Garden Photo of the Day

GPOD on the Road: Bar Harbor in July

Looking back on warm summer days and colorful annual flowers in New England

By GPOD Contributor
Incrediball smooth hydrangea in summer garden bed

Happy Friday GPODers!

First, I want to say a huge thank you to all who sent in submissions after my call to do so yesterday. You are all the people that help this blog continue posting every week, and I hope more of you will consider compiling some photos to send in over the weekend 🙂

Learn more: GPOD on the Road: More Bar Harbor

Next week we’ll jump into some of those great submissions I got, but I decided to end the week on one last pull from the archive—my personal photo archive that is. Now that we’re in the thick of fall, I decided to share a dose of peak summer color. The following photos are from a trip to Acadia National Park and the neighboring town of Bar Harbor, Maine a couple of summers ago. In the midst of amazing ocean views, rocky beaches, cliffs, mountains, and lobster rolls, there were an assortment of bright flowers in long beds and bountiful containers.

yellow and purple flowers in summer planting
Beautiful plantings can be found throughout Bar Harbor in the summertime, and I particularly loved this pretty purple combination. Dark purple petunias really pop in front of the bright green foliage and spires of lighter purple salvia and tall verbena (Verbena bonariensis, Zones 7–11). The giant yellow dahlia and peek of ocean behind make for a lovely backdrop, too.

Incrediball smooth hydrangea in summer garden bed
Another lovely bed featured a huge Incrediball® smooth hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens ‘Abetwo’, Zones 3–8) that glows above a kaleidoscope of colorful flowers and sea of silvery artemisia.

white cosmos in summer garden bed
Literally every color was on display that summer.

large garden fountain
The photos above were taken in and around Agamont Park in Bar Harbor. The park has incredible views of the pier and Frenchman Bay, with plenty of benches and green spaces to sit and enjoy the nature that surrounds. This gorgeous fountain is a beautiful, central point.

summer container with annuals
This container, and the smaller one below, were outside Jordan Pond House, the restaurant next to the iconic pond of the same name in Acadia National Park. Acadia and Bar Harbor are truly must-see destinations for gardeners in the summertime, with so many awe-inspiring natural landmarks and gorgeous plantings all in close proximity.

Lophospermum with verbena in summer container
The other, smaller container that was just as lovely. Bright pink lophospermum pairs so nicely with the violet/purple verbena.

window box with geranium and Lemon Twist Plectranthus
Lastly, a gorgeous window box full of colorful foliage. Large geranium leaves and Lemon Twist Swedish ivy plectranthus (Plectranthus ‘Lemon Twist’, annual) get accented by pops of peach begonias.

I hope you all enjoyed getting a taste of summer color, today! If you have photos from your garden’s peak this summer, consider sharing them with GPOD. Follow the directions below to submit.

 

Have a garden you’d like to share?

Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit!

To submit, send 5-10 photos to gpod@taunton.com along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden.

Have a mobile phone? Tag your photos on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter with #FineGardening!

Do you receive the GPOD by email yet? Sign up here.

Fine Gardening Recommended Products

The Crevice Garden: How to make the perfect home for plants from rocky places

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

A crevice garden replicates the environmental conditions of mountain tops, deserts, coastlines, and other exposed or rocky places on earth. These striking garden features provide perfect conditions for the plants native to these far-off places, bringing the cultivation of these precious gems within everybody’s reach.
Buy at Amazon

D&X Garden Sprinkler

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

- The Sprinkler is made of durable ABS Plastic, Base connector: Approx. 1/2" ; Side connector: Approx. 3/4"
- 12 flexible nozzles that you can set in any direction, simply bend hoses to customize new watering patterns - 360 degree coverage of 3000 sq. ft area
- 3.5 x 4 x 6 inches
Buy at Amazon

ARS Telescoping Long Reach Pruner

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

Telescopes from 4 to 7'. Cut and Hold (160) Blades. Drop forged blades for unsurpassed long lasting sharpness. Lightweight, 2.3 lbs., for continued use. Perfectly balanced for easy pruning.
Buy at Amazon
X
View 3 comments

Comments

  1. btucker9675 11/15/2024

    So beautiful!!! I feel a road trip coming on!!!

  2. bsavage 11/15/2024

    Very beautiful! I love Garden Photo of the Day, but as I wrote in about at least a couple of years ago, the format changed, so that it was, and is, cumbersome to comment, and to see the other comments. You don't stay signed in, to see or comment takes many steps, it really ruined the experience for me. I used to love seeing all of the garden pics, and happily comment on them, and then it just became too difficult. So, if you or your bosses are wondering why there is not very much interaction anymore, it is because it has been made difficult. I just want to see all of the comments, and comment myself freely. And I'd like to stay signed in. Thanks for listening. I assure you, if you look back to when you started losing posts and interest, it's when you changed the system and made it much more difficult .

    1. User avater
      khayes22 11/18/2024

      Hello, and thank you so much for your comment. We absolutely agree with you and have been equally frustrated by the comment section that seems to get more and more buried, and more and more difficult to access as time goes on. Of course, there are many factors that go into website design and many teams involved that have differing opinions and needs, so getting this problem solved has been an uphill battle. We are actively working on getting some much-needed changes to the site, and updating the comment section is high on my list. So thanks again for your comment, it greatly helps to fuel our fight for these changes! - Kaitlyn

Log in or create an account to post a comment.

Related Articles

The Latest

Design
Planting Plans and Ideas from 3 Contemporary Backyards

Choosing great-looking plants that are well-adapted to a garden’s unique light and soil conditions will always be a challenge, and the variables presented by San Francisco’s diverse microclimates and topography…
Design
Gardening Gift Ideas for Mother’s Day 2025

Mother’s Day is just around the corner, and what better way to show your love and appreciation than with a gift that nurtures her passion for the garden? Whether she’s…
Podcast: Let's Argue About Plants
Episode 179: Most Beautiful Flowers  

If your pulse quickens at the sight of a dogwood or peony in full bloom, this is the episode for you. Although a restrained, foliage-focused design is always a safe…

Video

View All Videos
Design

Touring an Eco-friendly, Shady Backyard Retreat

You must be careful when you enter the backyard of garden designer Jeff Epping—not because you’re likely to trip on something, but because you might be dive-bombed by a pair…
Design

4 Midsummer Favorites From a Plant Breeder's Garden
How-To

4 Steps to Remove Invasive Plants in Your Yard
Podcast: Let's Argue About Plants

Episode 179: Most Beautiful Flowers  
Podcast: Let's Argue About Plants

Episode 178: Best Interview Moments from Let's Argue About Plants