bliss in sunset magazine

Thank you to Jim McCausland and the folks at Sunset Magazine for including Bliss in an October 2010 article on border color – see page 45.  Adam just brought 6 copies home in his bike panniers…

On newsstands now!

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up next: fall

Here in the Pac NW, it feels like fall started a few weeks ago.  A taste of what’s to come this winter – so say the weather folks who are in a flutter about La Nina.  La Nina means more rain and colder temps for us, and it appears this pattern is already in swing.  Personally I prefer El Nino winters here, but we will just throw another blanket on the bed and get our ark ready.   

That said, fall starts tomorrow and is one of my favorite seasons.  It is a great time of year to plant and the nursery sales are on.  Thus my ode to a few plants I love, come fall.  

Cercidiphyllum japonicum – What’s not to love about the katsura tree?  Gorgeous bronze new growth, lovely heart-shaped leaves and in the fall – it turns an apricot yellow and smells like cotton candy.  Seriously.  If you have the space in a sunny, yet damp, area (this tree needs a lot of water) definitely add one.  

katsura in fall

 

Acer japonicum ‘Aconitifolium’ - The fern leaf full moon maple has exquisite foliage, which turns a deep red-orange in fall.   I love how the foliage is both delicate and substantial.  It does need space (15-30′x15-30′), so not for small gardens.  It looks fabulous when underplanted with blue foliage plants.  A good local example is the McVay Courtyard at the UW Center for Urban Horticulture where the ‘Aconitifolium’ are underplanted with blue spiky yucca.  I managed to be there at just the right time one fall, and the newly fallen red-orange leaves were peppered on and around the powder blue yucca.  Gorgeous.  

Pennisetum alopecuroides ‘Hameln’ – Though a little later to fill in and flower, this little grass earns its keep in fall when the foliage turns shades of orange and yellow.  Once it dies, I leave the buff foliage all winter to protect the crown from rot and provide winter interest. 

Rudbeckia fulgida ‘Goldsturm’ – Study and cheerful, this reliable perennial hits its stride when most others have left the party.  Unlike top-heavy echinacea, this one rarely splays open and takes fairly tough conditions.  I love it as a color splash in the backdrop, or in meadow-like masses.  

Rudbeckia brightening the fall backdrop

 

Acer palmatum – No particular cultivar – there are so many that are exquisite.  Any one would be a reliable pick for fabulous fall color.  In my garden, I stuck with the reds, and have ‘Bloodgood’ and the smaller ‘Fireglow’.  In fall, both are on fire and drop red confetti on the rocks and plants below. 

  

Rhus typhina ‘Bailtiger’ Tiger Eyes – Full disclosure – this one will sucker.  Perhaps not as bad as other sumacs, but indeed it does despite the original claim that it would not. In my garden, I have found it to sucker further than I’d like, however the suckering has been limited to just a few shoots.  That said, the coloration of this sumac is outstanding from its pink unfurling foliage in spring to vibrant gold fall color.  If you can forgive its faults (we all have them), it would a be a great addition to your garden.  

  

Peeking in the frame

 

Corylopsis pauciflora – How could anyone not like this elegant shrub? Flowers on bare branches in winter, provides clear green foliage tipped with red in summer and turns a lovely shade of gold in fall.  Also see Corylopsis spicata ‘Golden Spring’ or ‘Aurea’ for a larger version with knock out chartreuse foliage.  

  

Fall is a time to revel in the final show.  Don’t mourn summer, enjoy the grand finale instead.

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authenticity

Rounded boulders, stone walls and meadow plantings feel as if they have always been a part of this old orchard

Much of my design work is on Bainbridge Island – an isle off Seattle with rolling hills, open meadows, grassy beaches and quiet forests.  I consider myself fortunate to work in a beautiful environment where each project offers a unique setting.   A pastoral feel prevails, whether a forested or open site.  In an urban setting, almost anything goes with the city as backdrop, whereas a rural environment requires a different approach.  I have found that the most moving gardens respect the surrounding landscape.  These gardens are authentic.

If you are in a forest with towering conifers and primal ferns, a sweet cottage garden probably will feel out of place as would a sunny Mediterranean look.  Imagine a mass of lavender stuck below a towering Western red cedar.  Even if you have enough sun, this is not the best look.  This does not mean that in a forested environment you are limited to hostas and hellebores.  A shady, coniferous environment is great for introducing unique and eclectic plants from other forested regions as it already feels otherworldly.  On the other hand, an environment such as a sunny glade is perfect for prairie perennials and sun-loving ornamental grasses swaying in the breeze, evoking a meadow.   In both cases, plants that may not be quite spot on for the actual environment can work wonderfully as long as the overall setting is respected and echoed in the garden, and they are the right plants for the conditions available.

When it comes to architecture, I diverge.  Beyond scale, mass, color and all the functional issues to consider in a garden, there also is the architectural style of adjacent structures.  Here is where I find it more interesting to marry opposites.  For instance, softening modern architecture with a naturalistic style or updating traditional architecture with a minimalist planting.

Gardens are human constructs, yet we can take cues from our surroundings to create with authenticity.   The best gardens feel effortlessly in step with their setting.

 

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not always a plant…

frogs

An abundance of frogs in the garden this year.  Specifically my favorite – the Pacific Tree Frog.  These colorful little guys are always a treat to see, and every year we have at least a couple.  This year they are everywhere in the garden, which is fabulous.  They have been hopping out of the beds as I am watering.   Today, I snapped one sunning on a blade of Miscanthus sinensis ‘Morning Light’.   Hang out here as long as you like little green buddy.

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