Just before the tour: The water gardens

The Tea House sits above the west end of the big pond.

The loss of the big Japanese maple that was at the back edge of the pond has allowed more sun to reach the water — and thus we have more lilies. 

All of our water lilies are hardy and either white or yellow flowered. 

The upper pool nestles next to the Tea House. 

By this point in the summer it is filled with the flowers and foliage of Sagitaria latifolia. 

A stepping stone path crosses between the upper pool and the beginning of the stream and waterfalls. 

The path across the water links the Sacred Grove and the Tea House gardens. 

The stones are wet because birds stand between them and drink, wash and generally splash about. 

Mark and Jon Adams-Kollitz, the young man who helped him build the ponds and stream, worked hard to achieve the perfect sound of rushing, bubbling water. 

This area has always been a planting problem since you need to walk here as you step off the path across the stream. I planted this combo of ground covers last summer and it is the first grouping that has not only survived but thrived. 

This area still has some of its earliest plantings I made in the garden, though many others have come and gone over the years. 

 

Comments

[Lisa at Greenbow]

Love those foliage combos. I can almost hear the burbling from here.

[Barbara H.]

What a paradise! I would love to have that water feature but I know the installation and maintenance can be pretty intense. I'll just sit outside, close my eyes and listen to your water.

[Nell]

There's nothing as wonderful (and as attractive to birds) as the sound of burbling, rushing water. Magical.

What is the successful ground cover?

[Kris P]

Even though I haven't got a chance in heck of growing 90+% of what you do, I hope I can get to the Madison Fling if only just to see your garden.

[Linda Brazill]

It would be lovely to meet you in person. I love your garden as it looks on your blog and again, I can't grow a fraction of what you have.

[Linda Brazill]

The installation of a pond like ours is a pretty big undertaking but we don't do anything much day to day. Each fall we should clean out all the leaves and muck but it usually is every few years that we do that it seems any more. We used to have areas where we could throw the pond muck but that is one of the problems nows; very little unplanted space.

[Linda Brazill]

The garden is just full of birds at the moment. The ground covers are creeping moneywort which is a Lysmachia; also a dwarf Veronica and the lime green fuzzy one is Scotch or Irish "moss."

[Beth@PlantPostings]

Your garden is magical in every season, Linda. Your ground cover combinations are lovely.