Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day & Foliage Follow-Up May: Color, Color Everywhere!

Welcome!

Welcome to my May garden! I am happy to see you here! Here on Long Island, as everywhere else, the weather patterns have been erratic. From summer like temperatures pushing into the high 70's in the beginning of the month to days in the 50's and now a series of repeating rain events, the spring of 2024 has certainly been interesting. The garden does adjust though and there is new growth and lots of blooms to see. Join me for a tour of my Long Island zone 7b garden.

Patio Border

Our first stop is at the patio border where Weeping Norway Spruce is accompanied by Nandina 'Obsession' and Ajuga 'Black Scallop'. Nandina 'Obsesssion' is an evergreen, non-invasive species and stays at a compact size of just two to three feet over time. Ajuga 'Black Scallop' displays deep greenish-black foliage with purple blooms in springtime. 

Backyard Island Bed Western Side

In the back island bed, Variegated Weigela is forming buds which will soon become pink flowers and is joined by Coral Bells 'Palace Purple', Hydrangea Limelight and evergreens Mugo Pine and Hinoki Cypress 'Compacta'. 

Shade Garden

In the back shade garden is Heuchera (Coral Bells) 'Caramel' joined by Pulmonaria (Lungwort) with its polka dot foliage and deep purple blooms.

Azalea Season!

As the Azalea are blooming, Rhododendron buds are getting ready to open within a couple of weeks. A Skyland's Oriental Spruce joins the mix in the backdrop.

Perennial Border Renovation

I have been revamping the perennial border as it was time for a change and planted this Trombly's 'Red Sentinel' columnar Japanese Maple as the focal point last fall. Just a week ago I added three Spirea 'Candy Corn' behind it while keeping the existing Lamb's Ear and Astilbe. The goal is to achieve a lower maintenance garden. 

May is Ajuga Time!

Here are the blooms of Ajuga 'Burgundy Glow' in the raised island bed...

Welcoming Committee!

and here is the welcoming committee to greet you! It just would not be the same without them!

Patio Border

Along the opposite section of the newly renovated patio garden is Rhode Island Red Japanese Maple and Salvia 'Blue by You'. This cultivar of perennial Salvia is supposed to be longer blooming. We shall see!

Patio Border

Along the patio border, Abelia 'Kaleidoscope' is doing well after the winter and is displaying its continuous array of golden color with white trumpet-shaped blooms to follow in summer.

Azalea 'Girard's Crimson'

Here is Azalea 'Girard's Fuschia' all in bloom. If you are looking for an Azalea that catches the eye, give this one a try. The color of its blooms are amazing!

Backyard Island Bed Northern Side

This combination of Hinoki Cypress, Mugo Pine, dwarf Butterfly Bush 'Pugster Blue', Caramel Coral Bells, Gold Lace Juniper and Dwarf Japanese Andromeda 'Cavatine' resides in the back raised island bed. A mature Crape Myrtle is in the backdrop. Stay tuned for blooms in July! 

Pool Border

Following along to the pool border, reblooming Encore Azalea is joined by Sedum 'Angelina'. The Azalea will repeat bloom later towards fall while the sedum will produce spikes of yellow blooms in summer.

Kwanzan Cherry

Springtime means it's Cherry blossom season and here is the amazing Kwanzan Cherry. It seems that the blooms started a little earlier this year, so I am enjoying them while they last.

Allium Globemaster

While awaiting the blooms of Allium 'Globemaster', Weeping Eastern Redbud 'Lavender Twist' is showing off its delicate lavender blooms in the front garden. 

Weeping Eastern Redbud

Large heart-shaped foliage will start to emerge soon. 

Driveway Border

Along the driveway border garden, Dwarf Norway Spruce is accompanied by golden Skyland's Oriental Spruce, Hinoki Cypress, Coral Bark Maple, Spilled Wine Weigela and Nepeta 'Walker's Low'..

Driveway Border

  while Spirea 'Magic Carpet'  prepares for its dramatic blooms!

Front Island Bed & Lawn

As the tour comes to an end, let's venture around to the front corner island bed with a combination of evergreens, flowering shrubs and perennials and lawn where two mature Weeping Japanese Maple reside.

Front Lawn

I admire them every season of the year both structurally and for their foliage. Nature sure does work its magic!

Thanks for Visiting!

I hope you enjoyed your visit to my May garden. I so appreciate you being here, look forward to your comments and look forward to seeing what you have growing in your area. 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, Nature Notes at Rambling Woods, Image-in-ing weekly photo share every Tuesday, Weekly Photo Link-Up at My Corner of the World on Wednesdays and Garden Affair at Jaipur Garden. 

 Are you an avid gardener or wanting to learn?  My books can help you! 

A Guide to Northeastern Gardening: Journeys of a Garden Designer Zones 3-9

Landscape Design Combinations

Dream, Garden, Grow!-Musings of a Lifetime Gardener 

Gardening by Month: A Monthly Guide to Planning the Northeastern & Mid-Atlantic Garden

Shade Gardening for the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic

Author: Lee @A Guide to Northeastern Gardening, © Copyright 2010-2024. All rights reserved. 

The Four Seasons of Gardening-Garden Design

As a gardener and designer who lives in the northeast I give extra special attention to creating a landscape that will supply interest throughout all of the four seasons.  After determining  function, such elements as structure, form, color, foliage and texture need to be taken into consideration when planning a landscape.

SPRING  PERENNIAL BORDER

The first main element I consider is structure.  Structure is important in the garden because it serves as a framework for the design.  Structural elements can be either plant material or hardscape. The use of evergreens or landscape plants with interesting bark or trunk formation can provide interest as well as functional elements such as patios, pathways, garden benches or water features.  In the above perennial garden, Blue Montgomery Globe Spruce overlooks the main garden adding vertical interest while Juniperus ‘Blue Star’, Spirea ‘Goldflame’, Dwarf Fountain Grass and perennial Lamb’s Ear serve as a framework or anchors for the garden bed in winter. I have also added a few pieces of moss rock here and there to add some additional interest and dimension.  When discussing form and function consider the purpose you would like your landscape to achieve. If it is a quiet place you desire then perhaps adding a small stone patio and/or garden bench could create a peaceful retreat. If looking to attract wildlife then a birdbath or feeder could also be an addition or possibly a garden statue could provide some whimsy! 

SUMMER  PERENNIAL BORDER

Color plays an important role and is more difficult to achieve in winter. Plant perennials that complement one another (warm and cool hues) and that have varying bloom times.  Add colorful shrubs such as Barberry and Gold Mop Cypress for additional interest. Take into consideration the fact that foliage and bloom colors of perennials and shrubs do change with each season. The idea is to disperse color equally among the four seasons. Elements such as Dwarf Fountain Grass provide greenery in spring throughout summer and a take on a bronze appearance in fall and winter. Fall foliage on such perennials as Astilbe and Daylily turn a vibrant orange and gold while Hosta leaves turn a bright yellow. Lamb’s Ear is a discovery I made years ago.  Its soft white foliage can be seen along the garden border every season of the year and its pink flower spikes add extra interest in the summer.  In the winter months the blue evergreens such as Montgomery Spruce and Blue Star Juniper along with golden evergreens (Gold Mop Cypress and Gold Lace Juniper), Dwarf Fountain Grasses and Lamb’s Ear give just enough interest to get through those cold and snowy days.

AUTUMN  PERENNIAL BORDER

Without blooms texture becomes the primary design element. Texture refers to the size, shape, coarseness or smoothness of foliage and plays along with structure. Some plants known for texture are Hosta, Heuchera, Daylily, and ornamental grasses. The incredible large and colorful foliage of Heuchera(Coral Bells) and graceful fronds of Daylily complement the broad veined variegated leaves of Hosta and narrow wispy blades of dwarf fountain grasses. The feathery foliage of Astilbe and the elongated smooth foliage of Lamb's ear make a great combination as well. Even the dried seed heads and stalks of saliva rise up above the garden to create landing pads for dragonflies in the fall.  Deciduous shrubs such as spirea and barberry add interesting foliage in spring, summer and fall and provide structure in winter. Add some evergreens which play an integral part in adding all the elements of structure, color, form and foliage to the landscape for all of the four seasons.  

WINTER PERENNIAL BORDER

Evergreens can be found in a variety of colors ranging from golds to blues and greens and textures ranging from broad-leaved evergreens to fine-needled varieties. They can also take on a variety of forms including rounded, horizontal or spreading, vertical and weeping. These elements can be placed accordingly to add width or height to a garden.  In this case the grafted Montgomery Globe Spruce provides a vertical element in the garden.  'Blue Star' Juniper, Spirea and Dwarf Fountain Grasses anchor each side of the garden bed and show continuity, uniformity and balance. Lamb's Ear frames the front of the perennial area. Looking further you can view Weeping Pussy Willow and Arborvitae (vertical) with Gold Mop Cypress and Barberry (Medium height and horizontal). That upper and lower sections of the garden have more detailed structure with evergreens and flowering shrubs with the perennial garden in the center.

COLOR, FORM & STRUCTURE: Evergreens provide form in winter landscape, Structure of Japanese Maple Trunk, Color of Coral Bark Maple Bark in winter, Changing Colors of Spirea Foliage

In the above photograph evergreens provide form and structure in the winter landscape, the twisting structure of a Weeping Japanese Maple trunk provides interest while the tree is dormant, the vibrant red bark of the Japanese Coral Bark Maple (Sango Kaku) provides structure and color in winter, and the changing blooms and foliage of Spirea are turning a deep pink in fall.  A garden is constantly changing and can be enjoyed all year round with some basic elements of structure, form and color. Creating an all-season landscape can be accomplished by following the design principles discussed here and guaranteed your garden will have something to offer every day of the year!

As Always...Happy Gardening!

Author: Lee@ A Guide to Northeastern Gardening.  All rights reserved 2014.

Guest Post: The Works of an Amazing Garden Photographer

Swallowtail Butterfly with Nikon D5100

I have the opportunity and pleasure of sharing the garden photography of Richard Dressner, friend and talented photographer. Rich has had a lifetime passion for being behind the lens of a camera and has become a serious photographer for the past two years.  Inspired by the blooms and visitors to his wife's gardens, he is now embarking deeper into the world of macro photography and the use of various lighting techniques.

"Here's looking at you, kid" with Nikon D5100

 Recently, Rich prefers his Nikon D600 for all photography over his Nikon D5100.  When asked what other lenses he uses for his close ups and long distance shots Rich replies, "I don't have a real maco lens but I use a Nikon prime 50mm f/1.8 lens when I need to get close.  It can focus down to twelve inches from the subject and is sharp enough to allow for deep cropping...  

Cleome Nikon D5100

For more distant subjects I use my Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 VRII. It’s a very expensive lens but sharp and bright with outstanding vibration reduction". For general landscape, I use a Nikon 24-85mm. The Nikon D5100 is still a good little camera for travel, etc." 

Lillium 2 Nikon D600

Here are some photographs of the gardens. When asked which type of photography is his favorite Rich replies, "I don't have a favorite, but I do enjoy garden and wildlife shots."

Lillium 2 Nikon D600

With winter approaching, he plans to experiment with mysterious lighting and dabble in studio shots.

Monarch Butterfly Nikon D5100

Enjoy the rest of these amazing photos.  I cannot seem to get enough of them!

Monarch Butterfly Nikon D5100

"Murder in the Garden" Praying mantis and Bumblebee with Nikon D5100

Praying mantis Nikon D600

Praying mantis Nikon D5100

Sedum & Buckeye butterfly with NIkon D5100

Swallowtail Butterfly Nikon D5100

Water lily with Nikon D600

 According to Rich, "Photography is an interest that welcomes everyone. It can be deeply technical, but modern cameras are automated enough to allow people of all skill levels to achieve beautiful results, and flexible enough to grow with the photographer as new skills are acquired and the safety net of automation is no longer needed. If you shoot what you are passionate about, it’s a thrilling and rewarding pursuit."

As Always...Happy Gardening! 

 

Author: Lee@A Guide To Northeastern Gardening, Copyright 2013. All rights reserved. 

Feature Shrub: Spirea Double Play 'Big Bang'

Double Play® Big Bang Spirea

Spirea japonica 'Tracy' P.P.A.F.
 

There is a new flowering shrub for your garden and its name is Spirea Double Play 'Big Bang'.   Massive pink blooms against glowing red spring foliage and bright yellow summer foliage make this plant a must have in the garden.   'Double Play' Spirea exhibit both colorful foliage and large robust flowers that are larger than any spirea flower I have ever seen.  Massive pink blooms reach up to three inches across as compared to one and a half inch blooms of traditional spirea.

Double Play®Big Bang Spirea Mid-Spring Foliage

Spirea 'Double Play' is a deciduous low mounding shrub hardy to zones 4-9. It prefers to be grown in part to full sun in a slightly acidic well drained soil. Spirea 'Double Play' grows to a height and width of 24-36 inches and exhibits a low compact mounding habit. Blooms emerge from new growth in spring so spirea can be pruned in late winter before flowering or after flowering in late summer. Once established this shrub is relatively low maintenance and is also drought tolerant.

Double Play®Big Bang Spirea Early Spring Foliage

Spirea 'Double Play' Big Bang displays bright orange foliage in early spring...

Double Play®Big Bang Spirea Late Spring Foliage

 

followed by bright yellow foliage in late spring...followed by beautiful pink blooms in summer.

      Double Play®Big Bang Spirea Summer Foliage     

As an added bonus Spirea 'Double Play' is both 'deer resistant' and

attracts hummingbirds. It is an ideal shrub for foundation plantings, mixed

borders and mass plantings.  In my opinion I would have called this plant " triple play"

for its beautiful foliage, extraordinarily large blooms and outstanding performance!

  It is sure to be a hit in your garden!

  

 As Always...Happy Gardening!

Author: Lee@A Guide To Northeastern Gardening, Copyright 2013. All rights reserved 

 

 



Long Island Peace Labyrinth and Memorial Garden

Sayville Peace Labyrinth & Memorial Garden

One of my favorite places to visit in my hometown of Sayville, Long Island, New York is a beautifully designed and laid out Peace Labyrinth and Memorial Garden which was constructed in 2003 as a memorial for the victims of September 11, 2001.  The labyrinth and community gardens are located on the Common Ground in Gillette Park on Candee Avenue in the town of Sayville on the south shore of Long Island.  

Sayville Peace Labyrinth Constructed 2003

The labyrinth was designed,laid out and financed by Marianne Fulfaro as a dedication to her parents, Carlo and Carmela Annunziato.  It is designed after a seven circuit Middle Ages Mini-Chartres design and it constructed of paving stones with red gravel as the pathways leading to the center. Along the garden pathways are etched memorial paver stones, benches and mosaics. Visitors can walk the labyrinth, meditate, pray or just enjoy the peaceful gardens.

Sayville Peace Labyrinth & Memorial Garden

The gardens leading to the labyrinth were created through voluntary efforts, donations from community members, grants and support from the Town of Islip.   They are maintained through the loving hands of Master Gardener Nancy Angermaier and community volunteers.  The grounds of the Common Ground are especially lovely near the end of the summer when sprays of Rudbeckia (Black Eyed Susan), Echinacea (Coneflower), Sedum, Crape Myrtle, Butterfly Bush and Fountain Grasses grace the landscape.

Rudbeckia (Black Eyed Susan) and Ornamental Grasses

For additional interest a number of colorful evergreen and deciduous shrubs such as Montgomery Globe Spruce and Barberry also grace these gardens.  Along the benches one can also admire Stachys (Lamb's Ear) and Coreopsis. A Butterfly Bush (seen in the backdrop) draws Monarchs and Swallowtails to the garden.

Swallowtail Butterfly on Butterfly Bush

A moment of peace and beauty...

The Pamela Raymond Performance Pavilion



This pavilion was designed and constructed as a common ground for community members to gather and appreciate the arts.  Residents of all ages gather here and enjoy the feeling of community and unity.

Montgomery Globe Blue Spruce (left), Rudbeckia, Sedum and Lamb's Ear

I cannot seem to get enough of this lovely tribute.  It is a place I visit often and return to over and over again with loved ones to experience the warm and comforting feeling of a community that is truly joined by a garden. 

Butterfly Bush and Barberry

I am pleased that am able to share this lovely place with my readers for its true beauty is not only in the gardens but in the hands that were used to create it.  The plaque below says it all.

Sayville Peace Labyrinth & Memorial Garden

If you are ever in the Sayville area be sure to stop by to experience the Peace Labyrinth.  The Labyrinth and gardens are open to the public and there are full moon walks available throughout May to October.    Special memorial services are held on September 11th -weather permitting.

The Common Ground Memorial Service
September 11, 2012
7:00 pm – 8:30 pm

Hope you enjoyed the visit and As Always...Happy Gardening!

Author: Lee@A Guide To Northeastern Gardening, Copyright 2012. All rights reserved