I went visiting this week, to the garden of Robin at Bumblebee Blog and Examiner.com (about an hour east of me near the Chesapeake Bay) and discovered not one but two blog-post-worthy gardens. On GardenRant I wrote about her stylish kitchen garden, and here I’m hoping to inspire my coaching clients with photos of her four-season foundation garden.
The best thing about this garden – to my eyes – is all the evergreens, plants that are basi
cally forgotten most of the year and certainly when people are excited about gardening, driving to the garden center, and buying what looks good – whatever’s in bloom! You know what that means? Those evergreens don’t get bought, unless the gardener’s been at it a while O
R gotten advice from a professional.
So, what’s here? Framing the front door are two ‘Green Giant’ arborvitaes and some ‘Gulftide’ osmanthus, a nonberrying ‘Harbor Dwarf’ nandina, and , with ‘Encore’ azalea – all evergreen – and some impatiens in front of them.
And in the close-up below, the simple planting along the front of the house farther from the front door, thus not wanting to call attention to itself, are good-old Ilex crenata ‘Compacta’ and ‘Dragon Lady’. Like boxwoods and ‘Otto Luyken’ cherry laurels, also good choices for this northern exposure, they look good every day of the year. Summer brings out the easy-care hostas and ferns in front of them.
Now how hard is that?
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Susan, you’re too kind! You didn’t mention any of my problem areas.
You are right about the evergreens. It’s also good to mention that these plantings are on the north side of the house. Not a lot of sun there. The hellebores and impatiens help to liven things up.
Thanks so much for visiting! Can’t wait to see your garden and take photos of that gorgeous kiwi!
Robin
Gardening Examiner
Classy garden, classy woman! How nice you had your own ‘rendezvous’. I know you did meet at ‘Spring Fling’ so it was old home days for the two of you. Nice photos and post.
Very soothing and cooling right now. Our weather is so hot that it makes me want to drink in green.~~Dee
I think Robin’s shrub selection is elegant.
Nice write up Susan.
Another reason why gardeners might not plant evergreens is that the dwarf ones are so expensive. We know how big the standard species can get (I’ve seen 6 ft. tall Mugo Pines), so we realize the importance of dwarf conifers in foundation plantings. I’m glad you & Robin had a great visit in her gardens.
Downright beautiful! Wish I had been along on the trip. Take me next time!
Susan, some of the photos cover up part of the text. What I can see ends with ” unless the gardener’s been at it a while OR gotten advice from a professional.” Then there are two overlapping photos and the text picks up with “and some ‘Gulftide’ osmanthus, a nonberrying ‘Harbor Dwarf’ nandina, and , with ‘Encore’ azalea – all evergreen – and some impatiens in front of them.” I sure would like to know what comes before that “and” and whether or not I’m the only one not seeing the whole thing.