Going Native: Culver's Root

I love the tall candelabra-like spikes of Culver's Root, Veronicastrum Virginicum. This was a plant I did have in my Maine garden and that I am now happy to have again in my NY garden. It adds a beautiful heightened architecture to any perennial bed adapting to both part shade and full sun and a range of soils. This plant is now part of my woodland edge border and as you can see, has flowered in its first year from a bare root planting this past spring. The flower spikes can take on a purple/lavender hue. Mine seems to be more white at this time. The leaves are interesting as well – dark-green in whorls around an erect stem. Culver's Root can grow up to 5 feet tall.

If you are looking to add tall spikes of flowers to your perennial bed, consider our native Culver's Root. It is attractive in the border as well as to a wide range of pollinators.

Painting Plein Air in an Artist's Garden

During the milder months I paint plein air (in the open air, outdoors) with a group called PAPTIR (Plein Air Painters of the Thousand Islands Region). We usually meet at various locations every other week. These locations are always beautiful and most offer very different subject matter from what I would normally choose to paint. I have far from mastered the art of painting plein air. Truthfully, I just had a long talk with myself that went something like this: "You are painting a studio painting instead of the essence of plein air. Broaden your view and include the mood of the landscape and location. Stop closing in on your favorite elements. Step back." Good advice in designing a garden as well, now that I think of it.

As an example, the featured painting this month Unfurling Ferns I painted plein air a few weeks ago. But this view is tiny and close up, and should not have been the focus of my painting that day. I do not typically paint landscapes and this is my problem. I prefer objects, close up views. My real dream is to paint my own garden (once I build it to the point where I have lots of subject matter), and so I am drawn to foliage, flowers. Thus, I chose to paint ferns – close up – something that I have been wanting to paint. Much more difficult than I imagined, I might add. I will need to attempt ferns again in the studio with more study.

The location where we painted was a country home that belongs to a very talented artist and extremely gracious host. The grounds offer beautiful views and gardens. I took many photos for future studio paintings. Anyway, the locations where we paint are so beautiful and inspiring I think I should share them with you.

Cattle bones found on the property and now are part of this garden wall.

View from inside the gazebo.

Astrantia, Masterwort

Bird nest sculpture made by the artist.

Eryngium, Sea Holly

With inspiration like this, I really must strive to achieve more with my painting and garden. Hope you are inspired as well.

Project: Projects!

My apologies for not offering you a project for the month of July. The truth is we are overwhelmed with projects! Our biggest ongoing project is our new back porch. We hired professionals to help with this project. First we needed to get rid of the existing back deck. I also had to move any plants I wanted to save beforehand, but I am hoping that the new structure will put a serious dent in the Bishop's Weed – although I have visions of it growing right up through the floor!

Existing back deck early spring.

Digging up plants.

We had to apply for a variance with the village so we could make the new structure the full width of the back of our house. This sign sat in our yard for a few weeks.

The back deck was surprisingly gone within just a couple of hours!

Then, the professionals took over and the new structure began to take shape.

Now that we have a nice square frame, insulated floor, and properly attached roof, we will be doing some of the work ourselves ... finishing up the steps and roofing, adding a paved pathway and constructing a half wall. For now we will add screening, but eventually this will be a four-season room with a tiled floor, sliding door and real windows. It is an exciting addition with a view of the garden.

Then, the neighbors decided that the half Box Elder we left needed to go ...

The stump will eventually be gone. What a mess this area of the garden is (and what a perfect view into and out of the windows of this neighboring apartment – eek!), but I have to look at it as an opportunity (and another project). Just to the left unseen in this picture is a Blue Spruce which will fill out nicely with more sun. The Dogwood and Oakleaf Hydrangea should also fill out more. Then, I came across a Fernspray Cypress. It is not native but is a beautiful evergreen that will fit this space perfectly topping out at 10' tall by 4' wide. I also plan to build yet another rustic trellis-type structure as a garden feature. I think I will plant a native clematis to grow up it. Hopefully I will be able to share my progress.

Then there is the never ending fence project that will eventually have to end soon once we reach the back of our property ... and look, more "opportunity" for more garden!

Finally, there is my new rain barrel capable of holding up to 75 gallons of water once installed.

I think all these projects will pay off. What about you? What projects do you have going on in your garden? You probably don't need an additional project from me!