Do you ever need inspiration? I find that I do. So, occasionally, I seek opportunities to surround myself with “plant people” while learning about plants and how to use them in ways I had not thought of or had forgotten about.
Earlier this month, I attended a bulb seminar facilitated by Historic Columbia at the Robert Mills Carriage House and Gardens. Speakers Jim Martin (The Magnolia Plantation and Gardens Director of Horticulture & Landscape) and Jenks Farmer (a man of many talents, namely a Plantsman and Storyteller; find out more about him here) provided my inspiration for the day.
Jenks taught us about spring bulbs and their uses for creating long-lasting naturalized areas, while Jim spoke more about intentionally using bulbs to create “special little moments” every day. I have always preferred to use plants that will provide me with several years of enjoyment in the landscape. So, I immediately connected with Jenks’ presentation about creating naturalized areas and using long-lived spring bulbs.
Every spring, little Muscari flowers emerge in my lawn, giving me so much joy. The previous homeowners must have planted them well over a decade ago. Jenks inspired me to add more Muscari to my lawn area, along with Tommies (Crocus tommasinianus). NOTE: if you have irrigation in the lawn, these bulbs will not do as well.
Other long-lived spring bulbs to consider including in perennial beds:
Spanish Bluebell (Hyacinthoides hispanica)
Summer Snowflake (Leucojum aestivum)
Tazetta Daffodils (Narcissus tazetta)
Jonquil Daffodils (Narcissus jonquilla)
Lady Tulip (Tulipa clusiana)
For more information, see HGIC 1155, Spring-Flowering Bulbs.
I encourage you to stay inspired. Actively seek ways to stay passionate about gardening, even in the
The website greengrove.cc is an aggregator of news from open sources. The source is indicated at the beginning and at the end of the announcement. You can send a complaint on the news if you find it unreliable.
The Isles of Scilly are like an idealised version of England – where the sun always shines, the food is wonderful, there’s no traffic and no one locks their doors! To say the sun always shines is an exaggeration, but they’re among the sunniest and mildest places in the UK – sea breezes mean it’s never too hot or humid and thanks to the Jetstream, they almost never have frost.
Offering some of the closest beaches to London, Essex has a reputation for kiss-me-quick resorts and dormitory commuter towns. The truth is that this flat county, defined by slow-flowing rivers, estuaries, salt marshes and oyster beds, abounds in subtle charm. The Romans settled in Colchester and evidence of their occupation can be found in many coastal settlements. In the 1560s Flemish protestants brought their silk-weaving skills to the town, while the Dutch reclaimed swathes of land for farming.
Boasting some of Britain’s most beautiful countryside, the Lake District, in the north-west corner of England, is a draw for anyone with a love of the outdoors. Its hills and mountains, including England’s highest, Scafell Pike at 978m, attract walkers and climbers, while in the valley bottoms, vast lakes, such as Windermere and Ullswater, invite quiet contemplation.
My Favorite Handmade Garden Gift Ever Our family has a tradition of giving handmade gifts for the holidays, and this year my husband outdid himself! Homemade garden gift tradition
The Robert Mills House in Historic Columbia was built in 1823 for Anisley and Sarah Hall. It was designed by the first American-trained architect, Robert Mills.
A is for annual membership of one of Ireland’s world class great gardens open to the public. Examples include Blarney Castle in Co Cork (12-month adult pass, €100, blarneycastle.ie); Mount Usher in Co Wicklow (€40, mountushergardens.ie); Killruddery in Co Wicklow; (killruddery.com from €60-€100); and Mount Congreve in Co Waterford (from €70, mountcongreve.com).
Mushrooms in the garden can be an unsettling sight, indicating changes in the soil and in growing conditions generally. While growing mushrooms is becoming more popular as a home interest, fungi can be unpleasant in gardens when they arrive out of nowhere. These unplanned garden guests can also be toxic, so you’ll want to remove them if you have curious children or pets.
Most ornamental grasses will stay intact through the latter part of the year, providing useful colour and structure in the autumn, when herbaceous plants are dying back. Some are particularly vibrant, picking up on the colours of the trees to echo their shades of russet and yellow, but with lower, softer silhouettes and lots of movement. Using them is easy. Weave them into a herbaceous border, or create more impact in larger gardens by repeat planting, as Piet Oudolf did at Scampston Hall in North Yorkshire, with his sinuous banks of Molinia caerulea subsp. caerulea 'Poul Petersen'. Some grasses are deciduous while others are evergreen. It is the deciduous grasses that can dramatically change colour during the autumn.
We’re in Beeton, Ontario, today, visiting Marina. We’ve been to her beautiful garden before (Marina’s Garden in Beeton, Ontario) when it was just a few years old, and we’re back today to see how it has thrived and grown since then.
Visit the Hampton-Preston House and Garden in Historic Columbia. It was built for Anisley and Sarah Hall in 1818. They lived here until 1823, when the house was sold to Wade Hampton Sr and his wife, Mary Couter Hampton.
Last week, I told you about a garden talk I attended at the Robert Mills Carriage House and Gardens in Columbia, SC. Jim Martin (The Magnolia Plantation and Gardens Director of Horticulture & Landscape) was the second presenter. He discussed using bulbs to create “special little moments” every day.