Along the northwest side of our house is an area I refer to as The Formal Garden. This was one of my earliest garden areas to …
Kindred Garden Friends
Kindred Garden Friends I have a few special garden friends who, along with myself, I consider plant nuts. One such nut, Amanda, and I made …
Green Thoughts
Mr. Boots Green Sneaks (he has dual citizenship US & Ireland) In light of St. Paddy’s Day, I am thinking about my favorite color …
The Garden in Winter
(plus tips for a quickie garden clean-up)
Formal Garden, Acorn Hill February 11, 2018 I have a prospective design client, Karen, who is interested in a garden with year-round …
Glorious Chaos
Snowdrops & Hellebores, Feb. 4, 2018 Sieglinde's Garden I’d most certainly rather be in the garden than at my computer. I am never …
NEW! Custom Plant Tags
About this time last year, we launched Muddy Boots Plant Tags, a new “smart” plant tag integrated with a web-based garden record-keeping …
Easy Care Conifers
Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Fillicoides' & Picea omorika 'Bruns' I use a lot of conifers in my garden designs and have many in my personal …
The Big Reveal
Japanese Maple & Ginkgo Biltmore Estate November 6, 2017 Fall color in the eastern deciduous forest seems like alchemy to me; the …
Embracing Change
Lavendula x intermedia 'Grosso' The one constant in a garden is change. Plants grow and sometimes die; a sunny spot becomes shady; a tree …
Dahlia Delights
Dahlia 'Creekside Brantley' When the garden is winding down and looking somewhat haggard (and no doubt this gardener as well), there is …
North Carolina to New York and Back
Chihuly, New York Botanical Garden This has been a summer of coming and going … visitors coming to our garden, Acorn Hill, and us visiting …
Oak Leaves and Oakleafs
Oak Leaves Magicicada, the 17 year Cicada, is doing its thing in parts of Western North Carolina. Driving into our cove you can really see …
On Broods and Blooms
Magicicada from Carnivoraforum.com Elizabeth, my friend and neighbor a mile down the road, saw the emergence of Magicicada Brood VI about a …
Dogwoods and Snowbells and Beeches, Oh My!
Cornus VENUS Our garden is nestled into the Eastern Hardwood Forest of the Southern Appalachian Mountains. We are surrounded by oaks, …
The Color Purple
After two days of planting, I strolled around the garden snapping a few pictures and snipping a few flowers. Lot's of purple in bloom right …
I Dare You to Keep Your Hands up the Whole Way
Do you remember being a kid and going to the amusement park? It wasn’t just going, it was also waiting to go, remembering how much fun you …
Dragon Replaces Cat
Plus tips for recording your garden on the go
Cat Topiary (you see it, don't you?) At the intersection of the West Walk and the Fireplace Walk I had planted three Buxus microhylla that …
Upside of Downsize
Peony 'Festiva Maxima' by Sunny Supensky Last week I met with Marilyn, a client with whom I worked several years ago to design her back …
Some Snails are Great
Begonia 'Escargot' A couple years ago a wonderful gardening friend organized a walk through some local gardens for a small group, me …
Who doesn’t like Hydrangeas?
Hydrangea serrata 'Blue Deckle' I have one design client who told me, “Absolutely no hydrangeas of any kind!” Really? Well, she’s the only …
