grasses and Sedums Great fillers to keep the garden going Miscanthus Udine Blue Paradise Phlox is the first to bloom and keeps on going until the first frost if it is deadheaded.

Hello Fall!

2014-09-21T07:02:00.000-05:00

Fall is coming in slowly this year and supposedly will last longer than normal. The Limelight Hydrangea in the header is more rose colored than ever before. A new variety of Aster, "Kickin Asters" in the foreground, daylilies resprouting green leaves after trimming. The large containers in front have been redone for fall. However, the ivy and cordyline have been kept from the

Winners

2014-09-02T18:02:00.001-05:00

Some winners for the summer of 2014: Supertunia Bordeaux This one even out performed Bubblegum in my garden, not as leggy and continues to produce lots of new blooms. Supertunia Bubblegum This was in its glory in July, now has few blooms and very leggy. Suncatcher Petunia Purple Rose This is one petunia, trailing, outperformed any trailer I have every had! It is

Back At The Pond

2014-07-29T13:46:00.000-05:00

I try to make a yearly summer visit to my brother's and sister-in-law's garden which has a main feature, "the pond." It is a little less clear this year, and we are not sure if the cold winter was the cause. This is a concrete in-ground pond constructed in the 1930's. You can see asters in the front (not blooming) and Persicaria Polymorpha in the background. Capone, the Boston

Lily Love

2014-07-17T19:59:00.000-05:00

The lilies are beautiful this year and the fragrance magnificent. I have mostly Orienpets with two varieties in my front garden. Conca d'Or It is self-supporting and does not fade. Lilies look better with their legs covered, Blue Paradise Phlox with daylilies in front, lots of layering allows each planting to look its best!

An Impressive Garden Season

2014-07-11T19:22:00.000-05:00

The backyard grass is finally filling in, probably will be beautiful by fall. Lake Michigan has higher water levels because of all the snow and rain, and I have not had a problem with indoor ants or seen a Japanese Beetle yet! Oops, just saw them today!!! Superstar Petunia with Lavender Rose Calliope Geraniums A visit to Northwind Perennial Farm in Wisconsin displayed an

North By Northwest

2014-07-02T19:01:00.001-05:00

This was one of my favorite movies but it also applies to the north side of my home. A few years ago I had nothing but grass on one side and hosta and bleeding hearts on the other, boring! It has taken a while to get things right, and I am still making corrections each year. The north side of the path actually gets more sun than the south side of the path, moved plants around quite a

Pink In The Garden

2014-06-23T05:40:00.000-05:00

Pink is a very important color in the garden. It tempers the hot colors of summer like orange, yellow and red and seems to blend with all of them. Pink likes blue and white as companion colors and comes in all sorts of pink tones. Interplanted with Blue Hagley Hybrid Type III Comtesse de Bouchard Type III Clematis Ville de Lyon Type III

Around The Garden In June

2014-06-06T18:20:00.000-05:00

I am having a difficult time actually believing it is June! There is life in this once frozen garden and I am surprised at how resilient some plants are and disappointed at the demise of others. Fireworks and Bee's Jubilee (Type II) Fireworks General Sikorski Rouge Cardinal (Type III) The Type II's are the early bloomers unless they get eaten to

The Awakening

2014-05-12T18:02:00.002-05:00

After a long bitter cold winter, it is difficult to believe that anything could arise from the frozen ground. The freeze line went down four feet in our area this year so our back lawn is certainly a testament to this with only small tufts of grass displaying life. We have over seeded and put down some topsoil but I see the birds out there every day, probably eating the seed! Thalia

Bulbs In The Spring Border

2014-04-24T18:22:00.000-05:00

We all love to see the first bulbs of the spring and they are so effective in mass that they can take your breath away. However, we all dislike the foliage they leave until mid summer! It takes a plan to enjoy the bulbs and cover up the foliage until it has cured and stored enough energy in the bulb for next year's display. Sweetheart Tulip is just

What's New?

2014-03-30T08:00:00.001-05:00

I attended a workshop with the Garden Writers at the Chicago Flower and Garden Show and enjoyed hearing about new perennial introductions. Many years we become very excited about new plants only to become quickly disappointed when we can't find them in the nurseries. This time it was different in that all of these new introductions are available online or at your local nursery.

Are You Ready?

2014-03-16T15:17:00.000-05:00

I know I am ready for spring! I see it everywhere but in the garden, all of my favorite stores know it is coming. ORANGE is everywhere! Here at West Elm it looks like the 60's all over again. Succulents are all the rage, real in pots Succulents that are real without pots You just soak them in water every couple of weeks and they can lay out in the

The Real McCoy

2014-03-04T17:28:00.001-06:00

I have collected McCoy pottery for many years and use the vases and containers throughout my home. It is whimsical, in many colors, and has been priced well so that most people can afford to acquire some pieces. In my home, you would never know I was a collector since I have it spread throughout. Country Gardens magazine (January 2014) gave me a new inspiration for my McCoy

A Winter Of Discontent

2014-02-26T18:28:00.003-06:00

This is about all we can do based on the winter we are having! I am a very active person and need to be busy all of the time. However, this has been a winter that has thrown me to the ground with a constant feeling that I have to pull myself back up. The ice has built up so we couldn't even venture safely out our back door without slipping, icicles hang over doorways so we are

Perennial Plant Of The Year 2014 Panicum Virgatum 'Northwind'

2014-02-19T08:22:00.000-06:00

Garden inspirations from the members of National Garden Bureau.

The Year Of The Petunia

2014-02-05T17:29:00.000-06:00

2014 is the Year to Party With a Petunia! Every year, National Garden Bureau names one edible, one annual and one perennial as featured crops for a year. 2014 is the Year of the Petunia. NGB, along with our members, provide these tips about an annual flower

Cabin Fever 101

2014-01-30T10:43:00.000-06:00

Can you believe this Winter? There are a few warm places but my brain can't seem to retain where they are, California you say! I can't get excited about Spring and a growing season since I haven't seen the ground in months. There was a day or two when my holiday containers were visible but alas they are now under a mound of snow with more to come. Order some seeds, this

Dream Time At Gatsbys Gardens

2014-01-14T17:18:00.000-06:00

I have been taking a little break during the holiday season and am glad to be back with something that has to do with gardening. It has been unusually cold and snowy in the Chicago area which curtails my outdoor photography. Even my containers are buried under ice and snow! I do think each year about the intelligence of putting together winter containers only to have

A Season To Celebrate

2013-11-07T15:27:00.000-06:00

Fall is a season we can plan for, not necessarily planting and enjoying the color of flowers, however, there are many plants that put on a show in late summer and fall. I am suggesting by planning ahead with trees shrubbery and perennials, fall can be a beautiful burst of color before the snow rolls in! Dwarf Fothergilla Tor Spirea Ninebark Summer Wine &

The Great Pumpkin

2013-10-22T18:06:00.000-05:00

This is a repost from 2010 Carving pumpkins into Jack-O-Lanterns is a centuries old tradition which began with the Irish carving turnips and beets as lanterns placing them in their windows, lit from the inside with a lump of coal. They were used as a welcome for those who had passed on and as a deterrent to evil spirits. When the Irish immigrated to