Anne and Joe Spiegel's beautiful garden in New York State

[TheOnionMan]

Dry=not wet, but that doesn't refer to the air.  Over two months with no rain and high heat but also 97% humidity means that while everything around you is crisping and shriveling in the drought, you feel like you're living near the equator in a jungle.  Really dreadful.  We finally had some rain last weekend and some plants are already reacting, such as heterotheca jonesii, usually an all-season bloomer.  It had simply stopped flowering and is now showing some blooms and buds.  The one plant that has behaved normally (i.e. non-stop bloom) is Zinnia grandiflora. It's grown here in the lime bed and has spread nicely.  The lime bed is steeply sloped and the zinnia has clustered at the bottom where it probably receives extra moisture.  

Zinnia grandiflora is really an excellent groundcover isn't it, a cheerful low-growing fine-textured plant and most useful for the long and late season of bloom. Maybe my start into gardening when I was 10, growing Zinnias for my grandma, was an omen of plant interests of the rock-gardening sort to come.  I tried this species only once before, and didn't get it established. But seeing your photos, I will definitely try again.  Thanks for showing this fine yet underused American native plant.

http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=ZIGR
http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=ZIGR

[astragalus]

Mark, I grew this from seed and after being planted in the lime bed they sat for a couple of years before they decided to start growing.  Since then I just let them propagate themselves.  They start into active growth a bit late so are never trimmed until I see that they are really growing.  They aren't trimmed back in the fall either.

[ranunculus]

Significant and magnificent progress since we were there in May, Anne.  It is extremely difficult (from any photograph) to judge the scale and extent of this mammoth undertaking - and doubly difficult when one realises that this construction summits a cliff and boulder garden of epic proportions. I will post a number of photographs that try to convey the beauty and majesty of this outstanding garden.

As promised ... some images of Anne's magnificent garden in New York State.  Probably the finest private alpine garden that it has been my privilege to photograph.  Hundreds more shots available, but I hope you can appreciate the quality and extent of this 'epic' undertaking - though few of us can imagine the effort and time invested by Anne (and willing workhorse Joe) in this truly splendid (and eternally ongoing) achievement.  

ANNE & JOE SPIEGEL'S MAGNFICENT NEW YORK STATE GARDEN

A report and further images can be enjoyed at this link.

http://www.bnargs.org/NewsPDFs/2010August.pdf

[t00lie]

Absolutely stunning !!

I love the way the buildings having been built with stones as well as the colouring of the roof tiles seem blend into the whole vista .......

[astragalus]

Wow!!  Every rock gardener's dream should be to have Cliff Booker come and photograph the garden.  Beautiful shots, Cliff.  Thank you so much.

[ranunculus]

Many thanks Anne ... it is SO easy (and SO pleasurable) to photograph a garden as beautiful as yours.  You have 640 other images winging their way to you as we speak ... enjoy!

[Ragged Robin]

Congratulations all round - a fabulous rock garden which Cliff has captured so well in these photographs.  Epic proportions, intriguing stairways and everything so perfectly blended into the landscape.  I love the way troughs are integrated and the mats of phlox billow like a sea over the rocks.....can't wait to see more of your inspirational ideas Anne

[ranunculus]

Many thanks Robin - it is such a pleasure to share the delights of this beautiful garden.

ANNE & JOE SPIEGEL'S WONDERFUL CLIFF, BOULDER AND CREVICE GARDEN IN NEW YORK STATE

[Luc Gilgemyn]

I'm really short of words !
What  an amazing achievement ! 
Many congrats to the gardeners for their hard work and the stunning result !

And you're right Anne, you couldn't have anyone better to picture your garden than Cliff !  Even with no buttercups there to be photographed ! 

The Phloxes are out of this world !

[Brian Ellis]

Well, my flabber has never been so gasted!  Amazingly beautiful, a wonderful achievement Anne, and thanks to Cliff for the excellent interpretation ...more please?

[TheOnionMan]

Anne, great seeing Cliff's photos to see your garden in all its glory.  Which phloxes am I seeing that are creating those swathes of pink and white, are they subulata varieties?  I remember you're telling me some of the bright pink ones were Phlox borealis, one of my favs.

[David Nicholson]

I can only say WOW again.

[ranunculus]

The next sequence from Anne's lovely garden ... and we haven't even looked at any plants yet!

Thanks for your very kind comments ... I know that Anne and Joe will really appreciate your superb feedback.


ANNE SPIEGEL'S BEAUTIFUL GARDEN

[Martinr]

Amazing....stunning....gobsmacking....I'm speechless...what a wonderful garden

[ranunculus]

The first of the plants from Anne's gorgeous garden ...