"All through the long winter, I dream of my garden. On the first day of spring, I dig my fingers deep into the soft earth. I can feel its energy, and my spirits soar." — Helen Hayes Photo credit: Aimee Ryan In our last newsletter we discussed cool toned perennials that can be added to a garden in early spring. Today we’ll share our favorite warm toned early bloomers, boasting beautiful shades of pink, peach, orange, and plum. Learn more about our ONLINE COURSE Designing Luxurious Gardens and Containers: The Inspired Garden Masterclass. First on our list is geum (Geum coccineum), a colorful garden filler that can grow up to 3 feet tall in 1-2 years. Geum is known for its...
"Blue color is everlastingly appointed by the deity to be a source of delight."— John Ruskin Did you know that spring blooms happen in two waves? Early spring begins the last week of March and extends to the first week of May. Late spring starts in May and finishes at the end of June (June 20th marking the first day of summer). When planning a garden, many people tend to focus on flowers that are iconically tied to late spring (hello daisies and coneflowers!) and last through summer. Highly underrated and often overlooked are the varieties that bloom in the first six weeks of the season. These early spring flowers are vital during those early days of March and April, providing...
Nature has many scenes to exhibit, and constantly draws a curtain over this part or that. She is constantly repainting the landscape and all surfaces, dressing up some scene for our entertainment. Lately we had a leafy wilderness; now bare twigs begin to prevail, and soon she will surprise us with a mantle of snow. Some green she thinks so good for our eyes that, like blue, she never banishes it entirely from our eyes, but has created evergreens. —Henry David Thoreau Photo credits: Anna Herbst We often hear how important curb appeal is. #curbappeal on Instagram has over 740,000 posts! If you talk to any realtor about selling your house, the first thing they’ll say is—make a...
"Behold, my friends, the spring is come; the earth has gladly received the embraces of the sun, and we shall soon see the results of their love!" – Sitting Bull Photo credits: Anna Herbst Who doesn’t love the early days of spring? Bulbs are popping, days are longer, and flip flops are back in the rotation. Celebrate the end of a long drab winter with welcoming pots packed with enchanting early spring flowers. Learn more about our ONLINE COURSE Designing Luxurious Gardens and Containers: The Inspired Garden Masterclass. To create a bright and cheery spring container, I rely on the tried and true thriller, filler, spiller technique. For anyone needing a refresher on this, thrillers are the eye-catching, taller plants that go in...
"Every flower blooms in its own time." — Ken Petti Every client wants a garden that blooms from early spring through fall. They want a variety of flowers that peak at different times, and colors that pop for three straight seasons. And… they want it to come back year after year with minimal effort. It’s a lot to ask for, but it can be done with a mix of perennials and annuals. Learn more about our ONLINE COURSE Designing Luxurious Gardens and Containers: The Inspired Garden Masterclass. When planning a garden, I suggest choosing 85%-90% perennials, and 10%-15% annuals. Planting both, and carefully selecting the right plants for your zone, will produce a parade of color from April through October. Before choosing your...
