READER PHOTOS! Denise’s garden in upstate New York
Today’s photos are from Denise Dyko. She says, “This garden is located in the midHudson Valley of New York. It is less than ¼ of an acre in Zone 5a (new zone map), although I do have zone 6b microclimates. When I bought the house, the garden was lawn with seven mature trees and five huge yews and I wasn’t a gardener. More than 35 years later, there is no lawn (although grass appears from nowhere to grow between stepping stones) and there are more than 350 species and cultivars of plants (not counting annuals or bulbs). The 350+ species include more than 150 perennial species, almost 100 shrub species, and 20 tree species (and then there are conifers and bamboos and broad-leaf evergreens and vines…).
“I design the plantings, my husband and I do the unskilled labor (including digging the hole for the pond), and the same professional (Matthew Rollins) has worked with me for 30+ years to do the major hardscaping. Although there was one “before” when I bought the house, there have been many “afters”; these pictures represent some of them. I’ve dated them to give some sense of time; the same garden furniture shows up in different spots and in different colors over the years.
“I don’t expect everyone to like my garden. Chris, a young man in the neighborhood, has started to help with some of the heavy day-to-day work of gardening. His father commented, “I don’t know why you put in all those plants. Now you’ve got no yard.” I think I’d like to put that quote on a plaque at the entrance to the garden.”
Amazing, Denise! Thanks so much for sharing your garden with us!
**I’m in the process of going thorough a TON of your emails–so sorry to everyone who thinks I’ve totally forgotten them… Plenty of amazing gardens from you guys coming right up! –MG
**Oh, P.S.! Did you know that we’ve posted photos from 31 of the 50 United States (not to mention across Canada and beyond??) Keep sending in your photos! Bonus points if you’re from AK, AL, AR, AZ, HI, IN, KS, KY, MS, ND, NE, NM, NV, OK, SD, VT, WI, WV, or WY…… ;-D
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What a lovely garden! Denise may not have been a gardener 35 years ago, but she certainly is one now! Love the diversity of plants and Denise's description of changers in her yard.
Wonderful fall color in the last picture, and matches the garage wall perfectly... I'll assume painted by Denise (love that color). Now if the next roof (it needs a new roof, and gutter cleaned) is done in chocolate/adobe, and a real copper gutter/downspout added... can also benefit from a cupola with weathervane. Denise needs more yard, I'd be happy to lend her a couple of acres here to putter on.;)
Denise's garden is fascinating to me particularly because it seems so much larger than it is. She and her husband have done a masterful job of filling it with many interesting plants and garden features. I love the bench in blue especially complimented by the soft pink of the peonies. This might be a stupid question but has the bench aged to that color or was it helped along?
What a nice job of layering. I think that is why the area seems so large. And how kind of your neighbors to help out with those wonderful tall interesting trees.
Great plant collection; Beautiful garden. Who needs a yard? (Ok, I know some people do,and when our kids were little we did). Does it give you a little perverse thrill, like it does me, when something dies and you have room to shoe-horn something new in? Kudos to a job well done!
Wonderful garden with so many interesting features that show off the plants ,bushes and trees so well. You and your husband have created an oasis, a place of tranquility.....de site not having a "yard"
Truly a beautiful garden and on only 1/4 acre. Wow! It has lushness from all the plantings but doesn't look over planted. I would rather have your garden than "a yard" any day.
I look forward to the photo of the day each and every day. They seem to get better and better. They give us inspiration and hope of a beautiful Spring. I can't wait. Thanks
Hooray for Garden-Yards! Given limited space I would do the same Denise. You have inspired me to divide and plant a row of variegated loriope on a corner that needs to be redefined. Thank you for a carefully labeled posting of your garden spaces.
(This is Denise, alias LIjda): Thank you all for your comments, it is a joy to share the garden. I haven’t had this much fun since before the ground froze. Michelle, thank you for adding the zone information to the plant IDs. I could have/should have done that.
Tractor1: my husband painted the garage walls after we chose the colors together; I think this color is ‘Apricot Brandy’. And I enjoyed your ‘offer’ of a couple of acres of puttering greens.
Meander1: The bench is painted (“blue lapis” was the name of the color). We chose the blue after rejecting the black-and-white leopard pattern the birds were providing (although they are certainly persistent).
Vojt: YES, when something dies, at first I cry, then I reach for the garden catalogs. I’m currently waiting for room for a Stewartia….
Hmm, Apricot Brandy, I knew there was a reason I liked it... probably I'd put more in me than on the wall! Denise, I'm probably not too far away (Northern Catskills), I have several areas for you to use as your personal palette.
Comments
What a lovely garden! Denise may not have been a gardener 35 years ago, but she certainly is one now! Love the diversity of plants and Denise's description of changers in her yard.
All your stone paths lend a relaxed, natural note, and having stone paths everywhere unifies the garden. Superb foliage plants.
I love the position of your Aralia tree! A beautiful finish for your path.
Thanks for sharing all of your beautiful, hard work, Denise!
Wonderful fall color in the last picture, and matches the garage wall perfectly... I'll assume painted by Denise (love that color). Now if the next roof (it needs a new roof, and gutter cleaned) is done in chocolate/adobe, and a real copper gutter/downspout added... can also benefit from a cupola with weathervane. Denise needs more yard, I'd be happy to lend her a couple of acres here to putter on.;)
...sigh... This is just what I want my garden - about the same size - to feel like. Cheers to more plants/less yard!
Denise's garden is fascinating to me particularly because it seems so much larger than it is. She and her husband have done a masterful job of filling it with many interesting plants and garden features. I love the bench in blue especially complimented by the soft pink of the peonies. This might be a stupid question but has the bench aged to that color or was it helped along?
What a nice job of layering. I think that is why the area seems so large. And how kind of your neighbors to help out with those wonderful tall interesting trees.
Beautiful, tranquil garden. Thank you for sharing it with us. And your neighbor's comment is hilarious! I'll have to share that one.
Great plant collection; Beautiful garden. Who needs a yard? (Ok, I know some people do,and when our kids were little we did). Does it give you a little perverse thrill, like it does me, when something dies and you have room to shoe-horn something new in? Kudos to a job well done!
Wonderful garden with so many interesting features that show off the plants ,bushes and trees so well. You and your husband have created an oasis, a place of tranquility.....de site not having a "yard"
Truly a beautiful garden and on only 1/4 acre. Wow! It has lushness from all the plantings but doesn't look over planted. I would rather have your garden than "a yard" any day.
I look forward to the photo of the day each and every day. They seem to get better and better. They give us inspiration and hope of a beautiful Spring. I can't wait. Thanks
Denise, you've created one of the most charming 1/4 acres I've seen. What a labor of love...
Hooray for Garden-Yards! Given limited space I would do the same Denise. You have inspired me to divide and plant a row of variegated loriope on a corner that needs to be redefined. Thank you for a carefully labeled posting of your garden spaces.
fabulous. what a symphony of beauty.
(This is Denise, alias LIjda): Thank you all for your comments, it is a joy to share the garden. I haven’t had this much fun since before the ground froze. Michelle, thank you for adding the zone information to the plant IDs. I could have/should have done that.
Tractor1: my husband painted the garage walls after we chose the colors together; I think this color is ‘Apricot Brandy’. And I enjoyed your ‘offer’ of a couple of acres of puttering greens.
Meander1: The bench is painted (“blue lapis” was the name of the color). We chose the blue after rejecting the black-and-white leopard pattern the birds were providing (although they are certainly persistent).
Vojt: YES, when something dies, at first I cry, then I reach for the garden catalogs. I’m currently waiting for room for a Stewartia….
Hmm, Apricot Brandy, I knew there was a reason I liked it... probably I'd put more in me than on the wall! Denise, I'm probably not too far away (Northern Catskills), I have several areas for you to use as your personal palette.
Love the G. 'Jade Butterfly' and the Rosa glauca. Your garden has a lot of flowers but you also have a lot to satisfy a foliage gal like me. Beautiful
I really enjoyed your garden. Thank you for the plant Ids. That is very helpful.
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