Gardens
Gardens come in all shapes, styles, and color palettes. And while soil types and the amount of sun and shade your garden receives should always dictate the kinds of plants you install, there are plenty of plant varieties to choose from to ensure a successful garden.
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While I prefer to plant native species, there are a wide variety of cultivated native plants and hybrids; and what I call "non-invasive exotics" that can be placed into a garden.
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An example of a non-invasive exotic plant would be lavender. Lavender originates in the Mediterranean and thrives in the blazing hot sun and dry sandy soil. Those conditions are similar to summers along our sandy Lake Michigan shoreline; therefore, it grows quite well here. There is not much risk in lavender getting out of hand and taking over your property. It's a great pollinator plant, so I use it often along with native and other cultivated varieties.
I never use any plants considered invasive to Michigan, and I almost always use drought-tolerant plants, so clients don't have to water much after the three or four months of establishment.
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I created this "Gardens" section of my website to showcase gardens that are not 100% native but can also benefit the environment. See my portfolio section on Gardens for more pictures.
Magical Gardens
Tranquil
I created this garden on the very sandy and dry island of Martha's Vineyard. The client had old playground bars that I used as a trellis.
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This is one of my all-time favorite gardens, as it turned out very whimsical and provided a stunning entry to the house.
Majority Grass Gardens
Beautiful
This front entrance garden has more than five different species of native and non-native grasses with different colors and fall blooms.
This picture was taken a few months after installation. This garden is approximately 75% grasses and 25% forbs (flowers), but you won't see the flowers until the second year.
Showy Gardens
Vibrant
The client asked me for a show-stopper of a garden. I filled it with non-invasive Astilbe "Maggie Daley," Lady's Mantle, three varieties of Coreopsis, and a mixture of grasses and native plants.
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​This property is located in the dunes of Sawyer, Michigan. Deer heavily browse this area, so we picked plants that many deer will leave alone, but the homeowner also intervenes regularly to keep the deer at bay.
Entry Gardens
Colorful
This entrance garden was created for a client with a small area outside the front door.
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The house sits on Lake Michigan, but this site is protected from the wind and has just enough sun for a perennial garden. The client asked that I work in splashes of red, her favorite color.
Off The Porch Gardens
Pristine
This garden in Douglas, Michigan, is another one of my favorites. This picture shows a mixture of Astilbe that just finished blooming and 'Karley Rose' Fountain Grass.
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​Notice the massive display of the native cultivar 'Phantom' Joe Pye Weed in the distance with its pink blooms reminiscent of cauliflower heads.
This Joe Pye is supposed to be limited to about 4' in height, but this plant clearly found a very desirable area to live in – it's huge!
