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READER PHOTOS! Tim's garden in Ohio, Day 3: This and that

comments (32) January 27th, 2012 in blogs

Michelle Gervais, Senior Editor

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Photo: Courtesy of Tim Vojt

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One last day in Tim Vojt's garden in Columbus (for now...we're hoping Tim will keep sending in photos, yes?). Tim says, "This is an assortment of garden photos and plant portraits that aren't specifically a part of the previous landscaping projects, but photos that I just really enjoy. I've been gardening since we bought our 1911 home in 1997, simply learning as I go by experimenting, looking at gardening books and magazines, moving plants around, and killing lots of plants in the process! If I could have just four kinds of plants, I would never do without hosta, heuchera, peonies, and daffodils, all of which thrive in this zone 6 climate. Some of the heucheras pictured include 'Green Spice', 'Caramel', 'Velvet Night', 'Lime Rickey', and 'Chocolate Ruffles'. Hostas include 'Fire Island', 'Sagae', and 'Queen Josphine'." Beautiful, Tim! Thanks so much for sharing your garden with us for the past few days!

~~ 2 Things! ~~
1. Happy Birthday to me! It's a big one, ya'll, so I'm taking the day off to hide, trembling, in a dark corner. But don't stop sending in those photos! Life must go on...
2. Speaking of sending things in, send me some tips! Here's what I've been pestering you with for the last two days:

* * * CALL FOR TIPS!! * * *
We're desperate for your gardening tips for the TIPS department in the magazine. Got any helpful shortcuts, quick and easy design ideas, or nifty gardening tricks? Email me at mgervais@taunton.com! We pay $25 for each tip that we publish, and you could even win a free one-year subscription to the mag! Come on, do a girl a favor...please? --Michelle

posted in: hardscape, Ohio

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READER PHOTOS! Rebecca's garden in British Columbia

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READER PHOTOS! Tim's garden in Ohio, Day 2: The front yard

Comments (32)

BombasticTurtle writes: Absolutely love the riot of color and haphazard but organized manner in which the plants have been planted. Soothing to the eyes!
Posted: 1:18 pm on March 11th

jmlecocq writes: Great series on your garden....love the colors. Posted: 4:03 pm on January 31st

PerenniallyCrazy writes: Happy Birthday Weekend Michelle! Not sure why you want to hide out in a dark corner - life can be like one's garden, it gets better and better - just like your blog.

Thanks for sharing your garden photos Tim - I enjoyed the series and feel inspired. I love your individual choices of shade perennials and your plant combos even more - heartstopping.

@sheilaschultz: I love what you planted up in Pot Inc's container planter (as shared by Todd Holloway in Facebook)! Would you be willing to share the names of the plantings? Perhaps Michelle can feature it on GPOD (if not on glossy)[WISH!].

@cwheat000 and meander1: Thanks for rounding and lightening things up. The comments on the blog have been as entertaining as the photos. Posted: 11:54 am on January 28th

cwheat000 writes: meander1 , I guess that does make you the Paula Abdul of garden judging. Don't worry, you definately don't seem that loopy. I would probably be a Paula Abdul, too. I love your philosophy on life. Don't go changing. We love you just the way you are. Tractor1, thanks for the pruning tip. I already do much of what you said, but it never dawned on me to leave a little drip eave above. That makes perfect sense. Posted: 8:55 pm on January 27th

Vojt writes: My shade loving plants are mostly on the north side of the house, the east side, and the front hill under the cherry tree. The side yard pictured today is a weird "valley" exposure, shaded by houses on either side, with full sun during the middle of the day. (My wife corrected me that we live in an "urban" neighborhood, not "suburban"!) Many thanks to fine gardening and Michelle Gervais for posting my photos on the blog. Too much fun and thanks for all of the comments. I learned that you can turn someone in their 50's into a six-year-old by telling them it is their turn for show-and-tell! I look forward to more inspiration from this blog! Now, what to do with the rest of the back yard? :) Posted: 6:41 pm on January 27th

dirt_therapy writes: Tim, I have enjoyed your garden pictures, comments, and descriptions so much this week! What great ideas you have and a real sense of what goes together. Thanks for some great ideas! If you have a photography group in your area, you would definitely qualify for some outstanding flower photo awards in one of their shows! I love the trillium and bloodroot photos especially. Hope to have a shade garden one of these days - have to get my west facing front garden in shape first! Project #152 Where on your property is the shade garden? Posted: 6:19 pm on January 27th

Wife_Mother_Gardener writes: Tim, If you look at their native environment they tend to like their soil a little more on the damp side. If your boarders are well drained, being up on a hill, then that might be your issue. I have not even attempted them at my house because I know that they would dry up, along with most woodland treasures that I admire so much. My soil has been well amended, but is set up off the street like yours, and very dry though we live in western PA (not far from you!).

I have truly enjoyed seeing your plantings this week! Thanks for sharing!! Julie Posted: 2:58 pm on January 27th

Wife_Mother_Gardener writes: Wonderful plant selections! And love the rhythm to his boarder in the first photo. Great job, Tim!

Happy Birthday Michelle! Hope you can get out and enjoy it a little!

Posted: 2:44 pm on January 27th

tractor1 writes:
I love Tim's brick walk, it contrasts well with his perfect plants, and it doesn't pretend to be natural. And I believe there's a bit of fern peeking out to the left side, I like to plant ferns as they make great privacy barriers and deer don't eat them... I have large ferns hiding my 500 gallon propane tank, at least during warm weather, in winter the deep snow takes over that task... except this year. I'd dedicate some space along that walk for evergreens, they'd add good winter interest... there are many dwarf conifers to choose from that make spectacular specimen plantings. Also I'm not quite sure of that large tree at the end of the walk but I'd guess wild cherry. I noticed some limbs have been removed, but they were cut too close to the main trunk. When removing tree limbs start the cut on top about 2" out and taper inward so it ends about 1' from the trunk, so it forms a little stump that projects from the top to form a drip eave so that the cut stays dry (it's also important not to create a shelf where snow and ice can accumulate in winter). This will help keep the cut surface dry and prevent dry rot which promotes disease and insect infestation. I suggest repairing the present cuts by applying a few beads of caulking compound above the cuts to form an eave so that water runs off to the sides of the cuts. Do not caulk, paint, or otherwise apply any sealant directly to the cut surfaces or they will not be able to dry and so will rot from the inside. Eventually as the bark grows it will actually form a collar that pushes the dry plug until it ejects and will then heal over leaving a healthier tree and no scar. Most folks tend towards instant gratification so they prune flush and hide the cut with those silly pruning sprays, don't use those, not good, they inhibit healing and do more harm than good.

Posted: 12:56 pm on January 27th

Vojt writes: A very Happy Birthday to Michelle! The big pink spikes under the dogwood are from a green-leaved heuchera whose name I have completely lost. I've had various cultivars of heuchera grow poorly or die right next to other varieties that are thriving. When I've had them in too sunny and too dry a spot, they plump up when moved to light shade that is not too dry. I've noticed that they seem to be sensitive to having too much nursery soil left around their roots in my heavy soil, so if I purchase one I virtually bare-root it (along with pretty much anything else I bring home in a pot.) When they get big and woody, I dig them up in Spring or Fall, chop them to pieces and plunk the pieces back in the ground. I mail ordered the double trillium and blood root from England about a decade ago. I'm sure I've seen them offered online here in the states more recently. Regarding Trillium, I am a trillium failure; killed more than have survived. I have T. erectum and T. sessile that are limping along, and poor 'Snowbunting' hasn't bloomed for years. It is multiplying slowly, but staying small. Any Trillium expert advice would be welcome! Posted: 12:52 pm on January 27th

tractor1 writes:
My curmudgeon tip for today: for all your shady spots, don't forget "Lily Of The Valley"... makes a wonderfully textured maintenence free ground cover and produces the most gorgeous perfectly configured flowers, with a luscious sweet scent that can only be described unmistakeably as "Lily Of The Valley". Whether you've only a square foot or an entire hillside in shade, no other plant is in all respects as rewarding. Posted: 11:58 am on January 27th

tractor1 writes:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MICHELLE!

Posted: 11:43 am on January 27th

snollygaster writes: Yes, Tim, your heucheras are the best. Please ID the one with what appears to be large pink flowers. If mistaken on the flowers, I'd like to echo the desire to hear more on how to best cultivate for that rich foliage.

Happy Birthday, Michelle. It's also my brother's birthday today and he's got a big one, too. I bet it's bigger than yours so hope you both celebrate in style another day and another glorious year on this (still) gorgeous planet! Posted: 11:35 am on January 27th

GreenGrowler writes: Just when I thought we had seen the best of Tim's garden...today's photos are fabulous! I agree that Heucheras are indispensable, especially in a partial shade setting. Some of my favorites are "Obsidian", "Citronelle", "Peach Flambe" and "Snow Angel". Mine don't look nearly as big, but they are deer-resistant and look good all season. Thanks so much, Tim and Michelle for a delightful week!
Just guessing, Michelle, but does the limerick "Lordy, Lordy, Look who's forty" strike a chord??? Happy Birthday!!! Posted: 11:25 am on January 27th

margotnavarre writes: The double bloodroot and snow bunting trillium are so beautiful. Do you have other varieties trilliums that are in your garden that you like?

Great work in the garden. Enjoyed the before and after shots. Thank you for sharing.
Posted: 11:16 am on January 27th

meander1 writes: Michelle, I wanted to come back on to wish you a happy birthday. I don't know what your big number is but every new decade for me has turned out to have happy surprises!

Also, I can't resist laughing with cwheat000... so funny! I guess if tractor1 plays the Simon Cowell role, that makes me Paula Abdul (hopefully, not as loopy sounding). I do try to see the positive in everybody's efforts because I know and appreciate how much love and passion usually goes in to things. All sorts of factors affect how our finished project matches our vision or the wondrous pictures in magazines and books. But, what the heck, I know we all understand that we do what we can with what we have and,hopefully, we have enjoyed the process.
Posted: 11:15 am on January 27th

sheilaschultz writes: Tim, I'm going to miss the photos of your gardens. Your natural sense of design is so apparent in your combinations, you have given many of us ideas to ponder over the winter months. Thank you!
Michelle, I hope the Birthday Fairy attends to your every desire! Have fun!!! Posted: 11:08 am on January 27th

cwheat000 writes: Happy birthday Michelle. Thank you for bringing us these beautiful pictures every day. I open this E-mail every day, even though I only have the time to comment now and then. I always love to read meander1 and tractor1's comments. Yes, tractor1's comments. I think its wonderful he has the guts to speak his mind freely, even if I don't always agree( I liked yesterday's garden tractor1). Tractor1 is the Simon Cowell of garden judging. I mean that as a compliment. I'm not a huge fan of American idol, but the show is not as good without some hard criticism. Tim's shade garden today, is way beyond average. Nice job. Posted: 10:39 am on January 27th

Happily_Gardening writes: Tim,
Absolutely love your sidewalk combination plantings!
Michelle,
"Happy Birthday...dig in and celebrate!" Posted: 10:30 am on January 27th

hobbit1 writes: A Very Happy Birthday to Michelle,

Love Tim's pictures, the double bloodroot is simply
stunning. I love the Japanese maple and the heucheras
look so great. I need to add more heucheras and maybe
group them together.

I always look forward to these pictures every weekday.

Posted: 10:28 am on January 27th

JanisCort writes: I wanted to add that having found so many things I liked in Tim's garden I forwarded the current articles to a number of my friends. Posted: 10:17 am on January 27th

pattyspencer writes: Happy Birthday Michelle!!

To Tim - beautiful plants! That strip of plantings look so lush and happy. Keep sending photos to Michelle. Are you on any of the local community garden tours? If not - you should be. Still would love you to tend my sorry garden - maybe you could even give me a tip on how to kill a plant that has grown so out of control (underground runners and straight shots of roundup doesn't kill) Posted: 10:09 am on January 27th

JanisCort writes: I have enjoyed this series. I would like to see pictures of what this garden looks like this time of year. Posted: 10:03 am on January 27th

Annek writes: Your garden is the epitome of this quote
"Earth is here so kind, that just tickle her with a hoe and she laughs with a harvest." Douglas William Jerrold
Stunning combinations and a lovely overall effect. Congratulations Tim.

And Michelle, hope your birthday is wonder-full today. Celebrate it in your garden!! Coffee. Garden. Coffee. Does a good morning require anything else? (maybe a little chocolate) Posted: 9:37 am on January 27th

thevioletfern writes: Happy Birthday Michelle! Hope it's great as chocolate cake.

Tim, wonderful garden transformation. Bloodroot has been on my (really long ever growing) wish list. It is just beautiful, and native! Posted: 9:12 am on January 27th

trashywoman62 writes: Beautiful groupings, Tim! And I love the yellow peony, Garden Treasure!
What is the reddish pink spikes flower that is planted with the heucheras under the dogwood tree? It looks about the size of Red hot Pokers but not the color that I have.

So when can we all come for a visit? Does your city have a garden walk? Are you on it? I am ready to travel! Posted: 8:52 am on January 27th

Steepdrive writes: I look forward to the day when my heucheras are as large as Tim's. There's hope since it's one of the few plants the deer don't bother here ... or at least they don't bother the leaves. I have had them nibble the flowers. Posted: 8:43 am on January 27th

terieLR writes: Happy Birthday Michelle! Tim, you've really drawn attention to the heuchera. The foliage colors are striking together. Although I have the other two Trillium, I've never seen the Snowbunting. Did you find it locally? I have trouble keeping heuchera looking lush and filling out. Some have perished. Any advice would be helpful.

Posted: 8:42 am on January 27th

meander1 writes: I've really enjoyed Tim's series of photos. He has some great plants and has reawakened my desire for some of the more recent peony varieties. Posted: 8:00 am on January 27th

tmwg writes: Just beautiful! You have given me some good ideas for filling out the garden under my red Japanese maple. Posted: 7:33 am on January 27th

lepfan writes: I thought I was done buying plants until I saw the double Bloodroot and Snowbunting white Trillium. Breathtaking! Will have to search catalogs for them. Tim's neighbors sure are lucky. Posted: 6:55 am on January 27th

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