A Misty Morning Stroll Through the Moody, Late Autumn Garden …
Still Shining Brightly After the Unseasonable Snow Storm: Abelia mosanensis and Miscanthus sinensis ‘Variegatus’ with a Carpet of Juniper in the Entry Garden
Resilience. Sometimes I am astonished by nature’s ability to bounce back after trauma. In spite of a historic, tropical storm in August and record-breaking two feet of snow in October, the garden is doing remarkably well and is on the re-bound. I’m happy to report there was little damage to the vast majority of woody plants, and even the ornamental grasses are perking back up. My Stewartia pseudocamellia did suffer a nasty break on a particularly poetic lower branch and sadly, it’s throwing off the artful asymmetry. I did a quick pruning job to clean up the wound, but I will have to make a few tough decisions —including whether or not to keep or replace this tree— come spring.
And so a quick tour of the misty, November garden highlights; a bit less vibrant this year, perhaps, but seductive and enchanting nonetheless …
The Young Blackhaw Viburnum Still Holds Colorful Foliage and Fruit (Viburnum prunifolium)
Thanks to a Night of Gentle Shaking Throughout the Snow Storm, Not a Hair Was Harmed on Her Glorious Crown: The Blue Green Dragon (Acer palmatum x dissectum ‘Seiryu’) Continues to Blaze in Full Color at the Secret Garden Door
The Coral Stems of the Nannyberry Viburnum (V. lentago) Look Even More Fantastical When Laced With Dewy Cobwebs
I’m Not Sure of How the Bluestar Amsonia (Amsonia hubrichtii) and Oakleaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia) Survived Two Feet of Heavy Snow, but I’m Oh-So Pleased They Both Did!
Blooming Past the Snow: Native Aster (Symphyotrichum oblongifolium) ‘Raydon’s Favorite’
Through Snow, Sleet and Rain: This Border of Miscanthus sinensis purpurascens, Fothergilla major ‘Mt. Airy’, Juniperus x pfitzeriana ‘Sea Green’ and Cornus alba ‘Siberica’ Still Glows Bright as Hot Coals
Cotoneaster  dammeri ‘Eichholz’and Juniperus HorizontalisÂ
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8 Replies to “A Misty Morning Stroll Through the Moody, Late Autumn Garden …”
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I LOVE your stone wall!
Your moody garden is beautiful. I especially like the velvety blue viburnum berries. You mention your blackhaw viburnum is a young one. My V. prunifolium is 6 years in my garden now, about four or five feet tall, and does not bloom or produce berries. Hmmm? Do I have a problem?
Thanks for the tour,everything looks just lush! I love the fall.Still have a few rosa ragusa opening here,amidst golden and red grasses.The marsh has put on her rusty gold winter coat,and the woods are great and gorgeous except for the ticks.I had a nasty deer tick bite on my thigh.Now it’s in the ITCHY stage.
@ Paspirit – Thank you. Or, thank Dan Snow! I think of him and his hard work every time I pass that wall. He creates such beautiful things.
@ Laurrie – You know, this was the first year my blackhaw flowered and produced fruit. In general, I try to plant two of the species on a property for best pollination/fruit, however this is not true here. I have one V. lentago and one V. prunifolium in close proximity. But this does not explain your lack of flowers.
I believe the V. prunifolium on my property is 8 years old (here in my garden for maybe 5 or 6 of those years). It’s about five feet, maybe six feet tall. Sounds like mine is just a wee bit ahead of yours.
I can share some of my conditions and experiences here and hope maybe something strikes a chord: This is a particularly fruity year in my garden, across the board. Everything —from Ilex to Viburnum to Juniper to Lindera— is loaded. In the blackhaw’s case, I think the flowers and fruit may have a bit to do with maturity, though some cultivars produce more berries than others. I have the standard, native species. I suspect that ample moisture (oh so ample) and lots of bee activity had quite a bit to do with the blackhaw’s happiness this year. I find it to be a slow grower, but I rather like that in the long-haul. I am training my specimen as a rounded tree, but have done very little pruning. I do fertilize, but simply with compost. The soil is slightly acidic (5.6-6ish) and exposure is mostly sunny, NW. I think it takes this species a little while to settle in and flower. V. lentago produces more flowers and fruit every year.
xo M
I am a bit (ok, QUITE a bit) astounded by these bounce-back photos…amazing! Warms my heart to see how well a gardener’s world can persist after enduring such freakish conditions. Am especially smitten with your fothergilla border – oh, that’s just glorious!!
Ah, so beautiful. The colours are so rich and vibrant!
Hi Michaela, Just noticed the weather warnings for your area this morning.
Hope you’re all battened down and tucked up cozy and warm. xo D
The garden is so much stronger than I believe. It’s a true inspiration during this time of being under-the-weather myself! xo M