Great Outdoors

Not sure what to plant? Look around!

bluehousegardens Evergreen, Great Outdoors, Groundcover, Perennials ,
Photo of woodland garden
Ferns, Pulmonaria, Hellebores, Redbud, Astilbe and more grow at the driveway’s edge of this woodland garden.

Whenever I go for a site visit, I like to look around the neighborhood to see what’s growing. This gives me a sense of the area and also helps me identify plants that might thrive, especially with regard to deer. This lovely garden is at the edge of a long driveway on a very wooded lot. I was surprised to see the host looking so good, but you never know what route deer will take as they pass through. Maybe the proximity of the hellebores acts as a deterrent? I don’t know, but I enjoyed seeing it.

 

Rock Spring Park

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New Cedar Growth
Redbud
Cryptomeria Cones
Fothergilla
Virginia Bluebells (Mertensia virginica)

Several times a week I jog through Rock Spring Park, one of our wonderful green spaces here in Arlington. There’s always something to stop and admire, whether it be blooms, new green growth, ducks in the water, or someone’s adorable canine pal out for a walk. In addition to Arlington Parks & Rec, a lot of volunteers make sure the park stays healthy, and I appreciate them every time I go through. And if you have part-shade in your garden, you can be sure that anything thriving here in deer territory will do well at your house, too.

2018 Arlington Home Show & Garden Expo

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Photo of Arlington Garden Expo Garden

I had such a good time at the 2018 Arlington Home Show & Garden Expo yesterday. Thank you to Tony Weaver and Karen Olson Weaver for such a fun day together, to Design Distillery for the gorgeous Fermob furniture, and to everyone who stopped by to talk about their gardens. It was a great way to start the season and we look forward to working with some of the great homeowners we met. Happy Spring, everyone! (Here’s a guide to find these elements or get a similar look.)

First Day of Spring

bluehousegardens Flowers, Great Outdoors ,

Photo of Forsythia in the Snow

Well, it’s the first day of spring, but that’s no guarantee of anything when it comes to the weather. Here in the DC area we’re enjoying a wonderful snow day, which means no school, hot chocolate, bootcamp in the snow, fellow exercisers pushing my car up a hill afterwards, working at home while looking out the window at sleds and snowballs- oh, and a trip to Livin’ the Pie Life so we can bring a Mile-High Pie to dinner next door. Here’s hoping for another slow day tomorrow!

Outdoor Christmas Decor

bluehousegardens Birds, Evergreen, Garden Structure, Great Outdoors, Landscape Design, Trees ,

A couple years ago a family in our neighborhood was leaving for a trip on Christmas Day, so they put their tree out on the curb. As you can imagine, it didn’t stay there for long. A group of guys got together and set it back up on the family’s lawn, complete with tinsel and whatever tacky decorations they could get together. The thing is, though, that people loved it! Little kids, random dog walkers, people driving by, they all got a kick out of it, so last year we decided to put up outdoor trees as a deliberate decorating decision. Some people were frustrated by the number of times their tree blew over, but others of us are hooked and have decided it’s a new tradition. Ours is a bird theme, complete with bird seed and these pre-lit cardinals that I think are the cutest thing ever. (Yes, I have a kitschy streak.)

How’s your decorating going? Have fun, don’t stress, do your own thing.

Using Black in the Landscape

bluehousegardens Garden Structure, Great Outdoors

Photo of fences

Often people think that black is a bold color choice- white feels more neutral- but when it comes to exteriors, black is the best way to make something recede. Black is definitely one of the best color choices for a fence. In this example, our client installed a new fence and gate that jumped out at the viewer because of it’s light, raw wood. You can see this everywhere, as people usually do leave their fences unfinished. A simple coat of exterior wood stain, though, creates a much more harmonious look that will require very little future maintenance.

Perennial’s the Word

bluehousegardens Cutting Garden, Flowers, Great Outdoors, Landscape Design, Perennials
Photo of chrysanthemums
Chrysanthemums are perennial if we give them a chance.

Take a look at this gorgeous photo and ask yourself, “Why am I buying mums every year when they would quite happily show up on their own?”

Okay, it’s great to put them in pots for some front porch color, but really, isn’t this amazing? My far-seeing neighbor planted these years ago and they come back reliably each fall. A definite garden goal for me, and something I’m trying to encourage more with my clients. If you’ve got mums that are starting to fade now, consider popping them in the ground for color spots next year. What’s the worst that could happen?