Donald Pell translates his impressionistic visions of meadows and forest borders into perennial-filled native landscapes. Drawing from the New American Garden style, Pell seeks to unite gardens designs with regional landscapes.  

His designs reflect the nature of the medium. “The notion of a wild garden carries an array of interpretations and emotions. Allowing the garden to seed or evolve is the magic of these places,” Pell says. 

An award-winning landscape designer, he calls Pennsylvania home, though he creates gardens throughout the country.

Continue reading Wild, Magical Gardens by Design →

If you are lucky, you will have a mentor like I did.

I met Rose Norseth in 2014, when I first became a Master Gardener and she had already been one for many years.

She has an extraordinary knowledge of horticulture honed by working with horticulture hobbyists.

Rose makes gardening exciting, but she demands a lot too. If I mention a plant by its common name, she asks for its scientific name with the correct pronunciation. (I rarely know its scientific name, much less how to pronounce it. Learning both is one of my life goals.)

At one point, I rehearsed a presentation before Rose and Andrea, another knowledgeable Master Gardener. I did not know the meaning of the word “herbaceous” (a plant without a woody stem). They gently urged me to look it up before proceeding. I have never forgotten the definition or their advice.

A petite woman, Rose reminds me of my favorite grandmother. She has a direct, no-nonsense style, which she combines with an enthusiasm and warmth for people and plants. She shares her knowledge and passion for horticulture with unstinting generosity.

Continue reading She Shares her Passion for Plants (Every Garden Should Have a Rose) →

Images of meadows of summer flowers, phlox-filled woodlands, and delicate trilliums bring cheer to any gardener in the dead of winter. A webinar by C. Colston Burrell recently offered viewers just those images and many more.

Titled “Nature as Gardener: Working with Natural Process for Beauty and Reduced Maintenance,” the webinar was held on February 11. Sponsored by the Philadelphia Horticultural Society (PHS), it is one in a series programs being held this winter and spring. They are open to the public and PHS members for a fee.        

      

Continue reading Learning to Be Nature’s Partner →