Stone staircase The hardscape and solid elements in the garden create an anchor for the plants and space. In the public garden I worked at, the original gard...

Entry to the woods Since we are having rain in spirts, now is the time to get a little bit done back in the woods in-between showers. Our little woodland is ...

Western Red Cedar – Thuja plicata Today is one of those cold winter days in the Northwest, highs just in the low 30s with some snow on the ground. It’s reall...

Dwarf Conifers in the garden This is a good time of year to assess your garden. Does it look good now? If it looks good in January and into early February it...

wreath Here on the early days of fall you can definitely feel the change of seasons. Fall color is just starting to kick in and lots of things are starting t...

Adding texture in a mixed border Ornamental grasses are suited to almost any kind of garden, from traditional to modern, from city to country. Grasses can be...

Hydrangea anomala ssp. petiolaris Oh grow up! That’s what I tell people who say they have no more room in their gardens. What I mean is vertical. To add anot...

textural and color contrast When we moved to Old Goat Farm we brought with us about 60 different types of Hostas. Reliable and hardy with countless combinati...

Epimedium Botanical Print Epimedium is another genus that we became avid collectors of several years ago. While working at the Miller Garden we were constant...

Amelanchier x grandiflora in spring This is a continuation of the blog from last week about that in-between layer in the garden canopy. I was fortunate that ...

Layers One of the big lessons I have learned in the garden is how to create layers. It is important not only because it makes the garden more interesting but...

Larger grouping One of the secrets to a good garden are good plant combinations. Sometimes they are just trial and error but there are a few rules that make ...

Iris ‘Latin Lover’ The Iris is a staple in many gardens. There are many different kinds requiring a number of different conditions. In the wild they grow fro...

Botanical Print When I think back to m childhood in North Dakota and remember flowers the first ones to come to mind are the Peonies. Both of my grandmothers...

Primula pulverulenta in the landscape Primula is a large genus of about 425 species and an untold number of cultivars. Most are herbaceous perennials and can...

Mount Rainier from the Chase Garden Today I’m meeting friend for lunch at the Chase Garden. This will probably be my last visit there since it is closing for...

path through the stumps That was 5 years ago and today it is stunning. The architecture of the wood stops you in your tracks and the plantings have softened ...