We’re visiting with Chad and Seyra Hammond in Woodbury, Connecticut, right now. We stopped by their stunning backyard final week (Chad and Seyra’s Backyard), and I’m completely happy to be again there right now. They love rising and amassing uncommon crops, and the result’s a stupendous and engaging backyard.
We began water gardening after the koi pond proved too emotionally taxing for us. (Lots of you realize the heartache of shedding your fish to predators.) So now we develop water lilies (Nymphaea species and hybrids) and lotus (Nelumbo nucifera, Zones 5–10) . We fertilize them with pond tabs each couple of weeks in the summertime and divide them each three to 4 years. They survive the winter within the pond with no additional safety. I’d take into account them very low upkeep besides that you just do must get moist every now and then, and lifting waterlogged pots stuffed with clay and roots might be difficult. Maintaining the pots small and utilizing light-weight media as a substitute of clay would most likely assist if I acquired round to taking my very own recommendation.
We love visiting gardens wherever we go. A few years in the past I noticed a mixture of Schizachyrium scoparium (Zones 3–9) and Rudbeckia triloba (Zones 4–8) on the Nationwide Arboretum in Washington, D.C., that I may by no means get out of my head. It manifested itself right here in our backyard a few years later. I like it a lot I feel I’ll all the time have some iteration of it. This photograph reveals Schizycharium scoparium ‘Standing Ovation’ and Helianthus salicifolius (Zones 4–9) within the foreground, and the autumn colours of Viburnum nudum ‘Brandywine’ (Zones 5–9) choose up the pink tones of the grass.
We have now began amassing primulas additionally. There are such a lot of species and variations throughout the species. Many are simple to develop from seed and unfold nicely in the fitting situations. These dainty little blooms are Primula japonica (Zones 4–8), with Tiarella cordifolia (Zones 4–9), rising in a shady, moist mattress. Each unfold eagerly and create exuberant shows in spring. I’ve been spreading them round another hospitable patches of land I come throughout as a result of I can’t get sufficient of those two collectively.
As you possibly can inform, we’ve many plant addictions. Begonias are one among them. They appear to thrive within the vibrant shade of the patio on the north facet of the home. Their infinite leaf shapes, textures, and colours together with their ease of propagation makes them so collectible. This photograph consists of Begonia luxurians and B. parviflora, and the hybrids ‘Pigskin,’ ‘Marmaduke,’ ‘Connie Boswell,’ ‘Little Brother Montgomery’ (Zones 9–11 or grown as annuals or houseplants), and a few unnamed varieties.
These begonias, together with about 1,000,000 different crops, want to return inside in October in the course of the Nice Plant Migration. Right here is Chad, the proud plant dad, carrying them all the way down to the basement for his or her lengthy winter’s nap. He’s 6 ft. 4 in. for scale.
Here’s a favourite plant mixture of mine that we will take no credit score for. That is Hydrangea quercifolia ‘Little Honey’ (Zones 5–9), Impatiens omeiana (Zones 6–9), and Lobelia cardinalis ‘Black Truffle’ (Zones 3–9).
Yet one more plant habit of ours is redbuds, notably those with colourful foliage. We love their large heart-shaped leaves. It simply so occurs that the species is native to a lot of the nation, affords flowers for pollinators in early spring, and even has a little bit of fall colour when you’re fortunate. Our favorites embrace Cercis canadensis ‘Alley Cat’ (Zones 4–8; pictured), which is a vibrant beacon at the hours of darkness woods. To the left is Calycanthus floridus ‘Burgundy Spice’ (Zones 4–9).
I’m so enamored by the freckles on Cercis ‘Rising Solar’.
Listed here are some leaves of Cercis ‘Ruby Falls’ frosted by an early October snowfall.
One annual we love for including bulk and curiosity to understocked and boring borders is Ricinus communis ‘New Zealand Purple’ (Zones 9–11 or as an annual) on the left. Panicum virgatum ‘Northwind’ (Zones 5–9) and Chrysanthemum ‘Rustic Glow’ (Zones 5–9) are within the foreground.
Sure, standard knowledge says to depart the woman slipper orchids to the specialists. They’re costly and finicky. However you gained’t know till you strive. And we simply needed to strive. It is a Cypripedium japonicum (Zones 4–7) we planted within the woods within the native soil with wood-chip mulch about three years in the past. This spring we had two blooms! Throughout the week or so it was in bloom, you higher imagine I used to be on the market gawking each second I may. And it’s a good factor I soaked it in as a lot as I did. The drought was horrible this yr, and the foliage withered away in late summer season regardless of our makes an attempt at watering. We gained’t know till spring if we’ve misplaced it for good or if it simply determined to go dormant early. Want us luck. We can not wait to search out out if this one might be coming again.
To see extra of this backyard, go to their instagram: @s2szahme
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