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A Patient Craftsman Creating Exceptional Landscapes

Category: Newtown CT

There’s a Fungus Among Us

While working this week I spotted this cool fungus. I wish I could tell you more about it.

In the picture at the top of the post you can see a puddle of rainwater on the fungus. We’ve had a very rainy summer which is probably why this fungus looks so healthy.

Looking down at the fungus and the puddle. I bet a frog finds that sooner than later.

A shot from the side showing the fungus attached to the tree. The tree it’s growing on is a Japanese Maple, probably a Bloodgood.

Fungus only grows on decaying matter. This tree has dead wood.

If you notice fungus growing on trees in your yard have an arborist you trust have a closer look before it’s too late and the tree falls injuring someone or damaging your property.

If you know anything about this fungus I’m all ears.

August 3, 2018
Another Day at the Office

I’ve been working on Lake Zoar in Monroe CT the last couple days. The weather this week has been beautiful. High 50’s to low 60’s and sunny. Last week I worked in a drizzle mixed with snowflakes.

The improved weather is a welcome change.

The picture at the top of this post is a fire pit overlooking Lake Zoar. If you look over the end of the dock you can see the Stevenson Dam in the distance.

Below is one of the gardens I’ve worked in. It’s straight forward spring maintenance; clean up leaves and sticks, weed, prune winter damage, cut back perennials, edge, turn mulch and re-mulch.

Besides working on a lake there are two streams flanking the property. I’ve listened to babbling brooks most of the day.

No matter how far in my career I am mother nature beats me every time. She uses just the right mix of elegance and randomness. If we take a moment to truly look at nature she is something to behold.

I urge you to go out and look at, not rush through, nature. It does wonders for the mind and body. Time to head to work. Poor me. 🙂

April 24, 2018
My New Favorite Park

For the last week and a half I’ve visited a small park in town. The park starts level by the road but quickly drops off to a small rolling river below.

I’ve gotten in the habit of getting a bacon, egg and cheese and stopping at the park to eat my breakfast. It’s on the way to where I’m working.

My breakfast nook.

The path entering the park.

The real treat comes at the bottom of the hill when you get to the river. It’s a great place to collect your thoughts.

If you look through the crystal clear water you can see the ledge beneath. There’s no mud, just coarse sand below.

Looking up the river you can see the hemlocks that flank it. What a peaceful place.

I couldn’t stop taking pictures.

The old foundation of some sort of building. It’s been a long time since that building served any purpose.

It’s neat how this maple tree grows even though the dirt washed away around its roots. I wouldn’t be surprised if something lives under that tree.

This yellow birch started life growing between two boulders and continues to thrive.

If you live in Newtown, CT you can find the park about a half mile up from where 34 meets 110. You have to look hard or you’ll miss the little parking lot. It takes about 10 minutes to get to the river.

Here’s an article about the Halfway River Open Space.

October 28, 2017
How to Create a Curved Stepping Stone Path

This week I finished installing a stepping stone path.

This stepping stone path is unique for a couple of reasons.

First, it provides a much-needed way to move through the garden. There’s no way to cross the garden without it.

Second, the stepping stone path gently curves to add interest. The path curves left to make room for a future PG Hydrangea on the right.

I’m looking forward to filming the garden when completed.

How to create a Curved Stepping Stone Path

When I started there was no way to get through the bed. The plants were randomly planted with no sense of purpose.

The white line is where the stepping stone path will be.

It took me a day to select, deliver and roughly place the stepping stones. It took a day and a half to install them. The work usually goes faster. I chose some odd-shaped and large stones. I’m very pleased with the results.

Placing the stones is a two-step process. First I roughly place the stones. Next I put an X in the middle with a grease crayon and space them 26.5″ on center. The first and last stone go 13.25″ from the edge of the bed. The beginning and end never work out perfectly. I spread the difference between the last few.

Set stepping stones 2-3″ high so they aren’t covered by mulch. Nothing is more annoying than covering your freshly placed stepping stones.

I’ve been working on a lake the last couple weeks and enjoying some incredible views. The mulch in this bed is pure Hemlock Bark. My favorite.

A while back I filmed how I install stepping stones. While I’ve gotten better at producing videos the way I lay stepping stones hasn’t changed a bit.

April 20, 2016
Jack Frost Exceedingly Bad Day

Yesterday we had snow, then rain, then ice and then snow again. When I woke this morning it was a frigid 26 degrees.

You’d think I’d be used to spring snow. I’ve lived in southern New England all my life where the weather is anything but predictable.

I’m not.

Every time Jack Frost lays waste to the landscape I’m surprised. Yesterday Jack was having an exceedingly bad day.

While the pictures below show plants at their worst I assure you they’ll be fine. In a few day they’ll look as good as when it was in the sixties last week.

Hellebore (Helleborus sp.) thrives in weather like this. In a few days you won’t know the plant was under half an inch of ice and snow.

Can you can see the layer of ice on this Japanese Cornel Dogwood (Cornus officinalis)?

This pansy is in for a rough couple weeks. Most of the foliage will turn brown and die. Growth deep inside the plant will survive. It’s going to take time. I should have brought the plant inside BEFORE the cold weather arrived.

These poor Daffodils (Narcissus sp.) were laid out on the lawn. I can’t say the flowers will look as good as they did before the snow. However, they will right themselves and shine again in a few days.

Mr. Science Guy how does water run and freeze at the same time?

The first thing I did this morning was get wood to build a fire. The twine holding the tarp is surrounded by thick ice.

What’s the weather like where you live?

April 5, 2016
Old-Fashioned Craftsmanship

After a day of office work I decided to take Theo for a walk.

It was a beautiful evening. The temperature was around 68 and the sun was shining. I admit I wasn’t in the mood for a walk. Too much office time drains my energy.

After 45 minutes of walking I had a choice.

Continue straight and be home in 15 minutes or take the dirt road to the right and add an hour and a half to my walk.

I chose the road less traveled.

I love dirt roads. I love old houses. I love walking through the forest. I love walking in the rain?

This dirt road was right where I wanted to be.

As Theo and I headed down the road a shower started with the low rumble of thunder.

I didn’t mind. The rain was warm.

While walking I saw some old-fashioned craftsmanship.

The arch through this stone wall gives the stream a stylish way through.

The stream running through the stone wall. The job could have been done easier plenty of ways. None would have looked better.

Here the masons used a large boulder to support the wall over the stream. I like how the masons tied the large stone into the wall.

A rebuilt new england farm wall. Modern stone walls often have wide mortar joints and randomly cut stones for quick construction.

There’s more to the story of this fence than stone posts and cedar rails. I’m sure that fence had different rails when it was originally built.

Notice how the maple tree engulfed the stone fence post. I wonder if that Sugar Maple was planted to shade the house.

Theo and I left for our walk a little before six and returned a little after eight. We feel refreshed and renewed albeit a little damp.

April 1, 2016
Beefsteak Tomato Roadside Stand

This week I took the kids and dog for a walk and stumbled across a tomato plant (Solanum lycopersicum) growing in the crack between the curb and the asphalt. A plant’s will to live is amazing. I can’t wait to return this summer for some Beefsteaks!

June 19, 2015
Wetland Plants of CT

Every year Cub Scout Pack 170 cleans up Edmund Road in Newtown, CT. It’s our Earth Day conservation project. My son and I spent an hour one Saturday morning picking up garbage and admiring flora. Truth be told I was the only one admiring the flora.

We cleaned up litter on a Saturday. I was so impressed by the beauty of nature I returned Monday, April 27th 2015 to take pictures.

Edmund Road runs along interstate 84 and cuts straight through a swamp. There’s a large stream on one side of the road and standing water on the other.

At the back of the photo you can see the stream. In the foreground bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) is just coming into bloom.

The plants were growing just up from the edge of the water in partial shade and humusy soil.

It was worth the return trip.

Connecticut Wetland Plants

Bloodroot (Sanguinaria Canadensis) coming into bloom. Once the weeds around these plants fill in you won’t even know they’re there.

Bloodroot (Sanguinaria Canadensis) for scale.

Trout lily (Erythronium americanum ) in full bloom. For a week or two in the early spring it lights up the landscape.

If you don’t look for Trout Lily (Erythronium americanum ) you might miss it.

Red trillium (Trillium erectum) coming into bloom. Look how red those flowers are!

Red Trillium (Trillium erectum) up close and personal.

Spicebush (Lindera benzoin) in full bloom.

My childhood home has a small stream and the far side is covered with spicebush. I can still smell the spice when you crushed the leaves or broke the brittle twigs.

Spicebush (Lindera benzoin) a little farther away.

Spicebush (Lindera benzoin) growing above the stream. You can see skunk cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus) growing on the other side.

Across the street from my childhood home is a large swamp. A friend and I would go to the swamp and beat the skunk cabbage with sticks because it’s a “Bad” plant. The more we hit the stinkier it got. I’d like to apologize to all those poor skunk cabbage plants. I didn’t know any better.

Thanks for joining me.

June 15, 2015
April 16, 2014 Snowstorm in Newtown, CT

This morning I woke to an inch of sleet and snow on the ground. The thermometer read 27 degrees and the wind was whipping. Naturally, the first thing I did was grab my camera and run outside.

Snow brings out the best in plants. It adds interest, creates contrast, and reminds every one of the winter holidays. Below are some photos I took laying prone on an old comforter. Anything for my art!

Lenten Rose will shrug off the snow and keep blooming. It enjoys the snow.

The thick fleshy foliage of Sedum protects it from the snow.

By John Holden

April 16, 2014