THE RAIN HAS DRIFTED AWAY and so I thought we’d take another walk, yes? More areas of the garden are coming alive gradually, so let’s go see. (If you didn’t come along last time, you can always backtrack, by the way. The beauty of the internet: It’s realtime, or anytime.) Click images for the best views.
The potted Japanese maples (above) that overwinter in the barn are leafing out beautifully, despite a late hard frost I thought would take them from me.
You can see them in the far background in the next photo (left), too, sitting at the top of the driveway where the front garden begins. The driveway used to come all the way up beside the house to where this shot is taken from, where my oldest magnolia, ‘Ballerina,’ and many favorite perennials now make a much more beautiful view for me year round from my windows than the gravel surface and passenger side of my car and truck ever did all those early years.
The pots are just outside the lower left corner of this next picture (above), taken from the driveway. Soon no mulch will show, once the rest of the perennials leaf out. And in another month I can take out the bamboo stakes that are marking off the areas along the garden edges, where I have lawn repairs under way. Pray for the seed to sprout before the birds take all of it.
At left, we are just a little farther uphill (and my whole place is on a hill, so everything is always either “uphill” or “downhill” from where you are now). The front walk, used by nobody but opportunistic plants like ajuga, is flanked by many large bleeding hearts this time of year, which will then disappear underground in summer. Some of the numerous lilacs in the garden are in the background.
Looking uphill (there’s that word again), left, from the big magnolia’s bed, you can start to see the gold foliage of the three young Metasequoia ‘Gold Rush’ that will eventually call to you more loudly from a distance, I hope, helping connect the lower parts of the property with the upper reaches. Gold foliage is great for that, to draw the eye and really shout instructions to the visitor: “Come here, this way!” Looking down from that uppermost field (above), where the metasequoias are, a view of the only flat strip of land I have ever gardened on, my “back yard”. I painted the house last year, and as you can see from the darkest of olives and the hottest of orangey-reds, I have a high color tolerance. And then some.
I didn’t acquire much in the way of a garden when I moved here more than 20 years ago…but I did get the last survivors of an apple orchard, trees easily more than 75 years old. There are only six still with me, and this is the one (photo below) that I love the most (don’t tell the other five).
Nearby I have planted groupings of the old apples’ smaller-fruited cousins in the genus Malus, a total of 10 crabapples. These two Sargent-type ‘Candymint’ crabs (below) are wonderful for their decidedly horizontal structure, as nice in winter bareness after all the fruit’s been taken by the bird as it is all trussed up with blooms right now. Thanks for coming along today. 
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A beautiful walk, indeed! Some comments and observations:
1. Your favourite apple tree is also my favourite now! It looks like a giant piece of wafting coral under the sea! Gorgeous! And I love that it is so old.
2. I see you’ve stripped all the vinery off the garden shed. Or will it be covered by foliage by fall?
3. I admire your brave colour choices for the house and I really like the dark shade of olive, which makes the house disappear into the summer landscape.
4. Great shot of the ‘uphill’ and the planted birdbath.
Gorgeous work, as always, Ms. M!
-Andrew
Thanks, Andrew. The buildings all got a facelift last year, and (oops!) the contractors tried to “tie back” the very old, treasured climbing hydrangea when the temps were VERY low…and it snapped right at the base. I was furious…but now I have planted a new one and have just let it go. You win some…
Hi Margaret!
Loved the walk through of your lovely home and gardens!
I am a newbie here on Awaytogarden.com
I work at a local nursery and just love the idea I can come here and see what some of the plants look like in an actual landscape!
Thanks for sharing.
Welcome, Bluearrow. Glad to help. If you mean “local” as in my locale in the Hudson Valley/Berkshires region, then be sure to try to come for Garden Conservancy Open Days 6/14 as well. Nothing like the real thing, I suppose, but I am trying w/my snapshots, I am. Have you ever toured local gardens on “Open Days” (wherever “local” is for you)?
M.
Gorgeous and inspiring as always –
and maybe an object lesson, too. Do you have any Japanese maples that live outdoors full time? Mine that got clonked in the end-of-April frost is in the ground in what I hope is a warm spot and expected to survive there – mercifully, it’s leafing out again, but
well, I wonder.
Hi, Leslie. I am being a sissy and planning to keep them in pots like bonsai, root-pruning every few years I think. Though I have seen an incredible (hardy) collection in the ground at the nearby garden of Susan Anthony and Richard Galef (an Open Days participant 6/14). I wonder how his fared (they are all in a woodland setting with shelter of larger trees around). Have to go see…
Oh, Margaret. The photos are gorgeous. Your garden is just beautiful and your home – I love the color palette! That apple tree is a great climbing tree. Thank you so much for inviting us on your walk.
Are all those hot pink flowers in photo #2 the Primula kisoana you talked about in a previous post? Whatever they are, I want some!
@Elaine: I have never climbed my apples…but you are right, they are perfect for it.
@Kathy: Yes! The purple-pink or orchid-color primulas are kisoana, which I highly recommend. It will grow even at the edges of a woodland in shady conditions…I give it no attention except to dig out bits to share or transplant. Friends brought me a plant or two from Seattle, and now I have oodles, but it’s easy to uproot and say “NO!” to if it goes too far from home.
Just wondering if there is a practical purpose to the stones placed on the small terracotta pots situated at the front walk, or are they merely a visual treat? (I’m hoping the latter.)
I too appreciate your high color tolerance, but for selfish reasons. I painted the body of my house a similar orangey-red. I’m sure it’s a little much for most tastes, but I think the contrast between the house and surrounding foliage is great.
Hi, David…and you are correct, there is no practical purpose, just who knows what. Usually I stack descending sizes of pots w/the stones atop each “cairn” up and down the walk, but I haven’t gotten that far yet this year. Thanks for reminding me…
And glad I am not alone in “loud house” (sounds like you shout even louder than I do).
M.
Gasp!* This is my second peek into your garden and it’s just wonderful. Oh Margaret, to have a garden just like it… I would never ever leave it. I have a question or two. I really like leaf mulch, but that isn’t an option any more. This may sound like a crazy question to ask but, since cedar is supposed to repel moths, would cedar mulch make our garden a less pleasant place for butterflies? I’ve been told pine bark attracts termites and harvesting cypress is causing wetland problems, and so on and so forth. What type of mulch do you recommend?
M.,
I do love the whimsy of it.
I have a similar but opposite project. I tilled a small area for a wildflower bed (fingers crossed for germination) and stacked the abundant “found” stone around an embedded large stone I’ve found impossible to move with the thought of placing a decorative pot there.
@Randy: Fine-textured, organic (meaning something formerly living), dark-colored. I don’t think cedar and butterflies have an issue with each other, but never thought of it or researched it. I actually talked about my mulch faves on the Forums recently, and here’s the link, which will give more details.
Margaret, thanks for your comment on my blog. I have gleaned much from reading your posts. It is quite fun to have first read about your garden in the pages of Martha Stewart Living and earmarked the page and now be able to tell you here that it was and is absolutely lovely.
Nice to see you, Laura, and it is very sweet to hear that you enjoyed some of what we did…and that you’re enjoying my new home-baked project!
Who says you still have to buy gardening magazines because they have inspiring photos that blogs don’t have? Those are very inspiring pictures of your garden. Thanks for taking us along for a walk with you.
Thanks, Carol–and particularly since you have a very successful garden blog of your own. Kind words appreciated! Now if I can only get it together tomorrow for Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day…
M.
Is that an ice plant in the birdbath? I did the same thing, but didn’t think to add something for it to climb on. I’ll have to scrounge around in the garage and see what I can find.
@Writermom: Welcome, and it’s Sedum ‘Angelina,’ a lovely (and ambitious) gold, low-growing sedum. A must-have.
I have two questions (I’m a new gardner)
1. What do you do with an amarillis in the winter? It bloomed beautifully now long beautiful ‘leaves’ and winter is coming.
2. I’d like to plan thin wispy bamboo in a small sectioned off garden. I’ve heard they are invaders. I live in a patio home and would love to hear the wind blowing through the bamboo next summer.
Welcome, Toodie. As for amaryllis, simple put it in the basement or closet and do not water or anything for a couple of months. Don’t cut off the leaves till after that, when you bring them out into the light. Read this.
If you want to plant bamboo, you first need an underground barrier in a trench…like thick fiberglass 2 feet deep or a trench filled with concrete. True.
Oh, what GLORIOUS trees!! They are fortunate to have you as their steward, Margaret.
p,s,just noticed my URL address was wrong, i’ve corrected it here….
Thanks, Anne. Glad to have you along for the walk today. (I swear, it was so warm out it felt like spring.)
So glad to have discovered your blog, Margaret! I bought your book years ago, when it was first out. I was captivated by the ginormous petasites and now have it in my garden. Also loved the stacked terracotta pots–such accessible garden ornaments/ landmarks. And they ARE practical. Slugs congregate under them so are easy to dispatch. I’m most vigilant in spring, when delectible ligularias and hostas are emerging.
Welcome, Debby. You picked a cold day for a walk, but glad to have you. Also glad you like the cairns of stacked, overturned pots…not sure if I feel good or bad that you are growing that naughty Petasites, however. Love and hate that plant!
I just saw the Martha Stewart show today and thought what a good idea to look at your blog as it is sooo cold and snowy here in North Dakota on News Years Day. It is always a treat to look back on last summers flowers to warm one up and make us a little more cheerful. Anyway the picture of your Japanese Maple that you have planted in a pot- do you think I could raise one here in North Dakota if I took it inside in winter and stored it in the basement where it is maybe 60-65 degrees or could it be stored in an outside building? It has actually been 20-30 degrees below zero here the last week, but of course it doesn’t get that cold inside a outside building. Well anyway I would love to have some maples here in N.D. I love your blog site and will continue to view it as this long winter continues.
Betty B in North Dakota
Welcome, Betty, and thanks for starting 2009 with us. Generally speaking, you can store a large pot of a slightly tender plant in an unheated building if it’s perhaps one zone less hardy than your area–meaning If I am Zone 5 or perhaps the cold end of 6, I could store a Zone 6/cold end of 7 plant pretty safely by just bringing it out of the cold and wind and heave/thaw cycle of the open outdoors. With some plants you get even luckier, but that’s the safe rule of thumb, I suspect. HOWEVER (and there is always a however), if you let the plant get dry during thaws inside the building, it may perish anyhow…so I check when the weather is up-and-down and just make sure nothing’s too, too dry. Last winter I watered the maples slightly two times; not a lot, but just to prevent dessication, especilly later in the winter.
I don’t think you can push Japanese maples inside an outbuilding there without a little tinkering, unless it’s perhaps attached to a heated building and stays substantially warmer than your outdoor lows. (I bet if it’s minus-30 outdoors it’s -20 or colder inside your outdoor buildings, no?) I’d only try it if you have reason to believe the building stays at the equivalent of at least Zone 5. And they won’t like staying awake all winter in your basement at 60 or so. I get away with this because they are marginally hardy in the ground here…some friends nearby risk it and grow them right in the ground. I’m not trying to push two zones or more.
Oh, and some varieties are hardier than others; something to note when shopping if you go ahead.
So cold storage, yes…but too cold, no. I have known committed gardeners to use a very small heat source to adjust an outbuilding just enough to store the plants they craved. We are a nutty lot, aren’t we? So definitely take some actual temps in your potential storage areas this winter and see if you have the right home, or can create it.