Plants & Horticulture – Page 6 – thewelldressedgarden.com

THE ARTISTRY OF FLOWERS AND GREENS: HGW 2013

May 27, 2013/4 Comments/in Flower Arranging, Plants & Horticulture /by mturner

A few weeks ago, I wrote about three gardens on the Historic Garden Week tours in Richmond. The women in the James River Garden Club cut greens and flowers, got very imaginative with containers, rolled up their sleeves, and got to work creating beautiful arrangements from the bounty of their gardens.

Blanche Toms and Dianne Butler are raring to go.

Apricot Tulips and Variegated Solomon’s Seal (Polygonatum variegatum)

A riot of Lenten Rose (Helleborus orientalis)

Snowball Viburnum (Viburnum opulus ‘Roseum’), Lenten Rose (Helleborus orientalis) and White Tulips

Peggy Valentine uses some of her prized Peonies in this arrangement for the dining table of her daughter-in-law, Laura.

Bridalwreath Spirea (Spiraea vanhouttei), Pieris (Pieris japonica), Lilac (Syringa vulgaris), Roses and Herbaceous Peonies (Paeonia lactiflora)

Lenten Rose (Helleborus orientalis) and Variegated Boxwood (Buxus sempervirens ‘Variegata’) float in a bowl

Margaret Reynolds and Susie Rawls work their magic

Betsy Trow is the master of mantlepieces. Here, she has combined Burford Holly (Ilex burfordii), Arborvitae (Thuja), Eucalyptus, Prague Viburnum (Viburnum pragense), Smokebush (Cotinus coggygria), Eleagnus (Eleagnus angustifolia), Horsetail Palm (Equisetum arvense), Carolina Sweetshrub (Calycanthus floridus), Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) and Lenten Rose (Helleborus orientalis), among other plants.

Claire Williams, Mary Frediani, Kathleen Reid and Liz Talley take advantage of a spring that gave us a bonanza of Viburnum.

Snowball Viburnum (Viburnum opulus ‘Roseum’), Variegated Solomon’s Seal (Polygonatum variegatum) and the other Snowball Viburnum (Viburnum macrocephalum)

Ranunculus, Tulips, Bleeding Heart (Dicentra spectabilis), Bridalwreath Spirea (Spiraea vanhouttei) and Peonies (Paeonia lactiflora), arranged in individual baby cups, julep cups, bottles and bud vases, brighten the bar.

Margaret Valentine is off to work.

A mass of white Lilac (Syringa vulgaris)

A fuzzy fern frond (don’t know which one, daggone it!) and native Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis)

Page Fitchett and her daughter Mary Carpenter take their cues from the colors in daughter/sister Susan Robertson’s dining room.

Coral Honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens), Autumn Fern (Dryopteris erythrosora), Ligularia, Kerria (Kerria japonica), Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis), Azalea, Roses and Curly Willow (Salix matsudana ‘Tortuosa’), among other plants

Blue Star (Amsonia tabernaemontana), Yew (Taxus baccata), Snowball Viburnum (Viburnum opulus ‘Roseum’), Variegated Euonymous (Eounymous japonicus) and Bleeding Heart (Dicentra spectabilis) in “Wellies”

HISTORIC GARDEN WEEK: THE ETHERINGTON GARDEN

April 25, 2013/1 Comment/in Featured Gardens, Plants & Horticulture /by mturner

In celebration of the Garden Club of Virginia’s 80th Historic Garden Week, I’m giving sneak peaks at three special gardens on the Richmond tour. Susan Robertson, Laura Valentine and Moonie Etherington have created gardens that reflect their passions and personalities. The Robertson and Valentine gardens were on the Tuesday tour and the Etherington garden is on tour Thursday.

THE ETHERINGTON GARDEN

Moonie and Bill Etherington’s home sits high above the James River, the grounds gracefully sloping toward an outcropping of rock. Far below is the Philadelphia Quarry, now a private swimming club. Stone mined from the quarry was made into retaining walls that sweep across the lawn and form cozy enclosures overlooking the quarry. Moonie, a naturalist and plantswoman extraordinaire, has embraced this rural oasis in the city, creating gardens filled with native plants, which provide a playground for wildlife and her grandchildren.

Moonie’s garden is all about the plants. Each one has a story, each one is treated like a member of the family. A gentle and generous spirit, Moonie shares her plants with friends and strangers — anyone who she knows will love them as much as she does.

Moonie provides birdbaths, bird houses and plenty of food-bearing plants for her feathered friends. Just outside the kitchen door is a bird house that is as often inhabited by snakes as it is by birds.

The Pieris path, along the cobblestone walkway, was planted in 1984 in memory of Moonie’s mother, who loved Pieris japonica and Gardenia.

Moonie tucked Lewisia into the crevices of the rock. She told me that Lewisia is named for Meriweather Lewis because Lewis and Clark discovered it somewhere in Tennessee or Kentucky on their westward journey.

Here, fern fiddlers unfurl, while Lichen and Moss thrive in the cool shade.

Virginia Bluebells (Mertensia virginica) pop behind various native ferns in the woodland garden outside Moonie’s kitchen window.

The bed next to Moonie’s driveway is filled with gifts from special friends. Above, Bearded Iris have made a home in a rotted out stump. Below, are Margaret Bemiss’s special white violets. Moonie’s vigilance has saved the violets from many well-meaning weeders.

Moonie has a deal with the resident deer. She keeps the deer path clear for them, and they leave her spring-flowering shrubs alone. These include Kerria, Deutzia, Calycanthus, Pieris and Quince.

I love this Kerria. It has a single flower and variegated leaves.

The Kerria looks spectacular next to the Deutzia gracilis.

Variegated Weigelia (Weigelia variegatum).

I wonder if the deer have cocktails here when the Etheringtons aren’t looking.

Willie Brown gave Moonie this Moricandia arvensis (Chinese Temple Bells — aka the provocatively named Purple Mistress) when Moonie joined the James River Garden Club. Moonie collects the seeds from this woodland perennial and shares them with friends. She is going to give some to me to plant on Chapel Island. James River Park Manager Nathan Burrell and his team have cleared and built trails on the island and will be planting native woodland plants in a few weeks.

Poet’s Laurel (Danae racemosa) spills over the granite stone steps leading to the house.

Tucked under the shrubs are Trillium (above) and Woodland Poppies from Thomas Jefferson’s Tufton Farm.

Native Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis) has spread under the Dogwood.

When the Etheringtons lost this tree on the edge of the quarry, they saved some of its wood to make stools for the grandkids, and left the stump in its memory.

This stunning Carolina Silverbell (Halesia carolina) was in full bloom last week. As I fretted over whether it would still be in its full glory during the garden tour, Moonie looked fondly at the tree and said, “well, it’s been a joy for me.”

So many women (and men) work countless hours to make Historic Garden Week a success, striving to provide the thousands of visitors a memorable tour of the beautiful houses and gardens. Moonie’s comment brought me back to what Garden Week is all about: celebrating the beauty of this verdant Commonwealth in which we live, and preserving and restoring what brings joy to us every day.

HISTORIC GARDEN WEEK: THE VALENTINE GARDEN

April 23, 2013/2 Comments/in Featured Gardens, Landscape Design, Plants & Horticulture /by mturner

In celebration of the Garden Club of Virginia’s 80th Historic Garden Week, I’m giving a sneak peak of three very special gardens on the Richmond tour by three talented women. Susan Robertson, Laura Valentine and Moonie Etherington have created gardens that reflect their passions and personalities. The Robertson and Valentine gardens are on the Tuesday tour and the Etherington garden is on the Thursday tour. Today, we visit the garden of Laura and Ned Valentine.

THE VALENTINE GARDEN

Laura’s sophisticated garden style has its roots in North Carolina. Growing up in Raleigh, some of her earliest memories are of her mother’s and grandmother’s gardens. Legendary southern garden writer Elizabeth Lawrence lived around the corner from Laura’s grandmother in Charlotte. When in Charlotte to see her grandmother, they would often visit Elizabeth Lawrence’s garden. While her mother and grandmother sipped brandy with Miss Lawrence, Laura and her sister wandered the garden, fascinated by the lily pads in her pond and the birds flying through the house.

Laura’s husband, Ned, was equally blessed, growing up with a mother who created, and tends, one of the most beautiful gardens in Richmond. Enter North Carolina landscape architect Chip Callaway, who had collaborated with Laura’s family in the past (I’m a huge fan). Laura brought Chip to Richmond to help her with the Valentines’ new garden. Chip appears to have masterfully harnessed these horticultural bloodlines, by creating, with Laura and Ned, a garden that any Tarheel or Wahoo would love.

Laura’s love of symmetry and restrained use of color are evident in the twin bluestone terraces that flank the main brick terrace.

The gardens are reminiscent of Italian Renaissance gardens — the gently sloping property has been transformed into several terraced planes.

Smilax, an evergreen vine popular in North Carolina, is trained in arches on the back of the house. A farmer near Wilson, North Carolina gave my husband’s cousin the Smilax that climbs our house.

Deer run rampant in this neighborhood bordering the James River. The trellised fence allows the Valentines to grow vegetables and roses and to espallier fruit trees. Derrick, who helps Laura maintain the grounds, has added netting to keep Peter Rabbit and his progeny away.

Apple trees are expertly espaliered on the fence.

Apple blossoms.

The garden currently is planted with cool season vegetables, including Chinese Cabbages, Chard, Kale, Spinach, Arugula, Escarole and Mustard. The garden is bordered on the inside with roses and the outside with peonies. While the peonies are all white, Laura got jiggy and introduced color with the roses.

I love the plant markers — written with chalk on pieces of slate. So practical and good looking.

This is a grove of Doublefile Viburnum (Viburnum plicatum var. tomentosum). I have never seen them trained as single-trunk trees — gorgeous!

Attention to detail extends even to the service entrance. The Ivy lattice wall is underplanted with Lenten Rose (Helleborus orientalis) and bordered in clipped Boxwood. Laura’s grandmother planted Hellebores long before they hit the mainstream.

Chip and Laura make the most of veritcal opportunities. Here, Confederate Jasmine, about to bloom, blankets the pool fence.

Confederate Jasmine also frames the windows on the garage.

Camellia sasanqua are espaliered on the pool house wall, above, and in the entrance drive, below.

And one last beautiful example of vertical planting: Climbing Hydrangea (Hydrangea anomala subs. petiolaris) softens the wall above the pool house.

The pool, bordered by a spectacular Chindo Viburnum hedge (not pictured), is at the terminus of the property’s central axis.

Carter Skinner designed the stunning pool house.

The White Garden contains a central crushed stone path, with a sundial at its center. All of the flowering plants are white. An evergreen backbone of Camellia, Laurel, Boxwood, Chindo Viburnum and Holly is underplanted with Foxglove, Ferns, Variegated Solomon’s Seal, Dianthus and Bleeding Heart. Deciduous shrubs, including Doublefile Viburnum, Snowball Viburnum, Spirea, Pearl Bush, dwarf Butterfly Bush and Limelight Hydrangea are planted symmetrically and rhythmically along the path. Amazingly full-branched Hibiscus circle the sundial, and Dogwoods line the path.

Foxgloves bloom, while Autumn fern fronds unfurl, in the White Garden.

This terrace across the entrance drive from the front door exemplifies the Italianesque aesthetic that Laura loves, and that she and Chip perfected in the Valentines’ garden: consistent use of just a few elements throughout the property, such as the wrought iron bench and the Versaille planters overflowing with lush Boxwood; a strong evergreen backbone of sturdy Hollies, clipped Boxwood and espaliered Camellias; and the use of rich natural materials in beautifully laid — and oft repeated — patterns, such as the brick terrace here.

Alan Greenspan once warned us of irrational exuberance. Laura, Ned and Chip mastered rational exuberance, by allowing structure, form, texture and rich materials to take center stage in a brilliantly designed, and flawlessly executed and maintained landscape. Who says Tarheels and Cavaliers don’t mix?

HISTORIC GARDEN WEEK: THE ROBERTSON GARDEN

April 22, 2013/3 Comments/in Featured Gardens, Plants & Horticulture /by mturner

In celebration of the Garden Club of Virginia’s 80th Historic Garden Week, I’m giving a sneak peak of three very special gardens on the Richmond tour by three talented women. Susan Robertson, Laura Valentine and Moonie Etherington have created gardens that reflect their passions and personalities. This first blog post focuses on the the Robertsons’ garden. Tomorrow I will post a blog on the Valentines’ garden and Wednesday I will document the Etheringtons’ garden. The Robertson and Valentine gardens are on the Tuesday tour and the Etherington garden is on the Thursday tour.

THE ROBERTSON GARDEN

Susan and Walter Robertson’s beautiful spot of earth is nestled in the woodland that sits just above the historic Kanawha Canal. Susan loves nothing more than digging in her garden — weeding, planting, pruning — it really doesn’t matter, as long as she is surrounded by the plants she has nurtured and nourished over the years. Her yard is her laboratory, whether experimenting with different plant combinations or trying new pruning techniques. She’s generous with sharing her vast knowledge and the bounty of her garden. Susan’s mom, Page Fitchett, instilled in Susan and her sister Mary a love of gardening. Mary and Page will be in town to help arrange flowers in Susan’s house this week.

Akebia (Akebia quinata), a native vine, scampers up the front porch posts. A Passion Flower vine is growing in the urn.

A Robin takes a bath in the shade garden.

The pool used to be separated from the house by a fence. Susan and Walter reconfigured the space, moving the fence to the perimeter and adding broad steps leading directly to the pool.

The pool house has been a relaxing refuge for many friends and family (to my knowledge, George Washington did not sleep here).

The back porch of the pool house overlooks the backyard sloping toward the canal.

Stormwater drains from the terrace through the weep holes in the wall, then filters through the river rock and is absorbed by the water-loving hydrangeas. Capturing the storm water in the garden has the double benefit of channeling it toward plants who need it and preventing it from entering the river through drains.

Perennials and hydrangea will be blooming in the next few weeks in the pool garden.

It is so hard to find this classic pale lavender shade of Bearded Iris (Iris germanica) in the nurseries. I can’t promise I won’t come dig this up someday when nobody’s around.

Susan planted an herb garden just outside her kitchen. She uses crushed stone as a mulch to help keep the weeds at bay (the stones also make it easier to remove the weeds).

Coral Honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens) twines around the tuteur.

Nuff said.

No, this isn’t the 14th hole at Augusta — but hey, wouldn’t that be an entertaining challenge!

Lady Banks Rose (Rosa banksiae) floats above the Eastern Bluestar (Amsonia tabernaemontana, better known simply as Amsonia).

This is where Walter goes to be alone with his thoughts after the Nationals spank the Braves.

The sun casts long shadows across the sloping lawn.

The deer love the Robertsons’ yard. Most of the plants in their garden are deer resistant, but Susan can’t help planting a few beloved plants that are tasty to the deer. She is my go-to girl on the latest deer deterrents. She’s tried them all.

No crape murder in this yard.

The white Azaleas and the Doublefile Viburnum (Viburnum plicatum var. tomentosum) are both at their peak right now.

NEW YORK GARDEN DESIGNER LYNDEN MILLER CHALLENGES RICHMOND

January 26, 2013/0 Comments/in Landscape Design, Plants & Horticulture, Public Spaces /by mturner

Cooling off on the rocks at Belle Isle

Richmond’s location at the fall line of the James River has put it on the map as a destination for those seeking the raw natural beauty of the river’s banks, rapids and trails. Retiring James River Park director Ralph White devoted his career to restoring the James and the parkland bordering it.

Anne Rusbuldt chilling on the James

Nathan Burrell, head of Richmond’s extensive trail system, has built on that success, spending years working with colleagues and volunteers to carve out miles and miles of trails on both banks of the river. Currently, he is spearheading a trail-building project on Chapel Island.

Anne Wallace Tazewell, Will Tazewell, Ford Turner and Amanda Johnson hiking the Buttermilk Trail

Richmond is also home to some grand and historic parks, including Byrd, Bryan and Monroe, and many smaller pocket parks and green spaces. Some public spaces, due to lack of funds, receive only the most basic maintenance. These spaces sit waiting to be restored to their former glory.

Kids enjoying a day at beautiful Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, a wonderful source for those wanting to learn about plants.

Capital Trees (a joint project of the Boxwood, James River, Three Chopt and Tuckahoe Garden Clubs) is partnering with the city to restore beautiful green spaces and increase a healthy tree canopy throughout Richmond.

Capital Trees’ first challenge was to turn a busy, concrete-choked block downtown into a lush green avenue that also collects and filters storm-water runoff.

Ginkgos, Grasses and Irises grow in bio-retention wells on the east side of 14th Street

Designed by Capital Trees’ partners 3north (led by Jay Hugo) and Water Street Studio (led by Keith Whipple), the block of 14th Street between Bank and Main is planted with a triple allee of Ginkgos and Swamp White Oaks. On the east side of the street the trees, along with grasses and irises, are planted in engineered bio-filtration wells that capture and filter polluted storm-water.

Ginkgos and Liriope grow on the west side of 14th Street

The 14th Street project was so successful, Capital Trees and the city have since partnered on several more projects. 3north is Capital Trees’ design partner, and Water Street Studio provides design and engineering assistance. These projects include:

Renovation of the RMA Plaza

Capital Trees, in partnership with the City and 3north, is renovating this dilapidated park (across from The James Center on Byrd Street), adding trees, rain gardens, seating and public gathering spaces.

Lynden Miller encourages us to incorporate lush planting beds when building the new park at the RMA Plaza. Susan Robertson, Scott Ukrop, Melinda Hardy and Jill Nolt listen to Lynden’s suggestions.

The Jefferson Greenway

The proposed Greenway, following 10th Street south from the Capitol to the canal, is inspired by Jefferson’s original vision of a hilltop capitol, broadly facing the fall line of the James. The Greenway will provide a strong natural thread that will visually, symbolically, and physically reconnect Richmond’s Capitol Square with the James. The plan will include green spaces, trees and storm-water remediation. The Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay and Capital Trees are partnering to make the Greenway vision a reality.

Jill Nolt and Scott Ukrop give Lynden a tour of Great Shiplock Park.

Great Shiplock Park

Great Shiplock Park is home to locks, dating to the 1850s, that carried ships into the canal at the east end of the falls of the James. The sleepy park is about to get a major facelift as the future site of the Virginia Capital Trail’s Eastern Trailhead. Beth Weisbrod, Executive Director of the Virginia Capital Trail Foundation, has brought together her foundation, the City, Capital Trees and other constituencies to go beyond the mandate of building a trailhead. Plans are in place to make the park into yet another beautiful public garden space where cyclists, hikers, kayakers, birdwatchers, runners and picnickers will come to soak in the park’s history and natural beauty. Landscape architect Jill Nolt (3north) has designed the space to be beautiful and functional, with shaded lawns and lush rain gardens to trap and filter storm-water.

Riding the Virginia Capital Trail with friends

Seizing this momentum, Capital Trees (led by Jeanette McKittrick) and Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden (led by Frank Robinson) decided it was the perfect time to bring back the garden designer and advocate who inspired many in the community during a visit in 2008.

Lynden Miller, the woman who transformed Central Park’s Conservatory Garden and Bryant Park, among many other public spaces in New York and beyond, swept into Richmond last week and succeeded in bringing together our city, corporate, foundation, civic, horticultural and design leaders — people who care about the quality of life in Richmond. She called on us to “create and support well-planted parks and gardens as essential urban oases that reduce crime and have positive effects on the economic welfare of Richmonders.” She spent a cold rainy day touring the Capital Trees projects (see pictures above), gave an inspiring talk to the Richmond garden clubs and another rousing presentation to a group at the botanical garden, advised Bon Secours on healing gardens and conducted a workshop for community leaders.

Scott Ukrop and Jill Nolt from 3north, in conjunction with Randee Humphrey from Lewis Ginter and Jeanette McKittrick from Capital Trees, organized the workshop, and it looks to be a pivotal moment in Richmond’s movement toward reclaiming its public spaces. They brought together a group of creative thought and design leaders to discuss opportunities and challenges we face in transforming our city. Using two of the Capital Trees projects and Monroe Park as case studies, folks bounced ideas off each other, received invaluable advice from Lynden (see some of her design principles below), and left the meeting with a sense that this city’s businesses, residents and municipal leaders are ready to shake up the status quo and nurture the budding green renaissance.

Lynden says, “make it gorgeous and they will come. Keep it that way and they will help.”

Lynden challenged us to harness the meeting’s energy and continue to collaborate to reach our potential. She “demonstrated the power of plants to soften and civilize public life, and showed how beautiful public spaces, planted and maintained to high standards, have the power to transform the way people behave and feel about their cities.” Parks, Plants, and People, by Lynden B. Miller. I think we’re up to the challenge.

A FEW FUNDAMENTAL GARDEN PRINCIPLES

Here are some of Lynden’s principles of garden design that can be applied to public gardens as well as your own private patch of earth. I’ve thrown in a few of my own guiding principles as well:

PLANT TREES TO CREATE A CANOPY, SHADOW AND SHADE