SPRING 2017
The Colors of Spring
AT CONNECTICUT COUNTRY HOUSE
W2elcome From the moment the first thin green spikes pierce the late-winter ground, telling me that the crocuses are on their way, I'm all-in. From the crocuses to the hyacinths, the hyacinths to the forsythia and the daffodils, the daffodils to the lilacs and the tulips, the tulips to the peonies, to the allium, to the roses and all the flowering shrubs – what a thrill! And I'm rewarded every step of the way with wonderful colors, textures, and heavenly scents. Gardens are living things, constantly changing and growing. I see my gardens as a part of my home, and I treat them that way—giving my best to them, knowing they'll be their best, most beautiful, most satisfying selves in return. As I write this, we're having quite a gray rainy streak in Connecticut – a good time to get a lot done! I planted new roses this afternoon and thought about the days this year and many after when their flowers will nod in the sun and perfume the breeze. And I thought you might enjoy some flowers to get you into the garden state of mind…let's dig in! Love,
NORA MURPHY Founder and Editor in Chief
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CONTENTS N O R A M U R P H Y C O U N T RY H O U S E S T Y L E S P R I N G 2 0 1 7
The Colors of Spring White
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The purity and innocence of springtime blooms welcome you to Connecticut Country House.
Yellow
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Vibrant yellows add joy and cheerfulness to my perennial gardens.
Pink
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Blue
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The heady scent of peonies and old-fashioned roses fragrantly fill the air with romance and grace.
Spring into summer blues bring depth, serenity, and peace to my gardens.
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Nora Murphy Founder and Editor in Chief
Robyn Szarka Roos Blog Content Producer
Carol Hubner Art and Features Director
Criana Web Producer
Deborah Golden Copywriter/Copy Editor
Aida Kiernan Styling Assistant
Darryl Arbesman Duanne Simon Nora Murphy Contributing Photographers
All design, photography, and copy on NoraMurphyCountryHouse.com is original, produced year-round at Connecticut Country House and on location. SPRING 2017
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W2hite
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Brighten your path
White azaleas and viburnum trace the edges of our stone path and they're evergreen! So easy to care for, too—just feed them every spring.
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Early riser
Every Easter, I buy potted hyacinths to decorate with or I'm lucky enough to get them as a gift. After they bloom, into the front garden they go. Every year, this bed grows. Every year, I'm so glad I planted them! These early bloomers are wonderfully fragrant.
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So happy together
Astilbe and andromeda live happily side by side in the side garden. Morning shade and afternoon sun keep them both thriving! SPRING 2017
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Alone or in a crowd
Whether it's a single viola or a basket of cosmos, there's always a way to make a sweet statement!
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Climbing the walls
Climbing hydrangeas are a high-impact, low-maintenance choice. All they need is plenty of sun! Makes a perfect partner for an unattractive wall.
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Fresh picked
Above: A bundle of blooms in various shades of white combined with the silvery foliage of artemesia takes pride of place near the front door. Right: Echinacea blooms from mid-summer to late fall and is a staple in my mixed arrangements!
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Heaven scent
The mock orange shrub, with its luscious orange-blossom scent, grows like mad here. Ours is near the path to our door— what an amazing fragrance to greet us!
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Y2ellow 24
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A leap of faith
An end-of-season mystery find planted in the front perennial garden resulted in big, bold, beautiful peonies the size of dessert plates! I had never seen yellow peonies before—I'm sure in love with them now!
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Be of good cheer
Fall bulb planting season isn't over until I've popped another bag of daffys into the ground. It's always worth doing! In the spring, they're one of the first things to bloom at Connecticut Country House and they're irresistibly cheerful.
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Touches of yellow
Marguerite daisies potted up indoors brighten up any space! And a single hollyhock soaring from a vintage basket acts like a piece of sculpture— such drama! (If the hollyhock is very tall, you might want to add a sturdy twig to its pot for support.)
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Welcome spring
Cut branches of forsythia poked into a planter of mossed soil, gathered, and tied with a pretty bow sing a sunny hello. SPRING 2017
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Greetings from the garden
Yellow coreopsis is plentiful and delicate in one of my favorite antique French harvest baskets. How easy is this? Scoop up a bunch of small flowering pots at the nursery. Add a liner to your basket and pop the pots in! Perfect summery decor for entertaining—and when the party's over, into the garden they can go.
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P2ink
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Pink ladies
Pink peonies are my very favorite! In early June they pop open with their lush volume and their to-die-for scent. Stake them before they're fully grown or the weight of their spectacular blooms will overcome the stems.
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Luscious shades
From blush to fuchsia to bright and hot, the palette of pink peonies seems endless. Be sure to cut them early in the morning before the sun gets too hot!
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Interior design comes out to play
Designing your garden? It's like designing a room: Think layers! Here, rhodies (that's rhododendron, for the newbies out there) and spirea are foundation plantings to the iris, peonies, and day lilies. Keep it low in the front and build height in the back.
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More is more!
Rhodies at Connecticut Country House stay healthy with plenty of Holly-tone fertilizer in the spring (it really is the best), regular flower pruning (good thing they make gorgeous arrangements), and lots and lots of sun!
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Queen of the flowering vines
For a special show, I start my clematis in big pots on the patio and with some johnny jump-ups around the base. Secure a tripod in the pot while the vine is still young to help it climb (I tie a few old sun-bleached bamboo stakes together every year and they do the trick!). After they bloom, they'll be replanted in one of the perennial gardens.
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All season bloomers
Echinacea, Fairy roses, and Boltonia asteroides make pretty bouquets that look like wildflowers in little old mustard crocks. SPRING 2017
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Favorite friends
Astilbe (left) and lilacs (above) are garden staples. The showy plumes of this Astilbe fill the garden with color in early summer and are beautiful in arrangements. Everyone needs lilacs! Their heavenly scent and beautiful mid-spring blossoms make them irresistible. At Connecticut Country House, both thrive in half sun, half shade.
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Simple elegance
Quince branches add grace and drama to indoor displays in early spring. Simply place the cut branches in a sturdy glass vase and enjoy the wow factor. Pro tip: Smash the branch ends with a hammer before you arrange them in the vase to help them drink more water. They'll last longer!
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Pretty petunias
Ready for another Nora styling secret? I love to buy big, hearty hanging plants at the nursery, cut off the hangers and pop them into old oversized clay pots. Scale is so important at the front door!
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Charming roses
Fairy roses are surprisingly easy to care for. Feed/fertilize them once in the early spring and again mid-summer; give them plenty of sun; and try to water them at the base of the shrub. Roses don't like their leaves getting wet!
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R2epeat performance
Bonica and Eden grow strong at Connecticut Country House. These old varieties of roses are very lush and very romantic. Keep deadheading them all season long for repeat blooms!
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1, 2, 3—wow!
1. Line a basket with a plastic bucket. 2. Fill the bucket with a little water. 3. Stuff the bucket full of freshly cut roses. A guaranteed showstopper that will last for days!
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Same time next year
Lungwort is one of the first perennials to pop up and bloom in the beds down by the old stonewall. It makes a great ground cover.
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Inside and out
Cut and massed together in a large glass jar, potted up in an old container, or free in the garden, the violet inky blue flowers of the dramatic, stately delphinium are always gorgeous indoors or out!
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Tis a gift to be simple...
There's something irresistibly humble and sweet about a hyacinth in a canning jar—and the scent is out of this world!
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Mood indigo
The bold indigo-blue blooms of these Asian irises stand on arrow-straight stems. A single stem in a bud vase can make a stunning, simple statement.
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A good mix, well matched
Putting my indoor design eye to work, it's the texture and color combo of the blue, purple, and red verbena and petunias that inspired me to plant them all together in a large crock.
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Pump up the volume
Above: I love the wild and full look of catmint potted up an old wooden planter (this antique is from a Paris flea market, but there are plenty to be found in all corners of the world). Right: The Nikko hydrangea is a classic; its volume graces the East Patio.
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Small but mighty
Cranesbill geranium grows around the base of a pair of boxwood at the entrance to our stone walk. Don’t be deceived by its understated presence... their sweet, almost luminous blossoms bloom at length every spring.
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