I know is it odd to open a post with a mass of gooseneck loosestrife (Lysimachia clethroides), the dreaded plant that I warn everyone to keep out of their garden. However, in a situation where I want a dense groundcover where there is nothing else that will require little to no weeding, it is great. it will hold a bank, looks good all season and even providing beautiful fall color. My clients call it the soufflé because it often has a fluffy/lumpy top that looks, well, like a soufflé.

My client did this beautiful barn renovation so that the "barn bed" that has daffodils, daylilies and Black-eyed Susans providing a succession of blooms, really sings, especially tiered with the goosies. We just extended the barn trifecta bed to the end of the new wall.

The meadowish treatment, clearly visible in the 5th photo was an experiment with interspersing different grasses and forbs into an existing hay field to see if we could get something nice without having to kill everything first and go through the whole meadow creation drama. It is OK I think.

#scaryplants
#dontputhisinyourgarden
#goosiesandsuzies
#renovatedbarn
#landscapedesign
#catskillgardens ...

Late August foggy garden #Donstathamblog #totemfarmgarden #donstathamgarden #catskillgardens #angelicagigas ...

We installed this woodland garden about 10 years ago and the clients' maintain it themselves. I stopped by the other day to have a look and was delighted to see how nice it looks.

#woodlandgarden
#catskillgardens
#shadeplants
#landscapedesign
#shadegarden ...

Poppy time! #laurensgrapepoppy #donstathamblog #totemfarmgarden #icehouse #julygarden #catskillgardens ...

My new rainbow butterfly garden 🌈 🦋 🌺
#coneflowers #butterflygarden #pollinatorgarden #catskillgardens ...

This is the project that we started last fall (2023) and finished just before Thanksgiving of this year (2024). We had a huge wet snow before I could photograph it really finished and the grill had still not be set and hooked up. That required professionals who deal with gas and electric.

We actually planted it in late October but there are a lot of plugs and transplants so with the small size, fall plants and leaves it doesn't look like much yet. I can not wait to see it by late July this year as it should transform all of the architecture and hardscaping into a beautiful garden.

This was our most challenging and dramatic design and installation ever. The last photo gives an idea of the starting point and the penultimate photo shows the big curved countertop that Gus (my partner) figured out how to move and install with a makeshift dolly system. I created so many challenges with all of the curves and wood/stone combinations and the steep slope added such complications. Gus did an amazing job of making it all work and working out of the details that I are inherent in the design.

The clients are wonderful and we are really looking forward to stewarding this property into something amazing.

#terracedgarden
#steepslopegardening
#stoneandwood
#stonesteps
#catskillgardens ...

The Annual Andes Library Benefit Garden Tour is this Saturday, 8/6 between 11 and 4. Garden tours are that greatest way to spend a day exploring different neighborhoods, seeing people's properties and some varied and beautiful gardens. This tour has some new gardens this year and some that I am very excited to visit. A couple I have been admiring from the road for years.

Go the Andes Library in the heart of the village to make your donation and pick up your map. Be sure to come see me at my garden. Coming to my garden first would be a great start.

See you soon --- Mel

#catskillgardens
#gardendesign
#localgarden
#catskillsevents
#countrygardens ...

always a crowd pleaser. we are going to do some more work at this property soon so I was there yesterday doing some evaluation and visited with the client. we are both kind of blown away by how lush this garden is.

#ornamentalgrasses
#lotsofgrasses
#cottagegarden
#catskillgardens
#landscapedesign ...

I rarely post images of brand new installations but this one is really special and I am very excited about it. We got the opportunity to design and install a beautiful landscape for a village property with a great client. We got to start with a blank canvas and create paths, a courtyard, patio, pergola with swing and several matrix plantings that I can't wait to see in their full glory. There will be multiple framings for sculptures. No, the hose holder is not a sculpture.

Thank you leokoenigart

#landscapedesign
#villagegarden
#sculpturegarden
#catskillgardens
#leokoenig ...

this garden and amazing property looks so great this time of year. also, my love of gravel and rocks does help 😀

#countryestategardens
#catskillgardens
#zone4gardening
#landscapedesign ...

We did a huge project last year with many walls, paths, steps and naturalistic plantings. We are not taking care of this property so I don't get opportunities to photograph it. I stopped by on a whim on the last day of September in the middle of the day and took a bunch of photos. There is so much going on and it is hard to capture. I was so excited see it looking so spiffy.

#naturalisticplantings
#steppingstones
#landscapedesign
#catskillgardens
#catskillmountains ...

Got a SHAGGY HEART? Trim & clean that baby up. There’s only 3 weeks left for that “Summer Romance”. Get with it. #topiary #topiarygarden #heartsabound #showyourlove #catskillgardens #foodforthought True ...

looking the fall gardens!!!!

#fallgarden
#landscape_lovers
#landscapedesignideas
#catskillgardens ...

since we have been designing, installing and stewarding landscapes/gardens for 20 years now, I am constantly overwhelmed by how they evolve. this willow walk is just an amazing example. I actually did visualize it becoming a canopy from the beginning but it is had to believe how amazingly it has transformed. We just put in a variety of carex under them to get some soft green texture and for me to see how these different varieties behave there: (for geeks only) albicans, eburnea, radiata and montana.

PLEASE SCROLL THOUGH TO SEE THE BEGINNING AND MIDDLE; forgive me for shouting but . . .

#maturegardens
#oldgardens
#willowwalk
#gardenevolution
#catskillgardens
#landscapedesign ...

we hosted a benefit for a local arts group (The Roxbury Arts Group) this weekend and neither my wife or I took a single photo as we were so busy. we had, of course, spiffed up the garden so I took some photos yesterday as an afterthought. If you scroll to the end you will see my new Sango Kaku which I consider to be a climate change experiment and some picnic tables that we are going to keep to create a picnicking area in the shade.

#augustgarden
#catskillgardens
#landscapephotography
#landscapedesigns ...