A Four-Season Garden

The changing beauty of the seasons provides the theme for this garden. Enter via the south driveway, through a tunnel of trees that unfolds into spaces reflecting an obvious love for color and diversity.

To the left, a Persian ironwood (Parrotia persica) provides shade for the ‘Sister Ghost’ Japanese maple, as well as a mature mountain laurel and a rose of Sharon. Surrounded by deciduous shrubs, the thin leaf pittosporum and wheel tree (Trochodendron aralioides) provide evergreen winter interest.

Following the path, a large paperbark maple (Acer griseum) comes into view, as well as other diverse tree specimens. Peek out the west gate to enjoy the foliage and paths that enclose this corner lot.

At the southwest corner under a ‘Katsura’ Japanese maple (whose new leaves start out yellow in the spring) is a “bird garden” where bird figures nestle among the plants. Winter-blooming plants include edgeworthia, ‘Perfume Princess’ daphne and many hellebores. Ferns thrive in the shade here, including the small tropical ribbon fern (Pteris cretica.) Other noteworthy trees are the Japanese stewartia and ‘Lion’s Head’ Japanese maple.

In summer the sunny arbor garden is a calm retreat with views of the paperbark maple, ‘Milky Way’ Kousa dogwood, blueberries and a bountiful vegetable garden.

The diversity of plant species makes this garden beautiful any month of the year.