Garden Photo of the Day

Zone 4 Beauty

Cold climate, beautiful garden

garden in spring with tree covered in pink flowers and yellow tulips

Today we’re visiting with Matthew Kunnari, who gardens in chilly Zone 4 in northern Minneapolis.

close up of big bluestem flowers with garden view behindGrass flowers are wind pollinated, so they lack the showy large petals of those that need to attract insect or bird pollinators. They are still beautiful, however. These big bluestem flowers (Andropogon gerardii, Zones 4–9) clearly show the dangling anthers shedding pollen.

close up of purple Millenium allium flowersAllium ‘Millenium’ (Zones 4–8) is a fantastic perennial, and the bees clearly agree. Here they are busy working the flowers for pollen and nectar.

view of backyard garden from aboveHere’s a view of the back garden from above in summer.

close up of Sea holly flowersSea holly (Eryngium planum, Zones 5–9) is a biennial or short-lived perennial. What a cool floral display!

floral arrangement with blue and green flowersThe sea holly looks pretty incredible in a flower arrangement as well.

garden in spring with tree covered in pink flowers and yellow tulipsThe winters in Minnesota are long and cold, but this is the reward—everything bursting into bloom and growth at once, with a beautiful crabapple (Malus hybrid, Zones 3–8) in full bloom on the left.

close up of three purple Pasque flowersPasque flower (Pulsatilla sp., Zones 4–8) bursts into bloom early in the spring, and the flowers are followed by silky seed heads that are nearly as beautiful.

close up of liatris bloomsLiatris (Liatris spicata, Zones 3–8)is a wonderful summer-blooming perennial native to the eastern half of North America. Here the typical magenta form is mixed with a white variant.

various flowers in bloom during summerThe liatris growing throughout the garden looks stunning.

close up of Crab apple foliage in fallCrabapples are typically planted for their spring floral display, but how is this for some incredible fall color?

If you want to see more of this garden, check out Matthew’s instagram: @garcongardener

 

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Comments

  1. sandyprowse 01/09/2023

    What a delightful garden. Love the Pasque flowers! Well done.

  2. user-7392754 01/09/2023

    Yay zone 4 gardener!!! I always see such lovely gardens on here….all in nice warm zones flaunting the beauties I can’t even think of growing. Glad to see an extremely beautiful zone 4 garden!! Thank you for sharing such beautiful pics!!! The rock pathway is gorgeous too!!!

  3. User avater
    simplesue 01/09/2023

    You did such a nice garden design- I love the photo looking down at the garden layout. Such an excellent flagstone path!
    I saved your photo of Allium ‘Millenium’ to think about squeezing them into my garden. I so hoped for a close up of the birdbath fountain sculpture as it looked so interesting but I couldn't make it out. Wow all that beauty and in zone 4! Amazing!

  4. User avater
    treasuresmom 01/09/2023

    So very pretty.

  5. perennialgrdnr_z4b 01/09/2023

    Hi Matthew, Thanks for sharing your beautiful zone 4 garden. I also love the flagstone walkway. It serves as a major feature in the design of your garden and looks like it is very well crafted in addition to being a useful path across the garden. It seems you are providing plants for pollinators with your plant choices and lack of lawn too. Well done!

  6. sheila_schultz 01/09/2023

    What a lovely design for your pollinator friendly garden. Add me to the list for those loving your flagstone path. You live in a very challenging planting zone, but you have succeeded in creating beauty and the needed nourishment for all the winged visitors passing through your neighborhood!

  7. btucker9675 01/09/2023

    What a charming, colorful garden you've created! I miss my two gorgeous crabapples from my previous garden in northern NJ - people would stop on our street to look at them when in full bloom!

  8. gardenconcierge 01/10/2023

    I especially love that you combined colors (white and purple) of your liatris. It gives the bed more depth. And your vase combination of sea holly and delphinium is lovely. I think I will try that combination in a garden bed. Thank you for sharing.

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