Just before the tour: The Driveway Borders and The Moon Garden

The group from Scott Arboretum of Swarthmore College was not scheduled to arrive at our garden until 5 p.m. That meant we could set up the Tea House, blow the paths clear of leaves and rake the gravel easily during the day of the tour. When everything was ready, Mark went out and took almost 200 photos of the garden and our visitors.

I've grouped the best images into individual posts concentrating on a particular area of the garden: the Tea House, the ponds and stream, the driveway and Moon Garden, the Tsukubai and planting around the house and deck. Let's start out front.

Me, in my glory, on the bench by our front door waiting for the visitors to arrive.

To the left of the house at the very end of the driveway is this de-accessioned grave marker under our Forest Pansy Redbud. The backside of this border is a grassy path between our driveway planting and our neighbor's.

I know you want to know what the marker says: "Mary / Wife of / William Lavin / Died / April 5, 1868 / 84 years / Native of Co. Sligo / Ireland / May She Rest in Peace. It's almost impossible to imagine her life. She would've been born in 1784, came across the sea and lived through the Civil War. 

The east side of the driveway garden is a mix of trees and shrubs that are mostly evergreen underplanted with Epimediums and Hakonechloa grass. 

The opposite side of the drive is the stone wall that was done in 2015. The planting here is fairly low maintenance with a number of shrubs and plants that I know will survive. At the end of the wall just past the Orange Rocket barberry are the stone steps up into this garden. 

This is the view from the top of the steps, looking at the back of our symbolic stone lantern and the circular "Moon Garden' whose two halves are yin and yang. 

Mark raked the gravel into a pattern suggesting raindrops as that's how the day of the tour began.

Hostas, Hellebores, ferns, Epimediums and drooping Tricyrtis macrantha (yellow-belled Toad Lily) are planted above the wall. 

The Hostas in this bed are all drama queens: 'Sagae', 'Inniswood' and the beautiful blue 'Abiqua Drinking Gourd'. 

You exit the circle into the Birch Grove which is home to five single trunk River Birch trees and woodland plants. 

The path will take you past Mark's limestone sculpture, along the west side of the house to the edge of the Tea House garden. 

Comments

[Denise]

It is so beautiful! I envy the visitors.

[Jane M]

Stunning!

[Kris P]

You and Mark could write a book on layering foliage, Linda. I'm impressed by the excellent job Mark did with the gravel too, as well as his limestone structure. I'm sure your visitors were thrilled with their tour.

[Barbara H.]

It all looks very pristine to me - you outdid yourselves. Love Mark's gravel pattern too.

[Tracy]

Stunning

[Lisa at Greenbow]

I agree with Barbara, you two out did yourselves. Don't you look cute sitting there in front of the house awaiting tourists. The circle garden with the rain drops is impressive. It wouldn't look anything like this with me on the end of that rake. Can't wait to see more.

[Frank]

Wonderful! I'm already looking forward to the next installment :)

[Kristin]

As usual, I am sighing with happiness as I stroll through your garden

[danger garden]

Stunnng! Lucky us getting to preview the tour. More please....

[Linda Brazill]

You are one of the few blog readers who can truly imagine this having actually strolled through the garden!

[Linda Brazill]

If you come to the 2020 fling in Madison you can visit in person!

[Linda Brazill]

Thanks for those kind words, especially as you have a lovely garden yourself.

[Linda Brazill]

As you know, all the rain we've had this year has made keeping up with the weeds a serious job. Plants look good but I am exhausted from the weeds!