New Years evening, January 1, 2014.
Deborah Silver is an accomplished and experienced landscape and garden designer whose firm first opened its doors in 1986.
Deborah Silver is a landscape and garden designer whose firm, Deborah Silver and Co Inc, opened its doors in 1986. She opened Detroit Garden Works, a retail store devoted to fine and unusual garden ornament and specialty plants, in 1996. In 2004, she opened the Branch studio, a subsidiary of the landscape company which designs and manufactures garden ornament in a variety of media. Though her formal education is in English literature and biology, she worked as a fine artist in watercolor and pastel from 1972-1983. A job in a nursery, to help support herself as an artist in the early 80’s evolved into a career in landscape and garden design. Her landscape design and installation projects combine a thorough knowledge of horticulture with an artist’s eye for design. Her three companies provide a wide range of products and services to the serious gardener. She has been writing this journal style blog since April of 2009.
Copyright © 2025 · Deborah Silver & Co. · Detroit Garden Works
The best blog on the net!!!! Absolutely stunning photos…..no descriptions needed. I look forward to every one I open.
Deborah, can you tell me what the tall spires are in the 2nd from last photo? Were they growing in the planter during the summer or something you added for winter decoration?
Thanks again for all your inspiration. A most Happy New Year to you, your family and staff.
Anne
Dear Anne, thanks for your letter. The tall spires I have put in this pot for a number of winters. They are thick poles, wound round with grapevine. Rob bought them in Europe many years ago-I have always liked them-especially in the winter. I think he bought them, thinking they would be great plant stakes. Happy New Year to you, too! Deborah
STUNNING My only wish is to some day meet you and gather your insight on design. WOW
Happy to meet you in person Paul-anytime. Thanks for writing, Deborah
excellent!
Beautiful
Deborah,
Such a source of inspiration and talent.
Your devotion to design & artful eye is much appreciated.
Thank you Deborah for sharing your thoughtful blog.
Happy New Year.
Donna Dettore
Wonderful progression of photos – each one welcomes us right to your front door. Just like your blog.
Happy New Year!
Breathtaking winter night … Your designs are spectacular and your blog is instructional and inspirational. Thanks for sharing …. ( and your dogs are adorable).
Happy New Year!
I so look forward to you blog. It feels like a letter from home and makes me happy. I have a wish list from your shop I have ask my family to give me for my birthday. Happy new year!
What an inspiration you are. This was our first winter in a cold climate and I was able to use many of your garden tips and information in my garden these past nine months. Thank you. Wishing you a New Year of love and happiness.
Suzie
A winter wonderland. Peace and prosperity for the new year Maryanne
Silent night, joyful night!
Happy New Year, dear friend!
The last one. A perfect holiday card.
XO T
I’m a fairly-new subscriber to your blog, but I have really enjoyed the beautiful snowy scenes as well as your posts about the recent wintry weather travails. Although I live in southern California and will never deal with snow or temps much below the 40s, I am planning my return to the midwest in approximately 2 years and will once again welcome the change of seasons and so many of the things in both weather and life that midwesterners take for granted. I know the bitter cold has been tough to tolerate recently, but the temps will eventually become more seasonal and you can then enjoy the quiet beauty of freshly-fallen snow. Your recent blog posts emphasize so many of the lovely aspects of winter and I am wistful to live back there again. I will also be taking a trip over to Michigan to see your shop. Thank you.
Dear Deborah
Thank you so very much for sharing your knowledge and expertise. I too love seeing your post in my inbox!
Best wishes for the New Year to you and your team.
From wet and windy Kent in the UK
Ros
Wishing you, Buck, ‘the boys’, and all the members of your team a Happy New Year from the UK.
Finding your blog has made me eager to start the new gardening year. I can’t wait for the inspiration to flow from your pages to get me started – dreaming now of what this gardening year will bring… but as always the weather will decide if this year’s show will be the best it can be.
Thank-you for all of your inspiration!!!The happiest of the New Year to all….
HELLO!
Found you from TARA’s BLOG……….I said to myself that is a CARDIGAN CORGI?!!And YES< I think I am right as I see him here!I too have one…….SIR WINSTON!
Gorgeous shots……may I ask how you lit it all up……..somehow I don't think its solar lights.Just a regular up-light in each urn………..??Really STUNNING!I know I will enjoy your blog.
Greg, I use a Nikon D7100 camera, and an AF 5 Nikkor lens 18mm-105mm. The only thing I don’t like is the weight-it is very heavy.
My pots have either mini lights, garland lights, or C-9 lights in them. I have 2 cardigan corgis-they are great!
I just love your work and your pictures are stunning! What kind of camera do you use?
Love the progression up your steps into your front landing. Beautiful! Happy New Year! I look forward to reading your blog and get so many cool ideas. Thank you Deborah!
Beautiful pictures! Thank you for the fabulous pictures of all you do. Happy New Year!
Dear Linda, the pictures take as much time as the writing. Thank heavens for digital photography. Deborah
I wish I had known about your blog years ago. I love Detroit Garden Works and have been there numerous times. The products offered are top drawer and the inspiration unequalled. I am so lucky to live a mere 10 miles away.
Although I hear plenty of complaints about the weather, there is such majestic beauty in the seeming bleakness of the snowy landscape. The hush that accompanies a significant snowfall, the “diamonds” which appear on the snow when light hits it in the evening, snow “hats” on crabapples or the flash of a bluejay…so lovely
Dear Mollie, every season has its great features, and its not so great features. Last yer we had almost no snow all winter-I was surprised at how much I missed it. Thanks for writing, Deborah
I just discovered this blog on gardening and landscaping whilst googling icicles :D, and here I am blown away at the Beauty of Nature through your eyes and I am so glad I did! Your pictures are marvelous and I can be inspired again with Nature lovers, grand landscaping and a continual feed of new and creative fresh Beauty! Thank you! I signed up. 😀
Thanks much for your kind words, Lady. I am pleased you are enjoying the writing. Best, Deborah
Lovely! Your house looks so warm and inviting. I especially like the last photo. I think your little corgi does too.
Dear Linda, Milo is a constant companion in the garden. Once there is this much snow, Howard stays in. I believe Milo was as entranced by that lighted tree as I was. Deborah
Thanks Linda. Milo is a big fan of the garden. He sat there looking at that lighted tree for at least 3 minutes. Deborah