THE POWER OF THE PLANT

Two years ago, on a budget I needed to fill a large space under my front window. I wasn't exactly sure of the direction I wanted to go so for the time being I purchased three large pluming grasses and placed them in the bare spot. The grasses are beautiful, giving a flowing grace in contrast to the other more rigid plants they surround. However, come winter I find myself displeased with the empty space once the grasses turn dormant. As luck would have it a family member asked me if I'd like a newly purchased rhododendron since she was reworking her garden space and no longer had room for it. Wouldn't you know it fit perfectly in place of one of my three grasses. I'll provide a full picture of the newly configured front scape once the grasses have grown in more. 

M y front yard is beginning to come to life as all the dormant trees and perennials slowly show what they've got. With, believe it or not, 9 trees in my front yard alone, the property goes from drab to lush as leaves fill what appears to be empty space. The greatest memorial I have created is through the use of trees, each memorializes the loss of a close loved one and has been specifically planted with a person in mind. Here on the left is a weeping #katsura tree I bought three years ago to honor my grandmother and to it's left (and out of frame) is my newest addition in memory of my father. The #magnoliavirginiana or #sweetbaymagnolia tree was purchased for my house by my first cousins and was waiting for me at home as I returned from my fathers funeral. It had been beautifully wrapped in a funerary purple ribbon. What an amazing thoughtful gift from my cousins. A piece of history and a reminder of my father that I will care for year after year.

After one of the longest and coldest winters experienced here in the northeast, we are finally experiencing many more scattered days filled with bright sunshine and holding temperatures in the 60s. People are smiling a little more brightly and the trees have begun their return from dormancy. The weekends are occupied by homeowner's who either find the yearly spring clean-up daunting or others such as myself, who embrace the chore as a sign of the 4 beautiful months ahead where we get to enjoy general gardening, vegetable growing, swimming and beaching, sunning and an overall period of enhanced outdoor living. This is the time of year northeasterners generally snap out of their malaise and once again come alive. The warmth and light of the past week has beckoned perennials to show their faces and evergreens and trees have sprouted new growth and buds. As it generally happens in the first week the growth seems minuscule and slow and then upon the second week (even though this h...

Last year in late summer, early autumn I was walking around the nursery when I came upon a bag of bulbs that seemed just right as early spring filler. Boy was I right! The anemones were a little confused as they began growing during a winter warm spell, never flowered and then really took off in early spring. The flowers are delicate yet stoic with deep shades of blues and purples. These are such a great addition to the early spring garden (even before the tulips bloomed) the anemones flowered.

In my somewhat (many) years on this planet I have yet to experience a winter such as the one that we are currently enduring here in the northeast. Snow, snow and then some more snow mixed with rain that eventually turns into snow is the weather pattern of the season. This might have been exciting had I been a 10 year old boy who (would be) looking forward to school closures, but alas I am not and in fact my place of business has not offered one stinkin' snow-day. With that said I have a few worries regarding my established yet still young shrubs and trees. Some are absolutely covered in mounds of white while others are bending to the weight of the now icy snow mixture. Luckily tomorrow will warm up with temperatures projected in the 50s and plenty of rain, hopefully enough to wash away most of the lingering mounds of snow. My only hope is that the root systems have established themselves enough to keep my young little plants holding on just long enough to endure a few more wee...

Winter 2014 in the North East has been a tad been daunting in this year. While single digit temperatures and snowstorm after snowstorm have reeked havoc on my skin, all of my plants and shrubs seem to have endured thus far. My primary concern has been my thujas which are two years old and growing rapidly along my fence line. Snapping, breaking and bending from the weight of heavy snow and ice can ruin and/or kill them. So far so good. Just waiting this weather out for one more month and we will be in the clear!

As the trees and shrubbery go dormant for winter here in the northeast I begin to concentrate more on indoor projects. With Christmas around the corner what better than to put a little energy into tree decorating and present wrapping? This year my love and I bought a new faux tree from Michael's along with many, many sparkly adornments. And yes we did in fact make a point to head out with the masses on Thanksgiving night to take advantage of the sales (something I swore I'd never do!) With a vast assortment of high-end meets low-end buys I am proud of the overall outcome of our tree and wrapping presentation. Cheap tree from Michael's meet expensive ornaments from Restoration Hardware. Expensive wrapping paper meet cheap ribbon from .99 Cent Dreams. It's all about mixing it up and saving some dough along the way. And putting a smile on your loved ones face!

My two Royal Empress trees are in their second season of growth and have surpassed 20 feet tall. In early spring when buds and leaved began to appear I pruned back the growth at about 8-10 feet to allow a long tree trunk for aesthetic purposes and to allow the foliage to clear the stop sign. In early summer the trees appeared to have a bug problem as the leaves had small holes in them but as summer progressed the problem ceased so I did not have to spray the trees. Neighbors and passerby do in fact stop frequently and ask questions about the trees. People in general seen excited watching the rapid growth and unique tree.

In the midst of 4 large yellow day lilies is my one white astilbe. While the flowers on this perennial don't get as full as the deeper pink varieties it shows with such grace in a delicate manner in front of the hardness of the lilies. This is the astilbe's second year and it has doubled in size.

Last year my father built this lattice trellis for me. From past experience I knew to stay away from wisteria and trumpet vine, although both are gorgeous just VERY invasive. For my space climbing hydrangea seemed the best bet as it does not send out runners and attaches nicely with a thick bark like vine as it ages. Also, its clean white flowers and bright green foliage look great against my gray house and trellis. I planted this hydrangea last autumn and it has already grown tremendously. It's a beautiful choice when a vine is needed but containment is an issue.

Once when I was a child I bought a pack of seeds (through mail order) from the winner of New York's largest pumpkin grower. My father and I tended to the one pumpkin plant, following all instruction including pruning all but one flower and laying hay over the soil as to avoid the pumpkin from rotting. Fast forward 25 years and I've decided to take on the venture once again! Last Halloween pranksters dropped off about 10 pumpkins on my front porch which I took delight in and placed throughout the yard. Over the winter I left them as a food source for the squirrels. Come this spring many seeds germinated and the idea clicked once again. I transplanted two of the strongest looking seedlings into my homemade wooden garden box and they quickly took off. My first pumpkin has appeared and I will now prune back all other flowers as to provide all sustenance to this one pumpkin. For the second vine I will let a few smaller pumpkins grow. Below is the beginning of what i hope will...

Since my two cats are very much a part of my life and my house, here is a little comic relief of sorts. These siblings couldn't be any different. Blackie is a needy mush and Sparkie is an independent typical feline who wants affection when it suits her. Love these two to death! My babes! Blackie Sparkie

My wonderful neighbor Patty showed up at my door with a pot of pansies and a bottle of wine.  Just a little gesture to cheer me up after going through a bit of a rough patch. The kicker is, Patty has been undergoing chemo, a double mastectomy and radiation for breast cancer which she was diagnosed with last year. A couple weeks ago after falling from a dizzy spell two malignant tumors were discovered on Patty's brain. Surgery has successfully removed one tumor and the other will be treated with radiation. During all this Patty has kept a smile on her face and strength in her heart. Below are the pansies, now planted under my horn beam tree. Given to me as a gesture to cheer me up because of my "rough patch". It's almost silly to think I should have anything to complain about. These flowers make me smile every time I look at them. What an amazing lady Patty is to still be thinking of others while undergoing such a tremendously stressful time in her own life. Much l...

I was not sure my Salvia would survive the winter. They fully disappeared and left me wondering when spring arrived if I'd need to but new perennials to fill in the space. I'm happy to say that they not only returned, but returned with strength, abundance and beauty. The flower stalks are more than I could have ever imagined. The plants are strong and noble. In Nassau County Salvia is legal while in Suffolk and the surrounding areas this plant has been under scrutiny due to its hallucinogenic effects. Some dry the leaves and smoke them or make a potent tea that apparently is stronger than LSD. While I'll never know the effects I'll take the experts word on the matter. For me the plant is beautiful and when pruned regularly throughout the summer, it blooms the entire season through. Salvia under river birch shot at night

I'm very pleased with my second season landscape. All has survived our Long Island, NY winter and with the well established root system the trees, shrubs and perennials have returned stronger than before. River Birch (left) dianthus bath's pink, horn beam tree and variegated willow shrub red filagree lace japanese maple (40 years old)