Nandina domestica 'Alba' November 15 2011

With the arrival of cool autumn days, creamy white berries drop in weighty clusters on nandina domestica 'Alba'. This variant sport may be difficult to locate in nurseries, but should you stumble upon it, it's a great cultivar.

This nandina, as with most plants that come to my garden, had to pass the deer resistant test in order to have a permanent location outside of my cottage garden fence. Unfortunately, deer eat nandinas. Don't let anyone convince you otherwise.

For at least four years, I have grown the 'Alba'  outside my fence. Every winter the deer devoured the foliage. The deer will literally eat nandina down to stems and stubs. It's sad to see, but the shrubs do bounce back. The nandinas sprouted new foliage every spring and were fine in the summer. That said, they were never going to be fully enjoyed or allowed to mature with the yearly winter feast.

Over the last few months, I have moved all of my nandinas (I have one other variety, 'Gulf Steam') to locations inside my cottage garden for more enjoyment. I had to first remove a few other shrubs to make the space.  The changeover has now been completed.

Nandina 'Alba' is a great evergreen shrub for zones 6-9 and can handle sun to part shade. Though it is drought tolerant, the nandina responds well to some pampering.  I can't report on foliage color changes due to the deer dining, but in the summer, the leaves have a wonderful blue-green tint.

I love to underplant shrubs, so I am keep my 'Alba' nandinas trunk-pruned like small trees. Only two of my three nandinas survived the deer destruction.

I transplanted one to a small spot beside a stone fence corner and the gable gate to the cottage garden. The nandina replaced a phlox whose color had changed from purple to salmon pink. It is underplanted with ajuga repans 'Chocolate Chip' that holds up well in summer droughts and doesn't spread as enthusiastically as other varieties. This ajuga has dark leaves and blue blooms in spring. I chose to underplant the nandina with this ajuga (also moved from another part of the garden) because there are blue-blooming geranium 'Brookside' along this same path.

The poor little deer-devoured nandina (now beside the stone corner column) deserved to be protected. November 2011.

Given another chance, the nandina is underplanted with ajuga repans 'Chocolate Chip'. November 2011.

The second nandina replaced a large 'Royal Red' buddleia that was taking up too much space within the confines of the cottage garden. I have an abundance of buddleia in the deer resistant gardens, so I won't miss the shrub that I removed.

This nandina is planted beside the bridge to the stream. I added lots of good soil and compost and smoothed the area. With the large oakleaf hollies backing this area on the outside of the fence, I'm going with a white-flower theme.

An underplanting of seeds includes white snapdragon 'La Bella White' and my favorite sweet alyssum 'Carpet of Snow.' I usually plant snapdragons and alyssum in the spring, so this is a fall sowing experiment.

To the sides of this nandina, I sowed seeds of black peony poppy for spring drama, to be pulled out for summer when a division of phlox paniculata 'David' will bloom along with the alyssum. The snapdragons, phlox and alyssum are fragrant.

As gardeners, we show patience and optimism as we plan and create new garden areas and wait months or years for the results.

The new bed will include fragrant white phlox, sweet alyssum and snapdragons for 2012. November 2011.

Words and photos by Freda Cameron, Defining Your Home, Garden and Travel. Deer and rabbit resistance varies based upon the animal population and availability of food. All company or product or patented names mentioned are registered trademarks, copyrights, or patents owned by those respective companies or persons.

Cottage garden rock path. Salvias, ageratum, perennial heliotrope, stachys, gaillardia, zinnias.

Perhaps summer should be siesta time for blooms? The best cottage garden color this year has been spring and now early fall. Maybe that's going to be my focus for blooms in the future. Summer has been too hot for two years now. Cooler temperatures and rain have brought color back to the garden.

The stellar performers are in the salvia family. Blue, white, red, purple and pink perennial salvias are packed with blooms. The hummingbirds are still here and grateful for the trumpets of salvia blooms.

The Knock Out® Roses have made a come back after the Japanese Beetle damage in June and July. I hate the beetle season and every time I see the stripped foliage of the roses I think I'll rip them out. Then, the roses bounce back and bloom and I keep them another year.

It has taken a few years for my sedum to mature without breaking over. A thick planting works best for sturdy stems. My favorite is 'Green Expectations' as shown in the photo with the blue salvia 'Victoria Blue'.

I rely upon creeping perennial heliotrope (heliotropium amplexicaule 'Azure Skies' in so many places throughout my gardens. It's a great edger that blooms non-stop from April until frost.

Annuals that bloom in early fall include alyssum, dianthus, verbena (bonariensis is fading, but imagination is non-stop), zinnias and rudbeckia.

With today's highs in the sixties, it is wonderful to have such a colorful cottage garden.

View across rock path to fence plantings. Sedum, salvias and roses.

Sedum 'Green Expectations' is a favorite with dark stems. Salvia farinacea 'Victoria Blue' is the companion.

Low-growing annuals include white alyssum 'Carpet of Snow', purple verbena 'Imagination' and bi-color dianthus.

Cottage garden mix: alyssum, zinnias, susans, verbena, salvias.

Every cottage garden needs zinnias! Benary's Giant in front. Candy Mix in background.

Soft lambs ear provides big leaves and works with so many sun plants. Perennial heliotrope (heliotropium amplexicaule 'Azure Skies') back.

Words and photos by Freda Cameron, Defining Your Home, Garden and Travel. Deer and rabbit resistance varies based upon the animal population and availability of food. All company or product or patented names mentioned are registered trademarks, copyrights, or patents owned by those respective companies or persons.

Zinnia 'Candy Mix' with Rudbeckia hirta and Salvia farinacea 'Victoria Blue'. August 2011

I love the freedom of growing annuals. While I can certainly sing accolades about specific perennials, annuals give me the chance to change the look of the garden—in spring, summer and fall as well as from year-to-year—by simply planting seeds or buying a few small pots.

Planting annuals is somewhat like playing with a box of crayons and cans of molding clay. I color the garden according to my latest taste in color schemes and shapes. I love the creativity and flexibility of changing the garden with annuals.

While I use annuals in my meadow gardens, it is the cottage garden where I have the most fun. Sitting on the front porch, I overlook the cottage garden and ponder many different ideas to try in the future. I get inspired and excited about what to grow next year!

A purple Persian Shield provides a dark background for the delicate and pale yellow California Poppies. May 2011

Same Persian Shield. Poppies replaced by a container (out of rabbit reach) of Gomphrena (and Million Bells in same purple, not seen). August 2011

Sweet Alyssum (white and fragrant) is the perfect annual edger and ground cover. August 2011

Tall lilac, pink, dark purple spires of larkspur back up the perennial daylilies and heliotrope. In the mix, there are also pods of annual blue nigella and blooms of bachelor's buttons. June 2011

Unfortunately, there was a casualty of recent rain storms. The huge castor bean "tree" planted against the stone chimney was beaten and broken. I ended up pulling the poor annual that had stood gloriously through the drought and high temps. Just as the red seed pods were ripening and beautiful, the plant, and all of the seeds are now gone. So easy to grow from seeds and such a great architectural annual, I'll reserve the chimney spot in 2012 for another castor bean. Next time, I'll put supports around the plant before the summer storms do their worst!

This 2011 castor bean was grown from the seeds of the 2010 plant...that was grown from seeds shared by Helen Yoest in 2009. July 2011

Every year, I experiment with different varieties of zinnias, marigolds and poppies. I try new colors of nigella, cornflowers and larkspur. I rearrange annuals every fall and spring, trying out various vignettes to suit my mood. There are many annuals that can be grown, but here are my personal favorites (links are to my blog stories about these favorites).

Grown from seeds sown in the fall:

• Larkspur


• Love-in-a-Mist (Nigella)


• Bachelor's buttons/cornflowers


• California poppies


• Peony poppies


• Salvia farinacea 'Victoria Blue' (annual/tender perennial)


• Verbena 'Imagination'

Seeds sown in spring for summer blooms:

• Rudbeckia hirta (big success and will try more varieties)


• Zinnia ('Bennary Giant' and 'Magellan' are truly wonderful)


• Alyssum (growing white, but want to try more colors)


• Hyacinth bean


• Castor Bean


• Marigold 

Annuals that I purchase as small plants:

• Persian Shield


• Gomphrena (used only in a container due to rabbits)


• Million Bells (used only in container)


• Cleome


• Cosmos (rabbits eat young seedlings unless using the orange variety)

Words and photos by Freda Cameron, Defining Your Home, Garden and Travel. Deer and rabbit resistance varies based upon the animal population and availability of food. All company or product or patented names mentioned are registered trademarks, copyrights, or patents owned by those respective companies or persons.

Minimalist house design, minimalist design for the home garden are as follows.





For a minimalist garden are usually located in a narrow area, not all plants and ornaments deserve put there. "One vote, which has a narrow land will look more narrow,"



To create a minimalist garden, there are several characteristics that need attention. Storey buildings generally minimalist style with geometric shapes or boxes. This form is the impression stuck firm and rigid. With the presence of the park is expected to reduce the impression of rigid.



Minimalist garden should feature natural accent with a material that is not too much, especially if the house has a large window. Moreover, according to Arwindrasti, aspects of health and comfort of residents is very important when creating a minimalist garden. You should know, minimalist narrow desperate need of oxygen supply. Well, oxygen demand can be obtained from the photosynthesis of green plants. Therefore, multiply the green plants in the minimalist garden. Oxygen can also be obtained from the element of water. Therefore, the present pool plus a waterfall or fountain, is the right step.



Where should a minimalist garden located? Very flexible. You can put it on the front, rear, corner, side, even in the house. If you love the element of water, you can put a minimalist garden-themed water park in the front of the house.



If the park was in the back of the house, make a simpler design. Avoid forms that resemble the mountain, because it will foster a narrow sense. If you want to bring lawn, you should select a small and delicate leaves like grass howl.



Another case for the minimalist garden are present in the house. Plant the right to park in the house is a family of palm-paleman. Green leafy plants with slightly yellow tinge, Dracena fragrans, is also worthy of your choice.



Actually, many types of plants that inhabit the park suitable minimalist. "Importantly, easily maintained, green, and the price is cheap,". Some of them, namely:

• caladium linium
• Calathea Majestic that has fresh green leaves
• Yang Liyu, which often adorn the pool area.
  
  

For these types of flowering plants, you also have many options. Call it for example, peacock flower, Alamanda, trumpet, jasmine, and yellow. Not only beautiful, yellow flowers are tiny but fragrant scent of your garden can be both. In fact, if planted near the carport, this interest could serve as a barrier or fence. There are still other options? Of course. Plants sri fortune, even Anthurium, fitting also for your minimalist garden.



Not just ornamental plants. Fruit crops could you show the type of park this one. Instead, choose lean stature trees and vertical growth. For example, trees Ceremai, Sugar-apple, and pomegranate. Plants such as glodok towering fir poles or wax can also be an ornamental garden. via: kibagus-homedesign

Newly completed gravel garden. Only the row of small rosemary plants (left side opposite the bench) were added. Photo: April 28, 2011

What do I know about gravel gardens? Not mulch!

I don't live in desert areas where gravel gardens are used due to low rainfall. Desert areas in the United States grow the grasses and succulents—cacti, yucca and agave— that come to mind when I think of plants surrounded by gravel.

I don't live in the northern latitudes where gravel keeps plants from rotting in rain while warming up the area from the winter sun. Gardens in Europe use gravel around trees and shrubs and that was primarily where I drew my design inspiration, realizing that it is hot here in the summer with little rain.

My garden is in North Carolina, zone 7b and the idea of a gravel garden was a gamble that I was ready to take in April 2011. The project started as a problem solver as shown in the Before and After: From Driveway to Gravel Garden story. We were really looking more for a beautification solution to reduce maintenance, but have been surprised by the other advantages.

Here is a list of the plants that were left in place BEFORE we switched to gravel, removing all of the organic hardwood mulch:

Burford Nana (dwarf) Holly
Oakleaf Holly
Yucca
Buddleia (multiple varieties)
Crepe myrtle 'Tuscarora'
Osmanthus 'Goshiki'
Iris ensata (multiple varieties)
Monarda 'Blue Stocking'
Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Cream Ball'
Perennial heliotrope

We added a row of new rosemary and decided to take a "wait and see" attitude toward the existing plants. I watered the rosemary a few times to establish a root system.

The crepe myrtles bloomed and bloomed. The container plantings of lavender, juniper and succulents are thriving. Photo: July 12, 2011.

So far, we've experienced a June and July of triple digit heat with very little rainfall. The gravel garden is on the southwest side of the house. The crepe myrtle trees provide a bit of shade until 11:00 am, then it is baking heat.  I have not given the plants in the gravel garden ANY supplemental watering. Seriously.

Meanwhile, in the cottage garden and the rest of the outer, deer resistant gardens, I've been dragging water hoses and watering cans in an attempt to keep—even my drought-tolerant plants such as agastache, salvia and coneflowers—alive.

Back in the gravel garden, the foliage of the Japanese iris looks splendid and green. The monarda 'Blue Stocking' bloomed gorgeously. Those moisture-lovers didn't get any supplemental water from me. Tucked against buddleia, neither did those plants receive the full onslaught of the sun, but enough sun that made those same plants wither and wilt in the hardwood mulched areas of my garden.

Interesting. I was curious. No watering and virtually no weeds in the gravel garden for three months. No adding of more hardwood mulch to keep the soil moist.

Perennial heliotrope was literally covered in the gravel and emerged to make a happy ground cover around the Oak Leaf Holly. Photo: July 29, 2011.

The rosemary has grown a foot higher. The Burford hollies have increased in size. The buddleia are in bloom and the crepe myrtles put on a splendid show of blooms.The chamaecyparis has never looked so good. The yucca is happy. The osmanthus 'Goshiki' has a bit of scorch on the top leaves (not unusual), but is growing just fine. The perennial heliotrope emerged from BENEATH the gravel to make a soft skirt around the oak leaf holly.

After a recent rainfall of one inch of rain, I dug a hole in the gravel garden; a hole in the deer resistant garden; and, a hole in the cottage garden.

Eleven inches down, the gravel garden soil was moist all the way—even though I had never watered it!

The other gardens had barely an inch of moist soil and ten inches of bone dry powder and I had been struggling to keep those areas watered. If anything, the cottage garden and other outer gardens have better soil than that beneath the gravel plantings.

Can it be that gravel, a permeable surface that allows rain to penetrate also prevents evaporation of moisture, even in day-after-day of 100°F temperatures?

My test is not scientific, but it is definitely making me think carefully about other areas that can handle gravel. Many of my drought-tolerant plants will be happy surrounded by gravel.

Gravel is not temporary! Once in place, especially two inches deep, it is difficult to remove. Therefore, I shall proceed with caution as I convert more areas to gravel to reduce the need for supplemental watering.

It's far too hot to take on a project like this during the summer. I want to also see the performance of the gravel garden plants over the winter as well as whether the weeds will pop up in the gravel. More waiting, but in the meantime, I can honestly say that the gravel garden is making us very happy.

The rosemary is flourishing. The foliage of the Japanese iris is green (without watering) and the butterfly bushes are happy and healthy. Photo: early morning, July 29, 2011.

Guests do park here and the weeds have been so few. Photo: early morning, July 29, 2011.

Merge of driveway with garden. Perennial heliotrope skirts the large holly. Photo: early morning, July 29, 2011.

Words and photos by Freda Cameron, Defining Your Home, Garden and Travel. Deer and rabbit resistance varies based upon the animal population and availability of food. All company or product or patented names mentioned are registered trademarks, copyrights, or patents owned by those respective companies or persons.

Cleome is a tall summer annual for filling big spaces.

Temporary help is needed to fill in garden space during the heat of summer. The perfect candidate must be tall, colorful and play well with perennials. Additional skills required include deterring deer and rabbits while attracting hummingbirds, bees and butterflies. A big gap in my deer resistant garden needed a summer filler to add color and height among the foliage of the fall-blooming perennials. The annual, Cleome hassleriana, fit the job description—planted among Joe Pye Weed (native eupatorium purpureum), solidago 'Fireworks', helianthus angustifolius 'First Light', stipa (grass), asclepias incarnata and a tall pink mum. Without cleome, there would be nothing but foliage in the midsection of my front garden during the summer. In spring, rose campion and larkspur provide blooms for this space. When the temperatures rise and the rain is scarce, I can count on cleome to deliver! This is one annual that I don't grow from seeds because I am still developing the space. I buy the tall annual in bloom at a local greenhouse so that I can transplant directly into the summer garden where needed. I don't have a greenhouse to do this myself and I find the price affordable and worthwhile given how barren the garden would look without cleome. These are hybrids (I don't even bother to remember/save the name), so I've not had any self-sowing seedlings pop up. This is three cleome, purchased and planted when already 4 feet tall and blooming. There are five cleome filling in the section of autumn perennials. In the above photo (click to enlarge), you cannot see the three Joe Pye growing between the cleome. The cleome not only provides height and color while waiting for the Joe Pye, it shades the roots of the companion plants, helping to retain moisture in this south-facing garden. I like a mass planting of at least five cleome. Without cleome, there would be a nothing but a low hole of foliage in my summer garden. Cleome bridges this gap from June until August, when the late summer flowers take over until frost. As for maintenance, I provide water only when the cleome leaves droop. There are no supporting stakes around the cleome, and while they are packed in among perennials, I've not noticed any need for support of these strong plants. Colorful, carefree and cheap. Deer, drought and rabbit resistant. I'll use cleome for temporary garden help every summer! Cleome shines in the middle of bee balm in late June. View is looking uphill from the garden path. View looking downhill. Foliage of amsonia hubrichtii (spring bloom) below. Words and photos by Freda Cameron, Defining Your Home, Garden and Travel. Deer and rabbit resistance varies based upon the animal population and availability of food. All company or product or patented names mentioned are registered trademarks, copyrights, or patents owned by those respective companies or persons.

Back to Front: Echinacea purpurea 'Pow Wow Wild Berry' Salvia farinacea 'Evolution' Rudbeckia hirta 'Prairie Sun' (not quite)

Yellow, purple and raspberry—a combination of color and form so stunning that I wish I had thought of it! Actually, I did plant something very similar and there are a few interesting twists in replicating these blooms in your home garden. I photographed this labeled combination while out and about on one of my day trips around North Carolina and hope that my similar combination will look as lovely when mature.

The echinacea, salvia and rudbeckia are all seed-grown plants. As such, the seeds may not always produce the plants to match the photo on the packets nor images you find in searching online. I am growing rudbeckia hirta 'Prairie Sun' with echinacea 'Pow Wow Wild Berry' and salvia farinacea 'Victoria (instead of 'Evolution' as shown in the photo).

Rudbeckia hirta 'Prairie Sun' (maybe)
perennial zones 5-10
full sun

In my case, my 'Prairie Sun' blooms look just like those in the inspiration photo above—brown-eyed susans. My seed packet showed a green eye, instead of a brown eye. If you've grown 'Prairie Sun' from seeds, did you get the green eye or the brown eye? I'd love to know.

At any rate, I still love these sunny plants, no matter what color the eyes! I cut these susans to bring indoors and the blooms last and last and last. These susans behave like annuals, such as zinnias. The more I cut, the more branching and blooms I get in the garden.

The deer have nibbled a few blooms out in the garden. However, the plants have continued to produce lots of blooms and the deer are now ignoring the new flowers, so I'm not unhappy with the deer tolerance test. I've not noticed the rabbits eating these susans (and they love to eat the rudbeckia fulgida 'Goldsturm').

This rudbeckia variety is definitely drought-tolerant. I've not seen any wilting in the heat and I'm rating these as preferable over the fulgida type. The susans in the most direct sun have reached three feet before I cut them back. The ones in part shade have remained under two feet.  The Goldfinch love to eat the seeds and I do expect considerable self-sowing. That's okay with me!

Echinacea purpurea 'Pow Wow Wild Berry'

Echinacea purpurea 'Pow Wow Wild Berry'
perennial zones 3-8
full sun

I'm still waiting for my echinacea 'Pow Wow Wild Berry' to bloom as they were grown from seeds in a local greenhouse. Unless sown early, coneflowers tend to bloom in the second season when starting from seeds. The leaves on this echinacea are huge and rough compared to other varieties that I've tried—'Prairie Splendor', 'Ruby Star', 'White Swan', 'Sundown' and others. The deer and rabbits haven't eaten the leaves so far. Not a tall coneflower, it should stay around two feet in height.

The 'Pow Wow Wild Berry' that I've seen in bloom are indeed impressive, so I have high hopes for similar blooms in 2012. My 'Prairie Splendor' in my cottage garden were under vole attack over the winter and I've been unable to find more plants, though I do have seedling replacements coming up for next year. I am hoping that 'Pow Wow Wild Berry' will be as wonderful as 'Prairie Splendor'.

Salvia farinacea 'Evolution'
perennial zones 9-11

The salvia in the inspiration is 'Evolution', a perennial in warm zones of 9-11. I am growing salvia farinacea 'Victoria' that overwintered for me here in zone 7b from 2010. I have 'Victoria' growing in multiply locations in my garden—out in the open garden on the east, south and southwest as well as protected in a warmer microclimate in my cottage garden. The blooms on 'Victoria' are heavy in early summer, then after deadheading, I'm waiting for the second flush. In 2010, the 'Victoria' looked great in late summer and fall.

The 'Victoria' have been reliably deer, rabbit and drought resistant in my garden. If the plant needs water, you'll know by the drooping leaves. The plant perks up quickly after watering.


Whether or not you select the same varieties, I do believe this inspiration can easily be replicated in color and form with similar plants.

Words and photos by Freda Cameron, Defining Your Home, Garden and Travel. Deer and rabbit resistance varies based upon the animal population and availability of food. All company or product or patented names mentioned are registered trademarks, copyrights, or patents owned by those respective companies or persons.

In a garden packed with perennials selected by Dutch designer Piet Oudolf, it isn't easy to narrow down my photos to a few to share with you. If you're catching up on this series about The Battery Gardens in New York City, please read parts 1 and 2 to understand the context around the perennials in this photo-heavy story.

Oudolf's Stachys Spires (The Battery Gardens-Part 2)

Spires of pink-purple Stachys monieri 'Hummelo' (Alpine betony). Gardens of Remembrance at The Battery, New York, NY. June 2011

I know it, I grow it. But, exponentially increase the number of plants and the result is jaw-dropping!  Stachys monieri 'Hummelo' inspires as a major player in the mass planting at the Gardens of Remembrance within The Battery in New York City. The design is by Dutch designer Piet Outdolf.

'Hummelo' is not your ordinary stachys. The crinkled green foliage is lush and in my zone 7b garden, it never dies back completely in the winter. Like many perennials, you'll know to divide it when a shallow pit (not quite a donut hole) appears in the middle. Suitable for zones 4-9, I find this perennial likes rich, well-drained soil and mostly sun. When it needs water, the plump mounds look totally deflated. Just add water to the base. A nice size of around 18 inches high (in bloom) and 15 inches wide, makes this a suitable plant for small spaces.  Rabbits and deer have never bothered my 'Hummelo'. It make take a year or two for the perennial to begin producing the lovely purple spires.

Designer Piet Oudolf used an incredibly thick and wide mass planting of 'Hummelo' in his design. I can't begin to estimate the number of plants used in his vignette, but I think it's safe to say more than thirty!

Echinacea (coneflowers) and two colors of monarda (bee balm) are used as companions en masse to add to the breadth and depth of the garden island vignette.  Nepeta racemosa 'Walker's Low' is added for the grey foliage and lacy, hazy blue flowers. I have experience with this nepeta. Another variety in my garden, Nepeta faassenii 'Six Hills Giant' is a possible substitution. In fact, I have that nepeta grouped with my 'Hummelo', ice plant and monarda 'Blue Stocking'. But, I digress. Let's get back to The Battery Gardens.

Nepeta racemosa 'Walker's Low' provides lacy blue blooms that fall onto the coneflowers, backed by stachys 'Hummelo'.

Two colors of monarda (bee balm) rise behind the shorter stachys 'Hummelo'.

The big picture of the perennial vignette with Stachys monieri 'Hummelo' at the core.

There are six echinacea (coneflower) varieties used in the Gardens of Remembrance, but select a variety that grows well in your zone to achieve a similar effect. There were no plant markers that I could locate, so I cannot say with certainty which varieties are used in the designs.

The purpurea varieties in the gardens include 'Rubinstern' (a favorite in my garden), 'Leuchstern' and the native purple coneflower. Echinacea pallida (pale coneflower) and echinacea tennesseenis are two North American natives also in use in different locations.

Of the monarda, there are seven varieties listed in The Battery Plant Database. The red one in the photos is most likely monarda didyma, perhaps a 'Jacob Cline' though it is not included in the database. I grow 'Jacob Cline' and it is a stellar performer, growing over 4 feet, but needing more moisture than the wine-red 'Raspberry Wine'.

The pale pink bee balm looks lighter than the varieties listed by the Conservancy. Perhaps it is the 'Marshall's Delight' based upon the color description.

What I like, other than the scale and simplicity of the design, is that the plant choices are easy to maintain and fairly easy to find. Stachys monieri 'Hummelo' may be the most difficult to locate, though here are some online sources (at the time of this story):

Digging Dogs Nursery(California)
High Country Gardens (New Mexico)
Bluestone Perennials(Ohio)
LazySSFarm(Virginia)

Other aspects of the gardens that I find to be positive for home gardeners—the bee balm spreads quickly to fill in large space; the purple coneflowers can be grown from seeds; the stachys and nepeta can be easily divided—making the design achievable on a small budget.

Finally, this design is attractive to humans while attracting beneficial pollinators. That's a lot of positive reasons to create your own design—inspired by Piet Oudolf.

Oudolf's Stellar Perennials (Part 3)

Words and photos by Freda Cameron, Defining Your Home, Garden and Travel. Deer and rabbit resistance varies based upon the animal population and availability of food. All company or product or patented names mentioned are registered trademarks, copyrights, or patents owned by those respective companies or persons.

Spires of pink-purple Stachys monieri 'Hummelo' (Alpine betony). Gardens of Remembrance at The Battery, New York, NY. June 2011

I know it, I grow it. But, exponentially increase the number of plants and the result is jaw-dropping!  Stachys monieri 'Hummelo' inspires as a major player in the mass planting at the Gardens of Remembrance within The Battery in New York City. The design is by Dutch designer Piet Outdolf.

'Hummelo' is not your ordinary stachys. The crinkled green foliage is lush and in my zone 7b garden, it never dies back completely in the winter. Like many perennials, you'll know to divide it when a shallow pit (not quite a donut hole) appears in the middle. Suitable for zones 4-9, I find this perennial likes rich, well-drained soil and mostly sun. When it needs water, the plump mounds look totally deflated. Just add water to the base. A nice size of around 18 inches high (in bloom) and 15 inches wide, makes this a suitable plant for small spaces.  Rabbits and deer have never bothered my 'Hummelo'. It make take a year or two for the perennial to begin producing the lovely purple spires.

Designer Piet Oudolf used an incredibly thick and wide mass planting of 'Hummelo' in his design. I can't begin to estimate the number of plants used in his vignette, but I think it's safe to say more than thirty!

Echinacea (coneflowers) and two colors of monarda (bee balm) are used as companions en masse to add to the breadth and depth of the garden island vignette.  Nepeta racemosa 'Walker's Low' is added for the grey foliage and lacy, hazy blue flowers. I have experience with this nepeta. Another variety in my garden, Nepeta faassenii 'Six Hills Giant' is a possible substitution. In fact, I have that nepeta grouped with my 'Hummelo', ice plant and monarda 'Blue Stocking'. But, I digress. Let's get back to The Battery Gardens.

Nepeta racemosa 'Walker's Low' provides lacy blue blooms that fall onto the coneflowers, backed by stachys 'Hummelo'.

Two colors of monarda (bee balm) rise behind the shorter stachys 'Hummelo'.

The big picture of the perennial vignette with Stachys monieri 'Hummelo' at the core.

There are six echinacea (coneflower) varieties used in the Gardens of Remembrance, but select a variety that grows well in your zone to achieve a similar effect. There were no plant markers that I could locate, so I cannot say with certainty which varieties are used in the designs.

The purpurea varieties in the gardens include 'Rubinstern' (a favorite in my garden), 'Leuchstern' and the native purple coneflower. Echinacea pallida (pale coneflower) and echinacea tennesseenis are two North American natives also in use in different locations.

Of the monarda, there are seven varieties listed in The Battery Plant Database. The red one in the photos is most likely monarda didyma, perhaps a 'Jacob Cline' though it is not included in the database. I grow 'Jacob Cline' and it is a stellar performer, growing over 4 feet, but needing more moisture than the wine-red 'Raspberry Wine'.

The pale pink bee balm looks lighter than the varieties listed by the Conservancy. Perhaps it is the 'Marshall's Delight' based upon the color description.

What I like, other than the scale and simplicity of the design, is that the plant choices are easy to maintain and fairly easy to find. Stachys monieri 'Hummelo' may be the most difficult to locate, though here are some online sources (at the time of this story):

Digging Dogs Nursery(California)
High Country Gardens (New Mexico)
Bluestone Perennials(Ohio)
LazySSFarm(Virginia)

Other aspects of the gardens that I find to be positive for home gardeners—the bee balm spreads quickly to fill in large space; the purple coneflowers can be grown from seeds; the stachys and nepeta can be easily divided—making the design achievable on a small budget.

Finally, this design is attractive to humans while attracting beneficial pollinators. That's a lot of positive reasons to create your own design—inspired by Piet Oudolf.

Words and photos by Freda Cameron, Defining Your Home, Garden and Travel. Deer and rabbit resistance varies based upon the animal population and availability of food. All company or product or patented names mentioned are registered trademarks, copyrights, or patents owned by those respective companies or persons.

Millions of tourists rush to the ports in New York City to catch a ferry to visit landmarks such as The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. In the dash for the line, they seem unaware of a peaceful park. By the ferry port, by the water, at the tip of Manhattan, there are gardens overlooking the New York harbor. Paths and benches invite visitors to stroll and pause—but the paths and benches are mostly empty, except for a few who either stop to rest or photograph the flowers.

Introduction to The Battery Conservancy Gardens

I'm a fan of the Dutch garden designer, Piet Oudolf. A few years ago I started making a list of his gardens and bookmarked The Battery Conservancy. The gardens did not surprise me as I had studied the plant lists and viewed photographs. However, the gardens did inspire me—the scale of the plantings and the combinations of color and texture.

Tourists in line for the ferry seem unaware of the gardens. I arrived just in time to be greeted by a Monarch butterfly on the milkweed (asclepias incarnata).

There are two primary gardens to visit, The Gardens of Remembrance and The Battery Bosque.

Along the harbor walkway, 10,000 square feet are planted as The Gardens of Remembrance as a tribute to the victims of 9/11. Piet Oudolf's phase one plan includes 114 varieties of perennials and native plants. Most of these plants are laid to deep rows along the paved walks and waterfront.

Set back in the shade of 140 London Plane trees, The Battery Bosque, Oudolf's phase two, is planted with 34,000 perennials to create a cool, lush garden. Gravel paths, circles and a spiral fountain invite visitors to linger on one of the many garden benches.

There are too many combinations to show in any detail in one post. Over the next few posts, I'll show you close up photographs of the plantings that I found most inspiring—providing you with plant identification, growing information and other attributes of the perennials. Please follow along on this garden tour.

The Gardens of Remembrance, dedicated to the victims of 9/11. Piet Oudolf's phase one garden plan.

The Battery Bosque. Piet Oudolf's phase two garden plan.

Oudolf's Stachys Spires (Part 2)
Oudolf's Stellar Perennials (Part 3)

Words and photos by Freda Cameron, Defining Your Home, Garden and Travel. All company or product or patented names mentioned are registered trademarks, copyrights, or patents owned by those respective companies or persons.