TOUR

GARDEN

5

Garden Design:

I would describe my garden as a "garden variety" garden. It has developed in a way that is common to many people. I moved into a house; it needed some plants; I started going to garden centers; I began to buy plants; I began to plant plants; I began to have a garden. In other words, this garden just grew.

However, at a certain point I began to get "serious." I started to spend more and more time in the garden; I began to be somewhat more discriminating in the plants I bought; I began to look for the unique and unusual; I began to think about plants in relation to each other and I began to consciously design gardens.

When I moved here, the yard, with its southwestern exposure, was a blank slate. I had to live here for awhile, to let the place speak to me, to allow a vision to emerge. And now I have no qualms about tearing up an established garden if I decide it isn't working, or want to try something new.

Interesting and unusual aspects of my garden and Plants:

Shrubbery; white garden; yellow and orange garden; red and green garden; foliage garden. Interesting wood art. Whimsy, in the form of humorous pairings, found objects, garden "ornaments". I would describe my style as a combination of boldness, whimsy, and surprise.

Pinus aristata, Bristlecone Pine - the oldest living tree is a bristlecone pine in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. This wonderful pine looks like a "fake" Christmas tree. Picea pungens 'Hoopsi, 'Colorado blue spruce with incredible steel blue foliage. Acer griseum, paperbark maple - beautiful small maple tree with cinnamon colored bark that peels in interesting patterns. Caragana aborescens 'Walker,' weeping siberian pea tree - beautiful weeping willow like plant with tiny yellow flowers in spring and beautiful feathery foliage the rest of the time. Cotoneaster apiculatus, cotoneaster standard - cotoneaster grafted onto a locust tree stem to create a cascade of red berries in the fall. Rhanmus frangula 'Ron Williams' - fastigiate buckthorn with incredibly delicate foliage. Abies nordmannia 'Golden Spreader,' dwarf golden spreading fir. Cotinus coggyria 'Goldspike,' gold smokebush - an unusual plant since the smokebush typically has purple foliage and smoke. This one has gold foliage; not sure about "smoke" color since it is so youn-. Pinus densiflora 'Umbraculifera,' Tanyosho red pine. Spirea japonica 'Golden Elf' - the tiniest spirea I have ever seen; fabulous delicate gold foliage. Tsuga canadensis 'Gentsch' - a wonderful dwarf hemlock whose new growth is white; makes a stunning small green and white display. Ginkgo bffoba 'Spring Grove', dwarf ginkgo, Carpinus betulus, European hornbeam - beautiful upright fastigiate tree with wonderful foliage. Comptonia peregrina, sweetfem. Ulmus x elegantissima 'Jacqueline Hillier', lovely dwarf spreading 'Holland' elm.