Autumn at the Haywards

We had an early and hard frost here in Vermont in mid October, which sealed the deal on many of the annuals and tender plants. It is always a bittersweet morning, walking out to sagging and slimy foliage, crumpled flowers and everything tinged the color of death. The work does become clear in that moment and we all hastily cut back, rake out, and prep for the winter garden. Here are some pictures from the first week in October, pre-frost, at Gordon and Mary Hayward's Garden.

Above: The New Spring Garden with layers of autumnal color. In front is the purple splash of Aster oblongifolius 'Raydon's Favorite,' with a gangly self-seeded Nicotiana sylvestris, sprays of white Gaura, scrambling nastursium, bits of deep red from a Gallardia and Persicaria amplexicaulis 'Firetail,' complimented by the upright mustard hue of Senna hebecarpa, against the dark red backdrop of Viburnum trilobum.

Another nice scene and one that hasn't changed dramatically since early summer, since both the Persicaria 'Firetail' and Origanum 'Rosenkuppel' have been in bloom since then. Credit goes to Gordon and Mary for their great plant choices, these two, plus the delicate seed heads Sporobolus heterolepsis, are the longest performing perennials of the year. All three bloomed early and held on late, the colors of their blooms deepening into rustier hues as the season progressed. Here, late in the season, Anemone 'Robustissima' joined the stage while the shrub, Cornus officinalis, turned a ruddy tone. My other all time favorite plant of this past summer was the annual Ammi visnaga 'Green Mist.' Its foliage started out a delicate, feathery ferny green in early summer. It's bloom was lovely, a greeny tinted Queen Ann's flower, with that lovely wiry- nest like seed head. Over time, the ferny green took on a yellow tone that lasted until the frost.

It was an endless sea of Verbena bonariensis, though we only planted a few plants. All the manure, long, spring rains, and ample space to take up, encouraged each plant to grow long, lanky arms, full of flowers. Here it is paired with the Persicaria 'Firetail' again. This was a plant that got better as time went by and one that did not require any deadheading. Its only downfall was its deliciousness to those pesky Japanese Beatles, who turned their foliage into pitted, ratty wings. Once the pest season passed, the foliage rebounded and the flowers deepened in color.  In the foreground, the yellow flowers of the bronze fennel are coming into their fine show. This plant had such striking foliage all summer, it was hard to imagine the plant could improve- and then it did.

Here is one of the Salvia confertifloras just starting to bloom. In most gardens, as I was warned, this plant did not have enough time to come into full bloom, but I often admired this plant for its structure and foliage alone. It has large, bright green, leathery leaves and dark stems. It always had such a presence where ever it was planted.

One of the greatest grasses of all time:

Miscanthus sinensis 'Purpurascens'

Here is a picture taken earlier in the season of the Aster 'Raydon's Favorite' inter planted with Ammi visnaga 'Green Mist.'

The New Spring Garden

In May, I mentioned a new project at Gordon and Mary Hayward's garden, I am calling it the New Spring Garden as it is a re-design of the old Spring Garden. This spot used to be full of plum trees and spring flowering bulbs and it was beautiful, but difficult to maintain. Gordon and Mary called for a re-do and the entire garden was dug over. All the dying and suckering plums were removed and they build an axial path shown here, dividing the garden into four quadrants. This spring they ordered a slew of new perennials to create a meadow-inspired garden in the spirit of Piet Oudolf. When I returned from Great Dixter I was brimming over with new plant ideas and annual planting techniques and so Gordon and Mary charged me with the task of weaving annuals through their perennial plantings. We moved in some teasel that Gordon and Mary overwintered in their vegetable garden and this photo shows how well they have grown. This post is dedicated to what has happened in just two short months. I think we are all very excited about this garden and it does feel different from other areas of the garden- it is untamed and wild and packed to the brim with plants. See what you think.
(The above photo was taken by Gordon Hayward)

A quick "before shot" just after the new perennials were planted in mid-May

The annuals were all planted by late May and the entire garden has filled in to look like this by mid-July.

A slice of happy plants. The magenta pink is Oregano is 'Rosenkuppel,' with an Eryngium from the vegetable garden, and the small flurry of seeds are from the flower heads of the grass Sporobolus heterolepsis (see upper left). The annuals include white stems of Gaura in the front, tall feathery Ammi visnaga 'Green Mist, with bright spots of red from Emilia javanica, and the tall bright pink of Persicaria orientalis brought home as seeds from Great Dixter.

The fine mist of Sporobolus with the Oregano, plus Persicaria amplexicaulis 'Firetail,' with a mighty teasel lingering in the back ground.

A lively corner with that Oregano, a Coreopsis Mary started from seed a few years back, plus Gaura and nasturtium.

A snaking garnet sea of Sanguisorba officinalis 'Tanna' with Ammi majus and Verbena bonariensis. The Ammi and Verbena was a combination directly quoted from pictures I saw of Great Dixter last year. The bright red spots come from that great Emilia plant.

More sprays of Sporobolus with the Verbena, Ammi and Persicaria.

Even though it is a very new garden, there are still many of the old self-seeders representing a piece of the garden's former life. Here are the native tiger lilies and some of Mary's poppies.

A quieter shot of this pot display I helped assemble earlier this year.

(Photo taken by Gordon Hayward)

Gordon and Mary Hayward's Garden

I have been very sparse in my blog posting and I do miss the routine of sitting down, looking through pictures, writing and looking up plants, but life has been very busy this spring. I am starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel; soon all the plants will be in the ground, the gardens will be top dressed, the edges refined and all big projects finished or put on hold until fall. And summer will be here. Here are a few nice shots of Gordon and Mary's garden looking beautiful this late May.

Above Lamprocapnos spectabalis (once known as Dicentra spectabilis) 'Gold Heart.' This plant can wash out and look a little busy in some places, against a white house or planted with other chartreuse foliage, but here it looks amazing among a sea of Geranium macrorrhizum and against the faded gray of the gardening shed.

 

Looking down into the Orchard garden and entrance to the Brick walk. 

The woodland garden is as good as I have ever seen it- completely awash in a mixture of phlox stolinifera and phlox divericata.

Looking from inside the woodland garden and out to the fruit orchard and surrounding hay field. I love the jagged edge of the old wall against the bright green patch of mowed grass.

Looking down the lovely Long Borders

Peony 'Roselette,' an early, fragrant, large, single flowered, and tall peony that hardly ever needs staking. This one is a winner!

This garden used to be called the spring garden, but had a complete makeover this year. The path and bench are new as well as all the plants. I was given the task of planting annuals in amongst the new perennials, a la Dixter style.  I will keep you posted on how it all turns out...

This has been a glorious year everywhere for the Doublefile Viburnum (V. plicatum var. tomentosum). It is one plant that didn't mind this past winter.