If you tell someone you found it in “Dirr” they’ll know you mean the Manual of Woody Landscape Plants: Their Identification, Ornamental Characteristics, Culture, Propagation and Uses (now in its 6th edition). But Michael A. Dirr, PhD has also written The Book on viburnums (Viburnums: Flowering Shrubs for Every Season), The Book on hydrangeas (Hydrangeas for American Gardens) co-written by his wife Bonnie, and several other coffee-table-worthy, destined-to-be-dogeared reference books. What makes his books worth consulting – and reading from cover to cover – is not just the breadth of information but that they’re thick with pithy opinions. I found out yesterday that Mike is just as entertaining and full of it (I mean knowledge) in person.

Mike’s slides were, unfortunately, a little tough to see due to the brilliance of a perfect day but the afternoon tree tour of the University of Blithewold (it felt like a campus yesterday) was a spectacular pleasure. I’m still trying to process it all. I’m sure I wasn’t the only one in the group of local industry professionals, savvy cognoscenti and at least one fellow blogger, straining to catch every second of his mile-a-minute professorial banter. Everyone looked as riveted, and by the end of the day, as overwhelmed as I felt. I’m so relieved that there’s not going to be a quiz – but I’ll try to recap just a little for you.

The event was co-sponsored by the New England chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture, and the topics – fitting for that group and ours – were noble trees and new introductions. Mike pointed out that you always know a noble tree when you see it – you don’t even have to know what it is, just that it has a venerable stature, grace, beauty and presence. It’s a squirrel highway and a landmark and Blithewold is blessedly full of them. It most certainly isn’t a Bradford pear (Pyrus calleryana) which has become not only the most ubiquitous street tree but has turned out to be invasive as well. And certainly not enough truly noble trees are being planted today for the benefit of future generations. Have you planted any? Which ones? Do you have a favorite noble tree? (Mine is a particular linden in a particular Middletown garden – even though – or because – I’ve nearly been knocked cold a couple of times by its enormous akimbo elbows.)

It is new introductions of trees and shrubs that keep the industry on its toes. Mike and Bonnie are on the constant look-out for unusual traits in trees and shrubs and have had a few “85 mph” drive-by finds introduced into commerce. (Keep your eyes peeled for a new redbud called ‘Bonnie’s Pink’.) We all want something new and different (we can’t help it) and with a trained eye any one of us could find the next winner, have it tested, propagated and introduced. The lesson I take from that is simply to pay more attention even to the old stand-by, tried-and-trues. How is it that I never in my life really noticed a hornbeam before yesterday? The professor in Mike brought out the student in me. I’m still interested all over again. And I’ve got a(helluva) lot to learn and a few of my own opinions to cultivate. How about you?

The entire horticultural staff went to the first of our winter conferences this week.  I can really only speak for myself, but I think we get a lot out of these outings.  Not only did we get to pal around with Layanee from Ledge and Gardens and learn scary things about Emerald Ash Borer and Asian Longhorn Beetles but we had the pleasure of listening to Sydney Eddison give her Gardens to Go: Creating and Designing a Container Garden talk and slide show.  We already have a well worn and dogeared copy of the book on the potting shed shelf and it’s one that Gail and I each have at home too.  And even though we refer to the book annually for container bed ideas as well as for new furniture colors every so often, hearing Ms. Eddison talk about her process was like seeing the photographs (by Steve Silk) of her garden for the first time.

She talked about borrowing from her experience as a set designer when she designed her patio container garden and it was like a little light went on in my head.  Of course a garden must have an entrance that entices you in and even doors themselves are important elements in the garden.   You never know who might walk through so she says to make sure to allow for and embellish that mystery.   Frames are very important in sets and gardens because they help draw the eye to vignettes and vistas.   And the flow of movement in a garden is as important as on a stage.  You certainly don’t want the ingenue (especially if that’s you) to trip over any of the props.

A fresh perspective calls for a fresh perspective and I learned this picture trick from Sydney Eddison’s partner in publishing, her favorite garden photographer, Steve Silk.  “Tilt Shift” is a photo editing technique (click here for a Photoshop tutorial or here for a web editor) that somehow magically transforms the view from life size to itty-bitty-teeny-tiny.  It’s like creating a mini model mock-up of the garden complete with flocking grass and paper trees.  (Be careful if you try it.  It’s a little addictive.)

Are you finding any new perspectives on your garden?

“Nothing lasts.”  That might sound pessimistic to the average bear but to a gardener it’s a liberating, life affirming and exciting truth.

Yesterday a lucky group of gardeners and Blithewold supporters had the pleasure of listening to and laughing with Margaret Roach (former editor of Martha Stewart Magazine) as she talked about 365 days of gardening on her property in the Berkshires.  She showed slides of her garden’s transformation from a steep hillside populated with fallingdown outbuildings and plastic lawn furniture to a steep hillside of gorgeous gardens, meadow and fabulous mountain views.  We were treated to full disclosure of hilarious rookie mistakes, tragic losses, happy accidents and sublime moments – what gardening is all about.  Margaret encouraged us to defy “conventional wisdom” whenever our gardens require us to be more creative.  Question authority (even when the authority is Martha Stewart)!  Be willing to learn from and laugh at the mistakes you make along the way.  And suffer the failures and losses with the hope and optimism of fresh opportunity (new plants!).

Margaret also gently chided us for saying “the season has ended”.  For her, and you can read her philosophy on her blog A Way to Garden, the garden year begins with “conception” and continues through to “senescence” and death.  Nothing lasts – but the whole process is precious.  To ignore or deny the truth and beauty of the garden’s decline is to miss part of the point of gardening – as much as denying a bud in spring.  We gardeners know it’s true and yet it’s a good reminder to hear a kindred spirit say it out loud.  Maybe don’t be in such a rush to clean up, she says and enjoy the fade.  And even if you’re like me – ready for a break, inclined to be indoors when it’s cold out – go back outside – in your p.j.s if that’s what you’re wearing, and take another look at the garden.

This year’s Garden Design Luncheon was a roaring sold out success – everyone involved with organizing it did a fabulous job – and I overheard all sorts of buzzing about how wonderful Margaret’s talk was.  For me, the day was extra special:  Not only did I have the honor of walking around Blithewold with Margaret (sadly, the frogs were chilly and anti-social), but I also sat in the fun-seat next to Layanee and her friend Lois at lunch (it was like being at the kid’s table).  Layanee promoted the luncheon on her radio show (The Garden Guys – and Gal), gave away tickets and also took the beautiful portrait of Margaret shown above.  Thank you, Layanee!

In honor of Margaret’s visit, for Garden Bloggers Bloom Day (hosted by Carol at May Dreams Gardens), here are some of mid-November’s gray hairs at Blithewold:

What’s growing old in your garden?

The gardens were a little soggy yesterday.  I could hear the ground actually percolating in places where it wasn’t ankle deep in mud.  There’s nothing like a weekend of non-stop rain (the rain gauge overflowed at 5″…) to make little fungi-brellas pop up everywhere and some plants looked like someone extra large had sat upon them. It’s a good thing Kyle didn’t come any closer!

Dan pointed out these tiny parasols (right) on a Norway maple (Acer platanoides) – a tree I walk by daily without giving it so much as a hug.  Some of the roses and zinnias looked like used tissue and a couple of the asters flopped face down in the soup but overall the grounds and gardens fared pretty well, considering.  And Gus-Gus made a rare appearance after the rain – I must say he’s looking quite fat and happy.  I think our fish population might be dwindling…

I did as much tidying of the Rose and North gardens as I could by teetering in from the very edge. As you know, it is never a good idea to tromp around in freshly rain soaked beds:  Not only does it cause soil compaction but you’re bound to get drenched and cranky too.

I never even came close to cranky yesterday because right as I was finishing up for the morning, I was joined in the North Garden by none other than Rhode Island’s Best Layanee from Ledge and Gardens and the famous fabulous Gail from Clay and Limestone who blogs all the way from Tennessee.  Inspired by the Garden Blogger’s Spring Fling in Texas, we had an impromptu mini-fling — a fall fling-let, if you will, at Blithewold.  Wish you were here too!  We meandered to the Display Garden, stopped for an “irreverent” discussion at the Cutting Garden asclepias and several missed photo ops of the hummingbirds that are still twittering in the bamboo and swooping on the garden.  Everything under the sun and Salvia uliginosa was enthused over and even the possibility of a full fling in the future was mentioned – although Layanee and I couldn’t agree on an ideal time.  Blithewold may be super pretty in the fall but Layanee seems to think her own garden is past its peak.  I’ve seen pictures and beg to differ!  (But I do have to admit that I certainly wouldn’t want anyone to see my own garden right now – I’m more inclined to create a traffic diversion and some sort of commotion just to distract my neighbors.)

Gail and Layanee finally stood still just long enough (as we grazed on ground cherries) for a quick portrait before moving on to the watery Water and Rock Gardens.   I was very sorry to see them go.  As everybody knows, it’s the best kind of inspiration to talk with others who share your passion.  No wonder people join garden clubs, host flings and pot lucks and write blogs!

Today the Deadheads worked on propping up and tidying the Display Garden even though in a short couple of weeks we’ll start to tear it apart.  The mansion closes right after Columbus Day and we’ll be swinging into high holiday gear all too soon.  Gail (from Clay and Limestone) asked what these gardens look like in the winter:  Stay tuned!

Maybe it’s the influence of living through the hoopla surrounding the 4th of July in Bristol, RI (home of the longest running – and longest marching – 4th of July parade in the country) but it seems like life is eventful at the moment.

Last Friday Gail and I celebrated the last hurdle hurdled before our July 4th week got-to-get-the-gardens-in deadline by a marathon planting of the newest Display Garden bed. Even though we were still tucking things in today, it feels like a major event to be officially finished planting!

After finishing that on Friday (and after scraping the most of the dirt from my fingernails and elbow wrinkles) I tagged along to the last garden in Blithewold’s Intimate Garden Tour Series. Our hosts welcomed the group with open arms and showed us what it means to actually live within the landscape – this was no mere garden! (Not that I’m dissing mere gardens – I, myself have one of those.) I have to say honestly that I didn’t expect to covet the house or even the property – 40 acres along a branch of the Westport River (erm, why wouldn’t I want that?). The house is ultra moderne but so site specific – it was designed and built for exactly that spot, no other – and really blurred the boundaries between inside and out which is what they were going for. It works in the dreamiest way possible. One of the couple is a landscape architect and rather than build things like a lot LAs do, he talked about “editing” the landscape. Sure there were elements they added but most of their touch was felt in care-full revealing of views. Sublime and sweet and magnificent all at once and although I can’t bring much of what they did “home” with me, I feel richer for seeing how elegantly it can be done. I’m only sorry that this was the last tour of the season and can’t encourage you to join the group for the next one.

I can encourage you to join us for Blithewold’s evening soirées – the next one is in the North Garden on July 16th – click here for details. That same week the Rhode Island Federation of Garden Clubs is presenting a flower show at Blithewold. Their gala is on July 17th and the show is open on the 18th and 19th. I haven’t found any information on line about how to or whether you can enter your own arrangements and horticultural specimens (and win as many blue ribbons as possible) so if you’re interested in finding out more, ask your favorite garden club member. Meanwhile, I’ll do the same and hopefully have more to tell you about it next time…

Seeing this fellow (and many others) in the last of the shredded leaf pile was eventful for the volunteers and me this morning. Anyone know what it’s going to grow up to be?

Finally the most major event in my recent days is a visit from none other than the famous and favorite Layanee of Ledge and Gardens! Thank you for the strawberries and I hope the sweet peas made the long ride home without wilting!

and it seems like a whole week has gone by – everything is happening so fast now! For a taste of what yesterday looked like at Blithewold, head right over to Ledge and Gardens. It’s so fun to see Blithewold through another’s eyes – but I’m really sorry that I missed Layanee’s visit!

I ran around this morning trying to catch up with all the changes. The Korean Spice Bush (Viburnum carlesii) is beginning to bloom and smells divine – if only we had virtual scratch and sniff! Last year we planted a compact form (Viburnum carlesii ‘Compactum’) in the Rose Garden – it looks (and smells) like a perfect shrub for a small garden. I’m putting it on my own-garden wish list…

The Mayapples (Podophyllum peltatum) are up all of a sudden along with epimediums that apparently leafed out and began to bloom over night. And the tulips are opening before our very eyes.

The warm spell is a mixed blessing – the daffodils are still peaking but the first ones (the ‘Ice Follies’ especially) are beginning to go by. Good thing there are so many other spring beauties opening up! The weekend still looks good weather wise – don’t let a little rain in the forecast for Sunday slow you down – we’re having an open house in the greenhouse! Gail and Julie will be here from 1 – 4 and our favorite garden books will be out on the potting bench for you to flip through. We’re busy getting the place spiffed now — we needed a good excuse to tidy up!

It’s hard to compete with a street fair, a Touch-a-Truck (“some had air horns!” said one kiddo I know), a nearby harvest festival with do-it-yourself scarecrows, a working waterfront festival a few towns over and a gorgeous warm breezy sunny day that made being out on the water requisite for anyone with access to a boat — BUT Blithewold’s Fall Gardener’s Day was where the gardeners were. I was hoping to meet fellow bloggers and readers but alas you attended incognito and in spirit – those who were here must have caught my shy bug — it’s going around… I was even going to take a guess-who shoe portrait! (If you look really closely, you can see the hazy outlines of at least a dozen pairs of feet who were nearly here – and guess who?!)

Most of my day I bounced from the Blithewold plant sale table (where I was camped to sell begonias, clivias, figs and other greenhouse babies) to the other vendors’ booths where I spent considerably more than I earned that day! I caught snippets of lectures and eavesdropped on rave reviews. By the sound of it Andrew Grossman had everyone rethinking their garden design, Lisa Gibson McMahon sent everyone home with beyond-frost salad starts and Barney Webster spawned a few water gardener wanna-bees. And everyone learned something new from flower drying and arranging, fall container planting, and pruning, to what will change for gardeners as the climate changes.

Just because Fall Gardener’s Day is behind us (and ahead – mark your 2008 calendar) doesn’t mean we’re done showing off the garden – the kaleidoscope continues! And Jake (who answers to many other names) has appointed himself cutest greeter – can you stand it?!

It’s been a busy week of pretty light, projects and laughs – here’s a little review in pictures.

On Tuesday morning the last (?) Lotus bud opened up.

On Wednesday, the volunteers had an extra helper — Julie, our director of horticulture belongs to Tara, a Tibetan comedian diva who just says “poo” to the no-dogs-allowed-at-Blithewold rule. Dogs generally seem to have a different kind of (dis)respect for the gardens than we do… Dog loving readers, would you agree?

Because I liked how these pictures came out, here’s another daylily ‘Autumn Minaret’.

I was inspired by this blogger (thank you for the bakery treats, Layanee!) who was inspired by another to get down low in the garden. Here’s an on-my-knees shot of the arbor in the Idea Beds through the Agastache ‘Summer Breeze’.

And finally, the week in review ends in the North Garden with Hydrangea ‘Limelight’ and the North Star wall.

Happy Labor Day! Until next Tuesday – Garden On!

This past week everyone on the staff has had a certain look on their face – a focused, single-minded and frenzied sort of glaze – because Blithewold’s Annual Meeting is tonight. And everything must. be. perfect! Reports were written and rewritten, speeches have been practiced (“I want to thank the Academy…”), smart looking outfits have been pressed and set aside, and all the gardens have been gone over with a fine toothed weeder and each open flower was inspected for beauty and eligibility. Yesterday the Deadheads poured over the whole Display Garden – and weeded out the last and toughest bed. I would have loved to take a picture when they were all bent over under the smoke bush looking like so many of that funny cutout lawn ornament. But to publish such a picture would have been unkind of me! (You have to know, it’s the hardest thing to take a picture of the volunteers working and NOT shoot that pose!) Today the Rockettes attended to four gardens giving the whole place a last minute spruce and I think we can safely say we’re ready. Now if only it was a little less bitter cold! (I’m going to have to run home for mittens and a knit cap).

Chilly temps might keep our members from wandering all the way over to the Display Garden this evening, but if they do come by they might notice this lovely lady blooming right now. (I couldn’t wait for Gardener’s Bloom Day to show this one!…) It’s Campanula ‘Kent Belle’. This is a blooming beauy too of a different sort altogether – Check out the shoes!!.

Newsflash – This just in!: Layanee stopped by! I feel like I have arrived. And it was oddly reassuring to meet a fellow blogger in person – we’re really real people hanging out in this virtual world!  I can’t wait to see your pictures, Layanee!