Sally Barker is excited to share an updated glimpse at her garden in Baltimore, Maryland.
"Knowing that gardens change constantly, here are some 2016 photos from my garden which has been featured on GPOD in the past. Sometimes I would prefer if every plant would stay exactly the same—but we all know this is never the case. This year it became necessary to either remove large shrubs or enlarge a bed which, being a garden nut, I of course chose to do. Some newbies: a gorgeous variegated dogwood, a yellow Bartzella peony (one lovely bloom this 1st year), and an incredibly long-blooming (and butterfly magnet) agastache Blue Boa. I especially love how the oakleaf hydrangea now wraps a tree, surrounded by hostas and hakenochloa grass."
Check out more posts about Sally's garden Here, Here, and Here!
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Comments
Hello there Sally - Thanks for the update on your beautifully manicured garden with such a lovely colour palette. Outstanding - in fact, it has 'knocked my socks off'! Love the slate paved area, surrounding rock work and potted petunias.
(PS. Sally - Please humour me and allow a little skiting. 'Go Aussies Go' - 3 Olympic gold medals so far. Have to brag now before you guys swamp us. Thanks, Frank).
Congrats to all the athletes for some tremendous performances so far. Pretty cool about the two Australian sisters each getting a gold for their part in the winning swimming relay. That has to be a an especially feel good story for their home country. Our Americans are doing darned good in swimming also and I loved the British fellow, Adam Peaty, for his record breaking swim. I know this is Not what he wants to be known for but his rosy cheeks are adorable.
Well said Michaele. You have definitely encapsulated the true Olympic spirit - never mind this parochial Aussie. I too liked Beaty's performance, and your US team's swimming. Some nasty accidents by the cyclists, especially the girl from the Netherlands.
I hope that a 16 year-old local girl, Aislin Jones, enjoys the Olympic experience when she competes in the Skeet shooting in a couple of day's time.
Frank and Michaele, I'm with you and all the rest of our GPOD'ers that are passionate about the Olympics! The spirit is strong in all that compete. Maybe in my next life I'll have some co-ordination and skills... until then I'll just have to settle in on the couch!
Better on the couch than next life stuff, Sheila!
Glad to see that a few others have been ignoring their gardens to cheer on the Olympians. We have a great competition going on here between the Canadians and US teams as our children are both married to Canucks.
Good luck with that, Linda. Must be fun during the winter Olympics, especially with ice hockey.
Yes, Frank, the ice hockey competition between CA and the USA is fierce. Having lived in Wisconsin for many years before moving to Washington, we know some of the skaters on the last two men's and women's Olympic teams and our children were lucky enough to attend some of the games during the Vancouver Olympics. But you have to love some of these swimming competitions, eh?
You 'betcha', Linda.
Linda - really appreciate some of your swimmers (including Phelps) coming out and supporting our boy in terms of criticising drug cheats.
Sheila, I keep waiting for hose dragging and sprinkler aiming to become an olympic summer event. Even in my approaching dotage, I bet I'd be competitive...practice makes perfect!
I'll work for a silver to your gold, Mike... HA!
Maybe a team relay could also be added and we can both walk away with gold!
I'm guessing we could come up with a couple more GPOD'ers for the team! Heck... I bet we could come with all the International teams!!!
Funny...yes, an international team is the ticket. Gardeners bringing the world together!
Now you are talking Sheila & Michaele! An international team - the GPOD'ers, but it doesn't have much of a ring to it. Needs more thought and imagination. Right up your alley Michaele.
So, Frank, here's a question that popped into my head and I figure I'll just blah blah it out. Anyway, here in the US, our Olympic viewing experience is controlled by how the major tv network NBC wants to package it for us. Now, admittedly, with cable affiliates and on line streaming, a person can see more footage of a particular discipline if they so desire but I think NBC is still the controller of the cameras and commentators. How does it work for your viewing experience in Australia? Do you have a major Australian network that provides special coverage for your part of the world?
Michaele (or do you prefer Mike? or even Ginger?) - Very similar situation in Oz. One TV station (Ch7) has the rights to televise the Olympics. Ch7 controls everything we see and when we see it i.e. we cannot see a particular event of interest if the Channel wants to present other material. It is very frustrating. All the commentators are from the Ch7, and many are simply out of their depth. And of course, there is far too much advertising (to recoup $s for the coverage). Cheers, Frank
Thanks for the info on how your Olympic tv coverage is handled. I wonder if every single country has to negotiate a separate deal with the Olympic committee? No wonder that organization sometimes has integrity and ethical difficulties.
I am tri-polar when it comes to my first name. The "real" name used by many is Michaele. But my dad wanted a girl he could call "Mike". Then that got tweaked by family and some friends to "Mikey". So...I answer to many different things...ha, even "hey, you" might get my attention in the right circumstance. I'll know that I am mentally slipping when I can't remember who I am to whom. So far, you are safe with the Ginger reference! I still get the teasing joke.
OK let's make it quad-polar, Ginger!
We celebrate with you, Frank! Go Aussies!
As I said previously Rhonda, you are becoming a fair dinkum Aussie. At the time I submitted the post, we were leading the medal tally, but you guys have caught up now and will pass us very quickly. I have to take my hat off to Michaele though - such a diplomat and all round good sport as well as gardener! Cheers, Frank
Hey guys - How good are the Rugby Women's 7's!!!!!! What a spectacle to watch the game - fast, clean, skillful and exciting. Aussies about to take on the Kiwis for gold and silver medals i.e. arch rivals on the sporting field. Great mates apart from that. Kiwis punch well above their weight in sport (very small population).
Gold!!!!!! Fantastic effort by our girls.
I wonder if our NBC coverage will let us see some of Rugby final your girls won? I do some dir-ing at first to let the coverage get up a head of steam. That way I can avoid the commercials ...at least for a while. Congrats on the gold!
Hope you can access it Ginger. Definitely worth a look. I felt very sorry for one of the Kiwi girls who made a mistake early in the game. By the way you had a very good team in the competition as well. Cheers
Kind words, Frank. Thanks
Stunning! I am lovin' it The hardscaping is gorgeous, and plant selections are wonderful. (And photos are great!) I also love the fact that you are able to incorporate mature trees in with your plantings. Your gardens are picture-perfect for garden tours and would be lovely for weddings also! As Frank said.... "Outstanding"!!!
Can I make enough $ to pay for my plant addiction ??? Weddings would definitely be too stressful ! I have hosted a few garden tours which is great fun. Thank you Margaret.
Beautiful. Awesome patio nestled in a lovely setting. I love the variety of plants - from the perennials up to the trees.
I remember your gardens in Raleigh (right?) and when I next visit my favorite niece who lives there I am going to beg you for a visit ! I've gone there 3 times over the years to help renovate her lovely 'yarden'. We shop for 2 days and then get a crew to help plant for 2 days. Hundreds of shrubs and trees and perennials. They are so inexpensive -- especially at the huge farmers market. It is a blast !
Hi Sally, Yes I,m just outside Raleigh. Please do request a visit next time you're here...no begging necessary. The farmer's market is great. I'll also make sure there are no nurseries you might have missed.
Thanks ! Hopefully we will meet one of these days. Your gardens are absolutely gorgeous.
Ooooh, I have a serious crush on your new variegated dogwood...it positively shimmers with luminosity and, in an elegant way, says "Look at me. You won't be disappointed". Do you happen to recalled the name of the variety? I have a 'Bartzella' peony that has delighted me with how generously it has increased its bloom count over the past three years. Wishing you luck with yours! The stonework in your patio and wall is so handsome...such complementary elements for all the beautiful plantings in your lovely garden areas.
Meander, I wrote a response to you but must not have pushed the post button. Thanks for your comments and for all your kind posts on GPOD. As I mentioned above I will post the name of the dogwood when I return from vacation. I can't wait for next year's Bartzella bloom ! Thank you again !!!
Summer Fun is the cultivar of dogwood. It needs shade more than most dogwoods.
Thanks for getting back to all of us gpod-ers on the name of that delightful dogwood. Without a doubt, 'Summer Fun' certainly is living up to its name in your garden. It is a very desirable looking specimen tree. Lucky it and lucky you!
Such a beautiful garden! Is the variegated dogwood an Akatsuki kousa dogwood? I have one of those and I love it. Yours is lovely and looks perfect where you've sited it. Your oakleaf hydrangea is also magnificent!
Thank you Clare. The new dogwood is not Akatsuki. I too am just crazy about the oakleaf which asks nothing of me and gets better every year ! What more can one ask ?
The dogwood is Summer Fun. Likes shade more than most .
What is the plant growing next to/on the fence in pic 1? Everything is beyond gorgeous.
That is a climbing hydrangea, schizophragma (I'm not home so am forgetting the rest of the name). I have masses of hydrangea petiolaris climbing my other fences and trees, but this one is especially lovely. Thanks for asking !
Yes ~ One of my all-time favorites from the past. I'm loving all the changes Sally. Your setting is scrumptious. The plant combinations just melt into one another and that oak leaf has matured so beautifully. Thank you for updating us. Happy gardening!
(Good morning Shar?)
Speaking of all-time fave gardens, Terie... how are your gorgeous gardens growing?
Hi Sheila! We certainly have been challenged this summer with the current severe drought here in central NY. Even some of our famous Finger-Lakes waterfalls have dried up! Thankfully our well has held on (so far) and the surface springs on our property are a huge blessing. I've been drawing water from the pond to keep perennials around the cottage upright. It's been a labor of love and downright wears me out. Hopefully I will be able to send some posts in sometime soon. Thank you for thinking of me. :)
I'm so sorry to hear about the drought in your area, Terie, I was totally unaware. Thank goodness for your well, surface springs and pond. Your exquisite gardens are entirely to special to lose. You must be exhausted. My thoughts are with you. Hang in there, my friend.
It's such fun to have people remember the past posts. Thanks Terie.
You have a painter's touch in the way you use your plants. I like the masses of foliage plants with punches color. One of the best.
Thank you, Dale !
Perfectly gorgeous . . . I love the long views in the last 3 photos.
Somehow the garden looks best from the upstairs windows. But most visitors don't see that. Thank you.
Ooh, ah Sally... Gorgeous! Love that patio and stone steps... Great job!
Thanks, Rhonda !
Sally, what a beautiful and impeccable garden! Whatever you are doing, never stop! I envy your new peony, as I have 24 heirlooms and lust after others, particularly yellow. Would you share your source for the Bartzella? What zone are you in? Thanks for sharing! Diane
We are a zone 6.5 to 7. I was able to find it at our local nursery. Expensive, of course, because it is an Itoh; but they are the best of both worlds between herbaceous and tree peony. I am sure it is more easily available now than in recent years. Thank you !
Thanks to Alex for including links to the previous posts!
Your graceful gardens continue to bring a smile to my face, Sally. They are truly beautiful. Like Michaele, I'm curious about the variety of your new variegated dogwood, it's a knockout! I also adore the way your oakleaf hydrangea curves around your tree... there's just something special when our plants intertwine with one another. Beautiful!
Thanks Sheila. The dogwood is even better than in the photo because my camera doesn't capture the variegation. As I mentioned above I can't recall the cultivar. When I get back from vacation I will post it to you for sure.
Enjoy the rest of your vacation, Sally!
And the answer is ------- Summer Fun Dogwood. Prefers shade.
Thanks! I doubt I have enough shade, but I'm going to check it out!
I feel like I'm walking through a botanical garden - your plants are so lush. I love the curving beds, the plant selections and the color/texture combinations. All perfect! I wish you were my neighbor so I could spend real time with you and your garden to gain your gardening wisdom and ideas.
You don't know how much I wish that too. It is always a pleasure to share the garden, but so much more so with people who really understand and appreciate !
So great to see your garden again, Sally, especially after my remediation tour of the previous posts. I am still so envious of you amazing stonework.
The variegated dogwood certainly is a superstar, especially with the backdrop of the evergreens. Like dogwood blossoms all year.
Of course, as I type, a comment by my 'twin' sister, Sheila popped up, stealing my comment about the oakleaf hydrangea. Wow. What a great combination that makes the tree trunk a piece of art.
Looks amazing.
Finally... I beat you to a comment, Bro!
What? Couldn't sleep? Aren't you like 4 hours behind me or something?
:)
Nah... we're only 2 hours earlier!
Thanks Tim! We were so lucky to have a wonderful stonemason about 15 years ago. He placed every stone with such artfulness. What you can't see is the water feature --- a boulder (drilled in the middle) with recirculating water. Such a great sound. I just love the way the oakleaf hydrangea has wrapped the tree.
Couldn't agree more! It's all gorgeous. Love the stonework, slate patio, cobalt blue birdbath accenting the blue flowers, the glorious dogwood - looks like a botanical garden. And cheers to all the Olympic competitors - it takes a lot of work and dedication to reach that level.
Hi Frank - go Aussies!
Thanks Shirley for your support. We are a sporting country, and Melbourne is the sporting capital of Oz. Some say we go overboard with our obsession with sport. Some also say we have 'white line fever' i.e. when our players cross over the white line on a sporting field, they are fierce competitors. However, we do like and appreciate good sportsmanship, and when the games are over we like to have a beer with the opposition etc. We have a magnificent stadium in Melbourne called the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG - seats 100,000) so if you come down here, it is a must to see e.g. one of our Aussie Rules football games. The attach pic. was taken at the MCG after my friends and I had a lovely meal in the members i.e. formal dress.
Frank, of all the countries in the world, the 2 I would most like to see (that I haven't already) are Australia and New Zealand. But I'll have to get with it - I'm 78 and counting...
A spring chicken I say Shirley! If you decide to come to Oz and NZ let me know and my wife and I will certainly make sure you have an enjoyable time in Melbourne and country areas of the State of Victoria - you have my word on that! I know the flying time is a pain in the neck, but I'm sure you will not regret touring Australasia.
Thanks so much !!!
Sally, I recognized your garden as soon as I saw the beautiful stonework. Is your new dogwood ' Wolf Eyes' by chance? We just added that one this year and are loving the way it lights up the shade garden. You have a real knack for making your gardens flow and blending in those new plants to look like they've been part of the family forever. Bartzella ( or Godzilla as we call it) is a superb peony. Ours is only 2 yrs old and was loaded with blossoms this year and has continued through the summer to be a nice looking shrub.
I have admired 'Wolf Eyes' often, but this is not. I am so sorry I didn't think to look up the name before we left on vacation this morning. A Kousa with Summer in the name I think. Stays narrow.
You are on Whidbey Island? We were there years ago and it is so beautiful !!! I look forward to 'Godzilla' in future years. What a bad name for a beautiful peony.
Your Kousa sounds like it might be 'Summer Fun'. We'd like to plant a few more but there is a nasty fungus attacking dogwoods here and we're just hoping that ours survive it. Thanks for your response and enjoy your vacation. Cheers, Linda
Yes indeed, Summer Fun. Really needs shade ---- though I don't know about the Pacific Northwest. Good ID.
Gorgeous! Just wondering which oak leaf hydrangea cultivar you have planted by the tree. Love how the blossoms are so sturdy and point upwards.
Thanks ! That is Snow Queen. A great one which is very sturdy.
Such lush and beautiful gardens! All your hard work has paid off. The patio looks like a great place to relax if you have time. Love all the rock work too.
Thank you ! The "if you have time" is relevant. I do occasionally sit and enjoy.
Hi Sally, your gardens are absolutely lovely. I garden in Maryland too and our plant palette is very similar. Do you grow Spigellia marlandica? That's a new favorite for me. What are your favorite hydrangeas? Do you know the cultivar of the Veronica? So far I haven't had any luck with them. The dogwood is stunning. It's quite tall. How long have you been growing it? I love hosts too. Do you have a deer fence or use deterrents? Your placement of hostas is very artistic and showcases their form and colors well.
Had to do a google image search on Spigellia marlandica since I am totally unfamiliar with it. Looks like a very neat plant. Is it making through your summer just fine? And do you grow it in the same shade conditions as hostas? Are your flowers from it the red and yellow that seems to be showing up predominantly in the search photos. Sorry to be bombarding you with questions.
Hi! Spigellia loves morning sun and afternoon shade. Without a couple of hours of sun it won't bloom well. It blooms heavily in early summer and will rebloom is deadheaded. It emerges late in spring so it is good to mark the spot or combine it with a very early spring ephemeral. It creates some babies so you can give them away or make a bigger drift for yourself. It is one of the best perennials ever. Unique flowers, no staking, and nice green mound otherwise. 18-24 inches high. Oh, the tube is red and the star on top is chartreuse. So it looks great with gold hostsas. I planted Aspen Gold in front of my clump this spring.
Thanks for such an info filled response, Nancy. Spigellia marlandica sounds like a fabulous plant and the pictures that I pulled up on it certainly showed that the flowers are hugely appealing. Did you buy yours from a local source or did you have to track it down via mail order? I don't feel that I've run across it in a nursery. I am going to keep my eyes open from here on in.
Thanks so much !
Today we flew to Colorado so I am late to answer questions. Where are you in Maryland? We should get together! Like Meander I have never heard of Spigellia marlandica. I will certainly explore when i get home. I am now favoring the strong structure of paniculata hydrangeas , such as Quick Fire and Pinky Winky. I have a lot of Annabelles but struggle with supporting them. Also love the dwarf Limelight. And Sikes Dwarf oak leaf. So many of my Endless Summer types were hit hard by late frost.
The veronica is Royal Candles. Frankly it looks great in early Summer but not so good now. Because I am now out of town I can't recall the name of the dogwood ---- darn. It is a Kousa with the word Summer in it. An upright and narrow grower which will fit the site. I planted it last year (with help). While I used to plant small trees such as all the evergreens in the background, I now look for immediate gratification !!! I couldn't garden as I do without Liquid Fence for the deer. It is magic. Thanks for the lovely comments !
Summer Fun Dogwood ! Prefers shade .
I am in Howard County. My family does Larriland Farms, a pick your own fruit and vegetable farm. If you call the farm, ask for Diann and she will give you my phone number.
I would love to see your garden in person and to have you visit mine. Just checked my calendar and Monday, Tuesday for the next 2 weeks is good for me.
There is another gal in Eldersberg who has been featured on POD, but how to find her. Be nice to form a little club, we could do plant shopping and lunch and garden visits.
What a beautiful garden Sally! We feel so privileged to be able to visit and enjoy your garden from time to time! It's alway immaculate. It's always different. It is as if every plant and every tree were telling beautiful stories!
My garden always feels happier when you and Andrew are in it !
Well, I checked in with Frank at Kingsdene Nurseries and he confirmed that the dogwood is Summer Fun. Thank you Linda on Whidbey for IDing it. Frank says it is important to know this cultivar really does prefer shade. Mine is in almost full shade thank goodness (and Frank !). It seems very happy. Thanks everyone !
Beautiful!
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