Seeking Enchantment in the Garden

Photo by Jan Meissner 

The best place to seek God is in a garden. You can dig for him there.

~ George Bernard Shaw

We now no longer see the natural world as something to be tamed or conquered but, rather, as something to be revered.

HGTV photo

And we understand Chief Seattle's 1854 admonition:

“Man did not weave the web of life: he is merely a strand in it. Whatever he does to the web he does to himself.”

Broomley Meadow, Seven Ponds Farm

This ecological awareness has compelled us to seek a more meaningful connection to the earth which, in turn, has led some of us inevitably to gardens and landscapes. This is the impetus behind this blog.  I have a strong desire to share my lifelong landscape design experiences in order to inspire others to ‘touch the earth’.

by Jan Johnsen

I aim to promote a reverent way of looking at the green world which sees the piece of ground outside our door as an ‘everyday conduit’ to the energy of life that flows within plants, water, trees, sunlight, rocks, birds and assorted creatures.

J. Johnsen

 Indeed, it is in a garden, as George Bernard Shaw declared, where we can touch the divine.

Photo by Hans Hansen - Millennium Allium 

Looking at the natural world in this way is nothing new. The idea of sanctified outdoor space was the genesis for the sacred groves of the Egyptians, Indians and Greeks. It birthed the medieval labyrinths and Native Americans’ 'medicine wheels'. And of course, ancient Chinese geomancy, ‘Feng Shui’, and Indian ‘Vaastu’, which see the earth and her directions as living, vibrant forces.

from the book, Heaven is a Garden - Jan Johnsen

So we look back to great thinkers such as Lao-Tzu, Pythagoras and Emerson and ancient peoples such as the Native Americans, Chinese and Hawaiians for their sage guidance. They remind us of the power of the natural world upon the human spirit.

I believe knowing the ancient ways help us touch the 'numinous dimension' of a garden. And truly, this is where we will find the enchantment that we are all seeking...

Heaven is a Garden 

Great Mother's Day Gift - A Knock Out Rose and Rose Pruner

I planted these Double Knock Out roses...blooming like crazy.  - Jan 

I love Knock-out Roses...I know they are becoming almost too popular but there are good reasons for this:

They are disease free, bloom extra long and are cold hardy.

They bloom the first year you plant them and are heat tolerant.

And best of all, there is no need to deadhead Knock Out -- the flowers will continue no matter what!

I normally plant the Double Knock Out Rose. The flowers have 25 petals per bloom! Flowering begins in early summer and continues til heavy frost ( it was still blooming in NY in mid November).

double knock out rose

Prune them in late winter or early spring or trim them right after the first bloom flush in early summer. Follow with some rose food. Epsom salts too!

A great rose pruner is the Corona Long Reach Pruner.  It cuts and holds so you don't have to touch thorny branches. Click on the name for more info.  It makes rose pruning and other tree and shrub pruning so much easier because it gives you extra reach.

A new Knock Out I want to try is the 'White Out' Knock Out Rose. It has almost black foliage and creamy white flowers. Grows well in heat. Compact. Its open flower would look wonderful in a cottage garden.  It was selected as one of ten top roses in 2012 at the UGA Trial Gardens.  click here for more.

white-out Rose

Hellebore - A Great Plant for Shade that Deer Don't Eat

photo by Didier Willery 

What is evergeen, deer resistant, thrives in shade, has flowers and comes back every year?

You could answer Andromeda (Pieris) - but it doesn't really like shade.

Perhaps you answered Hakonechloa (Japanese Forest Grass) but it doesn't have flowers.

Barberry (berberis) and Daffodils are not evergreen.

Grasses, Boxwood and sedges don't meet this criteria either....

photo by Didier Willery 

The problem free, shade loving Hellebore (Helleborus) is the answer. They are a perfect plant for a shade garden in deer country ....

The Perennial Plant Association's Plant of the Year for 2005, Hellebores bloom from winter to spring across the United States, depending on USDA zone and variety. They like light to moderate shade, with sun when they flower and protection from summer heat.

Hellebores sport drooping, buttercup-like flowers colors of pink, mauve, white, green, burgundy, yellow, black-purple, bi-colored, speckled and more. These flowers last into the summer, becoming greener or darker with maturity.

They make a spectacular cut flower and you can float the blooms in a shallow bowl.

HGC Winters Song

Helleborus are native to Eastern Europe and Asian and have been used in gardens for centuries. In Elizabethan times, hellebores planted near your door were believed to keep your home free of evil spirits and witches (maybe this is because every part of the plant is poisonous).

HGC Cinnamon Snow

Interestingly, hellebore flowers don't have petals but have colorful, cold hardy sepals. Sepals attract early season pollinators (honey bees, wasps) and protect the plant's reproductive parts. Unlike petals, sepals actively photosynthesize, which is why they stay intact and darken through the season.

Their  dark green, leathery clumps of evergreen foliage grow larger as the years pass and they look great in winter. They are hardy from Zone 5 - 9.   Adequate moisture, particularly in spring, is essential. One plant can be 12" to 18" tall, 18" to 24" wide and container plants can be planted at almost any time.

The two most commonly seen species are known as Christmas Rose (H. niger) and Lenten Rose (H. orientalis), due to the time of year they flower and their rose-like blooms. But many are simply called hybridus, due to interbreeding.

Sunshine Farm Hellebores

Barry Glick, aka Glicksterus maximus aka The Cyber-Plantsman has devoted more than six West Virginia acres to his 'Sunshine Selections' of hellebores.  

HGC Pink Frost

He cultivates some 68,000 hellebores (click here) on the hills of Sunshine Farm & Gardens in Renick. You can visit him in mid winter and see for yourself!

Pine Knot Farms

Pine Knot Farms in Virginia is a premier Hellebore nursery.. Every Winter they have a Hellebore Festival. If you live nearby please check it out! with speakers, tours, etc.

Helleborus hybridus, Anemone blanda,  Saxifraga rotundifolia in garden of Didier Willery 

Solomon's Seal - Deer Resistant, Shade Lover

'Angel Wings' Variegated Solomon's Seal 

This morning, I was  talking to someone in my town who had shade in their yard and deer  problems..and I suggested Variegated Solomon's Seal (Polygonatum odoratum ‘Variegatum’) to them...

It was the 2013 Perennial Plant of the Year is Award . It is deer resistant and loves shade.

This shady woodland gem grows 18 to 24 inches tall.

It is a great companion plant to hostas, brunnera, dicentra, ferns, and astilbes. 

The sweet fragrance of its small, bell-shaped white flowers will enhance your walk along a pathway on a spring morning. You can use its variegated foliage in spring floral arrangements. And it offers yellow fall foliage color.

photo by George Weigel

It will spread by rhizomes to form colonies. Increase by dividing clumps every two to three years.

photo by Rush Creek growers

I grow this in my yard and every year it spreads and looks so wonderful. 


Click here for a list of all the Perennial of the Year winners from years before.

Pasta Pea-mavera

Pasta Pea-mavera 

Now this isn't what you would call a traditional Pasta Primavera. Not even close actually. To be honest I just stole the name to fit a little pun in there. Puns make for infinitely catchier titles than mere descriptions do. Yes. This doesn't mean, however, that this Pasta Pea-mavera doesn't live up to the springtime feeling of the original. The wonderful greens combined with freshly squeezed lemon juice make for a great springtime dinner or lunch, so the cheeky little name appropriation wasn't entirely uncalled for. (My sincere apologies to any offended pasta connoisseurs out there!)

This dish is also a great way to get your greens in... Because they're literally everywhere in this recipe! Wohoo! The broccoli will provide you with an abundance of vitamins (namely, vitamins A, C, K and folate) plus a great deal of your daily fibre needs, while the peas contribute with protein and a wonderful sweetness to the sauce. Go super greens!

Here's the recipe!

Serves 2

Ingredients:

- 1 heaped cup frozen peas

- 1/2 cup vegan sour cream substitute

- 2 big handfuls fresh basil leaves + more for garnish

- 2 small heads of broccoli (approximately 250 g)

- 1 tbsp + 1 tsp lemon juice

- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

- Garlic powder (optional)

- Salt and pepper to taste

- Brown rice pasta or pasta of your choice, enough for two servings (approximately 150 g)

How to:

1. Bring a small pot of water to the boil and cook the pasta according to instructions on package.

2. Divide the broccoli into small, individual florets and steam until it is almost cooked through but not mushy.

3. Meanwhile the broccoli steams and the pasta cooks, place the peas in a saucepan over low heat until they have thawed completely.

4. Add in the remaining ingredients (except for the broccoli) and blend with a hand blender until fairly smooth. You can go on for longer if you want an even smoother texture but I prefer it a little chunkier. (You may also have to re-heat the sauce before putting it on the pasta.)

5. Toss the cooked pasta in the sauce and add the broccoli. Top with a few fresh basil leaves and serve immediately!

Tulips in a Row - Garden Photo of the Day

There is nothing as evocative of spring as tulips planted along a picket fence....
 it is especially fun if they are different colors.

Renault Espace and Suzuki Vitara awarded 5 stars

The latest Euro NCAP safety test results for this year is out and the new Renault Espace (large MPV) as well as the Suzuki Vitara (supermini) has been awarded 5 stars. The later received points for its Autonomous Emergency Braking system (included in the rating scheme since last year).

Also included in the report published this month are the results for the Fiat 500X in the Small MPV category and the Mazda 2 in the Supermini category. Both cars were awarded 4 stars.

Limelight Hydrangea and 'little Lime' Hydrangea - Great Plants!

Limelight Hydrangeas in one of my landscapes - Jan Johnsen 

  I love the tall 'Limelight' Hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata 'Limelight')  for its beautiful and reliable white/lime green flowers, fast growth and easy care. You cannot go wrong with this plant if you have room for it.

It is hardy to Zone 3, can grow to 10 feet tall and thrives in full sun or partial shade. It makes both a wonderful cut flower and landscape plant. Looks great in October when it turns a pinkish hue:

Limelight hydrangea in another landscape I designed  

Now there is a dwarf form called 'Little Lime' from Proven Winners which also grows in full sun or part shade.  Its final height is 3-5’ tall and wide, about a third to half as big as Limelight.

Little Lime Hydrangea in another landscape - Johnsen Landscapes & Pools

This hydrangea blooms from midsummer to frost. Like its bigger sibling, Little Lime’s flowers gradually change from lime-green to pink and make wonderful bouquets, fresh or dried.

It will flower every year and will fit in any yard. It looks great with snowdrift roses and low grasses in a white garden....

What's not to love?

Robot Lawnmowers are here!

robot lawn mower  

 So here we are - robots mowing the lawn. Click here if you want to see how you can grab one of these little guys....

The Worx Landroid lets you customize daily mowing schedules. 

It runs 7 days a week giving your lawn a trim on a routine basis as opposed to traditional mowers that take off substantial amounts of grass on a less frequent basis. 

like a roomba vacuum, I guess

Landroid navigates narrow passages, cuts with precision on slopes angling up to 20 degrees and does it all with zero emissions! (it runs off of a 28V rechargeable battery) 

Your lawn should be under 10,750 square feet for Landroid to work precisely for you. 

The keypad makes it easy to customize a mowing schedule. The low noise allows you to mow during the day or night. 

cuts on a slope too

Makes a great Father's Day gift...more time for him to sit in front of the TV.  :-)

Create a Yoga Garden

Relax and Breathe deeply

Would you like to make your garden a place for Yoga Practice?

Check out this article on Making a Yoga Garden -  Click Here. 

we all love rounded forms - they relax us.

Deer-Resistant Shade Plant - 'Luxuriant' Bleeding Heart

'Luxuriant' Bleeding Heart - Stoneridge Nursery   

  
If you love the lacy look of deer resistant Bleeding Hearts but wish that they lasted beyond spring then you are in luck!  The cherry-red hearts of 'Luxuriant' Fringed Bleeding Heart will dangle on arching stems above mounds of graceful, fern-like foliage from May to October (in cooler climates).

This prolific bloomer prefers shade but can be grown in partial sun. 

It comes back every year and looks so wonderful in large drifts with deer resistant ferns and Ladies Mantle.  Its blue-green foliage is also quite attractive and can be planted in pots or as a ground cover.  Butterflies like it too. 

Luxuriant Bleeding Hear at Monrovia

The Fringed Bleeding Heart is smaller  in size than its showier cousin, Bleeding Heart, but it lasts longer and has such great foliage. Easy to grow, fast growing, sells out....

New BMW 1 series

The new BMW 1 Series has had key elements reshaped and redesigned, and a high standard specification.


The BMW 118i M Sport 5-door sports hatch has 18” M Sport alloy wheels, M Sport suspension, Sport seats and BMW EfficientDynamics.