Today we’re visiting with Mark Klempner in Philadelphia.
I have a bit of a special situation: I live in a rental apartment with a substantial private garden. I’m in the Chestnut Hill section of Philadelphia. In 2016 I sold a large home with an even larger garden so as to have more time for other things. I lucked out, though, and found an apartment with a few hundred square feet of outdoor space.
I would have called this a barren wasteland, but having cared for a roughly 1/3-acre garden for years, I thought that improving this one seemed doable.
I started by removing what little growth there was—some English ivy and a small holly bush. Next, I brought in a truckload of topsoil and a lot of rocks for bed edges.
Some friends a mile away had a huge amount of Wissahickon schist, a local stone, lying all over their backyard from a partial renovation of their home. They wanted to get rid of it. I made about a dozen trips in my compact car, driving slowly with what I felt was a safe load each time.
This being a near-total shade garden, I had to concentrate on appropriate plants, and of course could not grow many varieties that I was used to. For strong color I relied on impatiens, begonias, coleus, caladium, and others.
Four potted banana plants really stand out too.
Since I’m shaded by white pines with shallow roots, in areas without beds I use containers. I’ve bought quite a few ceramic pots, but I get more enjoyment from finding unusual containers, often in curbside trash or cheaply at yard sales.
Curbside hunting has also yielded a great amount of found objects that I place throughout the garden and enjoy more than the containers. Getting so much for so little money allows me to spend more at salvage shops for sculptural items such as armillaries and an antique lightning rod.
We have an annual event here called the Mt. Airy Learning Tree Hidden Gardens Tour. My garden was on the tour in 2022 along with eight others. Over 400 visitors came through that day. I was told by a tour arranger that my garden generated more comments than all the others combined.
A floating flower arrangement
Looking down at the garden from above
Have a garden you’d like to share?
Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit!
To submit, send 5-10 photos to [email protected] along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden.
Have a mobile phone? Tag your photos on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter with #FineGardening!
Do you receive the GPOD by email yet? Sign up here.
Fine Gardening Recommended Products
Planting in a Post-Wild World: Designing Plant Communities for Resilient Landscapes
Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.
Buffalo-Style Gardens: Create a Quirky, One-of-a-Kind Private Garden with Eye-Catching Designs
Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.
A.M. Leonard Deluxe Soil Knife & Leather Sheath Combo
Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.
Comments
What an inspiring use of site and space. Your garden is beautiful and soothing. I appreciate your use of found objects along with architectural pieces. Shade is a major factor in my own garden and I applaud your tour worthy composition. Well done!
Bravo, Mark! This shows the irrepressible soul of a gardener!
Congratulations, Mark! Eric, here. I've had the privilege of visiting this evolving garden and the two 'before' photos really help tell the story. While the character Mark has achieved remains the same, each year the new collection of annual flowers and foliage plants creates an exuberant showcase. It reminds us what can be done without massive digging and with limited square footage.. Mark makes use of the fallen pine straw to soften the paths and keep weeds from creeping in.
Oh I love what you've done! I too am a "scavenger of beauty" finding a garden pot on the curb left for the garbage truck is always a good day!
Just love seeing your apartment garden- so lush and creative and so full of nature and charm!
Excellent make-over!
Log in or create an account to post a comment.
Sign up Log in