 |
| Moth glimpsed on Takara (treasure) intersectional peony |
It all started about ten months ago when I began thinking about where the gardens would be in twenty years from now... I decided that the right changes now would mean a much less stressful life when I'm 85 years old, assuming I make it that long... I started by removing several messy large old crab apple trees that were susceptible to apple scab. Additionally I removed about 14 pick-up loads of prunings from the remaining crab apple trees, raising the canopy and improving air circulation.
I then began to put my plan for a garden more dependent on conifers into effect... the path to the gazebo had become overgrown and the Montgomery spruces were beginning to suffer from needle cast which is common in Picea pungens cultivars in this climate. The gazebo was used much less than in the past because it was in a heat pocket with little air circulation due to the heavy growth of the plants on both sides of the path to its south side.
The following photos (most taken in 2010) give an idea of how closed off the gazebo area had become even back then...
The gazebo path is now open and airy with a new rock garden for dwarf and miniature conifers to the right (see below). I hauled in several thousand pounds of soil for the rock garden and for mounded areas in the garden on the opposite side of the path. The reason for this was to create the best possible drainage for Korean fir and Japanese white pine cultivars in particular. To the soil I added bags of pine bark chips, peat moss and soil moist crystals. My thinking on the 'soil moist' is that it soaks up any excess water and releases it as needed. I also installed numerous PJM rhododendrons in the garden to the right of the path.
As you can see I limbed up a few of the Montgomery spruces to provide a bit of shade and structure. I also did the same to several Pinus sylvestris 'Fastigiata' in order to expose their beautiful red toned bark and to create vertical accents. Other plants not rmoved include three older specimens of bird's nest spruce which I will be pruning some more to create a more sculptural effect. On the right I've left a beautiful pink tree peony of some age and on the far left I retained a very wide spreading Juniperus wiltoni (Blue Rug juniper). I've also incorporated one of my favorite grasses which is Calamagrostis x acutiflora 'Karl Foerster'...
I have purposely left a goodly amount of space between the conifers, taking into account the size they will attain over the course of perhaps twenty years.
In the photo below there are three dwarf hemlock cultivars to the right under the canopy of the Montgomery spruce. They include Tsuga canadensis 'Cole's Prostrate', 'Moon Frost', and 'Starker's Dwarf'. In the back center is Pinus leucodermis 'Smidtii', a very compact Bosnian pine and considered one of the best, the original reaching only ten feet in 100 years. The yellow arborvitae in a relatively new one that retains marvelous color called 'Jantar'. This plant comes out of Poland and 'Jantar' is Polish for amber which is a description of its winter color. This will grow into a tall vertical accent that stays quite narrow. Behind Jantar is a miniature Picea glauca called 'Echiniformis'.... this is basically a miniature globe shaped 'pin cushion' of a plant. Towards the front is a very neat form of Mugo Pine called 'Jakobsen' which can grow to about six feet in width, hence the extra space. Coming out of Denmark, this plant has the most interesting personality in terms of texture... it really takes the form of a bonsai without any effort by human hands. Finally to the left, out of the photo, is Pinus parviflora 'Goldilocks'. There is a second one across the path in the opposing garden. 'Goldilocks' grows with a broad upright habit in a windswept form. It has golden highlights and my small plants have already formed beautiful cones.
Here are a few more photos of this updated conifer area... I really like it so much better and especially enjoy using the gazebo now that there is more of an open 'view'...
 |
| from the SW... a favorite of mine, Abies koreana 'Horstmanns Silberlocke' is just to the right of center |
 |
| Moving farther east, 'Silberlocke' is on the left and just to the right of the column is Abies koreana 'Aurea with a second back and to the right of center. There are several rhododendrons here as well. |
 |
| Both new garden areas with the gazebo path running between them... Pinus parviflora 'Goldilocks' is just left of center, also growing on an ammended mound of soil made up of compost, pine bark nuggets, and peat moss... |
 |
| slightly to the west, capturing the view of the gazebo |
 |
| To the left is Cornus alternifolia (Pagoda Dogwood) and Juniper 'Blue Rug' I'm playing with the idea of adding 'Mother Lode' which has the Blue Rug form but is a bright yellow... might be a bit overpowering?.... |
 |
| View from the SE note Abies koreana 'Aurea' to the right of center... it has beautiful gold coloration and I can just imagine how lovely it will be once it begins to offer large blue cones... |
 |
| Also from the SE... working on a layered look with the three Bird's Nest spruces to the right... |
I will close out this post with a final look down the gazebo path as it narrows in the distance... I have a bit more mulching to do here but to be honest, after shoveling almost twenty-five yards (twice with hand loading my equipment and then spreading), my rotator cuffs are begging for a break so I will spend the day doing more menial chores like deadheading and staking the delphiniums. We are anticipating a visit from the Wisconsin State Peony Society tomorrow and the weather promises to be beautiful. The majority of our two acres is in pretty good shape, although we still have a lot of work to do on the east end of the property with lots of changes there as well.
This is the first installment regarding garden changes and conifer planting. Next time I will post on the conifer terrace areas I've added behind the stone wall of the garage...
Take care, Larry
 |
| Takara (means Treasure) Itoh peony |
0 nhận xét:
Đăng nhận xét