Winter Blooms

On Christmas Eve, it snowed... just a little bit, but enough to bring a smile to my face and a dusting to the ground. One of my favorite plants in the winter is the Holly. Deep green or variegated, red berries or yellow, their strong beauty in the winter landscape is a welcome sight.

Here is my variegated Holly bursting with red berries this time of year, under a dusting of snow.

Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season and has a very happy new year!

An Inside Out Garden

I came across this unique garden in an office building. It is glass enclosed but open at the top and filled with containers holding trees and seasonal plants - which can be changed easily with the seasons. For the fall display, this inside-out garden showcased grasses, mums, kale, autumnal hued croton and pumpkins. There were a few benches placed in front of the glass so visitors could sit and have a quiet, beautiful place to rest. So great!

What's Blooming this Month? November 2013

Not too much is blooming this month, to be honest. After all, it is November. But also, it's Garden Bloggers Bloom Day and so, along with other fellow garden bloggers, I'm here to show you what is going on in my garden this month.

Just two weeks ago, my garden and surrounding landscape was a mass of autumn vibrant colors (take a look here). Then a cold snap happened earlier this week and we actually got a dusting of snow. Now everything tender has died back and the leaves are almost all gone. Still, there is beauty if you look for it.

The pink carpet rose is still going strong with a few blossoms and buds here and there. Never thought I'd enjoy the color pink in November as much as I do now.

Speaking of pink, the first blossoms of my Anenome 'Queen Charlotte' plants are starting to fade, but they still have a few more buds on them and we are due for a warm weekend...maybe they will surprise me with one last hurrah.

 The variegated Liriope is still looking great, especially against the pink rose hips from the carpet roses.

Ever lovely pansy is still showing is autumnal-hued face. I love how this variety compliments the colors of the season.

Likewise, these marigolds are still looking great with the orange and red colors. They are not too happy about the recent cold, but are holding on in my vegetable garden which has otherwise been put to bed.

The Autumn Fern (Dryopteris erythrosora) still looks beautiful and green. They were planted just this year, so they are not yet to their true size.

 Another rose still blooming - the Knockout Rose. I just love this deep red color.

And it wouldn't be late fall without the emergence of the berries and seed pods. On the Crape Myrtle (above), the berries take center stage now that most of the leaves have dropped. On the variegated Holly (below), the bright red berries really stand out amongst the green and white leaves.

Poor little daffodils have been tricked into thinking it's spring with the weather we have been having. Sadly, though, I think they are a rude awakening rather soon...

And finally, not really a bloom, but we have huge, old oak tree in our backyard. And the amount of acorns it drops on daily, if not hourly, basis is astounding. You can't walk outside without hearing their crunch under your feet and you must wear a helmet or risk getting pelted on your head by a falling acorn!

What's blooming at your house? Have a look over at May Dreams Garden blog where she hosts the monthly gathering of blogs around the world to show off what's blooming.

Thanks for visiting!

Fall Foliage in New York

Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower -- Albert Camus

Here on the north shore of Long Island, that quote is certainly true. The beauty of New York's fall foliage is right outside my window...

 The Barberry bush is a multitude of vibrant colors - like an impressionist painting. 

The leaves of the Lady in Red fern (Athyrium filix-femina 'Lady in Red) have turned from 

lush green to butter yellow, still atop it's red stems.

 The Hostas are a gorgeous golden color

 The Crape Myrtle has just turned colors - more red at the top and yellow/orange toward the bottom.

 Although the Pee Gee Hydrangea's flowers have technically faded, I think their brown/pink hue is a lovely compliment to the yellow leaves in it's drooping habit.

The older Crape Myrtle in the front of the house is not only bursting with color but also berries, 

residing where the flowers once reigned. 

 As the days progress, the flowers on Sedum 'Autumn Joy' get progressively deeper 

and the leaves get lighter - a stunning contrast!

This Maple tree on my street looks like it is on fire. On closer look to the leaves (below) you can see the variation of color on each individual leaf. It looks like someone hand painted each of them. 

The Privet shrub is also bursting with bluish-purple berries, 

nestled tightly along the stems under the bright yellow and green leaves. 

Each autumn "flower" is different from the rest! Which one is your favorite?

Spooky Looking Plants

Happy Halloween!
On a recent visit to the New York Botanical Garden, I found some plants that looked down right spooky (with a little imagination of course). Have a look and let me know if you agree!

 The evil, staring one-eyed yellow lady...

 Help me! I'm being devoured by a purple monster! Said Mr. Bee.

 Beware of the purple tentacles of the scary monster hiding in the bushes...

 Oh no, the shrub is bleeding!

 Snakes, twisted and curling over one another on the ground...

 Bony, knobby fingers of a skeleton's hand...

 A mysterious, entrancing pink orb with laser beam eyes....

 Sea serpents emerging from the pond, looking for prey...

Beady little eyeballs, caked in blood...

 The moldy, green crevices of the brain...

 Creepy skeleton like creatures swaying in the breeze...

 A rat's tail!

 Icky, sticky spider web, painted purple to lure you in...

Hope you have a wonderful and spooktacular Halloween!

Late Season Blooming Flowers: Anenome 'Queen Charlotte'

Japanese anenomes are a great choice of perennial for late season color in the garden. It blooms prolifically from late summer through early fall, even until frost in some climates. 

'Queen Charlotte' is a new addition to my garden and I was so excited to see it's blossoms appear last week. 

This anenome has a lovely light pink flower, single to semi-double blossoms with a cluster of bright yellow stamens in the center. The flowers appear atop tall, wiry stems above a pretty cluster of green foliage. The delicate stems sway in the breeze and the soft pink color is a welcome hue in the fall garden. 

They prefer partial shade but will tolerate more sun if need be and can grow to 3 feet tall. 'Queen Charlotte' are a great cut flower too!

What's Blooming This Month? October 2013

Autumn is definitely in the air! The leaves are starting to turn, the air is cool and dry and the mums are blooming everywhere beautifully.

Here's what's blooming in my Long Island garden this month:

Rudbeckia 'Cherry Brandy'

The carpet roses are still blooming and their pale pink color is a nice contrast to the 

golds, reds and oranges this month. 

The New Guinea Impatiens are really looking full and lush right now. They are paired next to an attractive variety of coleus that keeps a mounding habit. 

The Japanese maple tree is the highlight of this garden bed. 

Below it, the Sedums have taken center stage. 

Salvia pratensis 'Twilight Serenade'

The last few remaining Black-eyed Susans are complimented nicely by the 

deep pink of these New Guinea Impatiens. 

Salvia 'Black and Blue' - oh how I love the deep, rich color of the blooms contrasting to the bright green foliage. Definitely getting more of these next season. 

Ornamental peppers look right at home next to the cheery, yellow mums. 

The Montauk Daisy is just starting to bloom and is such a welcome sight this month!

And that's what's going on in my part of the world! Be sure to check out what else is growing around the country over at May Dreams Gardens "Garden Blogger Bloom Day" list.

Fall Container Idea

I came across this beautiful fall container at the local garden center the other day. I love the mixture of colors and textures!

The Purple Majesty Millet grass is surrounded by the warm colored leaves of croton, pink lantana, silver dusty miller and pansies (among others). Not the usual fall container combination one would usually see but I think they all compliment one another!

What's Blooming This Month? September 2013

Today is Garden Bloggers Bloom Day! Here's a look at what's growing and blooming in my Long Island garden this month.

The variegated Liriope is now in full bloom. The lovely purple spikes of flowers are a welcome splash of color in the garden. 

I love the contrast of the pink flowers against the lush green leaves of this begonia and the entire plant form in front of the garden wall.

Beyond the Liriope, the pink carpet roses continue to bloom and are truly maintenance free. What a joy to have in the garden.

The hot colors of the Lantana remind me that summer is not over yet, as they continue to bloom in the warm September sun.

My latest addition to the border - Callicarpa acuminata 'Woodlanders'. Similar in form to the more common beautyberry shrub, but these have larger, deeper purple colored berries. The berries just started turning color so I'm anxious to see how it looks when it's full of them!

Dragon Wing Begonias...every time I pass this spot, I have to stop and marvel at their beauty. The dark pointed leaf with the striking red flower and how it gently flops over the top of my rock wall is simply lovely.

When the Sedum 'Autumn Joy' begin to bloom, you know it must be September on Long Island. They start with a light pink hue and gradually get darker as the weeks progress.

And of course, the mums are coming into bloom. This one is an orange/brown shade. I love how they compliment the changing of the leaves this time of year.

Salvia 'Black and Blue' is an annual here, but I couldn't resist enjoying it for a few more weeks until it gets too cold. Next year, I'll have to buy this one earlier in the season so as to enjoy it longer.

 The Knockout Roses are still going strong and look pretty next to the yellow Rubeckia.

And look what I found - this one lone bloom on my azalea bush! Go back to sleep little one, see you in the spring!

And that's what's going on in my part of the world! Be sure to check out what else is growing around the country over at May Dreams Gardens "Garden Blogger Bloom Day" list.