White Blooms

Yucca.

At our wonderful friend's most amazing garden in the Chicago suburbs.

Bottlebrush Buckeye.

Intrinsic Moves Sustainably

The wonderful wholesale nursery, Intrinsic Perennial Gardens, one of several favorites we may use to order plants for clients' gardens, told me we were a first the other day....well technically, they are more in the foreground. The owner, Brent Horvath, told me that we were the first to receive some of their new sustainable pots made from rice hulls. The pots contained ferns and Brent said next year they hope to sell all their ferns in these containers. You go Brent!

Can't find a picture of Brent, but here is a client's mature garden with many of their perennials.

Practicing What I Preach

So, this year I am finally happy...with my back porch plants anyway. All foliage: no flowers. Expressly conceived to lighten up the north-facing, solid (we protested, but that's condo life) back porch we view 365 days a year from inside our dining room.

Things to note: non-plant materials are 4-season interest (pottery & hanging chakra flags provide contrast & movement); pathos hanging near neighbor's trellis and cat is a substitute for ivy which is poisonous to pets; repeated variegated leaves amplify the little bit of reflected light.

Of course, no time for me to plant anything at home which means a bit more watering (don't tell), but I must maintain my position in the condo community as the last owner to plant the porch. The shoemaker's children...

Below the flags out back up to the second floor, you can see the thriving Ostrya virginiana, American Hophornbeam (native, dry shade, cool fruits & elegant leaves) in about it's 6th year. After some pruning & compost tea applied by the Care of Trees, it really glows!