A Winter Meadow: Full of Life and Art 

A Winter Meadow: Full of Life and Art 

January 23, 2024

In the heart of winter, a meadow trades the bright purples, yellows, and shades of green of the growing season for softer shades of sepia and brown. These muted tones could fool us into thinking not much is happening this time of year, but in reality, life is everywhere when you look for its clues – and careful observation yields beautiful, art-filled results.

Verbena hastata, blue vervain
Winter interest times two ~ native plants and sculpture.
Solidago, goldenrod
Echinacea, coneflower
Soft and ethereal in the snow
Stoke’s aster ~ dormant phase
From a design perspective, dark seed cones bring a dramatic note and vertical accent to a garden’s winter picture.

Beautiful and Bucolic…with a View

The ultimate New England backyard landscape.

My backyard landscape has evolved over the last 17 years. Whether viewed from my kitchen window, sitting at the ornamental fish pond, or strolling the mowed paths of the lawn, I want my yard to represent a love of shape, color, and whimsy. It’s not just about plants! Every season, aspects of my garden change for the better. Clearing stone walls, creating a meadow, replacing unsafe trees, and building a new walkway to the back door are improvements that enhance my experience living on this beautiful property more every year.

Coreopsis (Tickseed) comes to life in the fall.
Eupatorium formosanum
Common blue aster
Art in the garden.
Physostegia virginiana (Obedient Plant) with a happy pollinator.
A water feature for all…pollinators and people.
Beautiful even past its prime and going to seed.
An original New England stone wall sits at the back of the property – be on the lookout!
Beauty in fall’s morning mist.

6 Must-Read Tips For Planting Bulbs In The Fall

Fritillaria meleagris – also known as guinea hen flowers

Planting bulbs now is a great idea for spring flowers later. But check out our valuable tips before you start digging.
Bulbs are one of the best ways to have a colorful spring garden, but when it comes to fall bulb planting, there are a few things you’ll need to know. Try out these tips this fall, for beautiful blooms next spring!

1. The Right Way to Plant Fall Bulbs
As you are planting bulbs, there are a few things to remember. First, make sure that you choose a spot with at least 6 hours of sunlight. For early bloomers, like daffodils, you can plant in a spot that gets sun before the trees have leaves in the spring. By the time trees start shading your bulb bed, early-blooming bulbs should be almost finished for the year. Bulbs also like soil that is rich with organic matter or compost, and they love well-drained soil. Soggy soil or overwatering will cause them to rot. Finally, when you are ready to plant, the general rule of thumb is to plant a bulb three times as deep as the bulb is tall, making sure the pointy part is facing upwards.

2. Prepare the Bulb Bed Well

You don’t want to simply dig a hole and plant the bulb. For the best growth, make sure that you prepare a bed ahead of planting. This means that you’ll need to remove weeds and loosen the soil. It is also a good idea to add compost for nutrients or sand for drainage before you plant.

3. Buy at the Right Time
This is a tough one because nowadays, many stores are selling their fall bulbs in July or August because they want gardening supplies out of the way in time to set up holiday displays. This means that you’ll either need to store your bulbs carefully for a month or three, or you’ll need to order online or by mail at planting time so that you have fresh, healthy bulbs. If you are stuck buying your bulbs early, then make sure they are firm and plump, with no mold or rot. Leave them in the bag that you purchased them in, and then place that bag in a paper lunch bag so that you can store the bulbs in the fridge without making a mess.

4. Plant at the Right Time

Try to plant when nightly temperatures are around 40 or 50 degrees, or about six weeks before you expect the ground to freeze. Leave the bulbs in the bags you bought them in, and simply place them in your refrigerator for six to 10 weeks before planting if you bought them early. Make sure that you don’t store bulbs with fruits since the gasses that fruit gives off can make your bulbs go bad.

5. Plant the Right Bulbs

Not all bulbs should be planted in the fall. Dahlias and gladiolus should be planted in the spring, for instance, while daffodils and tulips do well when planted in late summer or early autumn. Here is the rule of thumb: If you are planting a bulb that blooms in the spring, plant it in the fall. For bulbs that bloom in early summer or later, plant them in the spring.

6. Wait for Spring to Fertilize

Once you have the bulbs in the ground, they’ll stay dormant for the remainder of the fall and winter, so you won’t need to bother fertilizing. Wait until you start to see the first shoots of spring because that is an indicator that the roots are growing and ready for nutrients. You’ll also want to ensure you don’t fertilize after the bulbs start to flower because this will inhibit bulb growth. If you haven’t tried bulbs in your garden, you definitely should. With daffodils, hyacinths, tulips, and other early spring bloomers, bulb beds will give you beautiful color long before the rest of your garden starts to grow.

Hyacinth in moss

A Three Year Old Meadow Comes Into its Own

“It was February 2020, and the pandemic had just begun. I was working from home, looked out at my property, and realized my beautiful woodlands were slowly getting strangled by a relentless invasion of non-native plants – aka invasives. I was almost in tears when I decided to reach out to Dan Holmes to see what we could do to remedy the noxious weeds. Determined to reclaim the beauty of my woodlands, we decided to clear the area and plant a wildflower meadow to support the pollinators. I’m happy to say my yard is now lush and thriving with bees, butterflies, and a beautiful color palette of gorgeous flowers. It is easy to maintain, brings me endless joy, and colors my world!”
False sunflowers reaching for the sky.
Spectacular blooms line this meandering meadow pathway.
Eupatorium hyssopifolium (Hyssop leaved bonneset) – in full bloom for pollinators, butterflies, and other beneficial insects.
The perfect mix of native plants and perennials.

An explosion of purple Monarda (Bee Balm) begins.

A stunning patch of purple natives.
The pastoral view from the house.

The vibrant colors of fall in the meadow.
This visual blog is the perfect, example of the beauty and balance that a meadow brings to people and pollinators alike.

Interested in seeing if a meadow is right for your own landscape?

Reach out to us at 203-270-3331.

Water Wisely

newly planted perennials

When it comes to watering new plants and shrubs, it’s important to strike a balance to promote healthy growth without over-watering or under-watering your new plant material.

Here are some general guidelines to follow:

  1. Watering frequency: New plants and shrubs typically require more frequent watering than established ones. In the first few weeks after planting, water them every two to three days to ensure the soil remains consistently moist. If we are experiencing an extended dry patch with no rain, we recommend daily watering.
  2. Amount of water: Aim to provide a thorough and deep watering to encourage the development of strong roots. Apply enough water so that the top 6-8 inches of soil are moistened. This allows the roots to grow deeply, promoting stability and better access to nutrients.
  3. Time of day: Water your new plants and shrubs early in the morning or late in the afternoon. This minimizes water loss through evaporation and allows the foliage to dry before evening, reducing the risk of fungal diseases.
  4. Monitor soil moisture: Regularly check the soil’s moisture level by inserting your finger or a moisture meter into the ground. If the top inch or so of soil feels dry, it’s usually an indication that it’s time to water.
  5.  Adjust based on weather conditions: Environmental factors like temperature, humidity, and rainfall affect the watering needs of plants. During hot and dry periods, you may need to increase the watering frequency, while rainy periods may require less supplemental watering.
  6. Mulch application: The layer of organic mulch we have added around your plants and shrubs, will help retain soil moisture, reduces weed growth, and regulates soil temperature.

*Please note that some plants may need thorough, deep watering throughout the first year or at least through the first summer, especially if we move towards a drought situation. This may hold true for established plants as well. And in some instances, transplanted plants may require two years of supplemental watering.

Bottom line – observe your new plants closely and make adjustments as needed. This will help you establish an effective watering routine for optimal growth and health.

Please reach out with any questions you may have (203-270-3331), we’re here to help.

Holmes Fine Gardens

Introducing Our New Designer

Hand-drawn garden design
A recent hand-drawn favorite.

 

Darylynn joined Dan’s design team last season after moving here from Manhattan where she recently traded fashion for flowers. She comes to Holmes Fine Gardens with a background in designing shoes and accessories. Designing gardens is a natural transition she’s just as passionate about.

As they say…once a creative, always a creative.

Her newest accessory? Nature!

 

Enjoy this fun Q&A to get to know a little bit

about Darylynn

 

What’s one interesting fact about you that we wouldn’t learn from your resume alone? That my favorite movies are from the 1920s to 1940s and that I will stop whatever I’m doing if a Fred Astaire movie is on.

 

If you were a flower, what kind of flower would you be and why? The Calla Lily because it symbolizes gratitude.

 

If you had a choice between two superpowers, being invisible or flying, which would you choose and why? Flying because birds seem to be having a blast!

 

Last thing you read? The second edition of “Feel Free” magazine, founded by interior designer Leanne Ford.

 

What part of the day is your favorite & why? The crack of dawn to catch the sunrise. It’s a magical occurrence you can count on daily – pure beauty.

 

Favorite garden style? I am obsessed with topiary and meadows – British and French-style gardens are a big source of inspiration.

 

When you’re not working at HFG where can we find you? Hiking with my two loves, my husband Joseph and my fox terrier Fonzie.

 

Something, not many people know about you?” I collect bugs. The star of my collection is a dragonfly.

 

Finish this sentence, “I find garden design” … I find garden design fascinating.

 

What part of the garden design process do you enjoy most? I enjoy the whole process but if I had to pick just one aspect, it would be sketching the actual garden because that’s the moment the design starts to come to life.

 

Are you a country mouse or a city mouse? A city mouse masquerading as a country mouse.

 

Do you have a landscape architect muse? Yes, Geoffrey Jellicoe – he had a long-distinguished career. #LifeGoals

A Focal Point For All Seasons

Basic fire pit ring in place.

Basic firepit ring in place and ready for planting.

As part of the front yard renovation of this beautiful property in Newtown, the homeowners wanted to creatively hide the top of their well cover while adding interest and color. The house itself is perched high up on their land with a pastoral view that draws the eye right down to the top of the well, a bullseye of sorts, that needed a creative boost.

Firepit ring in place and ready for planting.

With a diameter of 60″ it initially proved challenging to find a container to plant in that would cover the well cap in its entirety. After searching local garden centers, getting creative with local artisans, and searching in-depth on Google, it was a firepit ring insert that turned out to be a cost-friendly option that worked well and just made sense.

Freshly planted container garden.

A unique array of plant material provides textural blooms with seasonal staying power.Once purchased and in place with the right foundation and soil mixture, we set out to a few local garden centers to search for a mix of perennials, annuals, and succulents that combined color, texture, and ease of maintenance along with the sun factor (full sun!). We also wanted to create an ever-changing, mini landscape that would produce new blooms and color variations with the seasons just like a full-scale landscape design.

In the end, it came together beautifully.

Finished container garden.

 

Planted container garden.

A bullseye worth admiring! From both the street and the house. 

“We knew we had a pretty rock well that could be an interesting focal point in the front yard but didn’t have the expertise to execute a plan. Dan’s team created a garden that continuously blooms, bringing varied interest and beauty throughout all seasons. We also recently renovated the exterior of our home and wanted a layered landscape that would both welcome visitors and create peaceful spaces.”

~ Homeowner, Jessyca

 

6 Steps for Installing a Native Wildflower Meadow

Native wildflower meadow

Native wildflower meadow

Wildflower Meadow – Holcombe Hill, Newtown, CT. We’ve been talking about meadows for many years. And yes, we’re passionate about planting them here at HFG. Why? There are many benefits to you, the homeowner, and even more to Mother Earth.

By planting natives, the foundation plant of a meadow, you become part of the ever-important link between native plant species and native wildlife, including birds, insects, bees, and more. And, you get to say goodbye to mowing that section of your lawn, which saves you time and money – and has additional sustainable benefits to our environment. 

Native meadow as yard

Mow time is cut in half and beauty exudes.

This statistic really hits home. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), one hour of operating a new gasoline lawn mower emits the same amount of volatile organic compounds and nitrogen oxide as driving a new car 45 miles. Garden equipment engines produce up to 5% of the nation’s air pollution. Sobering.

Summer blooms in native meadow

Early summer blooms in this local, native meadow.Now, let’s get back to what it takes to install a meadow on your property – large or small.

Proper meadow installation will only be successful if you use the correct preparation methods to avoid pitfalls. We typically start by making sure enough time is spent ridding your area of aggressive plants and mowing the meadow down the first year when the height of the growth reaches 12”. These are general best practices. There are many other exceptions and nuances to consider when installing a meadow, but don’t let it overwhelm you – we are always here to help!

 

6 Steps for Meadow Success: 

 

1. Selecting a location: Find a suitable, open location that receives approximately 6 hours of sunlight each day.

2. Assessment of site: Assess the existing vegetation. What plants are currently growing at this point in time? This step will determine what happens next.

3. Prepping the site: This step can be the most labor-intensive step based on what vegetation is in place. If the area is comprised of many woody, shrubby, or large thorny plants and/or aggressive non-natives, these will have to be removed first. Methods for ridding the area of these tough plants might include mechanical removal, burning, or selective herbicide treatment. 

 

If the area contains mostly existing lawn and other cool season grasses, we rid this area of vegetation by:

 

Mechanical removal: We prefer a sod cutter in areas where minimal stone and a good stand of existing grass are present.

Solarizing & Mowing: First, we start by mowing the grassy vegetation as low as possible (scalp mow) and then we often solarize the area by placing a plastic sheet over the top of the vegetation. Depending on the type of vegetation present (and if it’s an aggressive species), we would leave the sheeting in place for a minimum of 3 months. 

Solarizing the site and prepping it for planting

The solarization process is underway.

Once the vegetation is removed, we prefer to let the area grow out again, especially if there are a lot of aggressive annual weeds such as crabgrass that have seeds lying dormant in the soil, just waiting for the chance to germinate. Once these begin to grow again, we revisit mowing, spraying, and solarizing, or even all three! If we opt to spray, we will use a non-selective herbicide at this point, or even a natural mix of vinegar, salt, lemon juice, and soap to kill the shoot growth. Unfortunately, these organic sprays do not translocate to the root zone and will only kill off the shoots, so several repeat applications may be needed. 

4. Seeding…the fun part! After the site is generally weed free, it’s time to seed the area. We would collaborate with you on choosing a native seed mix suited to the area and growing conditions: dry, wet, or average soils.

How do we plant all of these seeds you ask? If the area is a manageable size, we lightly fracture the top surface of the soil using a stiff metal garden rake. For larger meadows, we like to use a rake towed behind a tractor or we may opt for a drill seeder. This method is used to evenly and efficiently fracture the soil and distribute the seed. Once the soil is ready and the seeding rates have been established, we prefer to mix the seed in a carrier such as a clay kitty litter container (yes, I said kitty litter!) to aid in distribution – it works well.

After seeding, a light covering of hay is laid down to protect the seed from birds and from washing away in potentially heavy rainfall.

Hay is laid for protection

Hay is laid for protection.

5. A daily rain dance: This important method may be needed and is dependent on what type of weather pattern we’re having. Praying for rain can also help.

6. The final critical step: Once your meadow reaches 12-18” the first season, we will need to mow the area down (even if there are flowers…yes, tough…we know!). We do this at a minimum until late July – it allows the young developing flowers to become strong enough to stand up against the more aggressive grasses in the seed mix.

fall native meadow

This homeowner is now reaping the reward – seasonal beauty.

Sit back and enjoy your, new, ever-changing landscape – complete with all of its seasonal offerings while knowing you’ve given a special gift back to our friend Mother Nature.

Tranquil Space – an Invitation to Presence

A natural stepping stone path.

The precise placement of stepping stones invites one to deliberately slow down one’s pace.

For 19 years, the land placed in our stewardship lay untouched and silent with respect to its purpose.  Aside from a few photo ops in the snow and the occasional round of catch or frisbee, the land remained a peripheral witness to our busy indoor lives — that is, until we met Dan, Owner/Founder/Designer – of Holmes Fine Gardens. With his magical, easeful manner, he brought a rising breath to our resting land and the movement began. As the first trees were felled and the first blades cut into the earth, I began to tune into the heartbeat of the land, and it started to divulge in a wordless language that it would someday soon become an extension of me, and me of it.

Over time, Dan became an integral part of this deep tuning in process, as he had a connection to the earth that I had not yet cultivated. He seemed unhurried and receptive, and I immediately trusted him to co-navigate the transformation of our property with aesthetic design guidance from our landscape architect, Emily Musall Fronckowiak, APA Certified Aesthetic Pruner. While Emily began designing our new walkway, deck, outdoor kitchen, koi pond, and zen garden around our want for visual serenity, Dan brought a diversity of life and extraordinary color to the property by planting an extensive, lush pollinator meadow, and dotting the land with his favorite natives. I remember the sharp pang of regret I felt upon realizing how little sustenance our land had offered the wildlife for nearly two decades, and I was thrilled to be creating new habitat. I didn’t recognize it at the time, but thinking about habitats was the catalyst I needed to unleash my desire to “invite”. 

The plant installation process.

Fast forward to 2020 – the transformation began to take shape.

I began to see the land, as a picturesque setting for our home, as well as a restorative outdoor living space for our family and guests; a place in which to drop from the head to the heart, as they say. Dan’s palpable respect for the native environment and its offerings of natural boulders, ferns and mosses, and refuge for wildlife heavily influenced many of my choices as I began tuning into the heart of the garden. The rising vision of a “contemplative garden” serendipitously brought us into collaboration with Japanese landscape architect, Takaya Kurimoto. Takaya listened keenly to the experiential objectives I sought to achieve and expertly translated them into a multi-themed garden plan, influenced by Japanese garden design and spatial concepts. Ultimately, I wanted the garden to be a space, like the pauses in poetry, where one could step out of time and meet themselves fully. ~ Anáil Moon

Enjoy this visual tour of Anáil’s property – a land where one can experience and enjoy the spirit of welcoming and healing.

Japanese cultivars amid natural stone in the garden.

A breathtaking fusion of rare Japanese cultivars and native New England flora coexist beautifully.

Mushrooms among moss

Brilliantly colored fungi thrive among the moss.

Zen garden with rake and special stones

The Zen Garden – a special place to exhale fully and experience the effortless ease of being.

Approaching the garden from the woodland.

“As I tuned into the heartbeat of the land, it began to divulge into a wordless language that would soon become an extension of me, and me of it.” ~ Anail Moon

A natural stone stream.

Plantings along the winding stream keep the energy of the land flowing reminding us that it is our very nature to be – in flow.

Perennial alongside a stream.

‘Astrantia major’, Masterwort – an unusual, starry-eyed edition. 

A monarch butterfly resting on a mossy stone.

A rare Monarch butterfly enjoying the mossy montage.

The koi pond and surrounding statues.

The koi pond provides a point of visual serenity within the landscape.

A budding tree with the Zen garden in the distance.

The budding Sweet Almond Tree (Prunus dulcis), a gift from Dan, draws the eye toward the Zen Garden in the distance.

The central section of the garden with stream and native plantings.

“Some would say that I was learning to follow the Tao – what became clear is that the garden would become an extension of my becoming.” ~ Anáil Moon

Succulents nestled into natural stone.

Fall-blooming succulents nestled amid natural stepping stones.

Hosta and grass with natural stone.

The experiences within the garden is textural and never-ending in both variety and scope. 

Perennials, moss, and natural stone.

Many captivating combinations lie at the heart of the Japanese Garden.

Native meadow setting, front of house.

The lush pollinator meadow is a highlight as you approach this magical property.

Natural pollinators that make up the heart of the meadow.

Coneflowers, ‘Schizachyrium scoparium’, little bluestem, and ‘Muhlenbergia capillaris’, pink muhly grass, heighten the level of texture in the native meadow. 

The family bunny.

Miel, enjoying everything his special home has to offer…lunch in tow.

One Fantastical Garden

For Susan McLaughlin, her wooded, lakeside house in Newtown, CT plays an influential role in her artistic vision as a magical realist painter. By providing her with an environment that comes alive with the sights and sounds of nature, she’s able to closely study as an explorer would by uncovering, recording, and rearranging the beauty of the natural world and the beauty of human beings.

This connection to nature comes from her horticultural interest manifested in the daily ritual of digging and pruning in her Connecticut garden. A daily ritual of physical immersion with the dirt and the worms of life contrasts with the otherworldly fantastical spaces she creates for her paintings. The paradoxical character of these two places imbues her paintings with an alluring mystery.

Enjoy this visual tour as we bring Susan’s property to life through images that depict the relationship between her paintings and gardens.
The alluring entrance to a beautiful garden setting.
Foxglove Cottage in full view.
A warm welcome.
The perfect spot for morning coffee.
Lady of the House
Taking center stage.
Hydrangeas and clematis in full bloom.
Reflective blooms.
A perfect head of flowers.
Untitled design (25)
Midnight Rose
Photography by: Kimberly Charles