Following last week’s nostalgic look back at the very beginning of the Fine Gardening Garden Photos of the Day (GPOD) feature, reader curiosity sparked an immediate demand to keep going and uncover what came next in the archives. When GPOD first launched in January 2010, the daily format was refreshingly simple: a single, striking garden photo accompanied by a concise, evocative caption or short story.
Picking up directly where the retrospective left off, the digital vault opens once more to reveal GPOD entries 11 through 20. These snapshots from the early days not only capture the evolving aesthetics of garden design across North America but also highlight the diverse climates, plant combinations, and creative landscape solutions that have always driven the gardening community.
Self-Sown Serenity in the Catskills
The journey through the archives begins in the Catskills of Upstate New York, within a secluded garden designed by Dean Riddle. Captured through the lens of photographer Kerry Ann Moore, entry number eleven features a narrow, winding garden path leading to a tucked-away seating area.
What makes this space truly enchanting is the heavy reliance on fine-textured, self-sown plants that spill naturally over the edges of the pathway. Rather than maintaining rigid lines, this exuberant, informal planting style softens the hardscape and creates an immediate, casual sense of privacy, turning a simple garden nook into an intimate getaway.
Embracing the Ramble in Connecticut
Moving south to South Kent, Connecticut, the archives showcase a clever structural solution in a garden designed by Rebecca Batchie and photographed by Michelle Gervais. Instead of relying on a traditional trellis to support a climbing perennial, the design allows a vibrant clematis to carpet a piece of sturdy chicken wire mounted atop an old stone wall.
This technique effectively bridges the gap between structured hardscape and soft, flowing flora. The sprawling clematis creates a dynamic boundary that softens the transition between the stone steps, the stone wall, and the surrounding flowering perennial borders.
A Meadow Pairing in Michigan
Shifting toward a meadow-style aesthetic, entry thirteen takes readers to the healing garden at Michigan State University’s radiology department in East Lansing, Michigan. Designed by Janet Gauthier and photographed by Michelle Gervais, the scene features expansive sweeps of purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea, Zones 3–9) paired with drumstick allium (Allium sphaerocephalon, Zones 4–11).
These two distinct purple and pink-toned blooms sway in unison in the breeze, demonstrating how textured, prairie-inspired plant combinations can be utilized in institutional and healing spaces to introduce movement, color, and tranquility.
Architectural Grasses in Tennessee
Textural interest takes center stage in the next archival stop at the West Tennessee Research and Education Center in Jackson, Tennessee. Here, the lens captures ‘Gold Bar’ miscanthus (Miscanthus sinensis ‘Gold Bar’, Zones 5–8), a compact ornamental grass developed by Joy Creek Nursery in Scappoose, Oregon.
Known for its heavily banded yellow and green foliage, this cultivar injects vibrant energy and vertical verve into a planting bed without aggressively crowding neighboring plants. Reaching a mature height of four to five feet, the grass thrives best in full sun alongside moist, well-drained soil.
Striking Bark at the Denver Botanic Gardens
While evergreens are often appreciated solely for their winter foliage, some conifers offer remarkable visual traits beyond their needles. At the Denver Botanic Gardens in Colorado, Michelle Gervais captured the stunning, multicolored, and mottled peeling bark of the lacebark pine (Pinus bungeana, Zones 4–7).
Native to China, this pine species can eventually grow up to 50 feet tall and 20 feet wide, requiring well-drained soil and full sun. Its unique, exfoliating bark provides dramatic visual interest throughout the changing seasons, elevating the standard evergreen presence in cold-climate landscapes.
A Tropical Oakland Hideaway
West Coast horticulture makes an appearance through a private garden in Oakland, California, designed by Tom Nelson and Randy Bolin. Nestled out of sight from the main house, this secluded structure houses a covered hot tub embedded within a lush tropical setting.
Adorned with artwork and personal mementos collected from their travels, the retreat features open roof-work that allows bathers to catch nighttime glimpses of the moon and stars through a canopy of climbing vines, blending comfort with exotic nature.
Fiery Tones at the Toledo Botanical Garden
Shifting the color palette entirely, entry seventeen presents a high-impact, blazing combination of warm tones at the Toledo Botanical Garden in Ohio. Photographed by Michelle Gervais, the grouping features the cheerful yellow of black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia cvs., Zones 3–9), the orange hues of sneezeweed (Helenium cvs., Zones 4–8), and the intense red spikes of ‘Lucifer’ crocosmia (Crocosmia ‘Lucifer’, Zones 6–9). This bold palette proves how effectively contrasting warm-toned perennials can be massed together to create a visual statement.
Culinary Sage in Full Bloom
Back in Connecticut, common sage (Salvia officinalis and cvs., Zones 5–8) proves that culinary herbs can double as ornamental powerhouses. Photographed in Michelle Gervais’s New Milford garden, the plant is captured producing its stunning purple flowers against gray-green foliage. Beyond its utility in the kitchen, sage thrives in full sun and sharply drained soil, offering dual-purpose value for home gardeners.
Redefining Boundaries in California
Addressing the eternal question of yard borders, another private garden in Oakland, California, demonstrates an alternative to solid boundaries. Instead of putting up a traditional solid fence, the designer erected an open net of wires and vines. This translucent barrier provides a visual framework while allowing the shaded space to breathe, preventing the nook from feeling enclosed or overly dark.
Antique Roses with Historic Charm
Rounding out this archival batch is the antique ‘Soleil d’Or’ rose. Hailing from the turn of the nineteenth century, this hybrid foetida rose is celebrated for its extravagant, citrus-scented blooms. While it is historically noted for being quite susceptible to blackspot, dedicated rosarians often consider the intense fragrance and unique coloration worth the extra maintenance, provided it receives full sun and diligent care.
Reflecting on these next ten installments of the GPOD archives offers a clear reminder of how much community and inspiration have defined the feature since its inception. With suggestions already rolling in from original creator Michelle Gervais—who cheekily suggested digging up an old submission from Antarctica—the journey through the early days of garden photography continues to unfold.
