Grand Old Victorian

This grand old Victorian had been extensively renovated-unfortunately, much of the landscaping had been destroyed. Our design took into account the history of the property, using modern cultivars of plants that had been used when the house was built (without the garish colors so loved by the Victorians!) Green Cascade Japanese maples flank the entrance, surrounded by a boxwood and liriope parterre garden that is filled in the early spring with small flowering bulbs. Besides the “foundation” plantings, we installed a aromatic rose and perennial garden by the pool; a woodland garden with stone path, and a winter/summer garden using box patterns, strong color perennials for cutting and trees and shrubs with winter interest (colorful stems, berries, shape etc.) This can all be seen from the kitchen window.

Ten years ago, this was a mess of maple saplings and bittersweet. Three varieties of rhododendron were planted first to establish the “wall’ of the area, then hostas, hellebores, Japanese forest grass and different ferns and cranesbill geraniums were added. Labrador violets have naturalized here, as have hundreds of scilla, trillium, Glory of the Snow, puschkinia and other spring bulbs. This garden is also very low maintenance (except an occasional spray to keep deer off the hostas)

What was once a long narrow patch of soil is now delightful walled box and herb garden. The space was divided by dwarf box into 3 mini-gardens with lavender, lady’s mantle and thymes
throughout. A native stone path connects the 3 areas, which ends with a dwarf weeping crabapple. Roses and clematis climb the walls, and blue and purple s\scilla, crocus and hyacinths fill the triangular box parterre by the porch door.