An October Bouquet

 

There’s something especially lovely about a bouquet that looks as though it might have gathered itself from the garden and the surrounding fields.

This late-summer arrangement brings together a little of both. Cosmos add their airy, cheerful faces, beside a sprig of amaranth, leaves, and red clover add those wonderful, slightly wild touches that make a bouquet feel gathered rather than arranged.

Then come the goldenrods, alongside wild purple and white  asters. Together, the flowers create a wonderful mix of color and texture—soft whites, warm golds, rosy reds, and purple.

I love bouquets like this because they don’t try too hard. They celebrate what is blooming right now, whether it was planted in the garden or found growing along the roadside.

 A few garden flowers mixed with wildflowers can capture a whole season in one vase—and this one feels like early October’s final hurrah before the cold weather sets in.

The Wildflower Surprise in My Ditch: A Secret Seed Bank Awakens

If you’re a gardener, you know the sudden panic that sets in when heavy machinery rolls up to your property line. Last year, public works came through and completely redesigned the drainage ditch running along the edge of my yard. They scraped away the old grass, reshaped the banks, and left behind a long stretch of bare, freshly turned mud.

I braced myself for an eyesore like it was last fall. But this year, the ditch did something entirely unexpected.

Instead of turning into a barren wasteland, it exploded with a massive flush of wild growth—some were old friends, but several plants I had never seen on my property before. After researching the plants, I realized I wasn’t looking at an invasive nightmare. I was witnessing a classic ecological phenomenon: the awakening of the soil seed bank.

When the town excavated the dirt, they brought decades-old, dormant seeds up to the sunlight and oxygen they needed to germinate. The result? My engineered drainage ditch has accidentally transformed into a thriving, layered, self-sustaining native habitat. 

Here is a field guide to the botanical diversity that took over my ditch this year, and why I’ve decided to let nature take the wheel.

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The Late-Season Color Guard: Goldenrods & Asters

The heavy hitters of the autumn ditch are a beautiful mix of yellows and purples, providing a massive buffet for native pollinators.

• Grass-Leaved Goldenrod (Euthamia graminifolia): Unlike traditional goldenrods, this native perennial features narrow, grass-like leaves and flat-topped clusters of bright yellow flowers. Its tight network of shallow underground roots provides excellent erosion control, knitting the loose mud together so the ditch walls don't wash out.

• Showy Goldenrod (Solidago species): Alongside its grass-leaved cousin, standard wild goldenrod has also arrived, throwing up those iconic, fluffy, arching yellow plumes. (And no, neither of these goldenrods causes your hay fever! Their pollen is heavy and sticky, designed to be carried by bugs, not the wind.)
• Purplestem Aster (Symphyotrichum puniceum): You can spot this moisture-loving beauty by its rough, hairy, purplish-red stems and its daisy-like lavender blossoms.

   

• White Asters: Mixing beautifully with the purple asters are sprays of wild white asters. Together, this aster-and-goldenrod team serves as the most critical late-season fuel source for migrating monarch butterflies and native bees preparing for winter.

The Wetland Specialists: Smartweeds & Tearthumbs

Where the water pools in the bottom of the ditch, a fascinating family of moisture-loving plants has moved in.

• Devil's Beggarticks (Bidens frondosa): This tall annual loves wet mud, producing deeply tooth-edged leaves and subtle yellow-orange flower heads that feed local songbirds. Just watch out for its flat seeds in autumn—they have sharp barbs that hitchhike fiercely on socks and pet fur!

• Purple Loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) / Swamp Loosestrife: Adding a splash of magenta to the ditch is a loosestrife plant. While beautiful, I'll be keeping a close eye on this one, as certain varieties can be quite aggressive in wetlands

• Arrowleaf Tearthumb (Persicaria sagittata): This native vine features distinct leaves shaped exactly like arrowheads and round globes of creamy-white flowers. Handle with care, though—the stems are lined with tiny, hooked prickles that will literally "tear your thumb" if you grab it without heavy gloves.
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The Next Generation: Grasses, Sedges, and a Lonely Oak

At the edges, the ditch is transitioning from bare mud back into a structured ecosystem. Wild grasses have quickly colonized the banks, acting as the first line of defense against soil erosion.

But the most surprising find of all? A tiny oak sapling poking its head up through the weeds. An acorn must have been buried deep by a forgetful squirrel years ago, or washed down the ditch during a storm. While a drainage ditch isn't a permanent home for a mighty oak, it’s a beautiful reminder of how nature constantly tries to plant the forest of tomorrow.

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The Ultimate Payoff: A Pollinator Paradise

The real proof of the ditch's value arrived when I spotted a massive, fuzzy Eastern Carpenter Bee (Xylocopa virginica) hard at work on the white asters.

You can tell her apart from a standard bumblebee by her glossy, hairless black abdomen and the distinct bald spot on her yellow thorax. Seeing her heavy with bright yellow pollen, buzzing happily from flower to flower, was a stark reminder of why these un-manicured, wild spaces matter so much to our local wildlife.

The Takeaway for Gardeners

Sometimes, the best gardening choice is to step back and let the native "pioneer species" do their job. The town gave my ditch a blank slate, and nature responded by planting exactly what the local ecosystem needed to protect the soil and feed the bugs.

Have you ever had an influx of surprise plants after a big landscaping project or soil disruption? 

A Final Look at the Josie Prescott Memorial Garden

 In my first two posts about the Josie Prescott Memorial Garden, we learned the story behind this special place and took a leisurely walk through the garden itself. 

For this final visit, let's slow down even more and take a closer look at some of the details that caught my eye.

Sometimes it is the smallest things that make a garden memorable. A flower tucked beside a pathway, the way colors are combined, the curve of a garden bed, or a quiet corner that invites you to stop for a moment. 

                These little touches turn a collection of plants into a place with personality.

                     I took this photo with Michele in mind, knowing how much she loves hostas!

The day I was there, only the center fountain of the three fountains was functioning. I hope they are back in working order soon. The sound of the water rounds out the entire experience. 

Thank you for joining me on this garden visit. One of the best things about gardens is that they are meant to be shared, and I’m happy to have shared this one with all of you. Until our next garden adventure, happy gardening!

A Stroll Through the Josie Prescott Memorial Garden

 In my last post, I shared the story behind the Josie Prescott Memorial Garden and the two sisters whose generosity helped create this beautiful public space. Today, put history behind us for a little while and simply enjoy a walk through the garden.

One of my favorite things about visiting gardens is that every one has its own personality. Some gardens feel wild and overflowing, while others invite you to slow down and notice the details. The Josie Prescott Memorial Garden has a wonderful sense of order and calm, with its formal design, brick pathways, carefully arranged beds, and peaceful corners that encourage you to stop and take it all in.

I have to admit that I didn't make a list of every plant I photographed. Sometimes when I'm visiting a garden, I get so caught up in the colors, textures, and little details that I forget to write everything down. Instead, I find myself simply enjoying the experience and trying to capture the feeling of the garden through my camera.

So consider this a leisurely stroll rather than a botanical tour. Some flowers I recognized right away, while others were new to me. If you know the name of any, feel free to leave a comment. Gardeners are always learning from one another, and I know our readers often have wonderful knowledge to share.

What struck me most about this garden was the way the formal design worked together with the abundance of flowers. The paths and structure give the garden a sense of elegance, but the colorful plantings keep it warm and welcoming. It feels less like a garden meant only for admiration and more like a garden meant to be enjoyed.

I especially loved the little moments: a bloom tucked beside a pathway, a combination of colors I might never have thought to put together, and the way the garden changes depending on where you stand. A few steps in another direction can give you an entirely new view.

I took so many photographs during my visit that I couldn't fit them all into one post. In the next part of our visit to the Josie Prescott Memorial Garden, we'll take one more look at the flowers and details that made this garden such a delight to explore. 

I'll end today with this photo of pink Hollyhocks that I found particularly charming.

Josie Prescott Garden

Every once in a while, I visit a garden that leaves me thinking about more than flowers.

The beautiful Josie Prescott Memorial Garden in Prescott Park is one such garden. Sisters Mary and Josie Prescott loved their city. Little by little, over many years, they began buying neglected waterfront properties because they believed this beautiful spot should be preserved for everyone to enjoy. They weren't looking for recognition. They simply wanted to leave something wonderful behind for future generations.

Today, thousands of people stroll through Prescott Park every year, many without realizing they have the Prescott sisters to thank. The lovely formal garden that bears Josie's name is just one part of the legacy they left to their community.

I love stories like this because they remind me that gardens are really about people. Flowers bloom for a season, but kindness, generosity, and shared dreams have a way of blooming long after we're gone.

Flowers bloom for a season, but kindness, generosity, and shared dreams have a way of blooming long after we're gone.

I took far too many photographs to squeeze into one post, so this is the first of a three-part visit to the Josie Prescott Memorial Garden. 

Next time we'll take a leisurely stroll through the garden itself and enjoy some of its beautiful paths, fountains, and colorful flower beds.

Until then, we'd love to know...have you ever visited a garden where the story behind it became just as memorable as the flowers themselves?

If You'd Like to Learn More

If the story of the Prescott sisters has sparked your curiosity, here are a few places to continue exploring:

• Prescott Park (City of Portsmouth) – The official history of the park, information about the gardens and the popular Prescott Park Arts Festival. 
• Prescott Park Master Plan – A fascinating look at the history of the park, the Prescott sisters' vision, and how the gardens have evolved over the years.
• Strawbery Banke Museum – Located next door to Prescott Park, this living history museum helps tell the story of the old Puddle Dock neighborhood that once stood beside the park.
• Prescott Park – If you're visiting Portsmouth, be sure to allow plenty of time to wander the gardens, enjoy the waterfront views, and simply slow down for a while.

A few more beautiful moments from Longwood Gardens

There were simply too many beautiful gardens, flowers, and little details at Longwood Gardens to fit into just one post. Before moving on to new gardening adventures, I wanted to share a few of my favorite photos that didn't make it into the earlier articles. As gardeners, we can learn so much just by slowing down and observing how plants are combined, how colors are layered, and how different textures work together. 

 

 

I hope these final photos inspire you as much as they inspired me, whether you're planning a large landscape or simply adding a few containers to your own garden.There were simply too many beautiful gardens, flowers, and little details at Longwood Gardens to fit into just one post. Before moving on to new gardening adventures, I wanted to share a few of my favorite photos that didn't make it into the earlier articles. As gardeners, we can learn so much just by slowing down and observing how plants are combined, how colors are layered, and how different textures work together. I hope these final photos inspire you as much as they inspired me, whether you're planning a large landscape or simply adding a few containers to your own garden. 

CONTAINER AND POT inspirations From LONGWOOD GARDENS

 

 

One of my favorite parts of visiting Longwood Gardens is exploring the incredible container displays scattered throughout the grounds. Each one is a masterclass in combining color, texture, and plant forms to create eye-catching designs that change with the seasons. While many of these displays are grand enough for a public garden, the ideas behind them can easily be adapted for your own porch, patio, deck, or front entrance. In this post, I've shared some of my favorite container photos from my visit. I hope that you get inspired to create a little bit of Longwood's magic at home—no matter the size of your garden.