Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day & Foliage Follow-Up January: Winter Views and Blooms!

Welcome!

Happy New Year and welcome to my Long Island garden for the first time in 2023! The month of January has been relatively uneventful weather wise, with temperatures in the upper 40's, and a chill in the air, but not too unbearable to venture out into the garden. On the milder days, I am able to get some exercise by getting rid of some of those enduring weeds, while observing what is around me. Come along and see the changing garden and we might just run into some winter blooms along the way!

A Little Bit of Whimsy!

As we start the tour, here is the newest addition to the garden. It makes me smile each time I pass it by.

Patio Garden

For some winter color, Nandina 'Obsession' is going through its first January in the garden with its brilliant pinkish-red foliage. Here it is in front of Weeping Norway Spruce, with Ajuga 'Black Scallop' behind the spruce to the right.

Patio Garden- Dwarf Red Pine and Juniper 'Goldstrike'

In the patio garden, the foliage of Juniper 'Goldstrike' turns from its golden hues in summertime to a more bronzed look in wintertime. Dwarf Red Pine, Ajuga 'Black Scallop' and Japanese Golden Sedge add some more evergreen foliage for interest.

Winter Foliage-Osmanthus (False Holly)

One thing I love about Osmanthus 'Goshiki' is its changing foliage. Here, in wintertime, the newer growth takes on a pinkish-golden hue above the more mature green foliage tipped with yellow highlights, making it ideal for winter viewing.

Mugo Pine

I strive to look for different attributes among plants throughout the seasons. In wintertime the seed cones of  this Mugo Pine become even more prominent.

Japanese Andromeda 'Cavatine'

The seed heads of Japanese Andromeda 'Cavatine' also stand out this time of year. In the backdrop is the foliage of Heuchera 'Caramel' (Coral Bells), which endures pretty well throughout the winter.

Osmanthus 'Goshiki' (False Holly) Winter foliage

As we pass by, here is another Osmanthus 'Goshiki' with its foliage up close.

Garden Love!

One always needs a little garden whimsy with some humor mixed in. Here is another one of my favorite statues!

Back Perimeter Garden

Following along to the back perimeter garden, Weeping Blue Atlas Cedar adds some color to the winter garden, accompanied by Coral Bells 'Palace Purple' and Japanese Golden Sedge along its base.

Patio Planter Horizontal

I got into making up container planters for the patio a few years back and am enjoying them throughout all the seasons. The first is a horizontal planter with Variegated Boxwood, Dwarf Alberta Spruce 'Jean's Dilly' and Dwarf Hinoki Cypress Nana 'Lutea'..

Patio Planter Vertical

and the second (vertical) planter has a centerpiece of Dwarf Alberta Spruce 'Jean's Dilly', with Whipcord Western Red Cedar (Thuga plica 'Whipcord') along the sides, and Dwarf Hinoki Cyress 'Nana' (Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Nana') front center. Helpful Tip: Dwarf Alberta Spruce 'Jean's Dilly' is a newer cultivar that grows even slower than the standard, making it excellent for planters.

Front Driveway Border

Now that we have ventured the backyard, let's stroll up to the front gardens. Here the reddish tinged branches of Coral Bark Maple can be seen in the distance with Skyland's Golden Oriental Spruce and Weeping Blue Atlas Cedar in the foreground.

Skyland's Oriental Spruce and Coral Bark Maple

Here is a closer view. The colder its gets, the brighter the color of the branches on the maple become. 

Hellebore 'Shooting Star'

Now, I did mention that we may come across some January blooms! Helleborous 'Shooting Star' never disappoints. Its foliage remains evergreen year round and buds appear in December, which open in January and last for months. The flowers are really not flowers at all, but bracts, which is why they last for so long.

Hellebore 'Shooting Star'

In the upcoming months, there will be other varieties of Hellebore in bloom, keeping the magic of the winter garden going!

Welcoming Bear!

As we come to the end of our stroll, welcoming bear greets us with his holiday display, as we venture to the indoor garden.

Flowering Jade Plant

While it's cold outside, indoor gardening keeps me busy. November and December brought a display of flowering Thanksgiving cactus, and as we get a few cold nights along the southern and western windowsills, Jade Plant produces blooms! Currently, I have two Jade Plants, which are each over 30 years old, along with several offspring from cuttings. I have passed on many plantings as gifts to keep its legacy going.

Thank you for Visiting!

I hope you enjoyed your visit to my January garden and as always, I look forward to your comments and 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, 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. Here is to a wonderful 2023 planting season and gardens that thrive!

IN THE NEWS!!! 

I am excited to announce that my fifth book, Shade Gardening for the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic: A Guide to Planning the Ultimate Shade Garden is now a reality! Published on January 3rd, an official launching post will be out on the 1st! In the meantime, go check it out! I am hoping I can share over 150 shade plants along with gardening tips with you!

I was recently asked to contribute to an article on Indoor Gardening-Experts Advice. Come check it out as I answer a question about growing Bonsai and be sure to check out the other articles Porch.com has to offer!

Looking for some gardening help and inspiration? Check out my Author Page & Books!

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

and my newest addition Shade Gardening for the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic

"As Always...Happy Gardening!" 

This Month in the Garden: Feature Low Maintenance Evergreen-Dwarf Mugo Pine

Feature Plant: Pinus Mugo 'Slowmound' (Dwarf Mountain Pine)

Hardy in USDA zones 2-8 and part of the Iseli TRUdwarf® introduction, Dwarf Mugo Pine 'Slowmound’ is a slow growing, compact evergreen with attractive dark green needles on a uniform mounding plant that grows to a maximum height and width of just 4 feet high by 6 feet wide. It is a compact enough plant to introduce into even the smallest of spaces, such as along a walkway, and is extremely easy to care for with low maintenance. All the plants in the TRUdwarf® collection are propagated from root cuttings, making each plant true to its original.

Pinus Mugo 'Slowmound'

This versatile evergreen is an excellent choice for garden borders, water-wise gardening and rock gardens. Plant 'Slowmound' in full sun to partial shade with moderate watering and a well-drained soil and it will perform beautifully. I find that placing this cultivar in an eastern exposure is ideal, but it does just as well with afternoon sun from a western facing location, making it very versatile. 'Slowmound' is also tolerant of a variety of soil types, ranging from sandy to clay, loamy and rocky and is known to be drought and salt tolerant once established.

Walkway Planting: Pinus Mugo 'Slowmound' paired with Liriope 'Variegata'

If you are looking for an attractive, slow growing and low maintenance evergreen for your garden, then this could be the plant for you. Excellent companion plants include Japanese Garden Juniper and Variegated Liriope, as seen here. A new one of a kind ground-hugging addition to the TRUdwarf® series will be coming onto to the market in the spring of 2023. Keep an eye out for Mugo Pine 'Pesto'!

I hope you enjoyed This Month in the Garden for the month of August. 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...Happy Gardening!

 For gardening information visit: My Author Page and Books

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. 

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

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

Welcome to my September Garden!

As the years pass by, the month of September has become one of my favorite times in the garden as temperatures moderate into the upper 70's, blue skies are frequent and humid days turn into less humid ones. There is a slight crispness as the cooler breezes rush in during the mornings and evenings and the landscape transitions from summer into Fall. Join me to see what is blooming in my late summer Long Island garden.

September Garden

Grab a beverage and come along!

Lagerstroemia (Crape Myrtle) 'Sioux'

The end of July through September is Crape Myrtle season and this Lagerstroemia 'Siox' is showing off its bountiful blooms. Crape Myrtle are cold hardy to USDA zone 6, and growers keep working on developing stronger and more cold tolerant cultivars so they can be grown here in our zone 7a climate. I planted this tree at just a few feet tall in a large patio container some twenty-something years ago until it was transferred to this island bed. It now towers at over 20 feet tall and its deep pink blooms never cease to amaze me.

Crape Myrtle 'Sioux'

Standing from the patio and looking out, you can see a long view of the island bed with Juniperus 'Gold Lace' to the left, Hydrangea and Skip Laurel in the backdrop and Blue Globe Spruce in the foreground. 

Dwarf Butterfly Bush (Buddleia) 'Pugster Blue'

Another favorite in the garden for September is dwarf Butterfly Bush 'Pugster Blue'. With its fragrant blooms, this shrub is a pollinator magnet for a variety of butterflies and bumblebees, and sometimes I even get to experience a hummingbird moth hovering around it!

Dwarf Maiden Grass Plumes 

At this time of the year, dwarf Maiden Grass 'Yaki Jima' is showing its interesting plumes in the back pool garden. Beneath Dwarf Maiden Grass 'Yaku Jima' is Sedum 'Brilliant' with its attractive light green foliage and deep pink blooms.

Stachys (Lamb's Ear) and Astilbe Late Summer

The Lamb's Ear bordering the perennial garden seems to look much brighter this time of year against the foliage of Astilbe, which is going into autumn mode.

Long Time Resident Tree

I had to show a view of this very mature Ash that was planted on our corner almost 40 years ago when it was just 10 feet high. It was planted by our neighbor down the street who has always had a love of horticulture like myself. He recently moved to South Carolina, but leaves his legacy behind!

Weeping Blue Atlas Cedar

With the Ash in the background, you can now get a view of the Weeping Blue Atlas Cedar (foreground), Skyland's Oriental Spruce (right) and Coral Bark Maple (center). You may notice how the back (southern) portion of the Maple is already changing color. That is from the salty air that blew in with Tropical Storm Isaias in August. You can see this happening all over Long Island, as we are southern bordered by the Great South Bay. 

Sedum 'Pure Joy' and Dwarf Japanese Cedar 

Follow me along to the front! This is Sedum 'Pure Joy' in front of Dwarf Japanese Cedar (Cryptomeria Globusa Nana) on the front island bed. Sedum 'Pure Joy' is hardy in USDA zones 3-9 and grows to just 12 inches high. Cryptomeria Globusa Nana is hardy in USDA zones 5-7 and grows to a compact height and width of approximately 2-3 feet.

Variegated Liriope (Lillyturf)

Here is another compact evergreen, Pinus mugo 'Slowmound' bordering the walkway along with Variegated Liriope. This combination is perfect for a narrow or small space.

Sedum 'Brilliant' and Mugo Pine

Here is another view of  Sedum 'Brilliant' in the front garden bed. This cultivar is smaller and more compact than 'Autumn Joy', standing at a height of 12-18 inches high.

Sedum 'Brilliant'

Pollinators love the Sedum this time of year!

Sedum (Stonecrop) Thundercloud

Here is another cultivar of Stonecrop, Sedum 'Thundercloud', in its second year in my garden. This variety grows in a low mound to just 12 inches tall by wide and displays jagged gray-green foliage and white blooms that resemble clouds. It is hardy in USDA zones 4-8 and blooms mid-late summer.

Hemerocallis (Daylily) 'Stella D Oro'

Here is 'Stella D Oro' Daylily sporting its last round of blooms. I love how this plant just keeps on giving! A little deadheading-rejuvenation is all it takes.

Hydrangea 'Tardivia' Tree Form

As we venture over to the northeastern side of the property, here is Hydrangea 'Tardivia' (hardy in USDA zones 3-8) with its fragrant panicle blooms that start in August and last through fall. It's lacy white flowers develop a pink hue as the season progresses. 

Hydrangea 'Tardivia' Blooms

I enjoy the beauty of the flowers and they are also excellent for putting into a vase to bring inside.

Coreposis 'Zagreb'

Here is a perennial that just keeps on giving from June until Fall. Coreopsis 'Zagreb' (hardy in USDA zones 3-9) is still blooming in the driveway border! 

Pollinators Love Coreposis 'Zagreb'

While the season is winding down, the pollinators are very happy!

Double Knock Out Roses in September

Double Knock Out Rose is still blooming! I absolutely love this plant as it blooms June through frost and can be seen right outside my window.

Double Knock Out Rose

Getting up close and personal to take in its mild fragrance is nice too!

Long Island Life

As our tour comes to an end, I'll leave you with a little Long Island life. The Great South Bay is just a couple of miles down the road south of us and I will often stop at the pier after working to take in the cool breezes off the bay and visit the seagulls that perch there. It's a wonderful way to top off a day and appreciate all that nature as to offer.

September Garden-Thank you for Visiting!

I hope you enjoyed your visit to my September garden. As always, I thank you for being here and enjoy hearing from you. 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 has hosted Foliage Follow-Up for all these years, a meme I will still continue to honor. I am also linking with some other wonderful hosts and hostesses at Floral Friday Fotos, 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. 

~Sharing my knowledge and passion of gardening~

My Author Page and Books

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

Landscape Design Combinations 

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

As Always...Happy Gardening! 😊

Author: Lee@A Guide to Northeastern Gardening,© Copyright 2010-2020. All rights reserved.