My flowers are coming back to me

 

I was blessed to be able to take out some of my plants from my former garden, (see "Another treat" for the story) and now I have the pleasant task of deciding what to do with them.  Unfortunately, I don't have the luxury of spending a winter dreaming of where they will go.  They are sitting along the edge of my front garden plot shivering in the chilly Canadian climate.

 

 I have a lot of the ground-covers that I  love, and I will be able to get more in spring.

The yellow day lilies will fit in well,

and so will all the irises.

But how do I make all those decisions in just a few short hours!

To Prune or Not To Prune...

That always seems to be the question from my customers and gardening friends. The answer is always... Prune! Don't be afraid to prune - when in doubt err on the side of cutting that plant!

I don't even worry too much about when. I know most garden books will say "best pruned in fall or cut back in the spring." That may be true but my theory is "If it needs cutting do it now". God created plants to grow back. Nothing is more unattractive in a garden than a leggy plant. Besides, every time you prune, you create the opportunity for the plant to put out more branches and leaves and flowers.

Look at the before and after of this Autumn Joy sedum.

Before

See all the new growth on the "after" picture. Every one of those stems will produce a flower.  I'm sure there are plants out there somewhere that don't respond well to pruning but honestly I don't know of any.

To get more blooms next year on your Hydrangea, prune it after the blooms fade. If you prune before the plant blooms in the spring you will prune off this year's flowers. Hydrangea bloom on new wood so if you cut the flowers off as soon as they start to fade, you will get lots more branches and lots more blooms next year.

Azaleas, viburnum, spirea, weigela, petunias, geranium, butterfly bushes, coleus are just a few of the plants that benefit from pruning.

After

There is much controversy about cutting back clematis. Remember it takes at least three years to establish a Clematis vine. I have grown Clematis successfully for years. I prune mine when they get too big for their trellis or if they seem to have very thin week vines. I prune all my varieties in the fall - I can't make myself prune off the tiny buds in spring. I know the books say there are three types of Clematis and they should be pruned according to the type - I pretty much ignore that and prune as needed in fall. So far in 20 years of beautiful Clematis this has worked for me. The fall pruning causes more vines to come up the following spring. I have pruned a big overgrown vine in summer and been rewarded with a new flush of flowers in the fall.

Get your pruning sheers and don't be afraid! The plants will reward you with lots of foliage and flowers!

We Love this Re-purposed Flower Container

Tad has outgrown his "turtle sandbox" and I couldn't bare to toss it out. Since it was located at the edge of my garden behind the fence. It's the one I like to call my secret garden even though everyone who comes to a plant sale sees it. Anyway, It was the perfect place for a little rock garden. All I had to do was mix some potting soil mix into the existing sand and it was the perfect mix for sedum. I planted several kinds among the stones I had gathered the last time I went to mom's creek. The center seemed a good place for a strawberry crock full of Hens and Chicks.

We all loved it - even Tad, Well, after seeing it all fixed up different, he did want to run his trucks around in it one more time... no no!

Are my dreams bigger than my stamina?

As we moved from place to place my cottage gardens got bigger and bigger until they were almost more than I could handle.  The garden in Paisley was lovely, (The people who bought the house said it added $10,000.00 to the value of the house) but keeping up with it was a full time job.

The next place had a smaller lot and I loved working the cottage garden I created there, but then we got called to teach at a  Reservation up north for part of the time and I started to wonder if I shouldn't cut back some more.

When we finished on the reserve we bought a mobile home on a tiny lot and I immediately got rid of all the grass to satisfy my garden craving.

But it wasn't quite enough, so I got a 10 x 30 ft garden plot across the street, and helped a daughter with another.

This year spring fever hit me hard.  I offered to help one of my daughters revamp a small garden bed, another daughter is going to let me work in her big back yard adding some of my own plants and making the beds bigger, and the twelve year old across the lane wants me to help her start a garden in front of her trailer.

I may be as busy this year as when I had the big garden in Paisley.

What's Blooming This Month? November 2014

With the month almost at the close and the busyness of life at its peak right now (or so it seems), I thought I'd post some photos of my garden in November. I took these right before the big freeze set in which either forced all the leaves to drop or turned them into a crisp. Still the beauty of autumn was here until the end...

 They don't call it Burning Bush for nothing! This Euonymus alatus literally looks like it's on fire.

When most of the garden flowers are heading off to sleep, these Anenome 'Prince Henry' are in full bloom.

All the hostas are now turning a brilliant shade of yellow, which adds such a flair of awesomeness to the garden.

What would a fall garden be without mums? I love how these are flopped over the boulders, down the slope here.

 Silly daffodils, it's not spring yet! Go back to bed.

The Japanese Maple's deep reddish hue in autumn looks so pretty against the weeping spruce.

 The foliage and the drying flower heads of this sedum are eye catching right now.

And of course the variegated holly is in full "bloom" with berries galore - just in time for the winter season!

So there you have it - my Long Island, NY garden in November! I hope you were able to get out and enjoy the fresh autumn air before the cold and snow set in.

As always, you can follow me on Instagram and Facebook for more frequent photo updates.

Until soon!

The Best Winter Medicine - wandering through my past Cottage Gardens

When I have winter fever I know where to look for help.  Here are some of the views of my former cottage gardens that act as medicine to my spring-hungry soul.

What's Blooming This Month? September 2014

The last few days have been perfect September weather - cool mornings and evenings, warm days and low humidity. The sunlight hits the garden differently this time of year - warmer, softer and somewhat more peaceful. 

Here's what's blooming in my Long Island, NY garden this month:

Although the Rudbeckias (Black-eyed Susans) are starting to fade, their seed heads are a wonderful treat for the birds. In a few more days, the mums will be in full bloom, prolonging the show in this garden.

The panicle hydrangea is still in full bloom. I just love the fullness of this shrub, the delicacy of the flowers and its long season. 

The Crape Myrtle finished flowering weeks ago, but the seed heads will remain and are quite attractive. 

The Knockout Rose shrub is still blooming, with new buds appearing every day. It's a lovely compliment to the light green and pink of the neighboring Sedum.

Deep in the shade of my shade garden, these Toad Lilies are happy as can be.

The variegated Liriope is also in full bloom. I love the purple spikes standing tall over the green and white leaves. 

And what would fall be without a few new container plantings?

That's what's blooming in my garden this month! What's in yours? I'd love to hear from you.
As always, thanks to Carol over at May Dreams Gardens for hosting Garden Bloggers Bloom Day. It's great to see what's blooming all over the country!

What's Blooming this Month? October 2014

They sunlight streams through the trees at a different angle these days, the mornings and evenings are cool and the leaves gently fall to the ground like raindrops. Autumn is definitely here. The days are getting shorter and yet, my days are not getting any less busy. Two of the children are off at school, the other two still home with me. This doesn't leave me much time to garden or blog, but I do what I can, knowing that both will still be here next year and maybe then I'll have a few more minutes. In the meantime, I am admiring the life cycle of my garden, the beauty of the season's colors and the sweet smell in the air.

Here's what's blooming in my Long Island, NY garden this month:

My cute little garden owls continue to make me smile as they peek out from under the hydrangea leaves.

The rose hips on the carpet roses are just lovely and the perfect color to go with their surroundings.

I bought these mums last year for a few containers and before the ground froze, plopped them into the ground, not sure whether they would come back of not. I am beyond excited they came back and just love the color!

Anenome 'Queen Charlotte' is a welcome pink beauty when all the garden is getting ready for a long winter nap.

I have been waiting for days and days to see what this Dendranthema (Korean Mum) looked like. It was given to me back in June after my horrible sour mulch debacle. The name was new to me, and so I did a little research and learned that Dendranthema was formerly known as Chrysanthemum. Chrysanthemum is still commonly used for hardy florist mums to differentiate from true hardy Dendranthema.

And this sedum is still looking magnificent. The flowerheads have moved from bright pink to this deeper maroon color on top of the lovely green foliage. I don't know the cultivar, as this plant was grandfathered into my garden, so if you have any ideas, please let me know!

That's what's blooming in my garden this month! What's in yours? I'd love to hear from you.

As always, thanks to Carol over at May Dreams Gardens for hosting the monthly Garden Bloggers Bloom Day. It's great to see what's blooming all over the country!

What's Blooming: August 2012

Heat, humidity and thunderstorms -- all part of summer here on Long Island. I'm thankful for my Black Eyed Susans (Rubeckia hirta 'Goldsturm') as they continue to look great, despite all kinds of weather. Today is Garden Bloggers Bloom Day - have a look at what's growing and blooming in my garden this month.

Under the japanese maple, the sedums are almost ready to bloom. A few pink echinaceas still peek through but the real show stoppers are the rubeckias. 

Along the side of the front garden, the purple Angelonia angustifolia 'Dresden blue' is doing beautifully. The lantana in front of the Echinacea magnus is also looking good. 

A perennial lobelia (Lobelia cardinalis 'Queen Victoria') just started to bloom. I just love the deep red colored flowers on erect stems against the deep, dark foliage below. 

The crape myrtle is in full bloom. I've never had one of these before and I love it! I might prune it after its finished blooming to keep it from getting too large. Anyone have any insight on that?

And the panicle hydrangea behind it is lovely, but way too big for the space. Its very overgrown, and will also be getting a nice trim immediately after its finished blooming. 

I love the pink tint on the almost-blooming sedums!

As always, any thanks to Carol over at May Dreams Gardens for hosting the monthly Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day.  

What's Blooming: October 2012

Today is Garden Bloggers Bloom Day! Here's a look at what's growing and blooming in my Long Island garden this month.

The Montauk Daisy (Nipponanthemum nipponicum) is in full bloom. All summer long, my husband asked me "What's the deal with this plant? When is it going to bloom?" Just wait, I told him. And sure enough, when everything else is starting to settle into the coolness of autumn, these beautiful daisies open up and smile at all who pass by.

The Sedum 'Autumn Joy' has morphed from the vibrant pink of last month to a beautiful deep maroon color, more fitting for this time of year.

I love how the Hosta leaves begin to change color, similar to the tree leaves. The golden yellow against the fading green is simply lovely.

A few Black Eyed Susans remain, looking more attractive next to the deep color of the sedums now.

And the Burning Bush (Euonymus alata 'Compactus') is starting to live up to its name. The leaf colors will all turn a vibrant shade of red and truly look like it's on fire. 

We are busy working to complete the backyard renovation project in the next two weeks. Have a look at what we've done so far!

As always, any thanks to Carol over at May Dreams Gardens for hosting the monthly Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day.