Islands in the Sun

Dwarf conifers, perennials and spring bulbs fill island beds in this sunny garden, placed where passers-by can enjoy them. A passion for plant collecting brought neighbors together to divide perennials and share thousands of bulbs and cuttings during COVID. These shared plants can be seen throughout the neighborhood. 

An appreciation for dwarf evergreens is evident throughout the garden. A ‘Chief Joseph’ lodgepole pine with its bright gold needles stands out in one of the front islands. The vigorous Japanese cedar (Japan’s national tree), distinctive with yellow tips in winter, turning white in summer, grows near the north side of the house.

With a hillside lush with conifers, rhododendrons, and a waterfall, the secluded garden and back patio are a quiet oasis from the sounds of the street. Boston ivy on the high fence makes a dramatic backdrop of bright orange and yellow in the fall. On the slope is a ‘Purple Fountain’ weeping beech, with glossy rounded leaves. A very old rose-of-Sharon with lavender blooms and a stonecrop ground-cover flourish in the circular planter. A line of eight small rhododendrons bloom purple in spring and August. To the west, another rose-of -Sharon blooms pink, and the colorful viburnum provides a home for birds. Look for a fine-textured sedge (Carex ‘Everillo’) dotting the hillside. It performs dependably in sun or shade, and wet or dry conditions. 

Colorful, carefully tended, and creative...the garden’s beauty is shared with all the neighborhood.