The Miracle Worker
I can be described by many roles…daughter, wife, mother, gardener, speaker, UMass alum, etc. But, despite what you may like to believe, I am not a miracle worker. It is a role I have never felt comfortable taking on.
As a garden designer I have clients that come to me to change their landscape. I love the process. We sit down, talk about needs, function, do a site survey and then I get to attack the project. From the beginning however I make sure my clients have realistic expectations. I am NOT a miracle worker.
Read More»Boston Roof Garden
Since a picture is worth a thousand words we’ll let these photos do the talking.
Just know that this was a new client in Boston who wanted a lush, “wild” garden that incorporated blues, purples and reds with a healthy dose of edible plants.
We used hydrangea Cityline ‘Rio’, caryopteris, nepeta and verbena bonariensis to bring in the purple pow. We contrasted the purple with rosa ‘Popcorn’. Added structure with boxwood and ornamental grasses and a punch of red with various annuals.
For the edibles we used many different herbs, as well as cucumbers, tomatoes and beans which climbed up the obelisk that we used as a design element to mimic the Old North Church.
We often joke with the client who says she has so many vegetables she could start a CSA in her condo building!
Of course installation was on the hottest day in May but with a great crew, it all got done!
Enjoy these photos of the transformation process:
Accessories in the Garden
I was recently going through some pictures and came across a bunch that I had taken a few years back when entering Fine Gardening Magazine’s Container Challenge. The magazine tasked entrants with creating a container garden using a unique “accessory.”
You can see from the pictures the, accessories I chose were quite varied.
Read More»True Confessions
I confess. I’m selfish.
While I may give you the last cookie, or iron your pants when you are running late, even if I am running late, there are certain times a more base nature rears its ugly head. Like when it comes to plants. There are times when it is very hard for me to share.
Every garden and container I design begins with a shopping trip. Because I am always on the lookout for new and cool plant material when I find it, I scoop it up. While deciding where to use these lovelies they decorate my yard.
And sometimes they never leave!
Read More»Blurred Vision
“When you have a chance can you give me a call about the window boxes?”
Not necessarily the kind of message you want to hear when returning to the office after a particularly long day. Immediately the ominous tone got my stomach churning. What I thought was a great day was suddenly turning into a not-so-great day.
The morning had started very early. Said client had window boxes on a very busy street and we needed to get in and out before there was lots of traffic and parking spaces were at a premium.
I always love to use unexpected and unusual plant material in my designs. And with this client I was particularly excited about the potential of a new color palette.
Love For The Garden
Read More»Hello Deborah,
Thank you for the gorgeous container garden that you created for me at the Country Living Fair in Rhinebeck.
I picked it up at the end of the day on Saturday and in the half hour that I was making my way back toward the parking lot with my daughter, so many people came up to me to say, “Wow— that’s so beautiful. Where did you get that?”The love for the garden continues now that it is sitting on my front porch; people walking by, as well as my neighbors, have commented on it.
Spot the Galvanized Metal Container Garden
This was one of my favorite displays as I had the opportunity to showcase some of my favorite galvanized metal container garden creations. Can you spot the galvanized metal?
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Alli…yum
Okay, so it’s not really spelled that way but allium is one of my favorite summer plants and in my humble opinion no garden should be without them.
Allium’s round heads bring so much excitement to the early summer garden and are the perfect bridge between spring tulips and summer bloomers.
Read More»Galvanized metal…sigh.
For some girls it’s diamonds or gold jewelry. For me it’s a gift of something made of galvanized metal that gets my heart beating.
I have always loved things that evoke a feeling of history. I like pieces that tell a story and in my home you will find galvanized metal in just about every room. The old watering can in my office reminds me of past gardeners. The galvanized cups hold pencils in the kitchen and the galvanized florist buckets corrals pussy willow next to the fireplace in the living room. Galvanized letters in my office spell out P-R-A-Y, reminding me of the best way to start the day.
Read More»Color
When designing a garden or container, don’t underestimate the importance of color.
Colors can help you set the mood, attract attention or make a statement. Colors can convey a style, whether elegant and traditional, or playful and fun. Color is a very powerful design element and learning to use it properly is not always easy.
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