Hi GPODers!
It’s not secret that we’re an accepting group here at Garden Photo of the Day. Whether your garden in a small group of containers on a balcony or a expansive landscape with various garden rooms, we’ll sing its praises. Whether you want to submit photos from a fancy botanical garden or of a wildflower patch in a state park, we’ll take them and share them. If you’re definition of gardening is growing a bounty of fruits and vegetables in raised bed or meticulously maintaining ornamental flower borders, we think your practice is valid. So when I got a video submission for Garden Photo of the Day I said, “Why not?” When I read the story the Elise Scanlan in Swampscott, Massachusetts provided with the video, I know I couldn’t not share:
Your post earlier this week, Christine’s Award Winning Garden in Quebec, inspired me to write. Christine has created an amazing space. I was especially impressed with all the layers she’s created and her amazing close-up pics!
Not sure if you’ve ever included, or would consider including, a post with a video but I thought I give it a shot at submitting for inclusion in an upcoming GPOD post.
I put together this video for my family members in 2011 from my garden in Swampscott, MA. At the time, they were dealing with one of those dreadful summer droughts in the Houston area and I felt they could enjoy a reminder that all is not dead and dying.
Dad was a passionate gardener and maintained large fruit and vegetable gardens throughout our childhood. As a result, we were blessed with a bounty of fresh produce during the growing season. And what we didn’t eat right away, Mom would can so that we could enjoy the rest year-round.
He sadly passed in 2014, but I often feel his soul is with me as I spend time in my own garden and hope he’s proud of the gardener I’ve become. I certainly have come to appreciate how the joy of gardening was such a big part of his life.
My efforts over the past few years have focused on evergreens, perennials and annuals. I love experimenting with different colors, shapes, sizes and textures. As with most gardeners, my space continues to evolve as I learn what works and what doesn’t around my home. But a few of the plantings featured in the video that have survived and continue to be my favorites are the hydrangeas, grasses, sedums and sweet peas.
I hope you enjoy them as well!
For those that still want the typical feel of GPOD, Elise did include one photo and I took screenshots from the video to add some plant IDs and more commentary.
First, the photo that Elise shared. In the midst of winter, a beautiful blue bigleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla, Zones 6–9) bloom is an instant mood booster.
As Elise mentions above, one of the plants she continues growing to this day is sweet peas (Lathyrus odoratus, Zones 6–9). I’ve been told that if you have success with these dainty, delicate flowers that you quickly become addicted. So no surprise that Elise is growing them over a decade later!
Another favorite of Elise’s, sedums come in so many different shapes and forms that you can never tire of them. Of course, the sedum genus has evolved a lot of the years and many plants that were once classified as sedums have now been placed under a different genus. This is the case for two-row stonecrop (Phedimus spurius, Zones 3–9) pictured above.
Elise also included several stunning combinations in her video. Some were larger vignettes and other simpler scenes, like this light pink rose glistening with water droplets. It’s hard to tell what the low-growing, purple flowers are below, but they compliment the rose perfectly.
I also loved this pairing of purple and white coneflowers. Of course, both of these plants are technically purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea, Zones 3–9), but adding in the white variety (potentially ‘White Swan’) gives this planting more dimension.
If you’re a morning person, there are few better ways to start your day than with some big morning glory blooms. This big blossom appears to be the classic blue variety ‘Heavenly Blue’ (Ipomoea tricolor ‘Heavenly Blue’, annual). Made extra exciting with the peek of a hydrangea bloom behind.
Lastly, a beautiful cascade of sweet autumn clematis (Clematis terniflora, Zones 5–11) blooms gave Elise’s Houston relatives a little taste of fall in New England.
Thank you so much for sharing your special garden memories with us, Elise! While garden photos (and videos) are a great memento of past blooms, they can also represent so much more and help us connect to memories from in and outside of the garden.
I’m weary about opening the flood gates, but, as I mentioned in the intro, I want to encourage everyone to submit to Garden Photo of the Day in anyway they feel comfortable. If you have a video of you garden you’d like to share send the video and a description of your garden to [email protected], or send me a DM on Instagram: @agirlherdogandtheroad.
Have a garden you’d like to share?
Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit!
To submit, send 5-10 photos to [email protected] along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden.
Have a mobile phone? Tag your photos on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter with #FineGardening!
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