Verdant Lawns ..Organic Lawns with a Greener Approach

I wanted to share with you a new business that is out there for those of you that want lawn care but don't want to deal with harsh pesticides.   Brian Ruddy who is a Princeton native is up and running with
Verdant Lawns.  He is young, buff, and enthusiastic! How about weedwackers with no gasoline?!?   I love to help clients with perennial gardens and containers and it is nice to think that our clients will overlap with the same mindset that we both have.

Baptisia australis Wild Blue Indigo

I really love this plant with its blue green foliage that blooms in May and early June.  Native, no pests, no spraying and just lovely. No pruning or staking either.  It stands about two to three feet after it establishes itself..Also it can withstand dry conditions.  I first saw this perennial many years ago at the old JP Morgan estate in Princeton within their perennial gardens.  Indians and later colonists used the plant for a natural dye in clothes.
This picture is after one spring at the carriage house.  It will continue to give me more blooms and pleasure.  Seed pods are developing now which I could use in flower arrangements for inside.

Nomad Pizza and Pots!

I want to share the container pots that I planted at Nomad Pizza today.  I decided to spin off the chartreuse umbrellas and the darling wine colored historic building that serves us all delicious pizza in an artisanal farm to table manner.

My goal is to have these plantings be easy to care for by the owners and enjoyed by all.  I love to think of the structure that is being enhanced and pop color off of it.

Succulents and some annuals will complete this design. I picked some more unusual succulents to give the public the opportunity to see what is possible in their own containers.  Nothing spruces up a welcomed front door, patio, pool or store front like a mini garden in a pot! How much do you love the Nomadic Pizza REO speedwagon truck in the background.  Anyone for pizza this weekend?!

Strawberries and Succulents

Here is a peak at some succulents with some day neutral bearing white strawberry plants that will grace a clients patio.  This client wanted to make sure if her pots were forgotten a day or two in watering all would not be lost.  Succulents provide that security and give off blossoms to boot.  How fun to have some fruit that can be added to salads or dessert the whole growing season long and all will come back next year!

Late Spring Blooms in the Hopewell Carriage House Garden

It got so bloomin hot in the Princeton Hopewellian area that I did not even show you all a bunch of peonies in bloom.  They came early,  as everything did and left pretty quickly.

The violas are still trying to survive in the heat and are pleased with a little shade. I planted a whole bunch of specimen hostas in containers that I will show hopefully this weekend.  They are only three to four inches apart.  Perfect for container and will weather over.  This is a super way to get your hosta fix if you have deer in your area and then you can keep track of your pots and move them around.

I started some climbing hydrangea on the funky telephone pole fence.  This takes a  while to establish but it is really lovely. English shrub roses I planted as bare roots are sprouting.
Millie my "garden gun dog" is enjoying clients' properties with pools with permission for a dip!