Fall Colors

Fall is my favorite time of year.  The air is crisp and cooler and the colors are spectacular.  Wonderful weather to be working outside in, although the days are getting shorter which in turn means winter is one step closer.
Thought I would share a few of my favorite colors this time of year....
Smokebush (Cotinus coggygria) has beautiful maroon foliage all summer but when fall sets in it's leaves brighten to a lovely red, which becomes even more striking when against a backdrop of White Pine.

Another fall favorite of mine is the Dawn Redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides).  A unique and graceful conifer tree that also happens to be deciduous.  Its green needles turn a lovely yellow-orange this time of year.  It is rare here in Maine but similar to larch trees (Larix sp.), another one of my favorites, in the respect that they are both deciduous conifers.

A real bright spot when mixed with evergreens is the Summersweet or Sweet Pepper Bush (Clethra alnifolia).  I know I have mentioned this shrub several times, but it really is fantastic!  Look at how amazing the bright yellow fall foliage looks when up against a Rhododendron and Pachysandra.

 

The next few weeks I'll be finishing up in a few more gardens.  Cutting back perennials and wrapping tender, exposed shrubs with burlap to protect them from harsh winter winds and piles of snow.  I am hoping for lots this winter (snow that is)!

Recent Blooms

The middle of July is a bright and colorful time in the garden.  So many plants are blooming right now, giving an abundance of colors, textures, and scents to enjoy.  Here are some pictures of a few of my favorites....

Shasta Daisies (Leucanthemum) are a classic, cheery July bloom that make excellent cut flowers.

Lavender flowers have such a wonderful smell and pretty color, and the bees love them too!

Astilbe are one of my favorite shade-loving perennials.  There are so many varieties, offering a number of colors, bloom times, and some even have a lovely subtle scent.  They make a great cut flower or can be dried for everlasting arrangements.

I have been busy lately dead heading old blooms on perennials like nepeta and coreopsis, some of which will bloom again later in August.  Lots of pruning and trimming to do as well.  Spiraea shrubs are finishing up their blooms now and need a good cut, as well as many evergreen shrubs like boxwood and yews.  There is always plenty to do this time of year!

Lots of work!

The month of May flew right by!  Weeding, edging, transplanting, dividing, and mulching filled the entire month for me.  Everything seemed to be about a week or two ahead of schedule due to the early, warm spring we had.  Even now, many things are flowering that normally wouldn't do so until the end of June.
I thought I would share a few photos of a garden in Cape Elizabeth I did a clean-up on a couple weeks back.  Below is before.......

After several hours of edging, weeding, and transplanting to fill in this is how the garden looks now.

 

Beautiful Blooms

Thought I would share a few pictures of some tree and perennial blooms that are really stunning right now.  Above is a Bradford Pear tree (Pyrus calleryana) which is grown mainly for it's blooms, as it produces no fruit.

Creeping phlox (Phlox stolonifera) is a great early blooming perennial.  It is a quick spreader and looks best in a rock garden or creeping over a rock wall.

This weeping cherry tree (Prunus subhirtella 'Pendula') is one of my favorites this time of year.

The warm weather we had early on in March has put everything a week or two ahead of schedule, depending on location.  I've been keeping busy pulling spring weeds, dividing overgrown perennials, edging, mulching, and composting.  This work will continue through the first couple weeks of May.

Welcome Spring!

Although yesterday was the first day of spring, the temperatures here this week are more like mid-summer.  While I have been enjoying the sun and warmth it is a bit confusing, not only to me but the plants.  Bulbs are popping up and blooming just about everywhere, even in places that are normally covered in snow this time of year.

I am happy to get outside and back to work.  These next few weeks will be filled with plenty of spring pruning and weeding.  I pruned this row of beach roses (Rosa rugosa) yesterday, and I am still pulling the tiny thorns from my knuckles.  These roses are prolific around here on the coast and can be well regulated with a good spring cut.  To achieve the height you want, prune them 2-3 feet below where you would like them to be at the end of the summer (they can even handle being chopped to an inch or two above the soil line).  This row will reach about 6 inches above the fence by August.