The Rain Garden at Northview in summer.You may think that adding a rain garden to your own garden is not for you, but I am going to suggest that even a small one might be a good thing for you, your neighbors, and to encourage wildlife including pollinators.What is a Rain Garden?First of all – what …
Northview Dry Garden – 20 Years and Growing
An early summer view of the Dry Garden at Northview in SE Pennsylvania.20 years of Dry Gardening at NorthviewI have always loved to experiment with my garden designs, techniques, and planting choices. My Dry Garden here at Northview in south east Pennsylvania was one such project. It had its …
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Munstead Wood – Gertrude Jekyll’s Garden
Jenny Rose Carey at Munstead Wood with purple and pink lupins. Gertrude Jekyll’s amazing garden has just been saved by the National Trust.There is a magical garden nestled in a wood. I dream of it often, and have had the pleasure of visiting it twice. It was the garden of Gertrude Jekyll, one of my …
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Chelsea Flower Show 2024 – Observations
I am lucky enough to be able to go to the Royal Horticultural Society’s (RHS) Chelsea Flower Show in London every year. I like to distill my thoughts when I return home to see if there were any trends or popular plants. The importance of using water responsibly in gardens was a recurring theme this …
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Mount Vernon, Virginia – Spring Blooms in the Upper Flower Garden
The Upper Flower Garden at Mount Vernon in SpringMount Vernon was the home and garden of America’s first president, George Washington. It is open to the public and is particularly lovely to visit in the spring with flowering trees such as redbud and dogwood. On my recent visit it was an overcast day …
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A Classic English Garden – Longbarn, Kent
View from the terrace at Longbarn on a spring day.The History of Longbarn GardenLongbarn Garden is located in the Weald of Kent near the town of Sevenoaks. It is steeped in twentieth century horticultural history because it was the garden of Vita Sackville-West and her husband Harold Nicolson. They …
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From Seeds to Flowers
Have you ever wished you could grow flowers from seed? How about poppies and larkspur?What does a seed need for germination?Blue cornflowers are an easy-to -grow flower seed.Direct seed sowing – straight into the gardenI think that one of the reasons that gardeners give up on seed starting is that …
Towers to Flowers – Sissinghurst Castle Garden
Vita Sackville-West and Harold Nicolson’s Kentish gardenThe view of Vita Sackville-West’s writing tower dominates all corners of the garden.Vita Sackville-West’s Garden at Sissinghurst is a garden that I am very familiar with since it is in the south-east county of Kent in England where I grew up. …
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Garden Book Roundup – 2023
Some books that I recommend for winter readingAnother year has passed, and many books have been read here at Northview. Despite my family members occasionally muttering, ‘do you think that you have enough gardening books now?’, I continue to buy, collect (some might say hoard), and read gardening …
Gardening Reasons to be Thankful
American Thanksgiving brings thankfulness to the mindThis is the month that Americans celebrate Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday. Has your garden made you happy or joyful this year? Learn what I am thankful for and then compile your own list.Please let me know what you are thankful for this …
