Colorful Garden Structures: A Look at the Red Garden

When it comes to garden design, we often focus on the plants and flowers that make up the garden. But what about the structures that form the framework for the garden?

’Green Garden Rooms’ Full of Exciting Ideas

One garden that stands out for its colorful and unique structures is the LongHouse in Long Island, NY.

I visited the garden a couple of years ago and found it a super inspiring experience. It was like visiting an art exhibition outdoors, where you find new inspiration after each twist and turn. It was a delight!

Even though the garden is large, 16 acres, it includes many distinct smaller areas, like 'green rooms' with fantastic ideas to adapt into your own garden space.

Brightly Painted Garden Structures

One of the most notable features of the Longhouse is the use of colorful garden structures like the bright red logs and a wooden bench in the Red Garden.

You can sit on a simple bench in a peaceful clearing in the forest. The logs painted red like Japanese Torii gates lead your eyes to the hand-built vessel by potter Toshiko Takaezu at the end of the path. It has a contemplative and energizing feel.

Plants to Go with the Red Structures

And all that you can create with plants, logs, a can of paint, and imagination!

The classic contrasting combination of red and green is intense, powerful, and eye-catching. With lots of surrounding greenery, everything feels balanced and serene in September.

When it comes the time when red azaleas start blooming, the sight is full of color and excitement!

The main plants here are red azaleas clipped in round mounds along the path. There are plum trees and red-leaved Japanese maples, and the surrounding oak trees heighten the composition.

The Red Garden through Seasons

I have taken these photos in the end of September. You can see more images of the Red Garden when the azaleas are flowering HERE. And how wonderful it will look when winter snow has fallen on the forest.

The LongHouse Garden:

The Longhouse is a part of the Madoo Conservancy, a private garden in Sagaponack, New York. The garden was created by Robert Dash, an artist, and writer, who spent over four decades designing, building, and refining the garden. The garden is a blend of natural beauty and artistic vision, focusing on the creative use of structures and color.