Category Archives: Garden Design Principles

Outlining (Edging) a Vegetable or Flower Garden with Brick

Posted on July 6, 2018 by fredgonsowskigardenhome

One of my many projects that I’ve so far tackled this Spring was the redesign and outlining of my vegetable garden in brick. For years, I just had the planting spaces surrounded by black plastic edging, but finally it had … Continue reading →

Posted in Fred's Garden at Whimsey Hill House, Garden Design Principles, The Autumn(Fall) Garden, The Spring Garden, The Summer Garden | 18 Comments

How to Trim a Golden String / Thread Cypress into a Pyramid

Posted on March 10, 2016 by fredgonsowskigardenhome

The pair of Golden String / Thread (sometimes called Mop) Cypress, seen in the two cover photos for this blog post, that are major focal points in my back garden, did not always have pyramidal shapes. The natural growth habit … Continue reading →

Posted in Bushes, Shrubs, Trees, Garden Design Principles, The Autumn(Fall) Garden, The Spring Garden, The Winter Garden | 3 Comments

Some Photos to share, on a Cold Winter’s day, of My garden in July

Posted on January 25, 2015 by fredgonsowskigardenhome

Now that we are slowly getting past the coldest part of winter here in upstate New York, and with temperatures some nights still dropping down to below zero, I thought it would be encouraging for my readers to see some … Continue reading →

Posted in Garden Design Principles, The Summer Garden | 7 Comments

It Really starts feeling like Spring when I bring out the Lawn Furniture and Fill Planting Containers

Posted on April 25, 2014 by fredgonsowskigardenhome

Last week, with the nightly temperatures rising a bit and days looking to not be that cold, I decided it was time to put out the lawn furniture and the more delicate garden ornaments (accessories). It is surprising that with … Continue reading →

Posted in Fred's Garden at Whimsey Hill House, Garden Design Principles, The Spring Garden, The Summer Garden | 4 Comments

A Garden Tour of My Property. It might be Spring, but You should be thinking Winter Interest when Planning your Garden

Posted on April 12, 2014 by fredgonsowskigardenhome

After getting over a Winter here in upstate New York that was snowier and colder than recent years past, everyone I know is soo glad it’s finally getting warmer and signs of Spring are showing up. All the garden folk … Continue reading →

Posted in Bushes, Shrubs, Trees, Fred's Garden at Whimsey Hill House, Garden Design Principles, The Spring Garden, The Winter Garden | 2 Comments

Putting Foundation Plants across the Front of your House

Posted on October 21, 2013 by fredgonsowskigardenhome

These days a lot of people, as well as landscapers, are planting foundation plants across the front of a house, siting them on both sides of the front sidewalk and running them all the way to the edge of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Bushes, Shrubs, Trees, Garden Design Principles, The Autumn(Fall) Garden, The Spring Garden, The Summer Garden | 10 Comments

Foundation Planting, Laying out Foundation Plants in Front of Your Home

Posted on September 28, 2013 by fredgonsowskigardenhome

Putting foundation plants around you home is a way of tying your house to the land it is set on. The softness of the foliage helps to transition / move the eye from the flatness of the land up to … Continue reading →

Posted in Bushes, Shrubs, Trees, Garden Design Principles, The Autumn(Fall) Garden, The Spring Garden, The Summer Garden | 48 Comments

Thirteen Ideas for Decorating your Country Garden

Posted on July 20, 2013 by fredgonsowskigardenhome

Recently a reader commented, lamenting about when she placed garden decorations on their country property, something just didn’t seem right. After that I started thinking about all the different things that say farm, rural, and country living style to me. … Continue reading →

Posted in Garden Design Principles, The Autumn(Fall) Garden, The Spring Garden, The Summer Garden, The Winter Garden | 2 Comments

Some ideas about using Garden Ornaments, they add that Finishing Touch to a Garden

Posted on June 29, 2013 by fredgonsowskigardenhome

Over the years I’ve learned a lot about gardening by going on garden tours, and analyzing what I was looking at. I figured out mass versus specimen planting, noticed and discovered that plants had different shaped leaves, realized a garden … Continue reading →

Posted in Garden Design Principles, The Autumn(Fall) Garden, The Spring Garden, The Winter Garden | 8 Comments

Some ideas for Designing / Laying out Flower Beds

Posted on May 4, 2013 by fredgonsowskigardenhome

When most people thing about making a flower garden on their property, they clear a strip of land that runs along a fence or walkway (creating a border), or if imagination strikes they might try making a kidney bean-shaped bed … Continue reading →

Posted in Garden Design Principles, The Autumn(Fall) Garden, The Spring Garden | Leave a comment