Welcome to Dale Coulter’s garden in Sutton, Massachusetts.
I have always wanted a greenhouse to be my next gardening challenge. I have been an avid gardener for years, starting simply after going on a garden tour with a friend. Then, over the years, my “I can do that” brain took over. I have multiple garden areas (which I have given names so my hubby can find me!), including the sundial garden, where the greenhouse is located; the water garden; the hosta and heart garden; and the daylily garden. I don’t consider myself a master gardener but one who gardens by intuition. I enjoy encouraging new gardeners to take that leap of faith.
The greenhouse is constructed of reclaimed windows and a stained-glass transom. The gable end is made of cut steel I designed, cut, and then painted. The entire project was amazing, from the donations—windows, reclaimed pavers for the floor—and prompt expert services from the water jet steel cutter and, most importantly, my brilliant carpenter husband! I named it “The Grateful Greenhouse.”
The Grateful Greenhouse sits in a garden filled with flowers. Dominating in this photo are the native plants: black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckia fulgida, Zones 4–9), purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea, Zones 3–8), and garden phlox (Phlox paniculata, Zones 4–8).
How beautiful is this greenhouse? And it is amazing that so much of it is from donations and reclaimed materials.
I’ve never seen a greenhouse with a chandelier in it before!
Inside, the plants are beautifully displayed on benches, and even an old stepladder is used as a plant stand.
The incredible gable end, which Dale designed
More big masses of black-eyes Susans and garden phlox, both beautiful and much loved by native pollinators
A wide view shows just how much is going on in this garden!
These stunning Asiatic lilies (Lilium hybrid, Asiatic group, Zones 4–9) have the most incredible flower colors and patterns of the genus.
An enormous trumpet vine (Campsis radicans, Zones 4–9) arches over a gate. Trumpet vines are native to eastern North America, and the flowers are much loved by hummingbirds.
An explosion of color from potted annuals
In the shade, the garden beauty continues, shifting to the rich greens and variegated patterns of hostas (Hosta hybrids, Zones 3–9).
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