Pam's English Cottage Garden

noreply@blogger.com (Pam's English Garden) — Sat, 08 Feb 2025 18:01:00 +0000

Dear Friends,

After a long break from blogging to write my book, The Contemporary Cottage Gardener, I'm thrilled to announce my new blog. Actually, it is a free newsletter called, "Pam's English Garden in PA." It is hosted HERE.

I'm so excited to share the latest content with you, and you will receive a new edition on the 15th of every month! Click the link and head over.

I'm eagerly looking forward to your return and our continued journey together!

Pam x

Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day, April '23

noreply@blogger.com (Pam's English Garden) — Sun, 16 Apr 2023 02:07:00 +0000

"The beautiful spring came; and when Nature resumes her loveliness, the human soul is apt to revive also." --Harriet Ann Jacobs

My soul is revived on this Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day. Many plants are blooming early this year, but looking back my pictures look remarkably similar to previous years. Comparing years is what is special about this meme. Thank you, Carol. Take a walk with me and see the miracle that is spring again in my cottage garden.

The cherry tree is in full bloom today. Snow Fountain Weeping Cherry Prunus x 'Snofozam'

We opened the pond. Robert is making some repairs, and it is looking great. I love miniature trees; I have four varieties around the pond. They look gorgeous in spring. The cherry tree is the first to bloom; next will be the weeping redbud.

Dwarf weeping redbud Cercis canadensis 'Lavender Twist'

I'm spending a lot of time cleaning up, pruning, and planting as I want my garden to look its best for the photographs for my book. I tire more quickly, and the hot weather (90 degrees F yesterday) makes it more challenging. I am happy more seasonal temperatures are returning this week. I am so grateful for Duane's help with the heavier work.

Arctic fire™ red twig dogwood Cornus stolonifera 'Farrow'

There are loads of daffodils still. Bottom right is my favorite 'Tahiti"

Primrose Primula vulgaris

April 19, is Primrose Day. It is said that the primrose was the favorite flower of Benjamin Disraeli, twice prime minister of England -- Disraeli died on this day in 1881 and Primrose Day was born. I have several of these lovely plants in my English cottage garden. They are just beginning to bloom.

Dianthus is new to my garden. My daughter gave me this beauty for Easter.

Fritillary Fritillaria meleagris,

Marsh marigold Caltha palustris

Marsh marigold is the first plant to bloom in the rain garden.

Here is the first tulip to bloom each season, Planted by my husband's mother more than 50 years ago.

Forsythia Forsythia x intermedia behind the fences in the Serenity Garden

I am so sorry to say goodbye to bloodroot Sanguinaria canadensis.

Bloodroot is one of my favorite spring blooming native plants.

Brunera 'Jack Frost' has its first forget-me-not type flowers

Helleborus and Pulmonaria

Japanese andromeda Pieris japonica 'Mountain Fire' in the Woodland Walk

I sprayed the hosta buds with deer deterent and I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

Now I'm going over to Carol's blog to see what is happening around the world on this Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day. Won't you join me?

Love,

Pamela x

Creeping Phlox, Phlox subulata

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The First Full Day of Spring

noreply@blogger.com (Pam's English Garden) — Wed, 22 Mar 2023 01:25:00 +0000

It's the first full day of spring, and I started 400 zinnia seeds under lights in my dining room today. I took a quick stroll around my gardens. Compared with gardeners south of here, I have few blooms. I appreciate the infrequent ones I find: crocus, hellebore, and (today) Pulmonaria's pretty pink and blue flowers. I have considerably more snowdrops this year -- thanks to Frank of Sorta Like Suburbia. Daffodil tips are appearing everywhere, and even a few tulips. Spring will be fabulous when it ultimately arrives at Astolat.

Garden planning is well underway for the new gardening year. I began, as always, with an assessment of last year's gardens for what worked and what didn't.

Four gardens that worked well in 2022. Clockwise from top left - Serenity Garden, Rain Garden, the all-white Stone Garden, and the bountiful Kitchen Garden

Although the Serenity Garden is working well, I plan a few changes: Adding more foxgloves and some lavender and replacing the lamium. The lamium ground cover is pretty in spring when blooming, but the leaves turn black when the temperature soars in July. I ordered some hardy plumbago (Ceratostigma) to begin the replacement process.


I planted more annuals in the Cottage Garden last year and the zinnias were lovely. This year I want to remove some of the aggressive gooseneck loosestrife and add the native Babtisia 'Twilight Prairieblues.' Of course, I ordered delphinium, a cottage garden must have, that behaves like an annual in my garden. In addition, I am increasing the hollihocks plants. There were few blooming last year.		'

My most successful garden in 2022 was the new meadow:

I will reseed the meadow with annuals and hope some perennials make an appearance this summer.

This year, I gave seed purchases, plant purchases, and my garden design more thought than usual, as my garden must be at its best for the photo shoots for my book. I sometimes tell clients, 'Do as I say, not as I do,' but now I'm trying to match what I do with what I write in the book. For example, I include companion planting in a chapter on vegetables. Although I always rotate my crops, I am generally haphazard with what I produce and how I mix plants. This gardening season, I will grow nasturtiums in the zucchini bed because I'm writing that nasturtiums reduce the squash bug population.

I made my kitchen garden plan. I organized seed packets according to planting dates.

My plan shows where I am companion planting, interplanting, relay planting and succession planting.

I haven't started the spring garden chores because it has been too cold to venture out. As I age, I can no longer tolerate cold and dampness. I have plant stalks to cut down in flowerbeds and the meadow, shrubs and trees to prune, and weeding to do. I plan to start this week as temperatures rise. Have you made a start yet?

Wishing you a Happy Spring and the BEST gardening year!

Love,

Pamela x

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A Longwood Christmas 2022

noreply@blogger.com (Pam's English Garden) — Sat, 14 Jan 2023 16:15:00 +0000

They still need to dismantle the Christmas Tree in the Rockefeller Center, New York, so there must be time for one more Christmas post. It's become a tradition for Duane and me to go to Longwood Gardens for their Christmas event. This season we went just a few days before the display ended; Jonathan accompanied us. It was spectacular. As always, my iPhone photographs don't do justice. The article, The Art Behind the Lights, is on Longwood Garden's blog for great pictures and an exciting read. You can see the Rose Arbor lantern there. How could I stand and admire it and not take out my iPhone?

When we first arrived, it was still light outside, so we strolled up the hill to the Conservatory, planning to enjoy the lights outdoors after dark. The 4.5-acre greenhouse contained stunning plants and displays, as always. The main exhibition hall was a delight of golds and reds reflected in the pool.

Exhibition Hall

My favorite plants were the lilies and orchids. I am not fond of the smell of lilies, but I must say the white ones were gorgeous. Walking down to the orchid house, we passed under living chandeliers that were another favorite, with their white orchids. I know I have a thing for white blooms.

My favorite display of all, however, was the floral shop. The designers of the clothes on the mannequins outdid themselves. And what about that armchair and cushion? Amazing!

The Floral Shop

As darkness fell, we went outdoors. With more than 50,000 lights, they had created a winter wonderland.

The fire pits throughout the gardens were welcoming on the cold night.

It was fun to walk through the tunnel in the meadow garden as the lights constantly changed color.

I was interested in the meadow at night. Small lights highlighted the plants, and the large tree in the distance was spectacular. I felt vindicated in leaving my meadow uncut when the plants died back. At Longwood, they use burning to clear the meadow in spring. I can't do that as my meadow is surrounded by wooden buildings. I will cut it down instead.

The Meadow

The Italian Garden

Walking back to the visitor's center.

We stayed at a nearby hotel overnight before driving Jon home. He returned to college at Pitt the next day, saying our little trip was a fantastic ending to his Christmas vacation. Happy New Year to all my gardening friends!

Love,

Pamela x

This morning, I found a snowdrop pushing its way up in the Serenity Garden! Only a gardener would show a poor picture like this, but you understand. I'm so excited about the new gardening season!

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Gifts for Gardeners: Beautiful Books

noreply@blogger.com (Pam's English Garden) — Thu, 08 Dec 2022 02:20:00 +0000

If, like me, you still need to finish your holiday shopping, gardening books are always a good idea for your green-thumb friends or family members. Author friends of mine wrote the four you can see under my tree above. I have attended some of Mary-Kate Mackey's writing workshops. She is very kind and offered to help me with my writing efforts, for which I am grateful. Shelley Cramm chairs a power circle (a committee) to which I belong for GardenComm -- An international organization for garden communicators. All these authors are members. Shelley is a great inspiration to me. Jenny Rose Carey is a fellow Brit and a good friend. I am sure you have heard me talk about her in this blog. I met Raffaele Di Lallo via Zoom at a conference. He also offered to help me. Here are brief reviews of their beautiful and informative books. Click on a title for purchasing information.

*Oh, and I want to share some good news at the end of this posting.*

Brenzel, Kathleen N., and Mackey, Mary-Kate, The Healthy Garden: Simple Steps for a Greener World. Abrams, 2021

The authors arranged the book into three sections: Healthy Garden, Healthy You, and Healthy Planet. In the first section, Healthy Garden, they cover design, planting, and maintenance. They describe the health benefits of gardening under the heading, Healthy You. In the last part, the authors discuss the contributions gardeners make toward the health of our world. The book includes 19 interviews with expert gardeners, plus numerous quotations from experts worldwide.

The Healthy Garden presents a delightful cornucopia of tips and insights for gardeners of all levels of expertise. Beautiful illustrations show gardens in all US growing zones. This book is an excellent addition to any gardener's library.

Carey, Jenny Rose, The Ultimate Flower Gardener's Guide: How to Combine Shape, Color, and Texture to Create the Garden of Your Dreams. Timber Press, 2022


Jenny Rose (right) brought me a copy of her book. We spent a wonderful day talking about all things gardening and garden writing.

The Ultimate Flower Gardener's Guide is Jenny Rose's sunny companion to her first book, Glorious Shade, which I reviewed HERE.

It has five sections: In the first section, Jenny Rose helps us look at individual flowers and truly see them, not just their color but the many shapes and their role in the garden. In the second chapter, Jenny Rose gives the stars of each season that she defines as early to mid-spring, late spring to early summer, high summer, late summer into autumn, and winter. She suggests tasks and activities for each. The following section comprises numerous plant pictures and detailed profiles, including the shape and the plant's role in the garden. This section enables the gardener to make informed choices. The final two chapters describe types of flowerbeds, hardscaping, and various kinds of gardens.

I am thrilled that the author featured my garden in the section on looking for inspiration.

My Cottage Garden

Beautifully written, and the photographs in the book are gorgeous - the author took most of them. Jenny Rose's title for this book is very appropriate. It is truly the ultimate guide for any gardener to begin a new garden or improve an existing one.

Cramm, Shelley S., My Father is the Gardener: Devotions in Botany and Gardening of the Bible. BRIT Press, 2022

In this devotional, Shelley conveys gardening as a spiritual practice. She takes the title from John 15, where Jesus says, "I am the true vine, my father is the Gardener." She dedicates one or two chapters to each gardening job, from preparing the soil and planting to propagating and composting, linking tasks to plants of the Bible. Highlighted plants include olive, oak, crown anemone, hyssop, cucumber, and more.

Lovely Illustrations

Shelley has deep knowledge of the Bible and a great deal of botanical learning. Linking these attributes with the beautiful illustrations by Layla Luna, this book is superb. I love it!

Di Lallo, Raffaele, Houseplant Warrior: Seven Keys to Unlocking the Mysteries of Houseplant Care. The Countryman Press, 2022

Raffaele's readers know him from his Instagram page, Ohio Tropics, which has, impressively, over 138,000 followers. The book was a natural step for him to take with its synthesis of Raffaele's knowledge about houseplants. Raffaele answers four basic questions: Which plant is suitable for your environment? How should you take care of them? How do you deal with problems? And how to propagate?

The book has an easy-to-follow format in which Raffaele unlocks his seven keys to houseplant care. It concludes with a comprehension list of houseplants that includes each plant's description, family, light requirements, appropriate potting mix, watering, propagation, and additional tips. Raffaele illustrates the book with photographs from his extensive plant collection.

Houseplant care is not my forte, so I welcomed this informative book. I have seen an improvement in my small collection since implementing some of Raffaele's advice.

Any or all of these four titles would be great as a gift or for yourself.

*And now for my good news (that you will know if you follow me on FB.) Timber Press Publishers gave me a book deal for my cottage garden book. I am so excited. You will see my title on future gift lists.*

Wishing you a blessed Christmas, dear gardening friends.

Love,

Pamela x

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Six Must-Do Fall Tasks in the Garden

noreply@blogger.com (Pam's English Garden) — Fri, 11 Nov 2022 16:09:00 +0000


Smokebush (Cotinus coggygria)

This fall was the most beautiful in many years. The colors were amazing. Then we had several early frosts that ended the glory, followed by Indian Summer in November. I took the photos in this posting during the warm weather. Somehow, I'm late completing my fall tasks. I need to make a list. It's been a while since I reminded myself and you of the jobs necessary before winter. As the garden and I mature, there are a few changes:

1. Pull Out Annuals and Diseased Plants

After the first killing frost, pull out annuals and plant debris from the kitchen garden. Compost them, unless diseased, such as those with powdery mildew, which should be bagged and placed in the trash. I don't cut down perennials that add interest to the winter landscape and some plants provide seeds for birds, so I leave them standing. For example, goldfinches love the seed heads of purple cone flowers. Many perennials help beneficial insects in winter by providing shelter from their predators. Don't cut back marginally hardy plants like garden mums (Chrysanthemum spp.), as their tops help them survive the cold of winter. There is no need to cut back low-growing evergreen or semi-evergreen perennials such as hardy geraniums, heucheras, hellebores, and moss phlox.

The Kitchen Garden: I've pulled out the zinnias, marigolds, and other annuals and plant debris. Swiss chard is bursting out of the coldframe and parsnips (bottom right) are thriving.

One change this year is the meadow garden. The annual and perennial flowers have gone to seed. After some research, I decided to leave them standing until spring. I plan on cutting them down in March.

Many birds are enjoying seeds in the Meadow Garden,

2. Dig Up Tender Bulbs

Dig up tender bulbs such as cannas, caladiums, dahlias, elephant's ears, gladiolus, calla lily, and tuberous begonias and store them where they will not freeze. I placed mine in individual paper bags, wrote their name on the outside, and put them in a box in the basement. I grow my calla lilies and banana plant in pots. I cut the plants down, and Duane carried them in their containers into the basement.

3. Protect Newly-Planted Shrubs and Trees

Find a place in the garage or basement for shrubs or trees that you are growing in pots, especially Japanese maples (Acer spp.) Sometimes I have plants in their nursery pots, still unplanted, in the fall. For these, I dig holes in the empty vegetable garden beds and heel them in. I protect roses and newly planted shrubs with burlap windbreaks. You can spray the leaves of broadleaf evergreen shrubs with an anti-desiccant to prevent moisture-loss caused by cold weather conditions because when the ground is frozen, evergreens can't replace moisture loss through their leaves. Use mulch, like three to five inches of straw or leaves, to insulate plant roots from severe winter temperatures.

The redtwig dogwood (Cornus stolonifera 'Farrow') doesn't need protection now it is well established. It will need pruning, however.

4. Shred Leaves

Ecologically speaking, you do not need to rake leaves. Compacted leaves can promote snow mold diseases that damage turf grass. The easiest way to treat leaves on your lawn is to pass over them with a mower a few times to shred them into small pieces. This method will return nitrogen to the soil as the clipped leaves decompose. You can leave them where they fall in the garden so they help insulate plant roots. If you want to remove leaves from your garden, add them to your compost pile rather than bagging them and hauling them away. Or create a separate pile to make leafmould. I contain the leaves in a circle of chicken wire. In the spring, I use them as mulch around my plants. Nowadays, I use less and less wood mulch. Not only to save money but also to prevent the spread of the dreaded jumping worms and their eggs that may be transported in purchased horticultural products.

The maple at the edge of the lower field is always the last to lose its leaves.

The Serenity Garden has the most fallen leaves. Duane will run the mower over them a few times.

5. Plant Bulbs

Bulbs need an extended cold period to grow foliage and bloom. I am planting tulips, new varieties of daffodils, and fritillaria this year. It's now too late to plant container-grown plants as they need time to establish a root system before the ground freezes; in my area, that will probably occur about the middle of December. October is said to be the best time to plant garlic, but with climate change, it may be ok to plant in early November. Garlic needs a cold treatment for two months to induce bulbing. Grow garlic in soil with a pH of 6.2 to 7.0. Space the cloves four to six inches apart and three to four inches deep, with the root side down. Mulch heavily with straw.

6. Put Away Pots and Garden Ornaments

I like storing planters and garden ornaments where frost and snow won't damage them. I don't always clean the pots until spring, but when I tend them now, I feel an outstanding achievement.

A few pictures I took during Indian Summer:

Pineapple mint in the herb trug is green and spreading. I will need to control it.

The Woodland Walk. A white birch tree stump always gets an interesting-looking fungus -- on top you can see a squirrel was using the stump to crack wallnuts.

Ferns are still green. The border of lavender smells divine! I hope it survives another winter.

No colorful leaves remain on the trees around the top field, but beautiful still.

I should add a seventh must-do: Make notes about what I need to do differently in spring. I've already begun planning my 2023 garden in my head, but if I write down my ideas, I will likely remember them.

Enjoy the changing seasons,

Love,

Pamela x

Doodles enjoying the fall sunshine

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A Fall Meadow Walk

noreply@blogger.com (Pam's English Garden) — Mon, 24 Oct 2022 02:03:00 +0000

For many years, on incalculable trips along Route 33 to the Lehigh Valley, I passed the Hercules Cement Company plant at Stockertown, PA. A fellow gardener told me about a tour of a meadow project next to the plant. Being a lover of meadows, I went along with my husband on what promised to be an interesting outing. We were not expecting the tour to be so informative and inspiring, as well as a relaxing way to enjoy a sunny Pennsylvania fall afternoon.

The plant, owned by Buzzi Unicem USA, is on a 700-acre site containing meadowland, forestland, fruit and chestnut trees, a creek, and a pond. They began the meadow project in 2013 on former farmland to create a more biodiverse environment. There are meadows of native perennials as well as acres of switchgrass. Switchgrass is a low-maintenance, deep-rooted, and long-living native plant. It has carbon sequestration properties, reducing the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Each year, the company harvests the grass and uses it as biofuel in the cement plant, thus reducing their carbon emissions. Keith Williams, Environmental Manager, met us at the entrance of the nature area and gave us the background story. Keith's passion and love for the meadow project were evident.

We were happy to see some people we knew, including staff from Edge of the Woods Native Plant Nursery, where I buy many of my plant materials. Edge of the Woods is a partner in the project, as are conservation and forestry entities, plus three school districts. School students have helped with tree planting and nest box construction. Their experiences at Hercules Meadow lead many students to pursue environmental science in college.

I expected to do a lot of walking, but it was a well-planned tour with a small bus shuttling groups uphill and a tour guide strolling back down with us to the starting point. At the top, a lookout tower gave magnificent views of much of the project.

I could not do justice to our fabulous afternoon with my iPhone camera -- never-the-less let's take a virtual walk at Hercules meadow.

Clockwise from top right: 1. We started and ended the tour at an Amish-built pavilion (with delicious refreshments.) 2. I love the historic-type fence 3. Keith Williams, Environmental Manager, near our shuttle bus. 4. On the right of the fence is the foundation of a former house 5. The house foundation is now a garden with raised beds and pergolas as shown top left.

We took the bus to the top of the hill then climbed the tower. The views were magnificent. You can see the cement plant in the top left picture

I love the structure of plants as they go to seed in the fall. There is a wide variety of perennials in the meadow. Here are just a few:

Mountain mint Pycnanthemum Tenuifolium

Goldenrod Solidago

Wild rye Elymus virginicus

Boneset Eupatorium sp

Anna, a landscaper from Edge of the Woods, was a very helpful guide. The circle of rocks by her feet marks one of many small gardens created by school children. The gardens are somewhat neglected now as the children couldn't tend them during COVID. They will return to the meadow in 2023.

Anna took us to this small pond, or catchpool. So peaceful and beautiful.

We walked back through some woods. Top right: Zigzag Goldenrod Solidago flexicaulis

The pond near the house that is now a garden

Switchgrass Panicum virgatum

This company's commitment to environmental stewardship is commendable. It gives a much-needed feeling of hope for the future.

I look forward to returning to the meadow in spring and summer.

Love,

Pamela x

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The Queen's Garden

noreply@blogger.com (Pam's English Garden) — Mon, 19 Sep 2022 02:26:00 +0000

Queen Elizabeth II was in residence when Jonathan and I visited Windsor Castle this summer. We knew this because the Royal Standard, the Queen's flag, was flying. Of course, we didn't see her, although we peered over the fence surrounding the state apartments, hoping she would make an appearance. Knowing that she was nearby, however, gave me a warm feeling. As an expatriate, I clearly remember her father's death and funeral when I was 11. A few weeks before the new Queen's coronation, our teacher called each student to his desk and gave us a commemorative book and coin. That was my last year in primary school. When it was my turn to receive the gift, the teacher gave me the news that I had passed the examination (does anyone remember the 11+ exam?) to attend grammar school--at that time, a grammar school was the top high-school level in England. This gratifying news is always linked in my memory with the Queen's coronation. We watched it on television before attending a fun street party.

Windsor Castle Visit, July 2022

State Entrance to the State Apartments, Windsor

Jon and I left Windsor for Westminster Abbey, where the Queen's state funeral service will take place tomorrow. She will be laid to rest at St. George's Chapel, Windsor, where her husband, Prince Phillip, is buried.

Westminster Abbey (left) and St. George's Chapel, Windsor (right)

I discovered the Queen's Garden at the Tower of London. I can't think of a more proper homage to her 70-year reign than this tribute to her Platinum Jubilee. The garden represents the Queen's coronation dress with its exquisite embroidery of flowers. If you read the sign below, you will be fascinated by the story.

The Queen's Coronation Dress

Colored glass flowers representing the dress's emblems rise above the garden at the Tower of London

I thought the garden was like a pretty wildflower meadow

Before we left the Tower, we visited the gift shop. Jon bought me The Wicked Wit of Queen Elizabeth II by Karen Dolby. I purchased for myself Buckingham Palace: A Royal Garden by Claire Masset.

The Wicked Wit has snippets like,

'Rumours that the Queen keeps a Billy Bass singing fish on top of a grand piano are unconfirmed.'

With all the talk in the news about her sense of humor, it wouldn't surprise me if it's true.

The A Royal Garden book is lovely. It is gratifying to see that many of my favorite plants are featured. Here are some of the photographs:

The Garden Through the Seasons

I would love to visit this garden behind the walls of Buckingham Palace. Maybe King Charles will invite me to a garden party. But it wouldn't be the same without the Queen.

This posting is my homage to a wonderful monarch. Thank you, Queen Elizabeth, for your years of service and dedication. Rest in Peace.

Pamela x

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Monet's Garden, the First Healing Garden

noreply@blogger.com (Pam's English Garden) — Tue, 16 Aug 2022 20:03:00 +0000

Join me for a live-streamed program:

The Healing Garden

Wednesday, August 31

Time 7:00 - 9:00 CST

The program will be recorded so you can watch it later if this time isn't convenient for you.

Registration

For more information click the Registration link above.

My recent visit to Monet's Garden in Giverny was a source of inspiration for my upcoming talk on healing gardens. Monet suffered depression and mood swings. He said, "Many people think I paint easily, but it is not an easy thing to be an artist. I often suffer tortures when I paint." Today, most of us are dealing with stress in our everyday lives. A recent study showed that incidents of depression and anxiety increased with Covid.

Monet designed his water lily pond as "an asylum of peaceful meditation." Gardeners recognize a garden's healing properties. Whether actively gardening or just walking or sitting, when you connect with nature, positive changes occur in the body: lowering blood pressure, decreasing heart rate, reducing stress, and improving mood. Walking through Monet's garden, I felt a deep peace and calm. There were many visitors that day, including children, but there was an unexpected quietness.

I tried to capture some fantastic vistas but could not do the garden justice with my camera phone. A couple of weeks after my return to the United States, I was at Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Garden in Pittsburg for the Monet Exhibition. Their depictions were terrific. I've included pictures from Phipps in this posting. Enjoy my photos, then join me on the 31st for lots of hints and ideas for appreciating and designing wellness gardens.

Monet's water garden. The waterlilies were blooming when I was there.

There are dense plantings on the banks of the pond. These are not only beautiful but have a practical purpose for safety -- they discourage visitors from getting too close to the water.

The display at Phipps beautifully portrayed Monet and his water garden.

Left: boats at Monet's water garden. Right: Phipps' life-sized models.

Essentially, there are two gardens at Giverny: the water garden and the flower garden. It is said the central path through the flower garden distressed Monet with its straight lines. In spring, foxtail lilies (Eremurus himalaicus) and giant alliums soar between the rose arches -- I would like to visit then.

The Central Path -- Left: Monet's Garden, Right: Phipps.

To the left of the main path Monet created a lawn area.

There are long beds throughout the garden, many with flowers of a single color.

In addition to the long beds there are 38 rectangular beds with mass plantings.

My favorite display at Phipps was Monet's 'Luncheon Under a Canopy.' I don't know if this meal was in his garden, but I like to think so.

Some of my favorite blooms are shown here. There is no bare earth. Monet often used pale colors to draw light into shade as with the anemone, bottom right .

The pelargonium beds in front of Monet's house.

Geranium (Pelargonium) has been planted in front of the house for many years. The blooms are approximately two-thirds pink and one-third red. A stunning display.

My thanks to Jonathan for supplying some of the pictures and for being the BEST companion on our grandmother/grandson trip to London and Paris. Wishing him all the very best as he starts school at Pittsburg University next week -- hoping he makes many more visits to Phipps. Thanks, also, to the Infinity Foundation for making my 'Healing Garden' program possible. I look forward to 'seeing' you there, dear gardening friends.

Wishing you Peace in a Garden,

Pamela x

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My Wildflower Meadow and Other Surprises

noreply@blogger.com (Pam's English Garden) — Mon, 01 Aug 2022 00:45:00 +0000

My husband, Duane, met me at the airport when I arrived in New York from my wonderful Grandmother/Grandson's trip to London and Paris. I felt some trepidation as we drove home, wondering how my gardens had fared in my absence. I need not have worried. Duane had done an outstanding job watering and maintaining them.

My biggest surprise was the abundance of flowers in the meadow (above.) Newly installed this spring with the gazebo Duane found on FB marketplace, the meadow garden exceeded all my expectations. In a future blog posting, I will tell you how I created it. For now, enjoy the pictures I took on my walk through my gardens upon my return. Forgive me for not labeling all the flowers. I will be glad to answer any questions in the comments.

THE KITCHEN GARDEN

All the vegetables are doing well and the cutting garden is full of color.

THE COTTAGE GARDEN

My favorite bench by the pond awaits me

The cottage garden is in full bloom and full of pollinators

Not many hollihocks this year but though few they excel

THE SERENITY GARDEN

There are two arbors into the Serenity Garden - this one is from the front of the house.

The Serenity Garden is lush and peaceful

THE STONE GARDEN

I planted the Stone Garden with all white fliowers this year. This is my favorite corner of it

Duane even remembered to water the window boxes along the tractor shed

THE MEADOW GARDEN

Our handyman, Victor, installed a new roof, designed and fitted custom benches, and painted inside and out. Here I am enjoying coffee with my friend, Katharine, who helped me on the day I sowed the wild flower seeds.

Isn't it beautiful?

My gardens are full of pollinators

I love to travel and experience new adventures, and I will never forget this wonderful trip with Jonathan. It was the trip of a lifetime. A highlight was our visit to Monet's garden in France -- I will write about it soon. But it is lovely to be home to enjoy my cottage garden and the wildflower meadow's quiet pleasures.

Love,

Pamela x


Beautiful slate created and gifted to me by my friend, Joan

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Lucy's Sensory Garden

noreply@blogger.com (Pam's English Garden) — Fri, 24 Jun 2022 02:38:00 +0000

It is always sad when a friend moves away. My friend and I keep in touch through FaceTime and texts, but that is not the same as a visit. Recently, Duane and I made the trip to Charlottesville, VA, where my friend moved to be near her three-year-old granddaughter, Lucy. Spending time with my friend and seeing her new home was beautiful. Making a sensory garden with Lucy was enchanting.

For children to acquire knowledge of the natural world, I believe there's no better way than through a sensory garden. Children learn about their environment through sight, touch, sound, taste, and smell; in a sensory garden, the gardener chooses plants to enliven the senses. Therefore when my friend asked me to help Lucy make a garden at her house, a sensory garden seemed an appropriate choice.

There are a few rules to follow:

The sensory garden must be a safe place if users are to interact with it. Plants should be non-toxic, non-allergenic, and with no pesticide application. It would be best to place thorny plants like roses out of reach.
When choosing plants make sure they will do well in your growing conditions, whether sun or shade, poor or good drainage, clay or another type of soil.
Select hardy, durable plants and those of various heights, colors, textures, and scents.

With these thoughts in mind, we set off for the garden center.

At the garden center, we discussed each of the senses. Lucy quickly understood what to look for as she chose plants. She felt, sniffed, and touched each one. We had a hard time finding a plant for the sense of hearing. I cautioned Lucy not to taste plants without an adult's permission.

A few years ago, I wrote an article for Extension. There follows some brief excerpts about each sense, plus lists of the plants Lucy and I picked out at the garden center:

The Sense of Touch

When considering touch, think texture. Include soft flowers and fuzzy leaves. The first plant that comes to mind for tactile stimuli is lambs' ear (Stachys byzantina) with its soft fuzzy leaves.

Lucy chose the lambs' ears, of course, and yarrow (Achillea millefolium) for its stiff flowers and soft foliage. She picked cockscomb (Celosia) and three varieties of spiky hens and chicks (Sempervivum)

The Sense of Smell

When planning the sensory garden, think about both subtle and robust smells that a child can explore by sticking her nose in the flower or rubbing the leaves then sniffing her fingers.

Lucy chose two herbs with wonderful aromas: lavender 'Phenomenal' and perennial catmint (Nepeta x faassenii 'Walker's Low'). She also picked a scented geranium 'Atar of Roses.'

Lucy's first choice was a yarrow for the sense of touch.

The Sense of Taste

I must stress that everything in a garden for children should be non-toxic. Grow vegetables and herbs – an early introduction to fresh, healthy food helps young children as they begin to make their own food choices.

Lucy chose oregano and basil. She sowed carrot seeds because she loves to eat carrots.

The Sense of Hearing

Some sounds in a sensory garden occur without planning – the wind through leaves, for example. Enhance the variety of sounds by including wind chimes. Adding a birdbath encourages our feathered friends to stop by with their sweet songs.

Lucy chose false indigo (Baptisia australis) when I explained that she could shake the seed pods in the fall to hear the seeds rattle.

Clockwise from top left: celosia for touch, oregano for taste and smell, scented geranium for smell, and scabiosa for sight.

The Sense of Sight

Contrasting elements of color, form, movement, light, and shadow add to our sensory experience when we look at a beautiful garden. Create a balance between energizing and restful, soft colors to avoid overstimulation. Plant flowers of varying colors and blooming times, foliage of different shapes and sizes, and plants that butterflies love.

Lucy chose gayfeather (Liatris spicata) with its soft, vertical flower spikes that bloom from the top-down and butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa) to attract monarch butterflies. She picked a pincushion flower (Scabiosa columbaria) 'Butterfly Blue', a coneflower (Echinacea Artisan™) 'Red Ombre', and a pretty pink and yellow Verbina. Her grandmother added some petunias.

When Lucy learned that the liatris would have purple flowers, she was delighted. Purple is her favorite color. (Note the sneakers.)


She carried every plant to a cart, pulled the cart over to the car, and loaded the trunk. Well done, Lucy!

Lucy's grandmother had purchased two 4'x4' grow boxes for Lucy's garden. We put them together -- no easy feat -- and filled each one with soil sold specially for raised beds.

We didn't have enough bags of soil. While my husband and my friend went back to the store for more bags, Lucy and I arranged the plants ready for planting.

We decided to put plants for 'sight' and 'sound' in one raised bed and 'smell', 'touch', and 'taste' in the other. We placed Lucy's garden chair between the two beds.

Planting was the most fun. Lucy's favorite part was 'teasing' the roots.

False indigo (Baptisia australis) will develop interesting seed pods.

As there was only one plant for the sense of hearing, we added a lovely glass wind chime that Lucy's grandmother moved from the back garden.

The wind chime has glass hummingbirds.

Sowing carrot seeds.

The sensory garden is finished.

Lucy is thrilled with her garden.

The final task was to add a special 'ornament' to each grow box. We took a trip to Home Goods where Lucy found a white elephant wearing a crown and a gnome with a red, pointy hat.

A delightful 'garden dance' by Princess Lucy.

Lucy is taking outstanding care of her garden, watering and deadheading where needed. She stays at her grandmother's house while her parents work, so she can check it almost every day. This week my friend sent the photo at the top of the page -- if you look closely you can see that the carrots germinated.

Lucy's sensory garden is a beautiful, safe, and calming way for her to explore her senses and learn about the environment around her. Sensory gardens, however, are not just for children. They are an innovative way to promote health and nature for everyone.

Love,

Pamela x

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Unofficial Summer in My Garden or How to Deal With Too Much Rain

noreply@blogger.com (Pam's English Garden) — Sun, 29 May 2022 11:05:00 +0000

Memorial Weekend in America is the unofficial start to summer. We look forward to remembering our brave veterans by getting together with family and friends, firing up the barbecue grill, and celebrating in our backyards. In the Poconos, frosts are usually over before this date; therefore, I also finish planting the vegetable garden and numerous pots of flowers in the few days before the celebration. This year, the planting is not happening. There has been a deluge of rain for the past two days.

Water, of course, is essential to all life, and our gardens need it for healthy plant development. For the uninitiated I can explain: water enters a plant's stem and travels up to its leaves, where photosynthesis occurs. Photosynthesis is how plants manufacture food in the form of sugar. Too much water, however, injures plants, compacts the soil, and leads to erosion. Root loss occurs, and the plant fails to grow. Wetness causes fungal diseases such as powdery mildew. Extreme summer rain can leach nitrogen out of the soil; nitrogen is vital for photosynthesis.

I'm looking through the window, observing these negative effects--I'm sure my plants are screaming for help, except for the weeds, of course. The good news is there are ways to minimize weather outcomes. Enjoy my pictures, then read my six suggestions. I am so happy that I toured the garden before the rain started and took photos.

The Entry Garden: Alliums rule.


The Front of the House: Left: the azalea before the rain. Top right: annuals waiting to be planted in the stone garden - it will be white this year. Bottom right: Into the Serenity Garden.

The Serenity Garden: Ferns exploded with the rain.

The Woodland Walk: Brunnera, May applem, and ferns. Ephemerals (bottom) have 'disappeared' now.

Bluebells and Ferns in the Woodland Walk

Froggy Pond and Cottage Garden: white vibernum behind the fence, red twig dogwood blooming, and more allium.

Forget me nots at the edge of the Cottage Garden

The Kitchen Garden: I finished the planting before the storm, but will seeds germinate? Broccoli, lettuce, cabbage, and kale are doing well in the cold frame. The insect netting prevents the cabbage white butterfly from laying eggs on the vegetables.

The Herb Trugs: The new trug was a Mother's Day gift. It has flowering herbs; the old trug is planted with herbs from the Bible. Victor will paint the new one to match the otherl

Ways to deal with too much rain:

Select native plants. Native plants often fare best as they adapt to local conditions.
Choose plants that are more resistant to fungal disease and pests. This information will be on the label. Maintain space around your plants to create good air circulation.
Make wise choices when buying trees and shrubs. Don't choose trees with inherent weak wood or shallow roots such as willows (Salix spp.) Willow is a fast-growing but weak-wooded tree very susceptible to damage in storms.
Create some raised beds. I find they provide better drainage than conventional beds during heavy rainstorms.
Amend your soil with organic material to help with drainage.
Create a rain garden to soak up rainwater runoff

Some of my native shrubs and trees are blooming: ninebark, a pink vibernum, and black cherry.

A wise choice of tree for a wet area--my dawn redwood is thriving in this spot in the Serenity Garden,

The rain garden captures runoff water. It is full this morning.

A new project this year is the meadow garden. I sowed wild flower seeds in early May. Torrential rain followed and mainly weeds have germinated. I am waiting to see if any flowers emerge. The used gazebo I bought with my birthday money is coming along nicely with a new roof and new benches inside. A fresh coat of paint will complete it.

Meadow Garden with weeds, gazebo, and stone cairn.

I am finishing this posting the day before Memorial Day. The rain has stopped. The garden is too wet for planting but I can work on my pots with dry potting soil. Tomorrow's weather looks promising for the festivities, so we will be able to fire up the grill after all.

Happy Memorial Day,

Love,

Pamela x

Seedlings waiting for the soil to dry

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May is Garden for Wildlife Month

noreply@blogger.com (Pam's English Garden) — Wed, 11 May 2022 02:05:00 +0000

"The secret to attracting birds, butterflies and other wonderful wildlife to your backyard lies in restoring their natural habitat."

David Mizeyewski, National Wildlife Federation

Like most places, a great deal of natural habitat has disappeared in the Poconos, due to the rapid growth of residential areas and how we maintain our homes. The World Wildlife Fund stated in 2020 that human activities caused wildlife to decline by more than two-thirds in the previous fifty years. As a child in England, I loved to gather bluebells from the woods and catch tadpoles to watch as they changed into frogs. I want my great grandchildren to have similar experiences. Loss of habitat is the number one threat to wildlife today. The National Wildlife Federation has identified how we can provide for the needs and conditions that enable wildlife to survive and thrive.

I am proud to say my garden is a certified Wildlife Habitat.

I follow the National Wildlife Federation guidelines for a quality habitat by providing food, water, cover, and places for creatures to raise their young.

1. FOOD

The best food source is seeds, berries, nectar, nuts, and fruit from plants.

Black swallowtail butterfly on garden phlox Phlox paniculata 'Bright Eyes'

Native plants are most desirable. I have many in my gardens, and I am installing a wildflower meadow planted with native plants. No pictures of the meadow yet, as I just seeded it.

Turtlehead Chelone glabra 'Hot Lips' - one of the many native plants in my gardens

Bee on Turtlehead flower

There are lots of butterflies in my garden

Feeders supplement the food I provide through my plantings. My husband, Duane, tried various types of feeders over the years. None are really squirrel-proof.

Our latest bird feeder holds seeds and suet

Tufted Titmouse

Duane provides suet as a high energy food for the winter.

Red-bellied Woodpecker

2. WATER

If birds can't bathe, their feathers become dirty making flying difficult. Our koi pond is well utilized for this purpose. It is also home to aquatic wildlife such as frogs and toads. Dragonflies and other insects enjoy the aquatic plants.

Eight-spotted Skimmer Libellual forensis

Also, we provide bird baths and fountains.

In the winter the bluebirds love the heated water dish.

A hummingbird stops for a drink at our water fountain.

The Ruby-throated Hummingbird arrives in Pennsylvania in April. The hummingbird is the bird that pollinates. It hovers at flowers and feeds on nectar.

3. COVER

Wildlife needs shelter from the weather and predators. We are fortunate to have wooded areas, thickets, and bramble patches at the farm. We leave dead trees standing where possible. When the branches fall, the holes provide nesting places and cover. Woody debris is an essential source of shelter for insects, invertebrates, and small mammals.

Standing dead trees are called snags.

You can create a log and brush pile to form a 'wildlife hotel.' This turtle lived under our brush pile.

A wildlife hotel for mason bees and other insects located at the back of the potting shed.

4. PLACES TO RAISE THEIR YOUNG

Duane places birdhouses throughout the gardens.

Birdhouses provide cover for wildlife in winter.

My favorite birdhouse with a rooftop garden.

Many places that provide cover for wildlife are also the best places for raising their young.

This robin made her nest in the grapevine on our pergola.

I plant butterfly host plants to give caterpillars food to eat and a place to grow through their lifecyle. Milkweed is the host plant for the Monarch butterfly.

Swamp milkweed Asclepias incarnata

Caterpillar of the monarch butterfly on a milkweed leaf.

Finally, if we want birds, bees, and butterflies in our gardens, it is necessary to practice SUSTAINABLE GARDENING. I addressed this in a previous post called, Practicing Sustainability in the Garden. Click on the link to read it.

The rewards of gardening for wildlife are many. For me it adds beauty to my garden, improves air, water, and soil quality, restores habitats, and best of all it is FUN!

This is my first entry in the May #GardenBloggersChallenge. The challenge is for members of GardenComm, the association for garden communicators, and anyone else who would like to participate. There are daily blog topics and you can participate as much or as little as you like. Add #GardenBloggersChallenge to the content of your post. Why don't you join in the fun?

Happy May, Everyone!

Pamela x

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Daffodil Days

noreply@blogger.com (Pam's English Garden) — Sat, 30 Apr 2022 02:35:00 +0000

The Daffodil Walk

If late March is for crocuses and hellebores in this little corner of the world, then April is all about daffodils. Sunny yellow and white blooms greet you along the Daffodil Walk leading to our front door. I bought a box of unmarked, mixed daffodil bulbs so I don't know the name of any of them. I love them all. I planted more daffodils behind the picket fence in Serenity, and several in the garden I call Abundance. Their sunny faces are a wonderful sign that spring has arrived.

I love spring anywhere, but if I could choose I would always greet it in a garden.

-- Ruth Stout

Daffodil Narcissus

Daffodils in the Serenity Garden

My view from the garden room window

Narcissus 'Terra boucle', a double miniature daffodil

Peeping through the picket fence in the kitchen garden I believe I can see the first bloom on the double daffodil, 'Tahiti', gracing the Garden of Abundance.

Lungwort Pulmonaria and various daffodils

Let's take a walk to find what other plants are blooming in my garden.

Snow Fountain Weeping Cherry Prunus x 'Snofozam'

Pulmonaria has the not very pretty common name Lungwort. Its pink and blue bossoms are very pretty.

Primroses are blossoming in the cottage garden. Creamy, yellow primroses remind me of England almost more than any other flower. April 19, was Primrose Day. It is said that the primrose was the favorite flower of Benjamin Disraeli, twice prime minister of England -- Disraeli died on that day in 1881 and Primrose Day was born. I have several of these lovely plants in my English cottage garden. They are just beginning to bloom.

The name, primrose, comes from the Latin 'primus' that means 'the first.' Appropriate for one of the first flowers to bloom in spring. There are at least 500 species of Primula plus numerous hybrids and cultivars. They are native to the temperate regions of the Northern and Southern hemisphere.

Her fairies climb the bare, brown trees,
And set green caps on every stalk;
Her primroses peep bashfully
From borders of the garden walk.

-- Hannah R. Hudson "April" The Atlantic Monthly, 1868

Primrose Primula vulgaris

Primrose Primula vulgaris and Grape hyacinth Muscari armeniacum

Dwarf weeping redbud Cercis canadensis 'Lavender Twist'

Of course, there are hellebores still. Their pretty, nodding blooms beautify the woodland walk.

Hellebores in the Woodland Walk

The first tulip to bloom each season was planted by my husband's mother more than 50 years ago. It is sheltered in a corner between the tractor shed and a picket fence where deer do not venture.

April is a promise that May is bound to keep.-- Hal Borland

May is nearly here and, hopefully, we can put behind us the dreadful weather April brought this year. I am ready for some warm days and spending time in my favorite place, the garden.

I'm linking to Sarah, Through the Garden Gate, in England. Her spring garden is stunning!

Stay safe and healthy dear gardening friends.

Love,

Pamela x

Bowl of yellow pansies and wreath of tulips greet visitors to our little farm.

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In Search of Spring

noreply@blogger.com (Pam's English Garden) — Wed, 16 Mar 2022 15:33:00 +0000

The day before the bomb cyclone that brought snow and strong winds, we went to the Lehigh Valley Flower Show in search of spring. Pansies, daffodils, tulips, and other spring bulbs were displayed everywhere. They did the trick, putting me in a lighter mood. As an unexpected bonus, we met several garden-club friends. We hadn't seen them for a while so it was great to catch up on our spring gardening plans. Duane and I made several purchases, of course. I picked out some flowering bulbs, Duane found a birdhouse he liked, and we bought a couple of bottles of wine at a local vineyard's stand. Great outing!

The 2022 Lehigh Valley Flower Show. These plants were door prizes. Sorry we didn't win one.

I brought home a beautiful iris, daffodils, and a muscari that is yet to bloom.

The promised cylclone didn't dump as much snow as predicted, we had about two inches, but the winds were brutal.

Can you see Bilbo Goat. He's probably thinking that he should have stayed in his warm stall in the stable.

This last month was very frustrating for me, and not only because of the awful weather. I was without my computer for 14 days. Trying to function with just an iPhone is no fun. For example, I participated in a half-day Zoom seminar on my phone and I thought I was going blind staring at that tiny screen. Also, of course, I couldn't write a blog post. As a result, this one will cover some of what I planned to tell you earlier, starting with the Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC.)

As always the bird count was fun. I didn't see any unusual birds, but lots of activity at the feeder with chickadees (one on the swing), woodpeckers, and several Northern cardinals (one is upside down eating from the other side of the feeder.)

A pair of doves visited every day of the GBBC.

Northern Cardinal in the weeping cherry.

On days when it wasn't too cold, I toured the garden looking for spring. I picked Brussel sprouts from the cold frame. We still have parsnips under the snow.

I pruned shrubs: redtwig dogwood, potentilla, smokebush, and two hydrangeas. I have another dogwood and the roses to do.

Arctic fire™ red twig dogwood (Cornus stolonifera 'Farrow') now pruned.

On the last day of February, we returned to Longwood Gardens on the ultimate search for spring. As a plus, the much-anticipated new orchid house was open. Here are just a few of the many pictures I took. Yes, the iphone has some attributes.

Spring greeted us with tulips.

Angel's Trumpet Brugmansia x candida 'Maya'

The entrance to the Pavilion was spectacular as always.

Spurflower Plectranthus 'TNPLEVI' (Velvet Idol)

And the orchids! I've grouped them by color. I have not attempted to label them.

I am blessed to live close enough to Philadelphia to visit the beautiful gardens there. Many are closed through the winter, but Longwood is always open. There is invariably something new to see there.

Spring finally came to my garden with the first crocuses and snowdrops. They were just in time for yesterday's Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day. I'm a day late but I'm sure Carol, who hosts this meme over at May Dreams Gardens, doesn't mind -- better late than never.

I've had a lot of damage in the garden this winter. Even daffodil shoots and hellebores have been nibbled. Some creature is digging holes everywhere. Many of my snowdrops have failed to appear.

Daffodils are pushing there way up, but even these have been eaten by deer or some other animal. This season I am seeing more animal damage than ever before.

To end on a great note, I had some lovely news from my friend, Lucy. The plant I gave her some years ago bloomed. I propagated a snake plant, Dracaena, and wrote about it here: A Little Vegetative Propagation. I believe that it is rare for Dracaena to bloom, and such lovely flowers. Who knew?

Beautiful Blooms of Sansevieria now classified as Dracaena

While waiting for my computer to be repaired, I assessed last year's kitchen garden, ordered seeds, and when they arrived I planned the 2022 garden--but that is for the next post. Spring is only a few days away and, as we have a warming trend with the weather, you will find me outside in the garden again.

Stay safe, dear friends. We are praying for peace in Ukraine.

Love,

Pamela x

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Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day, February 2022

noreply@blogger.com (Pam's English Garden) — Wed, 16 Feb 2022 02:04:00 +0000

I took a walk around the garden yesterday, although the temperature was 19°F (-7°C). I wanted to take pictures for Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day. I'm sorry to say that this first Bloom Day post for several months contains no actual blooms. Birds are 'blooming' around the bird feeder, Brussel sprouts are thriving in the cold frame, and I did find one hellebore bud in the Serenity Garden. But there are no flowers to be seen on these frigidly cold February days. I'm in desperate need of snowdrops, crocuses, and daffodils but spring is NOT in the air in the Pocono Mountains. We have scheduled another trip to Longwood Gardens where I know that spring flowers are blooming. Their new orchid house is opening February 26 and we age going on the 28th. In the meantime, I get my gardening fix each day by browsing some wonderful gardening books such as Chanticleer: a Pleasure Garden--I've been revisiting Rob Cardillo's fabulous photographs--and by binge-watching Gardeners' World on Britbox. I venture outside only occasionally ...

Deer tracks

A thin layer of snow is covering solid ice in my garden. There are animal tracks everywhere, especially from the numerous deer that spend winter on our property. They entered the kitchen garden through the open gate, but there is nothing for them to eat in there. The Brussel sprouts are secure in the cold frame.

The Brussel sprouts look a bit limp, but the half-a-dozen plants in the cold frame are producing well.


Deer tracks into the kitchen garden.

Something was sliding down the hill from the woodland walk: a deer? or perhaps squirrels?

It's difficult to see the hellebore bud in this poor photograph, but it's the fat white bit in the center among the brown leaves. A small find but a happy one!

There are soft, snow cushions on the Adirondack chairs in the Woodland Walk, but it's too cold to sit.

We have a big problem with the pond--it sprung a leak at the start of winter. Much of the water has disappeared and the remainder has frozen over. Duane put a bubbler and a heater in the deeper part and the fish seem to be surviving.

Koi under the ice in the shallow waters of the damaged pond.

I love the splashes of red all through the garden --from the color of the potting shed, to the koi fish and the red twig dogwood. The cardinal birds continue the rosy hue.

Arctic fire™ red twig dogwood (Cornus stolonifera 'Farrow'). I must prune it soon.

Can you see all three male American cardinals? The female is on the swing.

A bluebird and a woodpecker add different colors, though both have some red feathers.

I hope plenty of birds stop by next weekend for the Great Backyard Bird Count. I'll be counting; will you?

Two of the goats, Doodles and Bilbo, ventured out in the snow, hoping I had a snack for them. They are warm enough in their thick winter coats.

I'm looking forward to the weekend. Not only is it the Great Backyard Bird Count, but also grandson Jonathan is coming to help me plan the 2022 gardens. I have evaluated what worked and what failed last year. We will be checking the seed stock and ordering what is needed. Jon and I will also design the containers and make a list of plants for then. And we mustn't forget our big, new venture-the meadow garden. Watch this space ...

Now I'm off to visit Carol's blog, May Dreams Gardens, where I know I will find some blooms for Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day.

Stay safe and healthy!

Love,

Pamela x

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Enjoying a Couple of Winter Gardening Activities

noreply@blogger.com (Pam's English Garden) — Thu, 20 Jan 2022 03:40:00 +0000

I don't go outside much when the weather is this cold; it was -1°F (-18 C) a couple of nights ago and not much warmer during the day. Fortunately, I don't need to leave the house as my sweet husband is more than willing to take care of the goats and do the grocery shopping. (He gets cabin fever more often than me and I suspect he enjoys running to Shoprite because there he bumps into so many people that he knows.) Although a non-gardener, Duane has an eye for a plant bargain. The other day he found a good deal on hyacinth bulbs in bulb glasses. He brought one home to check with me that they were OK, then went back to buy two more. I put them in a sunny window in a cool-ish bedroom. They just started to bloom. They are a very pretty pink with a delicate perfume. I love them!

Growing a hyacinth bulb in a clear glass jar is a lot of fun.

Aren't they pretty?


Two of the amaryllis bulbs that I forced this year. The pink one is Double Aphrodite and the red one is Double Double King

I purchased my amaryllis bulbs online from Longfield Gardens. If you have never forced bulbs you really should give it a try--it is so easy. This is what I did. I potted them individually in 6-7" pots using a well-drained potting mix. I added water to the mix and stirred until it was moist but not soggy. I filled each pot about half full, set the bulb on top and filled in with additional mix. A third of the bulb should be exposed and the top of the mix should be 1/2" below the rim to allow for watering. I firmed the mix and watered lightly.

I placed the pots where the temperature remains above 60° F. and I water only when the top inch of the mix is dry--or the bulb may rot. Growth usually begins in 2-8 weeks. When growth begins the plants need ample sunshine so I place them in a south-facing window.

Once my amaryllis blooms, I take it out of the sunlight and put it in a less sunny, cooler spot, so the flowers will last longer. My dining-room table is a good place.


I am enjoying this funky pink and white striped amaryllis. It is called Double Doublet.

Poinsettias left over from my Christmas display

It's not just the cold that is keeping me inside--the ice makes walking treacherous. The ice and icicles look very pretty on my shrubs, however, but I wish I had sprayed them with an anti-desiccant before the cold weather to prevent winter injury and water loss from the foliage. I am especially concerned about the weeping spruce next to the pond. The winter weather is brutal this year.

The ice and icicles on the globe arborvitae look very pretty

We had three or four inches of snow. The 'naked lady', as my grand children call her, looks very cold.

I didn't check the brassicas in the coldframes today. The Brussel sprouts were looking great the last time that I lifted the lids.

Those who have been following my blog for the past 14 years or so will know that I love watching the backyard birds in the winter months. My husband set up a heated water dish and a birdfeeder with suet and bird seed. He placed them outside the French doors in clear view from my chair in the garden room. (He removes them when the black bears come out of hibernation.)

View from my chair.

I am able to get some good photographs through that window. Here are a few I took this week ....

Male cardinal waiting for his turn at the heated water dish.

Blue jay and male cardinal at the water dish

This red-bellied woodpecker was eating seed that was spilled under the birdfeeder

That red-bellied woodpecker came right up onto the porch.

Left and bottom right: Tufted titmouse, Top right: Carolina wren.

This year the Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) is February 18-21. This is its 25th year. I always look forward to this fun and easy event. Join in if you haven't done so before--whether you are an expert, a novice, or a feeder watcher, you can count for as little as 15 minutes. Click HERE for more information about the count and about a free webinar.

Something I forgot to mention in my last posting: When we were in the gift shop at Longwood Gardens I found my friend's new book on display. Mary-Kate Mackey's The Healthy Garden, that she wrote with Kathleen Brenzel, is a lovely book. Of course, I had to buy it. I'll review it in a future post.

Stay safe and well. And if you live in a climate like mine -- stay warm!

Love,

Pamela x


I brought this brave primrose indoors before the ground froze.

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A Magical Christmas at Longwood Gardens

noreply@blogger.com (Pam's English Garden) — Fri, 31 Dec 2021 03:13:00 +0000

Christmas is a magical time--no more so than at Longwood Gardens, Pennsylvania. The holiday would not be complete for me without our annual winter visit. This year was no exception. We spent time there earlier in December, raising my mood and putting me in the Christmas spirit.

Following an established routine, on arrival we left the visitors' center and headed for the conservatory, anticipating some stunning displays. We were not disappointed as you can see from the scene that greeted us as we entered the building ...

The Conservatory, Longwood Gardens

A close-up shot of the tree in the previous picture

Plants with winter-interest, such as red-twig dogwood, winterberry holly, and poinsettia, dominated the main display. I have red-twig dogwood 'Arctic Fire' in my garden, but I'm ashamed to say that I have no winterberry. I plan to rectify this in 2022. I'm not too fond of poinsettia, except for the double one shown below.

Winterberry holly Ilex verticallata 'Maryland beauty', Poinsettia Euphorbia pulcherrima, Redtwig dogwood Cornus stolonfera

While I don't care for single, red poinsettia, I do like this yellow one. It looks quite striking with the Kalanchoe.

'Golden Glo' poinsettia and Kalanchoe

My favorite display in the conservatory--no words needed

I always enjoy perusing the trees decorated by children. This year the children's tree exhibit was in the ballroom.

Trees in the Children's Tree Display

An ornament made by a child. I love the sentiment of the angels bringing peace.

There are many plants to enjoy other than those typical of Christmas. Here are a few of my favorites, especially the orchids, from the 'hundreds' of photographs I took:

Bird of Paradise Strelitzia reginae

Hybrid grapefruit Citrus 'Oroblanco'

A hanging basket of orchids

Moth orchid Phalaenopsis hybrid

I've had no success growing one orchid, let alone a hanging basket full of them, so I need places like Longwood to give me my 'orchid fix.' There is a new orchid display area under construction. In the meantime, there were plenty to see and admire.

A few beauties from the orchid display

The Green Wall always intrigues me. I never fail to go find it, and not just because of its location by the restrooms. How I would love to grow a living wall like this:

A very small part of the Green Wall that is on both sides of a long corridor.

Entering the Exhibition Hall we admired the table decorated for the Christmas meal. As with all the exhibits at Longwood, it is very different each year.

My Christmas table wasn't so fancy.

Leaving the conservatory, we strolled around the grounds, enjoying the garden railway, warming our hands at a firepit, and watching a fountain show at the open air theatre. The trees were covered in lights, but as we were there earlier in the day, we didn't get to see all their festive glory. My friend, Christine, visited at nighttime and sent me the following pictures. Thank you, Christine.

A Longwood Christmas after dark

I hope Christmas 2021 was a magical time for those of you who celebrated it--as it was for me. For the new year, I wish all of you peace and happiness, dear gardening friends.

Stay safe!

Pamela x

Guzmania 'Hope'

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A Gardener's Thanksgiving

noreply@blogger.com (Pam's English Garden) — Wed, 17 Nov 2021 03:22:00 +0000

The Bluebird of Happiness Visiting my Garden

My article, 'A Gardener's Gratitude List,' was published in the Pocono Record newspaper and in the Penn State Extension newsletter the week of Thanksgiving a couple of years ago. This is the blog posting I wrote at that time. The sentiments resonate with me more now, since we are still enduring effects of the Pandemic. It is my gardens that are getting me through these trying times. I can't say often enough how thankful I am for them. Here are just six reasons why:

1. The Beauty of the Seasons
I am thankful for year-round color, beginning with spring flowers then summer-blooming perennials. Of course, there is nothing more lovely than autumn in the Poconos, followed by the beauty of shrubs and trees in winter--such as the red twig dogwood in the snow.

Early June in my Cottage Garden

2. Thank a Plant
Plants are important to almost every aspect of our life including breathing and eating. My kitchen garden gives so much; I know my produce is free from chemicals. Fresh vegetable are 50% higher in nutrients than those that travel many miles to the supermarket.

Bounty from my Kitchen Garden

3. Butterflies, Bees, and Hummingbirds
Besides being grateful for their beauty, I am thankful for the work of pollinators. Furthermore, I am thankful for beneficial insects that protect our vegetables from insect bullies.

Ruby-throated hummingbird on fuschia

Monarch butterfly on milkweed

4. Connecting with Friends and Neighbors
Like most of you, dear gardening friends, I need others who are willing to listen to my tales of garden successes and failures. I am blessed with friends who are prepared to dig beside me when I need help.

Gardeners from the local Women's Club gave my gardens a final grooming before an important event

5. Health and Exercise
Gardening burns calories, reduces stress, and improves your overall physical and mental well-being. Gardening allows the brain to relax and releases the the tension caused by our addiction to technology - and all those Zoom meetings.

Gardening is good for your health.

6. Gardens Everywhere
I am thankful for public garden spaces that I visit for new ideas. The Philadelphia area, withing reach of the Poconos, has some of the best botanical gardens in the country. I managed to visit a few this year, including my favorite, Chanticleer.

Chanticleer -- my favorite public garden

These are just six reasons for being thankful. I can think of more, such as how gardening evokes memories, slows me down, and puts worries in perspective. You can read the full article HERE. It is even more relevant today.

What are you thankful for this holiday season?
Pamela x

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Innisfree Garden

noreply@blogger.com (Pam's English Garden) — Mon, 01 Nov 2021 00:59:00 +0000

"I will arise and go now, and go to Innisfree"

-- W.B. Yeats, "The Lake Isle of Innisfree" (1888)

On a cool, cloudy, October day, Duane and I visited beautiful Innisfree Garden at Millbrook, NY. We were on our way home from a brief get-away to New England--a wonderful trip with Innisfree as the perfect climax. This was the private garden of artist Walter Beck and his wife heiress Marion Burt Beck. They collaborated with landscape architect Lester Collins to create a garden with an Asian influence exemplified by the elements of water, stones, bridges, and plants. Walter Beck named the garden Innisfree after the island in an Irish loch immortalized by the poet, W.B. Yeats. From the moment we entered the grounds, we were in love with this serene place.

As we approached the garden, we drove through a gate next to a lovely stone building; then traveled down a long, narrow, winding lane

Along the way we passed a small lake where Duane spotted turtles sunning themselves on a log. He took this picture of them.

The centerpiece of Innisfree is the beautiful Tyrrel Lake, 40 acres in size. Water is pumped from this deep glacial lake into a hillside reservoir to feed the garden's water features.

I took pictures of the lake from several spots as we went around it. Every view is stunning.

There are bog gardens filled with water lilies. I would love to see them when the plants are blooming. The second one we saw had lotus that must be stunning in bloom.

Bog Gardens. You can see the leaves of lotus in the picture on the right.

As we walked beneath a sharp, vertical cliff, we saw mist rising above--small waterfalls flowed down the sheer cliff wall. The Mist Waterfall is one of the most dramatic sights at Innisfree. It looks very natural but its creation required an extremely elaborate construction.

The Mist Waterfall

Some of the plants include, on the right, foxglove and columbine. The light green foliage on the left is primula.

Lip Rock Waterfall

We climbed the Stone Steps by Tiptoe Rock then I rested near the Stone Slab Bridge

I believe this is the Water Sculpture with the Hillside Cave at the top

Five pear trees in the Meadow with one vertical rock

On the edge of the Meadow, bees were visiting Joe Pye

One of the terraces with pools and streams

There are many magnificent trees at Innisfree including ginko, hemlock, and pine.

At first I thought this was a dawn redwood but its root's 'knees' show that it is a bald cypress. I wish my dawn redwood developed knees. Duane said that if it did he would paint faces on them.

I have shown only a few of the areas we visited. Innisfree is a large garden (185 acres) that feels very open yet provides intimate spots called cup gardens. I feel that we need to make several visits to assimilate it all. It didn't help that I wasn't wearing walking shoes--this was a spur-of-the-moment visit. Most definitely we will return--I have to see Innisfree when the flowers are blooming.

Back at Astolat Gardens, my own dear venture, we have had more nasty storms with at least five inches of rain, plus very high winds. There has not been a frost yet but one is imminent. I plan to start putting the garden to bed over the coming week--never this late before.

The Serenity Garden from the garden room window. The asters were flattened by the storms and the flagpole lies on the grass. The golden leaves of hosta and climbing hydrangea are pretty but wont be here much longer.

I brought the houseplants inside. I placed some of them in the French window facing west and some in the south-facing dining-room window.

The cactus on the right had quintuplets this summer--see below

Look at the five baby cacti.

A last view of the pond and herbaceous border before leaves fall and we put it to bed.

Fall arrived at Astolat at last

Although this posting is not a full review of my October garden, I am still linking with Sarah, Down by the Sea, in Dorset, England for her Through the Garden Gate meme. To see my October blooms, please click HERE.

I can't believe tomorrow will be the first day of November--this year is passing faster than any other. They say the years pass quicker as you get older--well, that seems true since I am now an octogenarian. Thank you dear friends for the birthday wishes. My wonderful husband and children gave me a surprise party that I will never forget. It is gardening that keeps me young--I recommend it.

Have a great November!

Love,

Pamela x

Innisfree

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Celebrating the Flowers of Autumn

noreply@blogger.com (Pam's English Garden) — Tue, 19 Oct 2021 01:50:00 +0000

For someone like me who hates an untidy home or garden, October can be a frustrating month. All those fallen leaves for goodness sake--they litter the lawn and are trodden into the house. Not to mention the messy flowerbeds with all that dead and dying stuff. This year, however, I am determined to relax and enjoy the season, delighting in the vibrant colors of flowers and foliage--after tidying my flowerbeds a little, of course. Mother Nature helped my new attitude by sending a wonderful spell of warm weather for the first two weeks of the month. I've been spending time just sitting out there delighting in the autumn hues. I do believe, though, that the leaves are less vibrant this year due to higher than average temperatures, but blooms are lasting longer. When a cold front came through this week, I feared the rain and wind would damage my plants, so I gathered some of the flowers to enjoy indoors.

Vases of flowers brighten every room

Here are some of the blooms that I picked. Arranged by color, they are labeled clockwise from top left:

Phlox paniculata 'Bright Eyes'; Zinnia 'Purple prince'; Hydrangea 'Limelight'; Zinnia 'Jazzy'; Rosa 'Knockout Pink; Chrysanthemum 'Sheffield Pink'; Celosia; and Spirea 'Golden Mound'

Euphorbia; Zinnia 'White wedding'; Japanese Anemone 'Honorine Jobert'; Yarrow 'The pearl';


Nasturtium 'Empress of India'; Lantana 'Bloomify red'; Zinnia 'Jazzy mix'; Fuschia hybrid; Zinnia 'Double Zinnia Salmon'

Mums; Tall black-eyed Susan Rudbeckia maxima; Marigolds; Agastache 'Blue Fortune'; Salvia 'Amistad' Perennial Geranium 'Rozanne'; Coreopsis 'Redshift'

Cockscomb Celosia; Nasturtium 'Empress of India'; Pinapple sage Salvia elegans; Rosa 'Knockout red'; Lantana 'Bloomify Red'

I took these pictures on the 15th which is Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day. I realize I am really late, but will link anyway, hoping that Carol will forgive me. Please go to her blog at May Dreams Gardens to see what is blooming around the world. I already took a peek--some stunning gardens this month, including Carol's!

There are still lots of pollinators buzzing around (and some interesting spiders)

A few flowers I missed:

Morning Glory Ipomoea. Once you plant this vine you will never be without it.

The viburnum leaves are a lovely red and the shrub is blooming?!!

Two miniature roses. The left one is 'Joseph's Coat of Many Colors.' I think the one on the right is 'Toy Clown'

I planted pansies in pots and along borders

And here are a couple of plants that are especially stunning right now:

Chrysanthemum 'Sheffield Pink'

Left: Friendship sage Salvia 'Amistad' Right: Pinapple sage Salvia elegans

This posting is a celebration of the October flowers in my garden. My next one will probably be about foliage as we are planning a trip to New England for a few days to celebrate trees in their autumn glory. I don't believe there is anywhere like this country for the colors of fall.

Whatever the season in your part of the world, enjoy, dear gardeners.

Love,

Pamela x

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September in the Cottage Garden

noreply@blogger.com (Pam's English Garden) — Fri, 01 Oct 2021 03:58:00 +0000

There is color still in the Cottage Garden with zinnias around the bench

"Approach each season like it is the only one"

-- David Culp

Fall has arrived officially. At this time of year I am usually feeling tired and ready to throw in the towel, or put away the trowel, so to speak. This year, however, I had a new burst of energy after watching David Culp's September webinar in which he made the above statement. David Culp is the creator of the gardens at Brandywine Cottage in Downingtown, Pennsylvania. Read about his programs HERE. His monthly walks through the garden are truly inspirational, doubly so as they are illustrated with Robert Cardillo's beautiful photographs. I am now much more motivated to work in my autumn gardens.

As a result, this month I spent time freshening my borders and containers with fall-blooming perennials and annuals. I left most of the fading perennials, such as purple cone flower, to go to seed for the birds to enjoy. I cut down the dead Shasta daisy revealing its lovely basal leaves and removed some other ugly, dead plants such as peonies. I revel in the continued blooming of zinnias, marigolds, hydrangeas, and salvias. I delight in the appearance of fall-bloomers like asters, chelone, helianthus, and sedum 'Autumn Joy'.

Some plants that I added are pansies, viola, celosia, mums, croton, gladiolus, and a coreopsis. I removed straggly petunias from window-boxes and added a few sun-patiens that were only $2 each because it is the end of the season. From a distance my flower beds and containers don't look too bad. Although my gardens are fading fast they are an improvement on previous years at this time. Here are a few pictures. What do you think?

I did little to the Serenity Garden--just tidied a little. Duane put out the fall flags.

I'm waiting for the asters, bottom left, to bloom. The hosta leaves are riddled with slug holes, so don't look too close.

September blooms clockwise from top left: sedum, turtle head, gladiolus, celosia, and pansy

The beautiful gladiolus lost all its blooms in the last storm, Hurricane Ida. September has been a month of heavy rains and high winds. Ida caused extensive damage in David Culp's garden and at Northview, my friend Jenny Rose Carey's garden--so many trees lost in both places. David says, "The nature of our art form (gardening) is change." But it must be difficult to see the ravages as an opportunity. Jenny Rose, however, is already planning new plantings--she is amazing. My prayers go out to all those who experienced losses in this year's unprecedented hurricanes.


Lavender, perennial geranium 'Rozanne', and yarrow 'The pearl'

Japanese anemone 'Honorine Jobert' starting to bloom in Serenity. The anemone on the right has no flower buds. I wonder why? It is in the Cottage Garden area.

Clockwise from top left: mums, marigolds, and helianthus. Bottom left: the amsonia is now changing color and will soon be yellow


Wild asters, beautiful natives, appeared in the cutting garden this year

Fading hydrangeas add their own beauty

The sage I planted in the herb garden is filling the trug with beautiful flowers. As salvia is a member of the mint family I shouldn't be surprised that it has spread so much. I guess this isn't the culinary one. I still have plenty of other herbs though: rosemary, chives, parsley, and thyme

The Kitchen Garden is still producing lots of goodies

Clockwise from top left: Bok choy, Swiss chard, string beans, cherry tomatoes, pole bean plant

There are also carrots, parsnips, and kale. In the coldframe I planted lettuces, cauliflower, and Brussel sprouts.

Finally, a beautiful fall planter. This was a gift I received yesterday for my birthday on October 2 -- when I become an octogenarian!

Thank you Mary Ann and Calvin

I am linking with Sarah, Down by the Sea, in England for her monthly glimpse through the garden gate.

Enjoy fall, dear gardening friends!

Pamela x

The farmers in my potting shed with their fall produce

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How I Named My Gardens

noreply@blogger.com (Pam's English Garden) — Wed, 01 Sep 2021 01:52:00 +0000

In the Serenity Garden the dawn redwood, planted two years ago, is now as tall as the house.

I began making gardens at Astolat Farm in the fall of 2005. I had a clean slate. I began with the Serenity Garden and continued from there. This year I extended the rain garden and started preparing a meadow that I plan to seed this fall. As I 'completed' each one (actually, no garden is ever finished) its characteristics brought a name to mind. As I describe them, below, I believe you will understand what I mean.

The Serenity Garden

Turtlehead (Chelone 'Hot lips') --top right--is blooming today. It is a harbinger of autumn.

The Serenity Garden is a tranquil space punctuated by elegant statuary. Originally, shade was provided by an ancient silver maple and a catalpa, but they stood in a wet spot that eventually hastened their demise. We replaced them with a dawn redwood that loves wet feet. Its bright green, feathery leaves turn orange in fall. My vision was to accentuate the color, form, and texture of plants in this garden. Texture ranges from bold-leaved hostas to the fern-like foliage and dense, feathery plumes of astilbe. A diversity of shades is exemplified by chartreuse Japanese forest grass (Hakonechloa) and variegated lamium’s silver leaves edged with dark green. A vine-covered swing-seat provides the perfect spot to relax.

The Cottage Garden

Even the pond in the Cottage Garden has a name: Froggy Pond.

This space has all the elements of an English-style cottage garden. It is a riot of color at peak season. The flowerbeds are curved and filled with common flowers such as cone flower, bee balm, Shasta daisy, phlox, and lambs’ ears. The plants seem to have little space between them. Pots, window boxes, and hanging baskets filled with annuals add to the cottage-garden look. English gardens have vertical planting and here there are trellises of roses and clematis. The focal point of this garden is the pond with its waterfalls, lily pads, and colorful koi fish. An elegant wrought-iron bench surrounded by flowers provides a double pleasure—a beautiful view and the sound of water.

The Horseshoe Garden

Vintage horseshoes, Edward the horse statue, and a butterfly made from horseshoes in the Horseshoe Garden.

I created this horseshoe-shaped garden bed in memory of Dude and Charm, my two miniature horses—I miss them so. A diverse planting provides year-round interest. In spring there are crocus, violets, and bearded iris. Summer brings daylilies, a stunning St. John’s wort with fuzzy, yellow blooms that are bee magnets, and Sunkist Coreopsis. Goldenrod is lovely in autumn and the stems of red-twig dogwood are striking in winter. The bed is dotted with vintage horseshoes that my husband unearthed on this farm where he lived all his life. In the Horseshoe Garden we added a statue of a horse that we call Edward. Our farrier made me a colorful butterfly from horseshoes, completing the theme.

Abundance Garden

The flower border that I call Abundance. The rain garden--bottom right--is planted with native plants.

Every plant here seems to thrive. I acknowledge with no apology that I planted some that tend to be thugs anyway—I chose obedient plant (Physostegia virginiana) and bee balm (Monarda Didyma) in the early days, before I learned what is best to grow in Pennsylvania. Other less-aggressive plants are very happy in Abundance also, especially spring daffodils that continue to spread, anise hyssop (Agastache), cone flower (Echinacea ‘Milkshake’), yarrow (Achillea ‘The Pearl’), several varieties of daylilies, and Salvia (Salvia nemorosa ‘Caradonna’). I made part of Abundance into a rain garden to collect storm water runoff. I filled the rain garden with native plants. They grow in abundance under my sweet Joe Pye weed (Eutrochium purpureum).

The Stone Garden


My grandson made a miniature garden in the broken fountain in the Stone Garden.

Before I retired to garden, I got dirt under my nails by growing flowers in pots, having no spare time to make garden beds nor plant in the ground. I placed the pots at the side of the house to hide the utility stuff—air conditioner unit, generator, and water spigot. Each year I change the plantings in concrete containers. Other concrete features—that add a feeling of continuity—include a curved bench, a birdbath, and a small statue of St. Francis. The area is located under the cover of lilacs and maple trees, so I use annual and perennial plants that prefer shade. I plant large pots with ferns, hostas, and other perennials that I over-winter in the kitchen garden to save cost. I grow coleus from seed, starting them indoors very early in the year. I usually add some tuberous begonias because I love them. I like to use mirrors in all my gardens. The garden got its name from the medium that we use to cover the ground--it is not actually stone, but a lovely, red cinder that crunches as you walk—a natural volcanic material that gives an excellent decorative touch to the area.

Some of my gardens have self-explanatory titles such as The Kitchen Garden.

The Kitchen Garden

Never named my shed, it is simply The Potting Shed. Although the pastor of my church once called it The Shack – I think she may have just finished reading the book of that title. Jenny Rose Carey calls hers Rose Cottage. Why didn’t I think of that?

Have you named your gardens? I’m creating a new meadow garden in the old horse pasture. It will need a name. Any ideas?

One or two pictures in each collage above show the garden in August. I am linking with Sarah for her Through the Garden Gate meme where you can check out August gardens around the world.

Happy gardening, dear friends,

Pamela x

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Late Summer Blooms, Vegetables, and Rain

noreply@blogger.com (Pam's English Garden) — Sun, 22 Aug 2021 20:48:00 +0000

My late summer cottage garden is a riot of blooms that are busy with pollinators. Froggy Pond is full of water lilies and dragon flies. The verdant Serenity Garden calms with its beautiful hydrangeas and pretty hosta flowers. I don't want to think about all this loveliness coming to an end, but the signs are there with the prevalence of die-back requiring lots of deadheading. Hastening the process of decline are the frequent heavy rains. I hate to keep complaining about the weather. I awoke this morning, however, with a feeling of dread that Hurricane Henri may reach far enough inland to damage my garden. It was pouring when I stepped out onto the porch. The rain garden is full and overflowing but I'm glad to say that, although it has rained all day, we are not getting strong winds. They are not so lucky in New England. I pray for all those in the path of the storm.

Rain from Hurricane Henri soaking my garden.

Yesterday I took pictures of what is blooming now. I know you have seen so many pictures of these same plants so I have tried to include something new to my garden in each collage.

I labelled the flowers clockwise from the top left picture in each set

Pretty, red zinnia / lobelia in the rain garden/ pole beans / the tuberous begonia just gets bigger and bigger

Hydrangea 'Limelight' / coneflower (Echinacea Purpurea Confections™ 'Milkshake') / white turtle head Chelone glabra with blooms tinged with lavender

Surprise lily - I had only one this year / Can't resist showing the lavender again - Look how much more it has grown! / Great blue Lobelia / Obedient plant

The reblooming daylily flowers when all the others are finished / will Henri destroy the petunias in the hanging basket? / Rudbeckia black-eyed Susan / tall black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia maxima)

A nice, color-coordinated mixture of yellow, white, and red -- Coreopsis and Lilium

There was a lull in the rain earlier, so I rushed outside to pick some flowers. They will give you another idea of what is blooming now.

Hydrangea 'Pinkie Winkie & 'Limelight', zinnia, cosmos, obedience, yarrow 'The pearl', and shasta daisy

I'm using the vase on the bottom right for the first time. It is another of Duane's great thrift-store finds

Finally, the Kitchen Garden gave me a nice bounty last evening:

The first of the pole beans, red beets, the first cherry tomatoes (some are hiding in the picture), the last of the cucumbers, and some lovely carrots.

I don't really wish that the gardening season would last for ever because, I have to admit, I am getting a bit tired. And I have to conserve some energy for a major fall project-- creating the meadow garden that I mentioned earlier this year. I'm a glutton for punishment.

Stay safe, dear gardening friends!

Love,

Pamela x

The last hosta to bloom this year

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This Month in the Kitchen Garden: Vegetables and Annual Flowers

noreply@blogger.com (Pam's English Garden) — Sat, 31 Jul 2021 16:51:00 +0000

Each year I give the entrance to the kitchen garden a slightly different look. Last year I used pots of zinnias and marigolds on either side of the arbor; the year before I had planters with large coleus there. The tall black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia maxima) that I planted last fall has come into its own this year. In front of each towering plant I placed pots of exotic-looking, red, orange, and yellow annuals: canna, lantana, and gomphrena. My grandson, Jonathan, chose the hot hues from the White Flower Farms catalog. A couple of stone bunnies were my final touch -- after all, I don't want rabbits INSIDE my garden.

Clockwise from top left: Left side pot; Canna Toucan® Scarlet; right side pot; Lantana Bloomify Red; Globe amaranth (Gomphrena globosa)

Before we enter the kitchen garden, take a look at the rose on the outside fence. This is my (formerly) beautiful hybrid tea rose, Rosa 'Peace'. It has rose rosette disease (RRD). One symptom is the red elongated shoots and red foliage that never turn green. The disease is spread by mites from multiflora rose, an invasive that grows in our woodland areas and is difficult to eradicate. I must remove and burn the whole plant before it spreads to my other roses. I wrote about RRD in a previous posting when I was worried that my 'Lichfield Angel' rose had contracted it. My angel was O.K. then -- hope it continues to be safe from this awful scourge.

Rosa 'Peace' with Rose Rosette Disease

Also along the kitchen garden's fence line is the rain garden. We are glad that we extended it earlier this year as we have had some dreadful downpours. Last night, three inches fell in a very short time and created havoc in my garden. The rain garden collects a large amount of water from the house gutters and basement. It does tend to overfill a little, so I have to devise a means for it to overflow safely. That is my next rain-garden challenge.

The Rain Garden

One of the casualties of the rain is my poor squash plant. I thought at first that it had bacterial wilt or squash vine borer, but I can find no evidence of the striped cucumber beetle and there are definitely no borers in the stems. I believe it has root rot caused by the excessive amount of rain. I used a moisture meter that showed me the soil is saturated. I planted this zucchini in a raised bed that is not very deep, so drainage is quite poor. I am considering increasing the depth of my raised beds next season. I must pull out the wilted zucchini. Bummer.

My poor, wilted zucchini

Well, I think that is all the bad news, so let's see what is working well in the kitchen garden today. The following vegetables are looking healthy:

Clockwise from top left: Pole beans, kale, cherry tomatoes, parsnips, Swiss chard.

The bush beans and cucumbers are thriving. You can see three puny zucchini in the basket -- I believe that's all we'll get this year. The beans are delicious and prolific; they are a three-color blend from Burpee. The cucumber is Muncher from Annie's Heirloom Seeds.

I planted annual flowers among my vegetables and in the cutting garden with mixed results this year. The borage had root rot and there is a great deal of powdery mildew (the rain again).

Zinnia; Cleome hassleriana 'Rose Queen'; bee balm beyond the cleome; the tiny white flower is Yarrow Achillea 'The Pearl'

Cosmos Sea Shell Mixture

Zinnea elegans

This post shows that my garden is not perfect, and neither am I. As the English poet, Alfred Austin, wrote:

"There is no gardening without humility. Nature is constantly sending even its oldest scholars to the bottom of the class for some egregious blunder."

And my favorite quote of his:

"The glory of gardening: hands in the dirt, head in the sun, heart with nature. To nurture a garden is to feed not just on the body but the soul."

I am linking with Sarah Down by the Sea in Dorset, England for her monthly meme. Thank you for hosting, Sarah.

Love,

Pamela x

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