“Looking for inspiration and relaxation? It’s all in your own backyard.”
Report From PIA – November 25
It was a day when the outdoors, if not the impending holiday, invited quietness. It misty and soft, with fog tucked in the tops of trees and hanging over the lake. I walked around the garden this afternoon, and although there are many plants still in bloom, it was the [...]
Report From PIA – November 15
If you’re a gardener, being in the present means focusing on the current moment, while keeping a foot in the past and an eye to the future. This sounds like a balancing act, but really it’s just a matter of taking care of seasonal business.
The Past: I finished clearing weeds [...]
Report From PIA – October 25
When I moved to Poison Ivy Acres, it was pretty much a blank slate. I went about designing my gardens by thinking about these things, in this order: 1. That the gardens make visual sense with the lay of the land and the house that was already here. 2. That [...]
Report From PIA – October 20
When I woke up this morning I immediately saw that it was absolutely magical outside. Some parts of the yard were heavily frosted, while those closer to the lake were covered not with frost, but with fog. I walked around the property in my bathrobe, taking pictures, amazed at the [...]
Report From PIA – October 15
I’m always willing to get drunk on garden color, from the yellow spring daffodils to the brilliant annuals in August. In the fall, however, colorful foliage not only catches my eye, but my heart as well.
We know that in a few weeks these leaves, and all of this light-filled color, [...]
Do you want a small maple tree that is extremely stylish in the spring and breathtakingly colorful in the fall? Meet Acer japonicum ‘Aconitifolium’ – the thread-leaf full moon maple. This tree grows only 8 to 10 feet tall and wide, making it the perfect plant for those small places where you want a [...]