Speaking of Gardening

It was a wonderful two day symposium and I am totally glad I went. There was a lot of talk by major plant geeks about a wide range of plant species that should be suitable for gardens in this area. The more exposure I get to this new plant palette, for me any way, the better.

I met a Landscape Architect who wants some of my Hepatica, one of the plants Dan Hinkley recommended as new or unusual plants for the mixed border. Now mine is the straight species, H. americana, not one of the trendy cultivars on his list from Asia, but if it allows me an introduction into the horticultural circles of WNC I can sacrifice a few. Dan also recommended the native Diphylleia cymosa, Umbrella Leaf, as a bold texture plant for the garden. I just happen to have more than a few of those growing here too.

Better yet, I introduced myself to the Horticultural Director of the NC Arboretum and chatted with a lot of other Arboretum staff. My face will get familiar.

I also met a Daffodil show judge and invited her up to see the resident gardeners spring extravaganza. She seemed quite eager to do that come spring.

We still have fall and winter to get through first. A few trees seem to be getting a head start.















Brian Upchurch the owner of a local wholesale nursery spoke on plants with winter interest. He has a thing for Witch Hazels, Hamamelis cultivars, and has brought many of them over here from England. I have some of the native H. virginiana growing here.

At the plant give away my name was drawn for the Acer palmatum 'Arakawa', a fifteen foot tall Japanese Maple noted for the rough bark on the trunk for winter interest. I think "The Mayor" (Arakawa was the mayor of Maui County) will go in the vicinity of a future tea house to be built overlooking the stream for quiet contemplation.

All this talk about specific plants was good because I have a new garden to design. While I was gone my hillside of saprolite subsoil was busy turning green.















The speakers were not a pretty flower type of group. Hank Bruno, the Horticultural Director of Callaway Gardens in Georgia spoke about Conservation Horticulture and the need for gardeners to be part of the healing process for the planet. Richard Olsen, a research geneticist with the US National Arboretum in Washington DC gave an interesting talk on the history of early plant explorers like Asa Gray, John Lyon, Andre Michaux and John Bartram. Many of these early plant explorers spent a great deal of time in the southern Appalachia because of its unique biodiversity and strong resemblance to parts of Asia. He related this to the National Arboretum's mission as a germplasm storage bank and their work to find improved plants for release to the public.



















I need ideas because at some point I will want to plant this hillside. It will not be a grass slope and I do not want a high maintenance perennial flower garden on terrain like this. I have really liked the heath and heather gardens I have seen, the low mounding drifts of color and may try to create something along those lines. It will have full sun in a well drained soil.

Looking up.














Looking down.

This is the utility easement so trees are not allowed. Besides it is really the only full sun I have. Why mess that up?














The meadow full of wildflowers is a real treat, but it is not my style. I need more organization.















We were given a slide show presentation of Dan Hinkley's new garden, Windcliff, directly on the water in Puget Sound north west of Seattle with "The View" to pay big bucks for. I do not have his budget, but the concepts that inspire his garden can be used by all of us.

Texture was the big theme and this was accomplished by using plants that would adapt to his new sunnier garden and live without supplemental water in the dry summers like most of the west coast.

Nature and the elements were invited into the garden. Plants were used to frame the view and to create places were the view was the destination. Water invited in the wildlife and reflected the sky. Grasses and prayer flags made the wind visible.

Dyphylleia cymosa, the native Umbrella Leaf with dramatic blue seeds on a bright red stem. The leaves are beginning to fade away. This plant grows naturally along the stream edge in the deep shade. It was suggested with proper soil and water it could be grown in the mixed border in a bit more sun. I just need to encourage more of it and get rid of the Nettle along my stream and I may be done.














The rocks have a real tendency to roll down hill. Water actually does flow through here when it rains hard enough from the culverts along the road that are drained into this area. There will be plenty to use for a semi-wet stream bed and more water loving full sun plants.

The half of the wild meadow that was not mushed will be tamed and there are plans to put in another road across this slope to the other side along the upper line where you see the top section of sprouted grass seed meets the center section which has not sprouted. That was the last part I seeded.














I will have plenty of time to plan out this slope. I do want it low maintenance, but it will still need paths to access and enjoy it. Some terracing and short walls may be done to create a flat area directly below the cabin.














Taking many cues from nature, the site and my own desires and learning what will grow and thrive here, some day it will all blend in and look like it belongs here. By then I may belong here too.














For tomorrow though I have one last column to repair.