Eric Sternfels sent in these photos today, of a beautiful community-created garden in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania called Ned Wolf Park. We’ve visited this garden a couple of times before (Revisiting Ned Wolf Park) and it is always a pleasure. This garden is special because it is created and maintained by volunteers in the community, so everyone can enjoy this beautiful space.
Starting in early spring, the garden is filled with low carpet of blue chionodoxa (Chionodoxa forbesii, Zone 3 – 8) flowers.
Orange tulips are cultivar of darwin tulips called Tulipa ‘Dordogne’ (Zone 3 – 8). Darwin tulips are one of the groups that tend to perenialize and come back year-after-year it grown in good conditions.
A pink tree peony (Paeonia hybrid, Zone 3 – 8) is paired with Amsonia ’Storm Cloud’ (Zone 4 – 9) and Heuchera ‘Silver Scrolls’ (Zone 4 – 9).
An unnamed german iris (Iris hybrid, Zone 3 – 8) is surrounded by Cotinus ‘Grace’ (Zone 4 – 10) with dark purple leaves that complement this iris and the clouds of small flowers that will develop in the the fluffy seeds that give the cotinus the common name of “smoke bush.”
Iris tectorum ‘Alba’ (white Japanese roof iris, Zone 4 – 9) is shown with Heuchera ‘Berry Smoothie’ (Zone 4 – 9).
This Echinacea is the variety ‘Pica Bella’ (Zone 4 – 9). This is a compact version of the wild purple coneflower, and according to research by Mt. Cuba Center, one of the varieties that pollinators love the most.
Nigella ‘Cramer’s Plum’ (annual) has showy white flowers which then develop into these incredibly beautiful seed pods.
Wider view of part of the park in summer, a perfect spot to sit and catch up with friends and neighbors.
Pink fall leaves on a very old Burning Bush, Euonymus alata (Zone 4 – 8) growing next to the mural of the park’s emblem.
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Comments
Beautiful community garden. I'm sure that it is a source of joy and relaxation in your urban setting. I love the low stone wall and the plant pairings are well thought out and look wonderful. Thanks for sharing this idyllic garden.
Thanks! One of the parks great successes has been it's adoption by a local (free) Tai Chi group which practices several times each week. The gentle synchronized movement of a large group in the park is a tribute to the serenity of the maturing garden. Our park friends group was responsible for raising funds to install the stone wall which replaced rotting creosoted railraod ties.
I love the way this community garden is so private and personal feeling in the photos!
Excellent job! There should be more green spaces like this everywhere.
I truly encourage those who enjoyed these photos to click on the link provided by the GPOD Editor to the previous time Fine Gardening has showcased this garden. There are some favorite plant combinations shown there.
Wonderful combinations of texture and color. Loved the peony too. Also loved the wall art. We need more art in our gardens.
I recall that the name of the Tree Peony translates from its Chinese origins as "Purple Butterfly in the Wind". We tried to enhance the blank party wall of the adjoining Victorian Twin house with an emblem that could be used to promote the park when advertising our plant sale or other activites held in the park. And then we tried to paint it in a way that it might look to have been there for years (not just three or four)
Everything about this garden is just as it should be - lovely!!!!
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