Tim bares all in today's GPOD! Actually, he did share his garden with our magazine readers in issue #158 (see some plant IDs from that article here).
"I don't think I've ever shared a full yard tour here on GPOD. These views give a pretty good idea of how small my yard is, how tight the neighborhood is and why I really jam-pack plants in. I didn't edit out any warts like I usually do, so you'll see cars on the street, glimpses of the alley, power lines and how narrow the side yards are, plus assorted weeds that pass as lawn and wire cages to keep out neighborhood wildlife and not-so-wild life. There are still late perennials coming up and I don't have any annuals in yet, so there is actually some dirt and mulch showing here and there. There's a few shots of some favorites this week, too. I was fascinated by Clematis integrifolia Blue Ribbons this year. The nascent flower bud is sealed up in two leaves that slowly unzip to let the the bud get bigger and then nod to form it's shy bloom."
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Comments
It is early, I haven't had even one full cup of coffee and this really confused me. I read Joe but knew it must be Tim's place! Whoever you are,,,,,,,,,,,,it all looks great
Thanks, Jeff. It's getting there.
Great job Joe. I like the way you've packed so much into the side yard. Love that clematis and the trillium too. I start my day with a cup of coffee and these photos. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks, Linda. This blog certainly is a good way to start the day. Also a good way to take a break from work.....
Tim, The west side garden is terrific with al the color & different textures. The back corner garden has filled in very well & the brick path seems to disappear into the woods. I am interested in the tree next to the house on the east side ,could you tell me what it is? Space may be tight but it looks like you have room to experiment in the back yard garden. Good work & good luck, Joe
Hey, Joe (the real one!), on the east side in this photo there are a couple of tree peonies, followed by a sort-of-hidden Acer shiraswanum 'Aureum'. But you are probably asking about the overgrown, gigantic shrub: Sambucus 'Black Lace'. One of the best, most reliable ornamental elderberries I've grown. I coppice it to the ground in other parts of the garden, so it's easy to keep it's gorgeous, lacy black leaves in scale wherever you want it.
Tim, your 'Aureum' is looking pretty sweet. I assume you feel you are having some success with it now? If you remember I was a bit unsure with mine about a year ago, and took the chance of pruning it because I felt is was doing better...........well............doubled in size! - growing like a champ.
Oooh. Post a photo of your 'aureum'. Yeah, mine is doing much better this year. I think it's finally settled in to it's new spot and there were only a few, small dead branches. It's relatively moist there and I think it likes the shelter. I just have to keep things trimmed back a bit around it.
Thanks Tim, The Sambucus is the one I drew my interest. I am looking for something to shade Goldspot that gets scorched due to loss of shade
Thank you & ggod luck, Joe
Cool. I have one in the back yard in full sun and it does fine. It's the tall black sprouts in the upper left corner of the back yard photo with the gravel garden. I cut it to the ground this spring.
What a wonderful job you have done. I love it when gardens are right out front for everyone to enjoy.
Thanks, Dale. I meet a lot of neighbors by having the front garden and hanging out on the wrap around porch.
This looks so much like Tim's garden...can't believe the similarity. Wonder if someone replicated my garden? Either way this looks great. Totally dig the clematis and that wonderful trillium. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks, David. I'm anxious for that Clematis to get some girth. This is its third year and just two flowers.....
As we turn back to the previous post, we see that this is Tims garden. You have some plants I'm not familiar with, like the physaria. I really don't see any warts! I love the clematis and the trillium. Sigh, more treasures to procure! I bet the UPS man has trouble making it to your front door. He probably stops to take in all the colors and textures and forgets why he's there!
Thanks, Rhonda. I love that Physaria. It's relatively new to me, too. It has gorgeous, felted white leaves. It has yellow flowers that don't really ring my bells, but man, I love those seed pods. It's a southwest native and loves it baking hot.
Tim. My name is Tim!
:)
But you can call me Joe. He's got a great garden, too!
at first I was fearful (and maybe curious) that it was a post concerning World Naked Garden Day
Hmmm, shall we? ha!
I'll share my naked gardening photo in a comment......
:)
good one Jeff.
Well Tim I 've basked in your glory & had my 15 minutes of fame at the same time. I was starting to feel guilty. Good luck, Joe
Happy to Share, Joe.
What a charming yard, it just proves you can have beauty in any space with a garden, thanks for sharing.
Thanks, Katie. That's so true.
How cool is it that many of us looked at that first picture and blurted aloud to ourselves, "Joe?... I don't think so... It's Tim!" (That exclamation evoked a raised eyebrow from hubby over his coffee cup.) And the subsequent pictures absolutely confirmed that today's post features Tim's delightfully jam packed "urban" garden. Your 'Thunderhead' looks great and I wish there was a way to keep it just that size. I am beguiled by your series of pictures of the clematis integrifolia...so dear and sweet from bud to bloom. No warts were on display...just great plants enjoying their neighborhood ambiance.
Well, I guess everyone notices their own warts more than other's....I just de-candled Thunderhead the other day. It's so nice and thick since I did that last year. Here's hoping I can keep it in some sort of check. I love it the size that it is. Really, do I ever consider ultimate size when I plant something?!
Did you scope out your yard to see if you have a bush clematis? Did you wind up getting some of the new purple-leaved ones?
I am so rooting that your 'Thunderhead' stays perfect for its spot...you are certainly doing your due diligence in shortening the candles each year.
Well, I passed up buying the dark leafed bush clematis but checked out the bell like blue blossomed one that's in a far part of my yard. Thanks to our cyber "conversation" from a couple of weeks ago, I lavished some love on it and lifted it up a little with some string support. Usually, I don't get around to that until it's too late. I just took a picture of it so you can see it and take part credit for it not being sprawled on the ground.
Stunningly gorgeous Clematis integrifolia, Michaele!!! I'm going to open this on my iPad and go out and show my puny little baby this picture for inspiration. I guess if I had bought this plant when I first found about about over a decade ago, mine would be as full and lush as yours. Amazing. I'm happy to take credit for aiding the support of a Tennessee treasure.
You know, I'm so you said you took a picture and glad I learned the trick of refreshing my browser window to see posted photos. If I leave the browser window open, Disqus tells me there are new comments and even where they are, but gives no clue that there are photos posted in the comments.
Tim, how did you suggest to Mike to lift the Clematis integrifolia? I have one that just sprawls and gets lost and I've never come up with a decent remedy.
I didn't. We were discussing Clematis and her memory was jarred about hers that she hadn't visited in a while. I'm curious, too, and will comment to her above.
I have had luck using the circular grids one can purchase for peonys and such on my bush clematis ( not that mine is anywhere close to blooming!)
Actually, now that I think about it, that plant has been in the ground for about 15 years. So, it's bud and bloom count isn't that impressive, is it? It only has added a new flower producing stem every two years...pokey!
I think I learned about the refresh the browser thing a little bit ago thanks to an observation you made in the comments. Funny the little techno glitches that come up that make it seem like mischievous gremlins are in charge.
Sheila and I wonder what you did to shore it up. Are there some supports around which you tied your string? It looks freestanding in the photo except for a hind of a black something or other at its feet.
There are two shortish green plastic coated tomato stakes behind the plant about 2 feet apart. I took plain brown garden twine and made two layers of support...one pulling half the plant higher than the bottom half. I hope that makes sense. I thought by giving it the two levels of tension, it would result in a more gentle natural look.
Tim, Joe, whatever lol. I must have been multi-tasking last night.
You can call me anything, as long as it's not 'Stupe'. Only my wife can call me that!
PS It still says Joe below the first photo.
:)
I am sure you put in some long days & you have no idea how much your work is appreciated by all of us. I certainly don't mind having my name associated with Tim's garden however briefly. Thank you & good luck , Joe
Wow! Thanks for sharing. I love this jam-packed garden. Your photos of the clematis are amazing, and I am thrilled to be introduced to Asclepias humistrata.
Thank you, Mary. I'm so excited about the Florida milkweed (A. humistrata). I didn't get great germination from the seeds I bought, so I only have the one plant in a container. I'm hoping it is self fertile and sets seed so I can see if it is hardy enough to survive in the garden.
Tim, amazed as always! Thank you for giving us the complete tour. I'm reminded of the day we all smiled at the walk-through video.... I still have #158 on my table. :) Love your blue ribbons and trillium.
Thanks, so much Terie. I forgot about that video walk through. I think the side yard was overflowing with Chasmanthium latifolium. I'm still desperately trying to get rid of it and it's millions of seedlings!!
Thanks, Diane. Spring is so great. I've got a lot of chartreuse/acid yellow foliage coming up and it is a nice jolt in the morning. So loving spring.
Sorry, GPOD, here's some blog cross-talk.
Here's a link to another blog that has a series of photos of how the brick path part of my back yard evolved over the years:
http://www.gardenygoodness.com/dailydose/2015/7/15/the-evolution-of-a-garden-in-tims-back-yard
Fine Gardening did a great job showing the development of the front yard.
Tim, so glad you included the Gardenygoodness site as I never did see that post. Enjoyed seeing the evolution of your gardens and that fantastic brick walkway.
By the way, do you know what happened to GG and Michelle??
I don't know. My assumption is that it was a lot of work to keep up with a family and new job.
Tim I love the brick walk, just put one in myself. Love to see all the plants and non of the dirt. Keep up with the adventure!
Thanks, Howard. I'll be anxious to see your brick walk. I've got a second path that just stops because I ran out of bricks.... :(
It is an adventure (as long as I'm not grousing about dead plants and vermin!)
I knew it was yours Tim! I walked away thinking that there is nobody else that gardens like that! What is great to see is that we each have our own distinctive way of gardening and plants. Well your gardens are wonderful and growing well! I love the asclepias in the pot!
Thanks, Jeanne. It is so fun to see everyone's garden styles and plant picks. It always inspires and informs.
It's hard to 'contain' how crazy I am about that milkweed. That pot was painted with rust paint and it really flaked off badly over the winter, even indoors. I just repainted it with oxidizing copper paint. It's real copper and should get a nice blue-green or bronzy patina over time, which will go great with the pink in the leaves.
Delighted to see you bare it all, Tim! Seeing the whole picture does not detract from the beautiful arrangements and individual treasures that make up your garden. When you look at a garden bed in person, your eyes go to the things that attract and your brain eliminates the distracting elements. A photo includes everything, so we usually try to edit out the parts that we don't want to see but can't exclude. This series of photos is terrific for showing the challenges and limits that you have to work with.
I love the Clematis integrifolia photos! I haunt my various clematis, camera in hand, as they open. The process is beautiful. Also love your Trillium. Hard to believe you have a good spot to grow it.... where?
Thanks, May. Clematis are slow to get going, but what marvelous plants, from bud to seed head! I only have three and all have pendant flowers. I guess I was in a phase of loving shy, bell-shaped flowers when I got them.
That crazy Trillium has almost defeated me so many times. After over 10 years, I finally was able to divide it last fall and got four plants. The ones in the portrait photo here can be seen in the first backyard photo as two white spots, just to the left of the sea foam-colored container. Trilium grandiflorum grows like gangbusters natively here in Ohio; why I can't grow it well is a mystery. I saw a video about T. grandiflorum propagation (maybe Mt. Cuba?) and the propagator said, 'Oh, T. grandiflorum in its double form multiplies so rapidly because it is sterile and doesn't put energy to seed.' Not for me, friend!
That looks like a good spot for it, I would think. The western Trillium grows here, but has not been a success in my garden, though I have plenty of other natives that have taken up residence without much assistance or interference from me. I hope you will eventually have a bed of white to enjoy every spring.
Outstanding!
Thank you. That's where you'll find me when I'm not at work: out standing. (Ok, so that's a lie: I'm out fretting about how I will get everything weeded and planted!)
Tim, it must be nice to know that your garden is so distinctive that we all recognized it even under Joe's name ( whose garden is also very recognizable:) Love your Trillium and that A. humistrata has the most gorgeous leaves. I'll definitely have to see if I can get that going in my NW garden since it sounds like the Monarchs like it, but it's probably a bit out of my range, not that that ever stops any of us. The original pictures of your front yard made me run out and buy Hakonechloa, which I still love along with our large bunny population. Thanks for baring all for us.
You are most welcome. Last winter I mentioned I didn't have bunnies and sure enough one moved in. I think it has gone now, though. Love that Hakone grass and hope yours outstrips the race to be bunny-downsized. I was wondering how A. humistrata would grow out your way. I never found definitive hardiness; probably at least zone 7. Most milkweed are tap rooted, so dry shouldn't be a problem. If you try it, I'd love to know how it does! It is preferred by Monarchs in the southeast and is highly toxic (not to humans), which is important.
Love it all Tim. It was hard to tell how large your lot was but now we know. It all has a wonderful feel, So many beautiful plants and photos.
Thanks, Catherine. Small, but there's still some grass that can be annexed for more garden space!
Tim, you sure pack a lot into a small space, and it's all beautiful. Especially love the clematis and Snow Bunting - I have to have that trillium!
Best of luck on finding the Trillium. I've finally started to see them for sale stateside as multiplex or some other name. I got Snow Bunting from Paul Christian Rare plants in Great Britain. I think it might have more symmetrical petals than some of the other clones. There's some gorgeous pink T. grandiflorum out there that I am dying to have....
I think I fell in love with your gardens the first time I saw them in FG, Tim. I didn't think they could get any better...wrong! They continue to take my breath away with all of the beautiful and thoughtful details. In my eyes, you have created an artistic masterpiece that is as remarkable viewed in a close-up as from afar taking it in as a whole. That's pretty darn special. I especially like the shot of the west side bed... talk about detail, that bed is a tapestry of gardeny goodness! Love it all!
You are far too kind. I do love that tapestry effect. There is so much caramel, green, chartreuse and dark burgundy going on in the Heuchera/Heucherellas right now that I can hardly get to my car. Here's a pic from this morning of a happily thriving, though slug-eaten treasure: Ranzania japonica. Still very young, but I love that green-green contrasted with the Heuchera tapestry.
The Ranzania japonica does make a great contrast, it kind of insists the eye stops to look around as opposed to taking a single sweep down the path. The ferns and hostas do the same. You are pretty darn smart Tom, Dick or Harry ;)
Serendipity, my friend. Serendipity.
Ha! I had to read through every single post to assure myself I wasn't going crazy. I, too, saw Tims lush and full, signature garden design in joes garden and marveled at how similar they looked. By George, they even had a similar writing style.
Anyway, love your garden, George. It is one of the best posted or published. I have also fallen in love with the shy clematis and after the first couple of years of lovely blooms, I had to adopt two more.
Continue baring your gardens soul...it is beautiful.
Thanks, Kielian. Someone or something in my house has to have a beautiful soul to make up for my lack! :)
By George!
What are your other nodding Clematis? I have Rooguchi and Etoile Rose. I never liked Rooguchi until I saw it here on this blog in someone's garden. It's amazing. I have it threading through a Sambucus Black Lace.
Tim ! That side yard is doing it for me !!! Its all so gorgeous- like your neighborhood too. The back - where you added the path is really looking good. Love the front. I know pictures just dont do it justice- love it all !!!! Love LOVE Love !!!
Thanks, thanks, thanks! It's hard to get to the car in the morning. I always go out the back door so I can walk through the side yard.
I love my neighborhood, too! Despite the lack of scenic vistas, I couldn't take care of a bigger lot, I love my neighbors and we're definitely city folk. My wife says she doesn't like to be too far away from pavement.....
I knew in a glance that was your front bank Tim, it is looking lush and beautiful. I remember last posting you were wrestling with the right side and some adjustments made by the neighbor I think, anyway, it looks really great. I could spend an hour on the West side of your house, really fascinating with all of your treasures - I think I saw a small space that could hold another plant :)
Thank for all of the wonder
There's always room to shoehorn in one more plant, Linda. If not, there's always the shovel and compost pile for something that's under-performing!
You are so right Tim!
I love your gardens. This doesn't show how small your space is with all its beauty.
Thanks, Jan. What it lacks in dimensions, it makes up for in quantity of plants and work, too!
So this why I need to be on magazine probation--I just finished issue #158 YESTERDAY on my flight home. I'm, uh, a little behind in my reading. When I saw the photo and title in the GPOD email this morning, my reaction was the same as Michaele's and the rest of you lot who said "Whaaat?"
That milkweed is a stunner. The foliage feels almost tropical and is sumptuous with all the color. I just came back from Minnesota where I've noticed that they are letting milkweed grow where it lands, including at gas stations and hardware stores. I was also witness to trillium carpeting a forest floor alongside bloodroot. I've never seen such a display. This time of year is so beautiful.
I'm off to check on my Clematis recta 'Purpurea' to see what happened out there while I was away. Thanks for sharing.
Isn't this time of year exciting? At least when I'm not wishing I were retired and could tend to the garden full time!
The milkweed does look so tropical and exotic, doesn't it. It's just two years old from seed and this is the first time I'll see it bloom. Milkweeds are generally scented wonderfully, so I can't wait for those buds to open.
So cool that Minnesota is getting on the save-the-monarchs bandwagon. Monarchs are a North American treasure and milkweed availability is crucial.
Did you take photos of the white woodland carpets?
How's your garden growing this year, Tia? Is your Clematis doing well?
cheers.
Oh hey, it's starting to look like something out there! After sulking the past two years, here's the clematis putting on a show (or will be shortly).
I didn't get a good shot of the woodlands in MN. The iPhone just couldn't capture the magic happening that day.
That is a great combo. The color echoes in the maple and mullein are wonderful. I don't grow C. recta. I'm assuming it doesn't get much taller than that?
5' or so at maturity. Right now it is doing a good job of staying upright, but unsupported stems will eventually flop and start snaking through the other plants in the bed.
Your across the street neighbor is a lucky soul. I wouldn't even put up window treatments if that was my across the street view ?
It certainly is enjoyed by a lot of people, including me!
Awesome garden, Tim!..Clearly each plant is placed so thoughtfully and beautifully displayed. The photos of C. Blue Ribbons are wonderful and adore your double trillium. I got one this spring from White Flower Farm. It is is still in bud and I eagerly await its bloom...esp. after seeing yours. Yes, that asclepias is great. Each plant in your garden is like a little gem. What is that big sculptural tree on the left in your backyard? Very lovely!
Hi Jane. I hope your Trillium thrives and thrills you. I've been so happy to see increased availability. I've always found White Flower Farm to be a little pricey, but the quality of everything I've gotten from them has been outstanding. Share some photos of it when it blooms.
The sculptural tree is Cercis canadensis 'Forest Pansy'. I let one low branch just do its own thing and now it is resting on the ground and the end is growing up like a second tree. Unfortunately the top of the main tree has a lot of dieback this year and I am very nervous. Hopefully it is just some auto-pruning and not a harbinger of the tree's demise.....
I love to see gardens in process !
Me, too! And my garden is ALWAYS in process...
Love it all! What is in the pot in the second photo of the backyard?
Hi Evelyn. Pinus mugo 'Jakobsen' is in the dark grey container in the garden in the second backyard photo. This is only the second year I've had it, but it is reputedly a very, very slow grower. Very cool. Here's a closer look.
Tim: Late to the discussion as I had a rough week at work. Just catching up now.
You have done such an awesome job with your small yard. The plant density and scale is right on. Love the side yard border along the walkway. I know you are quite the collector from previous posts, and I have learned about a number of cool plants from you. Thanks for sharing.
Clematis integrifolia is so cool.
Hope this week proves to be a much more peaceful week. Weather should be warming for us in our part of the country and you can hopefully enjoy the fruit of your labor and collection.
Did you get all the way down the comments to see Michaele's photo of her Clematis integrifolia? I think I discovered it via Lauren Springer' The Undaunted Garden way back in the late 90's. (Great book if you haven't seen or read it.) Crazy it took me so long to get one. Love it.
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