Garden tourists

The garden touring season kicked off this week with visits to three private gardens in nearby towns. All were quite different from each other in size and topography but shade was the predominant condition in the group. 

The photos here are from the third — and smallest — garden of the evening. But it was a plant-a-holic's dream with a vast assortment of unusual plants, the latest varieties, and quirky colors all tightly packed into the front, sides and rear gardens of a 110-year-old Victorian house — that was also open for a peek.

This garden contained lots of artwork, including large sculptures and a beautiful iron entrance archway. The garden included the sunny front curb (with roses and society garlic) and a narrow strip between the driveway to this house and the neighbor's drive (filled with shrubs including a number of 'Tiger Eye' sumacs). No turf remains on the property.

The home and garden are the work of Dylan Hart and Ed Lyon. Lyon is the director of the Allen Centennial Garden on the UW-Madison campus and has done stints at the Chicago Botanic Garden, Olbrich Botanical Gardens in Madison and Rotary Garden in Janesville, WI. He is a consumate plantsman as his design and plantings at ACG show. 

So it was not surprising to see dramatic containers (above) with plants that had us clammoring for names and info — which Ed sometimes could not remember on the spur of the moment. (I believe this is Acanthus mollis 'Tasmanian Angel').

If some dramatic plants had pride of place in containers, other equally important specimens were barely visible — hidden behind more robust neighbors.

This garden is barely two years old but contained some real treasures like the tree peonies pictured here. The lavender one above is 'Yagumo' while the pink one below is 'Yoshingawa."

We've had a long, cool spring but the temperature was perfect for our garden visit. The day was sunny and quite warm — topping out at 84 degrees. It was pleasant enough to linger outdoors as the fading light popped the flower colors!

This clematis — Guernsey Cream — drew lots of praise and questions from visitors. Ed took a lot of good-natured ribbing from the other gardeners who wondered if he'd been out in the garden with a blow-dryer to get such an explosion of blooms. My Guernsey Cream opened the same morning as Ed's, so I could attest to it being a natural effect.

I am not keen on too many garden ornaments but I do have a soft spot for frogs. And Ed and Dylan had two perfect examples on display.

If Ed Lyon is a creative and intelligent plantsman, the same must be said of many of the folks visiting his garden — as they are members of the Wisconsin Hardy Plant Society and the local Master Gardeners association. But what's really noteworthy is that these groups know how to behave in a garden. They find the owner and ask lots of questions — that's Ed gesturing (below) in the black and white shirt in the center of the front porch.

And they know how to stay on the paths. Luckily there were more than enough routes through the garden to accommodate the crowd. (That's me in the hat on the sidewalk leading to the front door, taking notes while Mark takes the photos).

Comments

[Erin]

Excellent garden review! The Guernsey Cream made me even more anxious to see the blooms on mine. I think it's probably my favorite clematis in my garden.

[LINDA from EACH LITTLE WORLD]

It is really a gorgeous clematis. Mine had about a dozen blooms last year. This year it has about 40 blossoms. It's 4 years old.

[Pam/Digging (Austin)]

Garden tour season is fun indeed. You've probably got the whole summer to look forward to that. Except for a city-wide pond tour in early summer, our tour season wraps up soon until fall.

[Lisa at Greeenbow]

I Love garden tours. I am thrilled ot read that even professionals can't think of plant names from time to time. I feel so inept when this happens to me. I am happy to read that I am in good company. tee hee

[LINDA from EACH LITTLE WORLD]

Pam — I had not even thought about the fact that our tour season is "heating up" as yours is winding down. The big one sponsored by the public garden is in July.

Lisa — it is nice to know we're not the only ones who forget the names of our plants. Very comforting.