Welcome to Landscape Design By Lee: A Guide To Northeastern Gardening

Thursday, December 15, 2022

Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day & Foliage Follow-Up December: The Changing Northeastern Garden

Welcome!
Welcome to my December Long Island garden! As the seasons transition from autumn into winter, the garden continues to change, with the current focus on evergreens, berries, changing bark and hidden signs of spring to come. As the daytime temperatures settle into the 40's, with some frosty mornings, and the first dusting of snow on the morning of the 12th, the garden enters its winter sleep, but there is still much to see. Come along with me for a tour and you better bundle up...it is a bit chilly out here!
The First Dusting of Snow!
Front Entry Garden-Evergreen Way!
The focus as winter approaches is on evergreens, as they supply the needed structure and color to keep the garden going as the temperatures plummet. Here along the entry walkway are evergreens Weeping White Pine, Weeping Blue Atlas Cedar, Japanese Garden Juniper, Dwarf Mugo Pine and Blue Star Juniper along with Japanese Golden Sedge and Variegated Liriope. The Coral Bark Maple in the backdrop (left) will become more vibrant as the winter months progress, as its younger stems will turn a vibrant coral-red.
Weeping White Pine Seed Cone
One of my favorite things about the Weeping White Pine are its seed cones, which can be seen all year, but I tend to pay closer attention to them as the temperatures cool.
Dwarf Mugo Pine 'Slowmound' and Lilyturf (Liriope Variegata)
Another favorite in the garden is this dwarf, slow-growing Mugo Pine along with Lilyturf. Here is is all about combining foliage and texture. The foliage of the Variegated Liriope (lilyturf) will stay all winter long to protect the plant and provide interest, and will get cut back in springtime to allow for new growth.
Crape Myrtle and Gold Lace Juniper
In the backyard garden is Crape Myrtle 'Sioux', which is defoliated now, but the bark is amazing! I enjoy getting a close up view to see the various colors. It usually peels away late summer to expose the colors underneath.
Crape Myrtle Bark!
Let us take a closer look!
Japanese Golden Sedge and Ajuga Black Scallop
Here is a combination of 'Black Scallop' Ajuga with Japanese Golden Sedge. These two do very well underneath the shade of the Weeping Pussy Willow along the back patio.
'Yaku Jima' Dwarf Maiden Grass Winter Mode
Along the pool garden is Dwarf Maiden Grass 'Yaku Jima' in autumn/winter mode. It will also stay until springtime when it gets cut back. This practice offers protection to the roots. If desired, the plumes can be removed if they start to get too messy, but I always leave a good couple of feet to protect the center crown from cold.
Weeping Norway Spruce, Nandina 'Obsession' and Dwarf Cryptomeria
Along the patio garden is Weeping Norway Spruce and Nandina 'Obsession'. In the foreground is Dwarf Cryptomeria with its yellow-lime foliage and Ajuga 'Black Scallop' in the backdrop. 
Nandina 'Obsession' Fall/Winter Foliage
The Nandina foliage is so colorful this time of year, which was what attracted me to this plant. This variety is dwarf, evergreen, and cultivated so it does not produce the toxic berries known to some other varieties of Nandina. It is a win-win!
Nellie Stevens Holly Berries
Here are the berries of Nellie Stevens Holly this time of year. They add a nice touch to the landscape.
Dwarf Red Pine and Golden Juniper 'Gold Strike'
This dwarf form of Red Pine and low growing Juniper 'Gold Strike' add some color along the patio...
Stachys (Lamb's Ear) Fall/Winter
while trustworthy Lamb's Ear always adds a touch of white to the perennial border.
St. John's Wort Fall/Winter
While this St. John's Wort produces pretty yellow flowers in summer, it's berries are even more attractive in fall and winter! Here is a view up close!
A Little Bit of Whimsy!
For a little bit of whimsy, this is the newest statue addition to the garden. It reminds me of days gone by!
Weeping Pussy Willow Catkins Forming!
While much of the garden goes into dormant mode, there are already catkins forming on the Weeping Pussy Willow tree, which are a sign of spring to come...
Evergreen Planter
and along the back entry are container planters that can be enjoyed all year long and even in winter. Here are (left to right) Variegated Boxwood, Dwarf Alberta Spruce and Golden Hinoki Cypress 'Nana Lutea'. 
Mondo Grass Planter
Another planter has Ophiopogon planiscapus (Black Mondo Grass), which stays evergreen all year long.
Seasonal Decor
As we come to the end of the tour, winter bear shows off his seasonal foliage... 
Indoor Garden-Thanksgiving Cactus
and indoors, the Thanksgiving Cactus are blooming! Helpful Tip: To tell the difference between Thanksgiving and  Christmas Cactus, Thanksgiving Cactus has more jagged edges to their leaves while Christmas Cactus leaves are more scalloped. There is also an Easter Cactus with much more rounded leaves!
Thanksgiving Cactus
One cannot have too many Thanksgiving Cacti!
Thanks for Visiting!
I hope you enjoyed your visit to my December garden and as always, I look forward to your comments and visiting your garden too! Special thanks go out to our hostess Carol at May Dreams Gardens, who makes it possible to see blooms on the 15th of every month with her meme Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day. Also, special thanks to Pam Penick at Digging who had hosted Foliage Follow-Up, a meme I will continue to honor. I am also linking with some other wonderful hosts and hostesses at Floral Friday Fotos, Friday Bliss at Floral Passions, Macro Monday 2, Mosaic Monday at Letting Go of the Bay Leaf, Nature Notes at Rambling Woods, Image-in-ing weekly photo share every Tuesday with NC Sue and Gardens Galore Link Up Party every other Monday with Everyday Living. I am also happy to join the Weekly Photo Link-Up at My Corner of the World on Wednesdays and Garden Affair at Jaipur Garden.

Posted by at 12 comments:
Labels: , , , , , , , , ,

Thursday, December 1, 2022

This Month in the Garden: The Garden Path

Follow the Path 
Welcome to This Month in the Garden!  On a recent trip to my most favorite place on this planet, all it took was a pick up truck with surfboard going through the Tunnel of Trees to reflect on my true passion. There was something about the symbolism of this view, yet so simple, that put everything into perspective. 
The Garden Path: Tunnel of Trees, Kauai

I was born a gardener without even knowing it, but it was the influence of the people in my life that encouraged me to continue with a dream, which I hadn't known I had yet. To expand on this thought, I have had several people in my life, both family and friends, who have had some impact on the path I took. From my mother buying me seeds to grow and my father stopping on the side of the road to rescue a tree, to my next door neighbor, who took me on tours of her garden daily, each experience lead me deeper into what I would love most. I even discovered in my later years that my great grandfather was the head gardener at Beechwood Mansion in Rhode Island. This was made known to me while writing my third book and chatting with my cousin about the road that took me to becoming a gardener. I continue to write today and in my wildest dreams, I never thought it would result in becoming the author of four books, with a fifth on the way!
Follow your dreams.
I guess the moral of this story is to follow your path and find where it leads you. Today it brings me great joy to be able to educate others about horticulture and gardening and perhaps lead them to follow their garden path.

I hope you enjoyed this month's post and perhaps I inspired you just a bit. Be sure to stop by on the 1st. and 15th. of each month as I continue to share gardening tips, information and horticultural adventures! Until we meet again...be well, be happy and as always...Happy Gardening!

 For gardening inspiration and design tips visit: My Author Page and Books

Author: Lee @A Guide to Northeastern Gardening, © Copyright 2010-2022. All rights reserved. 

Posted by at 1 comment:
Labels: , , , , , , , , , , ,
Location: Long Island, NY 11782, USA

Tuesday, November 15, 2022

Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day & Foliage Follow-Up November: Autumn Color Everywhere!

Welcome to my November Garden!
Welcome! After seven weeks of drought followed by abundant rain and a first couple of weeks with unusually mild temperatures in the 70’s, the temperatures have suddenly settled into the mid-40’s accompanied by changing colors in the landscape that have been a sight to behold. Come along with me for a tour of my November Long Island garden!
Nandina 'Obsession' Autumn
The first stop is Nandina 'Obsession'. I had seen this plant last year at the nursery while it was showing its fall colors and had to find a place in my own garden to enjoy it. It's evergreen foliage is a combination of green with pinkish-red tips on new foliage throughout the entire season until it turns to this vibrant display of orangey-red in the fall landscape. Nandina 'Obsession' is a dwarf form of Nandina, only growing to three feet tall by wide at maturity and takes full sun to moderate shade.
Hydrangea Let's Dance 'Big Band'
Here is Hydrangea Let's Dance 'Big Band', which is a compact re-blooming plant, which not only blooms all summer long, but displays these amazing colors in fall. I am enjoying the blooms as they transition to shades of deep pink with flecks of white. 
Echinacea (Coneflower) Seed Heads
While the Echinacea is far done blooming for the season, the seed heads remain for the birds to enjoy, and they add interest to the garden too!
Montauk Daisy!
Autumn is Montauk Daisy time and these have been blooming since October in the patio garden. The colder temperatures have  caused the blooms to come to an end, but I was able to get this capture just a few days ago.
Lavender Still Blooming!
This hardy English Lavender continues to bloom!
Platycodon (Balloon Flower) and Blue Star Juniper
In the perennial border, the foliage of Platycodon turns to a vibrant purple-burgundy against the foliage of  Juniperus 'Blue Star'...
Stachys byzantina (Lamb's Ear)
and behind it is the soft white foliage of Lamb's Ear showing some contrast.
Perennial Border Fall
Here is broader view of the perennial border with Echinacea, Hosta, Blue Star Juniper, and Platycodon, all in fall mode.
Welcoming Committee
The Welcoming Committee is here to greet you too!
Knock Out Roses Still Going Strong!
Dependable in the garden are Double Red Knock Out Rose and Daylily 'Stella D' Oro' still pushing out blooms until the first frost. There is a trick to getting the Daylily to bloom this late in the season, which I reveal in my first book...the one named after this blog (shameless plug!!!).
Stella D' Oro Daylily Still Blooming!
 It is so rewarding seeing buds and blooms this late in the season, which keeps the garden going.
Back Pool Garden
In the back pool garden, the foliage of Azalea and Spirea change to deep burgundy and yellow with pink highlights against the green foliage of Rhododendron and variegated foliage of Boxwood.
Chrysanthemum & Pumpkin Season!
The Chrysanthemums are fully bloomed and of course one must have seasonal pumpkins! I have a fascination with warty pumpkins, so my husband brought this one home for me.
Front Walkway Garden
Venturing along to the front walkway, Weeping Eastern Redbud is displaying it's changing fall colors as they transition from green to a golden hue...
Coral Bark Maple 'Sangu Kaku'
and along the front berm and lawn, Coral Bark Maple is putting on its autumn show with its vibrant colors...
Front Lawn Autumn Views
while the foliage of Weeping Japanese Maple 'Viridis' turns to a fiery red!
More Autumn Views
Along the front walkway, as the colors in the landscape change, there is an abundance of pine cones to be seen.
Weeping White Pine Seed Cones
It is said that when a harsh winter in on the way, pine trees tend to produce as many seed cones as they can as a matter of survival. I sure hope this saying is not always true! Perhaps it is a defense mechanism from the drought.
Front Island Bed
As we come to the end of our stroll, it is evident that fall is well underway and the garden is slowly going to rest. Thanks for coming along...until we meet again!
Thank you for Visiting!

I hope you enjoyed your visit to my November garden and as always, I look forward to your comments and visiting your garden too! Special thanks go out to our hostess Carol at May Dreams Gardens, who makes it possible to see blooms on the 15th of every month with her meme Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day. Also, special thanks to Pam Penick at Digging who had hosted Foliage Follow-Up, a meme I will continue to honor. I am also linking with some other wonderful hosts and hostesses at Floral Friday Fotos, Friday Bliss at Floral Passions, Macro Monday 2, Mosaic Monday at Letting Go of the Bay Leaf, Nature Notes at Rambling Woods, Image-in-ing weekly photo share every Tuesday with NC Sue and Gardens Galore Link Up Party every other Monday with Everyday Living. I am also happy to join the Weekly Photo Link-Up at My Corner of the World on Wednesdays and Garden Affair at Jaipur Garden.

Posted by at 7 comments:
Labels: , , , , , , , , ,
Location: Long Island, NY 11782, USA

Tuesday, November 1, 2022

This Month in the Garden: Fall Browning and Needle Shed on Evergreens: A Natural Process

Fall Browning and Needle Shed on Evergreens: A Natural Process
If your evergreen’s inner needles are suddenly turning from a healthy looking green to shades of yellow, orange and brownish-red in late summer and fall there is little need for concern…it is all part of a natural process. Each year evergreens will produce new foliage in spring and they prepare by shedding their older foliage in the previous late summer and fall. 
Browning and Needle Shed on Evergreens in the Fall
Shedding of needles and foliage is a natural process that evergreens go through as a way of preparing for new growth once the weather warms. As the days become shorter and temperatures lower, evergreens go through a slight dormant period similar to deciduous trees and shrubs. Many evergreens such as pine, cedar, Chamaecyparis (Hinoki Cypress), Thuja (Arborvitae), fir, hemlock and spruce lose some of their needles every year and may go through a major shedding every three to five years.
Fall Needle Shed on Hinoki Cypress and White Pine in late September-November-Shedding can be light or more pronounced. 
Lightly shaking the branches can help along the natural cleaning process. To examine, look at your tree carefully. Older foliage is shed first so the losses should generally be from the inside out and not at the tips. Prior to shedding the needles appear from green to yellow, orange and eventually brown, remaining on the tree until the process is complete. The actual amount of needle shed on the tree or shrub varies depending on the growing season, temperature changes and amount of rainfall, and can sometimes be sudden. Often the change is unnoticeable but generally the drier the season or more drastic the temperature change the more noticeable the needle shed, a natural cleaning process leading to new growth in the spring.
Fall Needle Shed on Evergreens Showing Previous Year’s Growth. Older Growth is closer towards trunk.
Other species of evergreens in the broadleaf category can also shed their leaves. Evergreens such as holly and laurel retain their leaves for only one year and rhododendron and azalea for one to two years. Leaves will appear yellow before falling but at some times may go unnoticed if new leaves conceal old foliage. This process usually occurs in spring when new growth is appearing but can happen at other times of the year as well. If the whole tree or entire sections of your conifer are turning brown then there is cause for concern and you should have a certified arborist or landscape professional examine it. Otherwise, fall yellowing or browning at the base or inner branches closer to the trunk seldom indicates a serious problem, but is more often part of the natural life cycle of the tree.

needle shed
Conifer Annual Needle Shed
Due to the importance of this subject, this is a repost from my maintenance blog, A Guide to Landscape Design & Maintenance.

Be sure to stop by on the 1st. and 15th. of each month as I continue to share gardening tips, information and horticultural adventures! Until we meet again...be well, and as always...Happy Gardening!
Posted by at 3 comments:
Labels: , , , , , , , ,
Location: Long Island NY 11782, USA
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)