A GUIDE TO NORTHEASTERN GARDENING

Thursday, May 15, 2025

Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day & Foliage Follow-Up May: Rainy Days and a Bounty of Blooms!

Welcome!

Welcome to my zone 7b Long Island garden! May is a busy month for blooms as the temperatures gradually warm up into the 70's by day, with frequent rain in the forecast, which now has us pretty much caught up from the lack of rain and drought conditions from last summer. Every day there is something new to explore in the garden, which makes May one of my favorite months for gardening and dreaming of what future blooms are in store. Join me for a tour!

Patio Border

As we pass by the patio border, new candles of growth can be seen on the Japanese Red Pine, along with the bright red new foliage on Rhode Island Red Japanese Maple. Juniper 'Gold Strike' is in the foreground and Osmanthus 'Goshiki' can be seen in the backdrop.

Perimeter Garden

In the perimeter garden, Weeping Blue Atlas Cedar is joined by Heuchera (Coral Bells) 'Caramel'...

Pool Border

and on the shadier side of the pool border is Golden Sweet Flag, Sky Pencil Holly and Leucothoe 'Axillaris'. Added just last summer is a new dwarf form of Nepeta called the 'Cat's Meow'.

Pool Border-Dwarf Nepeta 'Cat's Meow'

This variety has striking, long-lasting blooms and grows to seventeen to twenty inches tall, which is a little more compact when compared to other forms of catmint.

Backyard Island Berm

Along the back island berm, Hinoki Cypress 'Compacta' is joined by Mugo Pine, Hydrangea 'Limelight Prime' and Weigela 'My Monet', which is now blooming.

Back yard Island Berm-Weigela 'My Monet'

Weigela 'My Monet' is a dwarf form of Weigela growing to just one in a half to two feet tall by two and half feet wide with beautiful variegated foliage and pinkish-purple trumpet-shaped blooms in spring. This plant is beautiful for both its foliage and blooms.

Patio Border

Upright Japanese Maple Twombly's Red Sentinel is going on its third season along the patio border and is joined by Spirea 'Candy Corn' and Stachys (Lamb's Ear).

Patio Border-Spirea 'Candy Corn' and Stachys (Lamb's Ear)

Here is the Spirea and Lamb's Ear up close!

Island Berm-Heuchera 'Caramel and Ajuga 'Burgundy Glow'

Here 'Caramel' Coral Bells are joined by Ajuga 'Burgundy Glow'...

Pool Border-Encore Azalea

and Encore Azalea is blooming away!

Back "Secret Garden"

If you follow along a path behind the pool, you will find what I refer to as the "secret" garden. It is hidden around the bend and is a place where Azalea are in full bloom this time of year, along with the white blooms of Viburnum 'Summer Snowflake'.

Back Shade Garden-Viburnum 'Summer Snowflake'

Viburnum 'Summer Snowflake' is a more compact form of Viburnum which displays star-like white blooms in spring followed by a rebloom in late summer.

Back Pool Border-Shade Garden

Also around the bend in the "secret garden" is this statue of two children playing a game of piggyback.

Allium 'Globemaster'

Here is Allium 'Globemaster' along the pool border, which will be in full bloom by June with flowers up to five inches in diameter...

Pool Border-Cherry Laurel 'Otto Luyken'

while Cherry Laurel 'Otto Luyken' produces its spring blooms.

Shade Garden-Jacob's Ladder ‘Golden Feathers’

In the shade border on the northwestern side of the property is Jacob’s Ladder ‘Golden Feathers’ with its golden variegated foliage and lavender blooms. I am enjoying this new addition from last summer.

Shade Garden-Pulmonaria 'Leopard'

Along with Jacob’s Ladder is Pulmonaria (Lungwort) with its leaves speckled in while and bluish-purple blooms that appear during the end of April and through the month of May.

Hellebore 'Champion'

Even the Hellebores are still chiming in. Although their peak time is over, their colorful bracts still add a touch to a shady spot beneath the Weeping White Pine.

Front Main Lawn

As we approach the end of our tour for this month, here is a view of the front lawn with Weeping Japanese Maple ‘Viridis’ and Blue Atlas Cedar in the background…

Driveway Border

with Coral Bark Maple with Boxwood and Hinoki Cypress along the driveway border.

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 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, 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.

IN THE NEWS! Celebrating four months since The Houseplant Guide: How to Easily Select & Maintain Indoor Plants came to be! If you are into houseplants, this may be the book for you! I cover over 120 plant selections with full color photographs of each one and detailed descriptions on care and maintenance.

Other Places to Find Me:

You can 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!

Check out my newsletter Northeastern Gardening News for monthly updates all to do with gardening! It's free to subscribe and receive monthly updates 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, May 1, 2025

New York Botanical Garden 2025 Orchid Show

NYBG Orchid Show 2025

Welcome to This Month in the Garden! This April, I had the pleasure of visiting the New York Botanical Garden for its 2025 Orchid Show in person. The theme of this years show was Mexican Modernism, featuring a vibrant display of flora and architectural design, showcasing thousands of orchids inspired by architect Luis Barragan. It was a wonderful day for a stroll around the gardens both inside and out. I hope you enjoy this virtual tour!

Main Conservatory

The New York Botanical Garden was established in 1891, inspired by botanist Nathaniel Lord Britton and his wife Elizabeth, who were moved by a visit to the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, in England. Determined to create a similar institution in the U.S., they rallied support from civic leaders and scientists, eventually securing a 250-acre site in Bronx Park. The land, rich with native forest and ecological diversity, provided a perfect canvas for a public garden that would blend scientific research with natural beauty. By the early 20th century, NYBG had become a cornerstone of botanical science in North America, featuring extensive herbariums, research labs, and a commitment to education and conservation. Its centerpiece, the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, completed in 1902 is the home of thousands of tropical plants, seasonal displays, and the ever-expanding orchid collection.

2025 Orchid Show

Though NYBG’s orchid collection began long before the 21st century, it wasn’t until 2002 that the Orchid Show as we know it began. Created as a way to draw visitors during the winter months, the show quickly became a beloved annual tradition. After its 2003 debut, each year the Haupt Conservatory is transformed into a botanical wonderland filled with thousands of blooming orchids from around the world.

2025 Orchid Show

And beyond the orchid show…While at the Conservatory, visit the numerous garden rooms, each featuring a different type of landscape, including the tropical rainforest, woodland garden and the desert garden.

Tropical Rainforest-Bromeliad

Pineapple Plant

Woodland Garden

Desert Garden

Tropical Desert Garden

Daffodil Walk

After enjoying the orchid show and various gardens in the Conservatory, we took a leisurely stroll down Daffodil Walk, exploring Daffodils and Cherry trees all in a glorious bloom and Forsythia too, taking in all the beautiful works mother nature has to offer.

Cherry Trees in Bloom

Forsythia in Bloom

Enid A. Haupt Conservatory

The Orchid Show is more than a feast for the senses. It also serves as a platform for conservation and education. Orchids are one of the most diverse plant families on Earth, with many species threatened by habitat loss and illegal trade. NYBG uses the show as an opportunity to spotlight these issues and showcase its role in orchid research and preservation. Botanists at the Garden work year-round to study orchid genetics, develop propagation techniques, and collaborate with international organizations to protect wild species. The show helps fund these efforts while engaging the public with workshops, lectures, and interactive experiences that deepen appreciation for these complex plants. I hope you enjoyed This Month in the Garden and highlights of the 2025 NYBT Orchid Show!

Visit my Author Page/Purchase My 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

Shade Gardening for the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic

The Houseplant Guide: How to Easily Select & Maintain Indoor Plants

As Always...Happy Gardening!

Tuesday, April 15, 2025

Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day & Foliage Follow-Up April: Welcome Spring-Bring on the Blooms!

Welcome to my Garden!

Welcome! It has been a windy, cold, rainy April, but that does not stop the flowers from blooming! With some milder days mixed in with temperatures mainly in the 40's and 50's and the moderate rain, there are signs of Spring and the garden coming to life everywhere. Join me for a tour of my Long Island, zone 7b garden!

Welcoming Committee!

The welcoming committee stands by with beverage of choice in hand to greet visitors to the garden. Behind them, Spirea Double Play 'Candy Corn' adds a touch of brightness to the garden with its outstanding reddish-pink foliage, which later turns to orange, then to a mixture of light green and yellow with orange highlights, a color resembling that of candy corn; hence, the name. This addition is new to the garden just last year and I am loving it!

Hellebore 'Champion'

In the shade border, Hellebore 'Champion' is now in full bloom, displaying its pinkish-yellow bracts with pistils and stamens in the center. This evergreen with months of blooms is perfect for early arriving pollinators, with the first bumblebee visitor arriving just the other day.

Hellebore 'Merlin'

Also in bloom is Hellebore 'Merlin' with its pinkish bracts. It has been blooming for about a month now and continues to please, while in the same shade border is Hellebore 'Dark & Handsome'.

Hellebore 'Dark & Handsome'

I do love all the different varieties of Hellebores and how they bloom at different times throughout the winter, but I think just maybe 'Dark & Handsome' could be my favorite! It does point more downward that the other varieties, but the blooms are like no other!

Spirea Double Play 'Candy Corn' and Stachys (Lamb's Ear)

For some more colorful foliage, here is another view of Spirea 'Candy Corn' along with Stachys (Lamb's Ear). The soft white foliage of the Lamb's Ear has just started wakening up within the past few days.

Patio Border

Hyacinths are also in bloom right now. Here is purple Hyacinth with its fragrant blooms...

Patio Garden

joined by a white cultivar. Both exist right along the main patio within view.

Sedum 'Pure Joy'

Sedum 'Pure Joy' with its compact, lime-green foliage adds a nice touch to the garden throughout the season in anticipation for its later delicate pale pink blooms. It is also one of the most low maintenance plants in my garden, growing to just under a foot tall.

Sedum 'Angelina' (Stonecrop)

Here is Sedum 'Angelina' mixed in with a combination of several other varieties of Sedum groundcover along the pool border where it is in full sun all day. Later in the season, various colored blooms including yellow, pink and white will rise above the foliage, depending on which cultivar is blooming.

Peony 'Bartzella'

Another bloom to look forward in late May to early June is that of Peony 'Bartzella' This hybrid is a mix between the tree form and perennial form of peony, creating a stronger, sturdier plant with large yellow blooms that do not flop over. Springtime is certainly full of anticipation!

Pool Border

Along along the pool border are the forming buds of Allium 'Globemaster', which will bloom in early June along with blooms of Daylily 'Stella D Oro' to follow.

Allium 'Globemaster'

Here are the buds of Allium up close!

Pulmonaria 'Leopard'

One of my early spring bloomers in the shade garden is Pulmonaria. This variety is 'Leopard' with its deep green foliage that is freckled with white spots and complemented by bluish-purple blooms.

Jacob's Ladder 'Golden Feathers'

Jacob's Ladder is another shade plant known for its foliage, with blooms to follow.

Patio Garden North

Along the north side of the patio garden, the bright foliage of Nandina 'Obsession' continues to please along with Weeping Norway Spruce and Dwarf Cryptomeria. Soon the blooms of Ajuga 'Black Scallop' will accompany them.

Weeping Blue Atlas Cedar Driveway Border

While waiting for Liriope (Lilyturf) to start its new season, the trunk of the mature Weeping Blue Atlas Cedar along the driveway is now visible to see. This tree has certainly grown over the years into a huge specimen.

Driveway Border

Here is another view along of the Weeping Blue Atlas Cedar with Golden Skyland's Oriental Spruce and Coral Bark Maple in the backdrop. There is also the foliage of Boxwood, Japanese Garden Juniper, Blue Star Juniper, Hinoki Cypress and Mugo Pine to accompany them.

Dwarf Japanese Andromeda 'Cavatine'

A familiar sight in spring are the blooms of Japanese Andromeda. This is Pieris 'Cavatine', a dwarf version of the plant with small, bell-shaped white flowers that somewhat resemble those of Lily of the Valley.

Forsythia Blooming!

And of course it just wouldn't be spring without the blooms of Forsythia, which can be seen everywhere right now on the island. I planted this one on the street median years ago so that I could watch its early bright yellow display.

Thank you for Visiting!

I hope you enjoyed your visit to my April 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, 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.

IN THE NEWS! Celebrating three months since The Houseplant Guide: How to Easily Select & Maintain Indoor Plants came to be! If you are into houseplants, this may be the book for you! I cover over 120 plant selections with full color photographs of each one and detailed descriptions on care and maintenance.

Other Places to Find Me:

Check out my newsletter Northeastern Gardening News for monthly updates all to do with gardening! It's free to subscribe and receive monthly updates 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!

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)