The inclusion of big green shrubs in the garden is open to question, even in a larger space. Do two weeks of flower substantiate the area consumed by ‘Magicien’ deutzia (Deutzia x hybrida ‘Magicien’, below)? If I were a gardener willing to chop the shrub back by a third every second year, there would be…

While the leaves of two Floating Cloud Japanese maples (Acer palmatum ‘Ukigumo’, below) in this garden are unlikely to ever match their brillance in the cool Pacific Northwest, in this cloudy and often rainy Virginia spring the colors are the best I can recall. Other Japanese maples match favorably in color until the warmer day and…

The native Showy orchids (Galearis spectabilis, below), apparently in a less than ideal location, have failed to appear this spring. The cover of fallen leaves is deep in this area, so I suspected their appearance was delayed, but it appears they’re gone. As a whole, native orchids are somewhat difficult to establish in the long…

The glorious show of azaleas has ended with only a few rain-soaked blooms dangling from branches. The garden’s few rhododendrons, now flowering, make a more modest display of purple, though two variegated leaf ‘Silver Edge’ (Rhododendron ponticum ‘Silver Edge’, below) stand out with the contrast of flower and foliage. The path from the driveway to…

The pendulous branching ‘Elizabeth Lustgarten’ dogwood (Cornus kousa ‘Elizabeth Lustgarten’) was surprisingly substantial when purchased by mailorder a year ago. The branches slowly mound to increase its height, but the process to raise its canopy can be hurried along by staking the flexible terminal branch into an upright position (below). There is no ultimate height…

Graded disproportionately above the everyday triumphs of the garden are the long overdue successes of a few simple-to-grow plants that have perished more times than I wish to count. I have finally given up on all varieties of the anyone-can-grow-it coreopsis, but at least I have a clue that these failed due to damp soil…

A spot bordering the koi pond patio was perfect for the rambunctious cypress spurge (Euphorbia cyparissias, below), or so I thought. A granite boulder and a well established sedge hemmed the potential invader from one side, the stone patio to the other. As occasionally happens, I overlooked a seedling of the dark leafed, native geranium…

A number of swamp maples (Acer rubrum), oaks (Quercus), and tulip poplars (Liriodendron tulipifera) reside in the forest that borders the garden. Thus, none were included in the small quantity of large trees planted over the decades. The garden is overfilled with Japanese maples, dogwoods (Cornus), redbuds (Cercis canadensis), magnolias, and other small and medium-sized…

Barbara has expressed skepticism that the ‘Moonrise’ Japanese maple (Acer shirasawanum ‘Moonrise’) planted in the renovated garden space beside the sunroom will grow too large to obscure the view. Of course, she is somewhat correct, but after so many decades, she understands the obsessive stubbornness that once I’m stuck on a plant, there’s little hope…

While the date of the garden’s peak is arguable, there is no doubt that the year’s floral highlight is when yellow, pink, orange, and red deciduous Exbury azaleas flower in front of the native fringetree (Chionanthus virginicus). In the garden’s first decade, a variety of evergreen azaleas flowered dependably, but all were prone to lacebug….

The colors of this garden were not well planned. In fact, there was no planning at all. I see a plant, I like it, and plant it (a slight oversimplification). The result? No doubt, some will disagree. I think this riotous border of color is glorious. Visitors agree, but what do we know? I have…

From mid-spring until autumn leaf drop, the rear garden is private. No neighboring homes can be seen, though, of course, the sounds of the surrounding community and roads are plainly heard. I’m certain our next-door neighbor mows his lawn three times a week. I don’t feel that I need the escape, but there’s no doubt…