Prime Time - Summer!
Take a walk around the garden beginning in the Better Angels garden. A tall undulating spruce Picea omorika 'Bruns pendula' waves to the American flag across Middleton Street. A dwarf weeping purple beech Fagus sylvatica 'Pendula Purpurea' stands camouflaged above the yellow and white striped grass Miscanthus 'Strictus'. Tall yellow Helianthus 'Lemon Queen' spread widely, while gigantic Hosta 'Sum and Substance' together with purple astilbe anchor the front of the garden. The dark plum leaves of the yellow Dahlia 'Mystic Illusion' add contrast to a mix of over thirty plants including white zinnias, purple salvia and Russian sage, golden moneywort, lemon thyme, angelonia, lilies, canna, and pardancanda, to name a few. With a scissors in hand, Jean selects the prime flowers of the week for bouquets.
In the Golden Grassway, the towering red Dahlia 'Bishop of Llandaff' is a stunning accent, and annual red salvias repeat their brilliant color. The tall Arborvitae hedge and canopy of sumac provide a shady napping spot. Scarlet red poppies with their deep purple throats create a magnificent display for one week in June.
In an earlier year, our grandchild Grant explores the path past red begonias with their shiny leaves set next to those of the speckled polka dot plants. The tall red Astilbe 'Fanal' creates a heyday with less statuesque purple Stachys 'Hummelo' and annual red salvias. Between them are clumps of the very dark cimicifuga, the graceful Solomon's seal, and the golden Hakonechloa macra 'Aureola' for which the Golden Grassway was named.
In 2007, orange begonias were featured in the Golden Grassway. Ten years later when the shade of the sumac was gone, orange Lilium henryi steal the show.
The narrow path through the Golden Grassway leads you into this expansive open space. Take a seat beneath the white spire birch and let the Pennisetum fountain grass tickle your chin. Rub the leaves of mint, rosemary, and sage between your fingers, releasing their sweet scent as you walk through the Bling Prairie.
Carex pensylvanica provides a windswept ground cover here fronting the yellow Coreopsis 'Jethro Tull'.
As Asian lilies and a riot of blooms and grasses catch the rays of the late afternoon sun, father and son catch a moment together, their loyal dog relaxing on the lawn.
The barefoot brother lobs a volleyball across the net, while the sprinkler sprays the far garden at the end of the day. Scarlet red Begonia boliviensis 'Santa Cruz' share the glory with towering orange Lilium henryi off the deck.
While we prepared a feeder with oranges specifically for Baltimore orioles, only one time did we get a visit. Perhaps it felt safely camouflaged by the orange lilies nearby. The pink Lilium 'Black Beauty' below grows to a sprawling seven feet tall.