Tulips at Gilmore Gardens

Cherry Corner is full of Tulipa 'Apricot Impression' this May.

Welcome to Garden Blogger's Bloom Day in Pennsylvania!
We are finally in full swing for spring around here and we are absolutely loving it!

While we have been working like crazy on our new gardens at Havenwood, our old garden is blooming away effortlessly this spring. It is amazing to stand back and watch it go... rather like seeing your beloved child run and win a race all by themselves. We did have two spring clean up times this spring, cutting back out sticks, etc. And another nice layer of mulch. But really, it was very little for such a beautiful show...

Gardening in Pennsylvania ~ October 2013 GBBD

The Hill Garden with Canna 'King Humbert', Echinacea purpurea, Berberis purpurea, and glorious yellow maples (Acer) leaves for autumn.

Welcome to my small town Pennsylvania garden in October!

I would be delighted to show you around our corner here in US zone 5. The foliage colors are intensifying this month, though they have not yet reached their climax. Our first frost is still on its way this year. Hurray for a few more weeks with tender plants in the garden! The begonias, cannas, dahlias and annuals are still adding their pretty bit to the mix. Come talk a walk around...

Gardening in Pennsylvania ~ September 2013 GBBD

Blooms and foliage in my zone 5 garden for September.

Welcome to Pennsylvania in September!

We have had quite a variety of weather in the past weeks. One day it is unbearably hot and dry with the temperature over 86 degrees F (30 C). The next day we are all in winter coats at the damp morning soccer game in 40 degrees F (4 C). Despite all of that drama, the garden is still blooming on...

Front Curb Planting (aka The Front Woodland)

Our daylilies are all in bloom this week in our curb strip

July has brought the daylilies (Hemerocallis). The catmint, Nepeta 'Walker's Low' is just finishing up around our corner, but still has twinges of blue and lots of attraction for pollinators.

Color for the Weekend

Our first tree peony blooms! 

Just had to share this beautiful a red form of Paeonia suffruticosa that is in our Cherry Corner garden.  I watched anxiously over it earlier in the season, but it really does appear to be hardy enough to have weather our cold, snowy winter. I am so pleased! It is planted in a fairly sunny spot with a little dappled light. 

Have a restful weekend!
~Julie

While we were away...GBBD May 2013

Full of tulips at Gilmore Gardens in May!

As excited as I was to be touring Chanticleer and Winterthur last week, I was a little sad to be missing the over 200 tulips we planted last fall in our front garden! So, while we were away on our spring trip, I asked my friend Melissa Ellen to take some photos of our tulips. Melissa did a great job! I knew she would, as she does a wonderful job with photos of everything beautiful on her own blog, Melissa Ellen's Loft. If you are in need of some pretty ideas for your home, give her blog a look. Thanks to her for all of the beautiful photos in this post!!

More of Cherry Corner in April

Cherry Corner: pink weeping cherry tree, Narcissus 'Pink Charm', Tulip 'Apricot Impression', Muscari armenicum, Sedum 'Acre' and much more.

Cherry Corner Garden in April

Pink Cherry blossom in Cherry Corner today.

Though it has been a bit cold at night, our days have been beautiful this week. And the plants have certainly responded to the weather!

Here are a few photos of our Cherry Corner garden (so called for the weeping cherry tree that is its center piece). I snapped them in the afternoon light sometime between watching the kids ride their bikes on the driveway, an afternoon homeschool session, writing a meal plan for next week, lying down for a wee rest, getting out pancakes to warm for dinner, and going grocery shopping until my mini van overflowed...  because we had no more food and were reduced to eating leftover pancakes for dinner!

The garden is such a reminder to me of the Lord's peace, and a greater Beauty, in the midst of a busy life. I hope it can be a reminder for you today as well.

Gardening in Pennsylvania ~ April 2013 GGBD

Blooms for April along the front of our house at Gilmore Gardens.

Spring seems to have finally arrived here in western Pennsylvania, zone 5. Temperatures will be in the 60's this week (18 C) and the sun is shining.... and I have the sunburn to prove it! oops.

Yellow is the theme color this week with the forsythias and daffodils in full bloom. And our pet bunny, Bella, is enjoying the fresh new dandelion greens that I am pulling out from the lawns and borders. (Hint: Now is the time to get a jump on those weeds!)

Gardening in Pennsylvania ~ GBBD November 2012

Sedum 'Autumn Joy' with its bright autumn foliage around our Circle Lawn.

Welcome to November in Pennsylvania!

Gardening in Pennsylvania ~ GBBD July 2012

Lavender and purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) in the Driveway Garden for July

Welcome to Pennsylvania in July! It has been a hot dry summer here this year, as it has been in most of the US. My gardens have had very little supplementary watering this season. Everything was looking tired around the edges until we had a garden clean-up this past weekend.

Gardening in Pennsylvania ~ GBBD May 2012

Our picket fence covered in a red Clematis 'Earnest Markham' and heavenly-scented dame's rocket (Hesperis matronalis). Potted Allium 'Purple Sensation' on the steps.

There are tons of late spring blooms for Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day in our Pennsylvania, Zone 5 garden. We are at least three weeks ahead of schedule, with many plants blooming now that usually do not have their day well into June. Most of the tulips are gone as of about a week ago, though the late single Tulip 'Cum Laude' is just dropping its petals this week. The phlox scents the whole yard right now.

One of my favorite large-flowered Clematis, C. 'John Warren' on the flower trellis in the Driveway Garden.

Tulip 'China Town' in Cherry Corner Garden

Tulip 'China Town' in Cherry Corner Garden with dark Heuchra 'Palace Purple' and variegated loosestrife, Lysimachia punctata 'Alexander'.

Another new tulip this year, Tulip 'China Town'. This one is in our Cherry Corner garden. (See map for garden location in our small town lot.)

GBBD April Flowers in Pennsylvania, Zone 5

The Circle Lawn on April 15th, 2012.

 Welcome to GBBD April at Gilmore Gardens in Pennsylvania, Zone 5!

Our garden is still a month ahead of where it normally is in spring.  It looks much more like May from last year than April.  We are located on a corner lot in our little town, so we have lots of passersby with which to share our spring celebration. Our location contains gardens in shade, semi-shade and lots of full sun. See the map of Gilmore Gardens to link these areas together in your mind as you look around.

Narcissus 'Tete-a-tete' and Crocus 'Grand Maitre'

Narcissus 'Tete-a-tete' and Crocus 'Grand Maitre' in the Hill Garden.

Spring is moving along at a fast clip this year, with most things blooming a month ahead of time. Here is another simple combination that I do not want to miss sharing.  I am so pleased to have planted this pair in our gardens this year: the little cyclamen daffodil, Narcissus 'Tete-a-tete', and the large purple Crocus vernus 'Grand Maitre'. They were planted in several groups throughout Cherry Corner Garden and the Hill Garden.

Unseasonably warm weather in Pennsylvania Gardens

The Hill Garden: Tulipa 'Ice Stick', Narcissus 'Tete-a-tete' and Crocus vernus 'Grand Maitre'

Can this really be March??

Pink weeping cherry (Prunus) tree in the Cherry Corner Garden at the front of our lot.

Persian lilac (Syringa x persica) leafing out in the Driveway Garden.

In Cherry Corner: Narcissus 'Tete-a-tete', Crocus vernus 'Grand Maitre' and variegated loosestrife's pink shoots (Lysimachia punctata 'Alexander').

Old rose bush leafing out in the Driveway Garden.

By the walk in the Driveway Garden: Hyacinthus orientalis 'Aiolos' with Festuca 'Elijah Blue'.

Crazy kids loving the sun and baby pool in March!

A pot on the back stoop with Narcissus 'Tete-a-tete' and Tulipa 'Persian Pearl'.

See March of last year for a real contrast (Hill Garden and Driveway Garden). Even just a few weeks ago! Snow, snow, snow.

We are enjoying the sun: playing at the park, holding reading class outside, and a trip to the local ice cream shop. I have continued not to feel well, but has been so enjoyable to be able to be outside. Just walking about the garden with my camera is a treat.

Cherry Corner Succession Planting 2011

October 2011

This garden is located in our front yard at the corner of our property, just feet from a stop sign. It contains a weeping cherry tree (Prunus) that we planted our first spring here in 2008. Hence the name, Cherry Corner garden (see it on our map). The succession planting begins here in March with Anemone blanda 'Blue Shades' and continues through November with Sedum 'Autumn Joy' and the cherry tree in brilliant yellow.

As with most of my plantings, my individuals plants are not especially rare or expensive, but it is their combination and progression that enhances their place in the garden. I would love to someday invest in the $100 lady slippers and the $50 peonies, but my wallet does not stretch that far at present. I think there is joy in knowing that we can take what we are given as gardeners and make it beautiful, even if it is a tiny town lot with common plants.

April

Anemone blanda 'Blue Shades' with loosestrife shoots (Lysimachia punctata 'Alexander'). This is a great time to divide the latter, though it can be done successfully at anytime. April 25th.

The same plants in waves. This anemone is a great plant in succession because it covers the ground in early spring with foliage, blooms for weeks, and dies back as the other foliage matures and covers it up.

Narcissus 'Pink Charm' adding their apricot tones to the blues in this garden, which repeats the color from the Spirea in the Front Walk garden just down the path.

Narcissus 'Pink Charm' with Virginia bluebells (Mertensia virginica). April 26th.

Weeping cherry tree blossom at the end of April (the 28th).

Cherry Corner Garden in May, July, September and November 2011

May

July

September

November

For the complete succession planting, read Cherry Corner Succession Planting 2011.

Christmas lights...

still burning bright this New Year's day.

Lights in Cherry Corner at Gilmore Gardens

Along the Front Walk

Along the Shade Path and Circle Lawn

A peek in the window

Happy 2012! 

I am looking forward to sharing more of our own garden and also some garden travels this year. 

Thanks for reading along!

Julie @ WMG

End of the Month View ~ November 2011

Hydrangea 'Limelight' by the backyard fence

November has been a busier one in the garden and, having thoroughly enjoyed it, I am sad to see it coming to an end. The fall is such a forgiving time to be in the garden up rooting things, tinkering here and there, creating new schemes that no one else will know about until next year.  And of course there were the bulbs.

It has been a beautiful fall, very warm and temperate. A cold front is blowing in this evening and we are expected to have a little snow tomorrow.  Knowing the changing weather was coming motivated me to get out in the breeze this afternoon for some more seedling thinning and weeding. My fingers were freezing, but it was really nice to be out!

Hill Garden on Thanksgiving Day

Edging out another foot of sod from the front of the garden beds made for plenty of labor at the beginning of the month. I love a clean edge at this time of year, as well as in the spring. It does not always happen, but I enjoy it when it does. I planted more creeping phlox (Phlox subulata) in the new area, as I really like it as an edging plant. It is evergreen, which is probably my favorite reason for growing it besides its flowers in May.

Allium tuberosum on the Hill

The Circle Lawn

 Much of my seedling thinning is happening on the Shade Path (the area near the gate in the photo above), and in the curb planting strips across the sidewalk. Columbine (Aquilegia) and forget-me-nots (Mysotis) seedlings are everywhere.

Clematis 'Fairy Dust' still hanging on to a few last flowers

Cherry Corner garden

This picture does a great job showcasing the improvement that can be made in daylily (Hemerocallis) foliage by pruning it after flowering. The large green clump was pruned to the ground with hedge shears, while the pile at the lower left corner was not. Quite the difference.

Sedum 'Autumn Joy' under the weeping Cherry tree

I love how it brings out the red in the Cherry bark

View of the Shade Path to the back of our property

The evergreens are coming in to their own. Most moments the garden is looking more brown and black, but there are a few of those sunny moments left that illuminate the left over color. Here at the front is that famous pair again, Northern Sea Oats (Chasmanthium latifolium) and native aster Doellingeria unbellata. I spend a couple afternoons edging out some more sod from the beds on this side of the garden also. I filled in mostly with Geranium macrorrhizum 'Bevan's Variety'.

Northern Sea Oats (Chasmanthium latifolium)

New Curb strip planting from May

 More plant filling work in the new curb areas, hoping to make spring a little easier. The hillside by the fence is finally starting to look like something after three-and-a-half years. I am going for a tapestry effect, just throwing all sorts of plants at it hoping something will grow. The Ajuga reptans at the back seems to be fitting the bill.

Thanks to Helen at The Patient Gardener for hosting the End of the Month View. I love how her posts walk through the garden, taking stock of improvements, etc. So, here is my first go at her concept.