July garden tours

Last week I joined a couple of gardening friends to tour four gardens owned by members of the Wisconsin Hardy Plant Society. These summer tours of members' gardens are one of my favorite benefits of membership in this organization. I'd visited three of the gardens before, but so long ago that I only had a few memories of them. Some things were still beautifully the same — as much as they ever can be in a garden. But there were new things to see and enjoy everywhere we looked. 

It's high summer here in the Midwest and this garden was awash in flowers. In particular, this gardener created spectacular color combinations. I immediately wanted to add golden Tansy to my garden when I saw this pairing because it was such a perfect solution to hiding the long leggy growth of lilies. 

If you need to stake a big plant, this was a clever concept: a red cage that picked up the stem color of this castor bean plant. I was so taken with it that I never noticed the equally visible but less interesting peony cage.

I have not grown phlox for years and had forgotten what a punch of color it brings to a garden.

Throw in some golden yellows and you need to put on sunglasses!

This garden had lots of beautiful flowers but I was most taken with their trees, shrubs and vines like this dramatic climbing Hydrangea that almost obscures the garage. Note how the Hakonechloa grass and the Hosta both hold their own in this grouping because they are of an equal visual scale. 

On the other side of the door in the above photo, there is a contrasting vine that looks like Virginia Creeper growing. I found the unclothed stems as attention-getting as the leafy mass on top.

As soon as we pulled up in front of this garden, I remembered these wonderful cloud-pruned yews from my last visit. Mark and I saw these early in our gardening life and were very impressed, especially because this is something we so rarely see in the Midwest. People tend to pull out big old shrubs like this rather than realizing they have a potential treasure.  

This gardener has pruned them masterfully, keeping them in bounds and adding drama and scale that can only be achieved over the long haul. 

They are also a clue that there will be more wonderful things to enjoy in the gardens on the other sides of this house (below). 

Comments

[Lisa at Greenbow]

Hmmm. I have never thought of hiding the lily legs. I sort of like them. I am always amazed that those big blooms can stand on those skinny legs. I have some of that tansy. It has to reach for the sun where I have it. Maybe I will move some of it by some newly planted lilies that get more sun and see what happens. I do like the look. This garden is quite beautiful. I love those rocks stacked on that hill. Beautiful. You don't see these sculpted shrubs in many gardens. They are interesting.

[Linda from Each Little World]

LIsa — I had not really thought about hiding lily legs either but I loved the color and texture combo.

[Jane Miller]

I agree, these tours of members gardens are the best deal around. The vine covered garage was my favorite.

[rusty duck]

Wow, love those rock terraces!

[Linda from Each Little World]

jessica — I think she had more space to slope back into than you do. Thus she could put blocks in and make a wall that is not too difficult to plant and work on. Also they have a big driveway and flat grassy area where large equipment could get in to sculpt the land and set stones. I am assuming that's how it was done.

[Erin @ The Impatient Gardener]

Wow, first yews I've ever really loved. That's a very skilled pruner. Beautiful gardens.