A GUIDE TO NORTHEASTERN GARDENING: horticulture

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Thursday, October 15, 2026

Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day & Foliage Follow-Up October: The Changing Views & Colors of Fall

Welcome!

Welcome to my zone 7b Long Island garden! It's nice to see you here! After our first nor'easter of the season on September 25 and through the 27th, dumping over three inches of rain upon the garden, the month of October has brought cooler temperatures in the 60's and drier days. A last reminder of summer brought temperatures back into the mid-70's as a final farewell, and now the slightly cooler breezes have returned, and it is the start of sweatshirt season. Join me for a tour of the garden to see remaining late summer blooms, changing foliage and the captivating colors of fall.

Hydrangea 'Firelight Tidbit

The first stop is along the eastern fence line. 'Firelight Tidbit' has become on of my most favorite varieties of hydrangea. From its lime-green blooms in spring, which change to pure white in summer, then to a deep pink in fall, this variety is compact, long-blooming and definitely a winner!

Allium 'Millenium' Seed Head

In the back border, the seed heads of Allium 'Millenium' are such fun! I planted these about three years ago, and am really enjoying the seasonal interest!

Dwarf Blue Spruce & Echinacea

Here is a combination of foliage and blooms. This is Dwarf Blue Globe Spruce with the dried seed heads of Echinacea (Coneflower) and golden Hinoki Cypress 'Nana' to the left. The bird visitors have been feasting on the leftover seeds!

Sedum 'Brilliant' Last Bloom!

As I was walking around the garden, I spotted this one last sedum bloom, which must have been sparked by the rain and warner temperatures...

Back Island Bed with Hydrangea 'Limelight Prime'

and in the back raised bed, Hydrangea 'Limelight Prime' has pushed out a new bloom!

Hydrangea 'Limelight Prime'

Here are the blooms up close. It is a plant that just keeps on giving!

Platycodon 'Kamachi' (Balloon Flower)

Around to the back perennial border, while the foliage of Balloon Flower 'Kamachi' is aging to a deep purple hue, there are still remaining blooms to be seen.

Knock Out Rose 'Radrazz'

This Knock Out Rose 'Radrazz', right outside the back door, has been blooming all summer and is pushing out another round of blooms that will last through the first frost.

Front Walkway

Fall is definitely evident along the front walkway as the foliage of Coral Bark Maple (left) transitions to a fiery orange and the Weeping Japanese Maple on the front lawn is almost glowing!

Front Lawn

This maple always puts on a show, but I think with the combination of drought we had this summer then a nor'easter with tons of rain, the colors seem to be much more vibrant this year.

Front Island Bed

The newly added Nepeta 'Chartreuse' has quadrupled in size on the front island bed since being planted this past spring, and has filled in nicely along the moss rock boulder wall.

Fall Mums!

We had a good season for the herb/vegetable planter, with tomatoes lasting all the way through to about a week and a half ago. After removing the completed plants, I thought, 'Why not plant some mums?!"

Back New Planting

Having mentioned the nor'easter that affected the entire east coast in September, the continuous rain for three days and winds gusting up to 50 miles per hour had caused a row of very mature Emerald Green Arborvitae along our northern fence line to uproot, so a major renovation was needed. The trees were taken out with a mini backhoe and replaced with these Blue Point Juniper and Juniper Sea of Gold just four days ago.

Hydrangea 'Tardiva'

Along the northern side of the property, Hydrangea 'Tardiva' is continuing to display its white panicle blooms that start in late summer and last through fall...

One Last Glance!

and we could not end the tour without one last glance of the Hydrangea 'Firelight Tidbit'!

Thanks for Visiting!

I hope you enjoyed your visit to my October garden. I so appreciate you being here, look forward to your comments and enjoy seeing what you have growing in your garden. 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, and Garden Affair at Jaipur Garden.

Connect With Me 🌼

It's time to plan your garden! Visit my Author Page 👈to learn about and purchase my books, each one focusing on different aspects of gardening, including landscape ideas, design principles, gardening by month for all-season interest, gardening tips and maintenance, shade gardening, gardening inspiration and more. And also be sure to check out my newest publication, The Houseplant Guide, to guide you on your houseplant journey! If you have read any of my books and have found them to be useful, reviews are very much appreciated!

Also, check out my newsletter Northeastern Gardening News for monthly updates all to do with gardening! It's free to subscribe or you can pledge a donation to show support for my work, or upgrade to receive extra perks monthly right into your inbox!

Find me on Instagram at Northeastern Gardening and Facebook at A Guide to Northeastern Gardening Blog & Author Page.

Until we Meet Again...Happy Gardening!

Thursday, October 1, 2026

Bayard Cutting Arboretum Dahlia Garden

William Wolkoff Dahlia Garden

Welcome to the William Wolkoff Dahlia Garden. Located within the Bayard Cutting Arboretum in the town of Great River, along Long Island's south shore, the Long Island Dahlia Society describes it as one of the largest public dahlia display gardens on the East Coast! With more than 1,300 dahlia plants and roughly 300 different varieties, it is definitely worth the visit. The garden was originally planted in 2012 and has been maintained since by volunteers from the Long Island Dahlia Society.

Autumn Clematis

The estate of William Bayard Cutting, originally known as Westbrook, began development in the 1880s, with guidance from the firm of Frederick Law Olmsted Cutting. William Bayard Cutting developed an important collection of conifers with the assistance of Charles Sprague Sargent, director of the Arnold Arboretum, and the Cutting family donated the property to New York State in 1936. The purpose was not simply to create another public park, but to preserve a place where people could appreciate landscape design and plants.

Semi-Cactus Dahlia 'Alfred Grille'

In 1944, The Long Island Dahlia Society was founded by a group of dahlia enthusiasts, and over the decades Long Island Dahlia Society has developed into an important regional dahlia organization, in which its volunteers now maintain the Wolkoff Garden at the Bayard Cutting Arboretum. Members are involved in the entire annual cycle of selecting and preparing tubers, staking, training, disbudding, pest control, identifying varieties, digging tubers, dividing tuber clumps, and winter storage and preparation for the following season.

Collarette Dahlia 'Pooh'

The Dahlia Garden fits in particularly well here at Bayard as the property has always had an emphasis on horticulture, plant collections and informal landscape design.

Semi-cactus Dahlia

Dahlia Garden

Judging the Dahlias: When judging each Dahlia, The American Dahlia Society has a detailed judging criteria and classifies each according not only to color, but by several other characteristics, including size, form, symmetry, stem thickness and proportion. The annual show is usually held the first week in September and features blooms ranging from tiny flowers to enormous dinner-plate varieties. The blooms can be visited throughout the month of September, and the park is open to the public Tuesday through Sunday throughout the year and closed on some holidays.

Dahlia 'Belle of Barmera'

The Secret to Getting Large Flowers: To achieve a giant exhibition flower, it is customary for growers to remove the two side buds and allow the central bud to develop, allowing the plant's energy to concentrate into one bloom. The American Dahlia Society describes this technique as removing the outer two buds from the three developing at the end of a branch. The result is a larger, stronger bloom.

Dahlia Garden

Dahlia 'Kelvin Floodlight'

Dahlia Midnight Dancer

Storing Dahlia Tubers for Winter: Dahlias are tender perennial plants, whose underground tubers survive winter only where the ground doesn't freeze deeply. After digging, remove excess soil, trim feeder roots, and allow the clump to cure/dry. Divide if desired, and store in a cool environment such as a garage. It is recommended to layer the tubers with a dry packing medium such as vermiculite or peat moss, although many growers successfully store them in plain paper bags with no medium at all. Label each variety and inspect periodically through winter. Long Island Dahlia Society recommends a storage environment around 40–50°F, with enough humidity to prevent the tubers from shriveling but without creating wet conditions that encourage rot.

Dahlia Garden Birdhouses

Dahlia Garden

Stroll around to see some other sights, then after you visit the Dahlia Garden, maybe you can find a peaceful place to rest, walk through the forest or perhaps...hug a tree!

A Peaceful Place to Rest...

Or A Walk Through the Forest...

Or Perhaps Hug a Giant Redwood Tree!

I hope you enjoyed the virtual tour of the Bayard Cutting Arboretum Dahlia display. Today the Arboretum encompasses roughly 690 acres along the Connetquot River and contains extensive collections of trees and seasonal plants. The yearly Dahlia display is certainly a delight to the eyes and definitely worth the visit! I have tried my best to identify the Dahlias pictured here, but do chime in if you know the variety for sure! As mentioned previously, the Arboretum is opened year round Tuesday- Sunday, except for some holidays.

Connect With Me 🌼

It's time to plan your garden! Visit my Author Page 👈to learn about and purchase my books, each one focusing on different aspects of gardening, including landscape ideas, design principles, gardening by month for all-season interest, gardening tips and maintenance, shade gardening, gardening inspiration, indoor gardening and more. As winter approaches, check out my book The Houseplant Guide for your indoor gardening needs!

Find me on Instagram at Northeastern Gardening and Facebook at A Guide to Northeastern Gardening Blog & Author Page.

As Always...Happy Gardening!

Tuesday, September 15, 2026

Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day & Foliage Follow-Up September: Late Summer Garden Tour

Welcome!

Welcome to my zone 7b Long Island garden! With fall approaching rapidly, the summer seems to have dwindled away so quickly. While the seasons are changing with cooler temperatures mostly in the 70's and much needed rain, the garden continues to produce interesting foliage and blooms. Join me for a tour and discover what there is to see!

Back Island Bed

Starting in the back island bed, the later blooming Hydrangea 'Limelight Prime' is still showing off its blooms, which turn in color from greenish-white to white and then to the pinkish tint, which you see here as we approach the fall season.

Patio Garden

Abelia 'Kaleidoscope' along the patio border is starting to produce its trumpet shaped white blooms in mid-September, which will continue into October. Since I introduced this relatively new addition to the garden, I have been enjoying the late summer interest and the foliage as well, as it remains mostly evergreen throughout the different seasons.

Abelia 'Kaleidoscope'

Here are the blooms up close!

Blue Globe Spruce and Echinacea (Coneflower)

Along the patio border, Blue Globe Spruce is in the distance with Echinacea Pow Wow 'Wild Berry' in the foreground. The American Goldfinches have really enjoyed the seed heads of the Echinacea this year!

Echinacea Late Summer

There are a couple of somewhat remaining blooms...

Echinacea Seed Head

and I am enjoying the interesting spiral structure of the seed heads.

Liriope 'Big Blue'

In the back shade border, Liriope 'Big Blue' (Lilyturf) is showing off its wonderful bright purple blooms...

Jacob's Ladder

while variegated Jacob's Ladder is displaying its wonderful foliage! The plant itself stays a compact 12 to 18 inches tall and produces bluish-purple blooms in late spring.

Northern Fenceline

Along the northern fence-line, Kousa Dogwood is joined by miniature Black Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia 'Little Goldstar') and Hosta 'Patriot'.

Back Shade Border 'Secret Garden'

Following the stepping stone path around to the "secret garden" is where Weeping Norway Spruce can be seen along with Mountain Hydrangea, Heuchera 'Caramel' (Coral Bells) and Jacob's Ladder.

Endless Summer Hydrangea Almost Fall

There are still the remains of some blooms on Endless Summer Hydrangea, and on the other side of the yard, Crape Myrtle 'Sioux' continues to bloom as we approach the back perimeter garden.

Back Perimeter View

Here is a view of a section of the back gardens along the perimeter on the southern side of the property with the patio garden in the foreground. Crape Myrtle 'Sioux' starts its bloom at the end of July and continues into fall.

Hydrangea 'Firelight Tidbit'

Here is another relatively new addition (within the last three years). Meet Hydrangea 'Firelight Tidbit'. Its white blooms are now getting their wonderful pinkish tint.

Sedum 'Pure Joy'

Speaking of pink, Sedum 'Pure Joy' is still blooming away since August...

Knock Out Rose 'Radrazz'

and blooming all summer long with its bright red blooms is Knock Out Rose 'Radrazz'.

Back Patio Garden

For a little foliage, here is Rhode Island Red Japanese Maple with variegated Osmanthus 'Goshiki' Weeping Blue Atlas Cedar, Dwarf Mugo Pine 'Slowmound' (left) and Dwarf Red Pine 'Low Glow' (right).

Front Island Bed with Moss Rock Boulder Wall

Follow me as we go around to the southeastern lawn where we see the newly added Nepeta 'Chartreuse' (Catmint) along the front of the new boulder wall. Since the large tree came down from the corner, the area is now receiving full sun and the Nepeta is doing well.

Front Eastern Border

Along the front foundation and facing directly east is golden Hinoki Cypress 'Verdoni', Juniperus 'Blue Star' and Japanese Variegated Sedge. With a slight cleaning out this past spring, the variegated sedge is exceptionally vibrant this season.

Hydrangea 'Tardiva' Front Northern Side

Hydrangea 'Tardiva' is one of the latest blooming hydrangea varieties and is blooming away for late summer through fall. I look forward to its large white panicle shaped flowers every year as the summer nears its end.

Hydrangea 'Tardiva' Blooms Up Close!

Here are the delicate blooms up close.

Starting to Look Like Fall!

As we near the end of the tour, you can see the changing foliage of Weeping Japanese Maple on the front lawn with Blue Atlas Cedar in the backdrop...

Tea Time!

and perhaps it is now time to enjoy a nice hot cup of tea!

Thanks for Visiting!

I hope you enjoyed your visit to my September garden. I so appreciate you being here, look forward to your comments and enjoy seeing what you have growing in your garden. 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, and Garden Affair at Jaipur Garden.

Connect With Me 🌼

Find me on Instagram at Northeastern Gardening and Facebook at A Guide to Northeastern Gardening Blog & Author Page.

Until we Meet Again...Happy Gardening!

Welcome!

Welcome to A Guide to Northeastern Gardening. I am a landscape/garden designer, consultant, speaker and book author from the south shore of Long Island. Involved in the horticultural field since 1996, I started this blog so that I could share my love of gardening with others. Join me for over 350 articles on general gardening, landscape design principles, gardening tips, planting, pruning, garden maintenance, feature plants and more. I look forward to and welcome your comments and will try my best to answer any questions that you may have. Thank you for visiting and do come back often! Happy Gardening! ~ Lee (A Guide to Northeastern Gardening)