Garden Photo of the Day

Still Gardening

40 years gardening and still going strong

It is always a pleasure when we get to visit Wendy Quereau’s garden (see a previous post here).

Here’s another group of photos from my 40 years of working in my Wayne, Pennsylvania, garden. For the last few years, my attempt has been to substitute shrubs for perennials in an effort to reduce maintenance while emphasizing year-round color and texture. As always, and for all of us gardeners, it’s a work in progress.

Thank you for my much-enjoyed daily fix of garden photos. I especially enjoy it now that I am stuck in my house with this virus mess. My garden is my refuge, and I am grateful for it!

Thank you and stay well.

My privacy screen at the rear border.

Pennesetum setaceumIn the foreground is an annual in Pennsylvania: Pennesetum setaceum ‘Rubrum’ (Zones 9–10).

Hydrangea paniculataHydrangea paniculata (Zones 3–7) with amaryllis (Hippeastrum hybrid, Zones 9–11) foliage. I treat amaryllis as tender perennials rather than as houseplants. The bulbs sit in my garage from late fall through winter to avoid freezing and being destroyed. Some years I plant them in the ground, and in others they stay in a pot, depending on my energy. Regardless, they produce buds and bloom as soon as they are removed from the garage in late May after all danger of frost has passed. In this photo, they were in a large pot and had already bloomed profusely by the time the hydrangea was in flower. I fertilize them every two weeks during the growing season to ensure bulb strength for the following year.

Cherry tree blossomsCherry tree blossoms in April.

bloodrootEmerging bloodroot (Sanguinarea canadensis, Zones 3–8).

Papaver somniferum ‘Lauren’s Grape’Papaver somniferum ‘Lauren’s Grape’ (annual) with background of blooming Spirea.

RhododendronThis patio leads to a woodland path with tried and true Rhododendron ‘Roseum Elegans’ (Zones 4–8).

Rhododendron ‘Scintillation’Rhododendron ‘Scintillation’ (Zones 5–8) is backed by Acer palmatum ‘Bloodgood’ (Zones 5–8).

LilliumLillium and hibiscus (Hibiscus syriacus, Zones 5–8) producing blooms in July-August.

Getting there with color and texture along the front walk.

 

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Comments

  1. mjtrusz 04/01/2020

    thank you such beautiful ideas. I too am trying to add shrubs/trees to make the care more manageable.

  2. User avater
    meander_michaele 04/01/2020

    Your photos are an inspiring visual tutorial on the value quality hardscaping can bring to a garden. Your stone front walkway and patio are truly stunning and are such a wonderful complement to the plants that spill over or the taller ones that provide the feeling of intimacy as one stands or walks about. The picture of your rhodie ‘Scintillation’ is beautiful and certainly elicited a drool response.

  3. nwphillygardener 04/01/2020

    There's such a rich elegance to your mature garden without any fussiness. Large shrubs, compelling seating areas, and sculpture all contribute in your handsome photos. Thanks for sharing them with us.

  4. sagebird52 04/01/2020

    very elegant - thank you

  5. User avater
    user-7007816 04/01/2020

    What an extraordinary garden you have created. Thanks for sharing.
    What is the bright green bush/tree in the second photo? Sumac?

  6. User avater
    treasuresmom 04/01/2020

    Absolutely lovely!

  7. user-7645917 04/01/2020

    Thank you so much for sharing your gardens! So stunning. I am 72 now and I am also preparing my gardens for when I am not able to spend as much time working in my gardens.I have been adding lots of flowering shrubs, perennials and ground covers. Hopefully, I will stay healthy and strong way into my eighties. The beauty and satisfaction my gardens give me are my way to stay young! It is wonderful to see everyone' beautiful works of arts like yours here on Fine Gardening. I look forward to it every day!

  8. alicefleurkens 04/01/2020

    The rhododendron is especially nice. They don,t seem to want to grow at our place. I had two, now one. It has not gotten bigger for years. You have a beautiful garden.
    Alice

  9. coastalgardener 04/01/2020

    Your garden is stunningly beautiful! Thank you so much for sharing your photos.

  10. cheryl_c 04/01/2020

    It was a fun trip to go back to your posting of a couple of years ago and see how some things have grown and changed. Your Typhus has become much larger and very impressive, and your caryopteris even more of a statement shrub than before. Wonderful plant choices! Thank you for sharing.

  11. btucker9675 04/01/2020

    Your garden is pure joy!

  12. wittyone 04/01/2020

    I love your first picture of you "privacy screen". Such a prosaic name for the lovely scene. Your layering of shrubs, small trees and smaller plants is just right. Something that I can't seem to accomplish.

    Someone above asked about the small chartreuse tree/shrub on the left in that picture. I'd like to know as well. It has a beautiful shape and really stands out against the dark green background.

  13. User avater
    bdowen 04/01/2020

    What a beautiful garden- the hardscaping sets if off so well. Love your color combinations- the Bloodgood maple with the Rhododendron and the Pennesetum and other plants near the green bench. Thank you for letting us "visit" your garden!

  14. User avater
    simplesue 04/01/2020

    Oh Wow! You had me at the first photo titled "my privacy screen"! I was just outside making my pathetic attempt, yet an attempt to create a privacy screen at the back of my garden, with the challenge of a ton of shade there.
    You have a spectacular garden! Love your choice of statues and ornament, perfection!
    Love those patio paving stones, every thing is natural and elegant and mature and established!
    Oh I just love your garden!

  15. User avater
    simplesue 04/01/2020

    ps...and oh the Bloodroot! I've never seen such a nice established bed of it. I once had a wee plant decades ago at another house and lost track of it. Your photo reminded me to add this to my new garden.

  16. darylsavage 04/01/2020

    A magnificent garden. The walkway shot is my favorite. I don't know if your garden is on the Garden Conservancy's Open Days, but I am sure loads of people would love to visit your garden in person. It is certainly worthy of Open Day gardens. Bravo!

  17. fromvirginia 04/01/2020

    Very elegant and love the maturity of the garden. I’ve never had ;UCD with rhododendrons her in Northern Virginia. I’d be curious if you do anything special and if other GPoders from Virginia have had luck. In England, the rhodos are towering1

  18. Joycelaubach 04/02/2020

    Your garden recalls fond memories of my 30+ years gardening in Wayne, PA. Spring views make me especially nostalgic. I now happily garden in SW Florida - a totally different story! I feel a bit envious that you can still enjoy Spring in this way, and probably also check out Jenkins Arboretum and Chanticleer. Just lovely.

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