Landscape/Garden Design

[Phred]

The following are some of my favorite features from gardens I have built. Some were for me and some for others. I will add photos a few at a time probably by area as not to overwhelm anyone.
The first garden I will share photos from will be from a garden I built in Massachusetts on the Cape. It was 1/3 acre and contained more than 1200 species/variety of plant material. It was open to the public by appointment. The first photos are of the entrance gates into the side yard which led down a stone step pathway into the back yard. This set of gates came from China. I was told they were circa 1600. I took them when we sold the place and I have them in storage.

 

[Linus_Cello]

Nice. Did the new owners keep up the garden?

 

[Phred]

Its private now and they kept it but they did not keep it up... if you know what I mean.

 

[Phred]

Side yard looking up toward the gates.

 

[Tom-DE]

Holy smokes! I didn't expect that or you as a professional when I asked you to post some photos of your gardens. Thank you so much! I can't wait to see more! .....and please don't mind just a few questions along with it.

Will the Japanese forest grass grow okay in deep shade?

 

[Tom-DE]

The garden gate is a great treasure and I am glad you keep it for yourself. Love those big stones/boulders too.

 

[Phred]

Holy smokes! I didn't expect that or you as a professional when I asked you to post some photos of your gardens. Thank you so much! I can't wait to see more! .....and please don't mind just a few questions along with it.

Will the Japanese forest grass grow okay in deep shade?

Hi Tom
Thanks for the compliment. Garden design is a hobby and while I have made some money doing it... it has never been my business.
As for your question... yes Japanese Forest Grass will grow in the deep shade. The newer varieties with red in them need a little more sun to develop good color though. The thing most gardeners don’t realize, and blame on too much shade, is that there is a lot less water in the shady parts of their gardens. Besides the major competition from roots of the trees they plant under the canopy above generally sheds water to the outer part of the canopy which keeps it dryer even in a rainstorm. (That’s why we run under the tree when we get caught in a rain storm right) Take extra time to make sure your shade gardens get enough water. I will frequently water those area after the rain stops to ensure deeper saturation.

 

[Tom-DE]

Thank you for the advice, Phred.

 

[Linus_Cello]

What is the yew next to the blooming azalea? And what is the variegated dogwood in the last picture? ( and where did you buy the gate from?)

 

[Phred]

What is the yew next to the blooming azalea? And what is the variegated dogwood in the last picture? ( and where did you buy the gate from?)

Hi Linus
The conifer next to the blooming Azalea is a Japanese Hemlock - Tsuga diversifolia.
The variegated Dogwood is Cornus kousa ‘Snow Boy’
The gates came from a shop named Feng Shui near Bellingham MA. The owner would travel to China and buy up as much old stuff as he could as they tore down old homes and courtyards with gates to modernize. At the time they would trash the stuff but at a point the Chinese government decided these items were national treasures and stopped letting him export them. He ended up closing his shop... very sad day. I have other gates and a large number of wood screens from him also.

 

[Linus_Cello]

Hi Linus
The conifer next to the blooming Azalea is a Japanese Hemlock - Tsuga diversifolia.

Is the T. diversifolia a varietal like Loowit or Minikin?

 

[Phred]

Is the T. diversifolia a varietal like Loowit or Minikin?

It’s a species and it is susceptible to wooly adelgid.

 

[abax]

Wonderful garden that's so tranquil. Looks like a lovely place to take my yoga mat and meditate. Of course, after the
work to maintain that beautiful place.

 

[Ozpaph]

wow!

 

[Phred]

Here’s a couple more pictures of the side yard and then I’ll post on a different area... this photo is through the gates a little further looking toward the back part of the garden. You can see the built in hot tub built in on the right.

This view is looking up towards the gates. The hot tub is sunken into the deck and set on the pad a couple feet below to be as inconspicuous as possible.

 

[Tom-DE]

Love it!
I really love the way you arranged/placed the rocks.
What is the bamboo that you used for this garden? Is it Fargesia rufa? I am thinking about adding bamboos to my garden, what is your suggestion?

 

[Phred]

What is the bamboo that you used for this garden? Is it Fargesia rufa? I am thinking about adding bamboos to my garden, what is your suggestion?

The bamboo next to the gate is Fargesia robusta (Fountain Bamboo). It’s one of the larger growing ones. I also had F. nitida (Blue Fountain Bamboo) and F. rufa (Green Panda Bamboo). Fargesia rufa is much smaller by about a third or half the size (6-8’). If you have room to let them ‘weep’ I whole hartidly recommend Fargesia. You should tie them up in the winter so they don’t get damaged by heavy snow.
I have grown a number of the running bamboo also... love them all.

 

[Tom-DE]

Thank you for the recommendations, Phred. Space is not an issue for me, so I will add a couple more clumps of bamboos to my gardens.

 

[Phred]

This is the upper area outside the gates. I wanted to creat a private sitting area surrounded by plantings. I built a fence from treated lumber and old spruce 1”x12” boards I scavenged from an old auto repair shop in the country. I constructed berms and began to plant. The two Cryptomeria japonica in the second photo are there to block the neighbors view.

 

[southernbelle]

The bamboo next to the gate is Fargesia robusta (Fountain Bamboo). It’s one of the larger growing ones. I also had F. nitida (Blue Fountain Bamboo) and F. rufa (Green Panda Bamboo). Fargesia rufa is much smaller by about a third or half the size (6-8’). If you have room to let them ‘weep’ I whole hartidly recommend Fargesia. You should tie them up in the winter so they don’t get damaged by heavy snow.
I have grown a number of the running bamboo also... love them all.

I thought bamboo was horribly invasive.