David, thank you for posting these pics - your new place is wonderful! Your hard work has certainly paid off. I love the terrace and pergola, but I think the woodland areas are my favorite. Well done!

-Wendy

I'm absolutely in awe! I'm so glad you shared pictures. I don't think I'd have believed it was possible if you just had told us about it. I could go on and on but I don't think there are words to do justice to what you've accomplished. I'm glad to hear you changed your mind about moving plants. I'll be moving in a couple of years and have been debating taking plants with me. Now I'm quite certain I will, though probably not on the scale that you did. Again Kudos to you.

I am a bit speechless, so I'll just add my praises to everyone elses - an ongoing project that is already a work of art!

David, it is truly humbling to see what you have accomplished in such a short period of time. And I cannot imagine the effort and time it takes not only to design and plant but to maintain to any degree, which your glorious photos indicate it is. My entire garden would fit into only one of those photos and I still have difficulty finding the time to give it the attention it deserves.

Now please excuse me while I go out and blow up what passes for a garden here - I'm inspired to simply start over from scratch :-) And oh, those hardscapes!! Did you design all of that yourself?? If so, you have missed your calling - professional landscape design in the NE needs you!

I have found a few more pictures of new parts of the garden that might be of interest. The garden is much bigger than even some of these pictures suggest, because all I have shown so far are the back parts of the garden and the woodland. There are large beds in the front that I have only begun to work on this fall, and I forgot that I had even taken any pictures.

The front entry has a little secluded area off to one side that we are making into a meditation garden. It will have relatively simple(r) plantings (I have a hard time making ANY planting simple), and because it is a very protected niche surrounded by the house on 3 sides, it will be a place to try to grow some tender things. It is 'guarded' by a sentinel paperbark maple that I moved from my garden:
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We are having great fun starting vines growing up the masonry/stone walls, for any gardener of course, one of the main reasons to have stone or brick walls at all. This is Schizophragma hydrangeoides 'Moonlight', after less than one year in the ground. It has put out a tremendous amount of growth, being near a sprinkler head I think.
{{gwi:197801}}

I chose a wonderful specimen of Stewartia koreana from my old garden to act as the major specimen tree for the front entry beds. This plant has been a much better bloomer when young than S. pseudocamellia for me, and it has outstanding 4 season interest. This particular plant has been a very abundant bloomer, producing many 100s of flowers throughout July. I somewhere in my computer lost the pics of it in bloom this year, but here it is from my old garden in early July:

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New place, in fall
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Closeup of the fall foliage. One of the most fantastic trees for fall color!
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The front garden (about 400' in length from the road) will have a large walk through bed which features summer perennials, some bulbs, and perennials and woody plants with an emphasis of fall. People out there who know me well know that fall for me is one of the most important seasons of the garden, especially in the upper midwest, where it lasts from late August well into November.

The front bed under construction, path marked by the hose.

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The main specimen tree in this bed is also one that I (gladly) moved from my old house, a Cedar of Lebanon (Cedrus libanii v stenocoma), the only one reliably zone 5 hardy. This one is about 15' tall and is already a wonderful specimen
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In the back I have a much more "iffy" proposition, Cedrus deodora 'Karl Fuchs'. This species is supposed to be only zone 7 hardy, though this cultivar is hardier and has been known to survive locally in other gardens. It has made it through -5F so far this winter and last too, and still looks great

{{gwi:197809}}
Beneath it a maturing combo of Daphne caucasica and Rozanne, both of which bloom for months, especially in Fall
{{gwi:197811}}

Fall in the woodland garden is also going to be important as I have selected deciduous trees and shrubs partly for fall interest. View of the woodland from the entry path, showing hollies and deciduous trees in fall dress
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Oxydendrum arboreum, Sourwood, also a tree I moved, and one of my very favorites
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"dancing peacock" (Acer japonicum Aconitifolium), in the sunny bed, bright crimson
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And the exact same cultivar growing in shade in the woodland, with pumpkin orange fall color
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A variegated Brugmansia on the terrace, in fall

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And maybe one last picture of a successful transplant: Cypripedium kentuckiense, which I got as a gift from a friend, planted out into a humusy rich soil near one of the springs, and this year decided to send out three blooming stalks instead of one! Hopefully an indication for the garden as a whole in the coming years, as it settles in and begins to prosper.
{{gwi:197820}}

Thanks to all out there for your many kind comments and support.

David

Oops, one other stewartia koreana picture I wanted to post, that of its beautiful bark. Even a fairly young (4" dia) tree is developing the peeling bark exposing patches of smooth chocolate, buff, cream -- one of the best decduous trees for bark character as well. This picture was taken today
{{gwi:197822}}

So glad I checked this thread again, David. I note in the picture of the brug the fallen leaves on hardscape. Now, I've got two trees, a Chinese fringe tree, Chionanthus retusus, and Cotinus 'Grace," and I grumble about the amount of raking and sweeping needed of the paths, terraces, even raking the restios of stuck leaves, roses, you name it, from fallen leaves. How in heck must that be multiplied for you. I recently saw some massive Cedars of Lebanon at Strybing arboretum, Golden Gate Park, and didn't realize there were varying species to choose from depending on zone. The sourwood is gorgeous. This is getting exciting, David!

David,

Thanks for the views of your new garden, it is truly inspiring and amazing to see how much you have accomplished in the time you have nurtured your new home and gardens. Something to be very proud of, and always remember to enjoy the work and the process of creating it along the way!

I love the gravel beds, with the Asclepsis, Nepeta, Salvias, and Crambe. Wonderful combinations.

John

I missed the start of this thread as I was away.
I so enjoy seeing things from your former gardens reappear in these photos: The little girl sculpture, various clematis, more too.
The development of the woods is gorgeous even if I did show concern about you playing with it. I look forward to the epimediums and hellebores etc. I remain a fern addict too.
I love the various 'rooms' and see the need for meditation spaces, for Jim's screen house, for wilderness areas.
I share concerns for large area planting and maintenance. This year in particular with a first grandchild arriving miles and hours away, I see that I will be traveling. This baby is showing me life beyond gardening, at least for a while. I'm not sure how things will evolve, but I simply cannot afford much help. There are only 2 people I know who understand my gardens and know enough to help maintain them. The others would destroy what has been started. These things evolve.... ;-)
It is nice to hear your thoughts about moving garden material again. I agree that mature plants make an enormous difference in a new garden. If they are meaningful too, so much the better.
When you come visit, I'll do my best to tidy up! That will be a great motivator! Charlotte is slowing down and I'll have a hard time dealing with this. Of course I am slowing down as well.
Already I am seeing amazing blooms from English friends, so spring and enthusiasm will return!

David....
Your house and property are just incredibly beautiful.
Having a good sized garden (by Chicago-city standards), I have often felt overwhelmed with keeping it all up and trying new ideas. I can't imagine working with your amazing property.
It's truly a work of art.
Do you some shady areas as well as sun filled spots?
Love your stone paths and the idea of a meditation garden....I'd love to hear more about that.
Thanks.
Jan

Jan, there is a whole woodland garden that I am working on, below the house and bordering 4 acres of relatively old-growth, pristine woods. Most of the pics of that are on the other thread below which includes lots of garden pics from lots of people. I am really excited most about having a woodland garden to work on, since my previous garden was mostly sunny. Most of the 4 acres of woods is going to remain as is, with the garden being mostly a path.

I am not yet sure what the meditation garden is going to be -- for now, a place to put the stone bench I brought from my old garden (there's another transplant...), and a japanese lantern my partner Jim had. Jim is in favor of 'spare' planting in this area, being a fan of more modern design and japanese gardens in general. But I am not sure, being a consummate plant collector, that I can DO "spare"!! For me, this is the most protected corner of the entire garden. So I have so far planted an Ackerman camellia, sweet box, Prunus laucerus -- plants that really shouldn't grow in zone 5b but I am trying here anyway. I know we want to have lots of evergreen textures since this is an area readily visualized from inside the house, at all seasons.

We will have to see what balance is struck between the 'spare modernist' and the 'geeky plant collector'. Oh, to be gardening alone again! Not really, of course, but the process is different when you have TWO people who have strong feelings about what the garden should be rather than one. Fortunately, Jim has given me 'veto power' over garden decisions since I am the primary gardener with the knowledge and experience.

Actually, I have really enjoyed the give and take of gardening with another person. It means making compromises, but I think the end result is better than that I would get by myself.

Here is a link that might be useful: Other garden pics

David, you've inspired me to tackle my woodland this spring. Since this will be my third spring gardening here, my front garden is far from full but the back is all woodland. How do you deal with root interference? The trees are large so their roots dry out the soil.

Hedy

David....
I understand the ups and downs of having "another opinion" regarding my gardens. I love having the help with the tough stuff, and occasional opinions...but, it's still my garden and tend to be somewhat territorial. I love your path concept, wandering in and out of different light and the natural growth that exists and the excitment of adding to it.
On a much smaller scale,I have a shady area by an ancient tree and really want to put an arbor there...and, maybe some climbing vines that like shade. Haven't had much luck finding a small arbor in my area, but look forward to finding one this season.
Have fun!
Jan

Hi David,
Thanks for the story, it's quite a project you're pulling off! I had to laugh as I browsed through the photos, it was like you anticipated every one of my questions, I wanted to know if you moved alot of plants... I wanted to know if you planned on growing vines and shrubs against the stone and brick.... I wanted to see a close-up of the stewartia bark... and then the next update answered my questions!
Good luck on keeping areas "spare", those plants are constantly conspiring against you as they multiply and spread! I find that the only thing that works for me is to pull everything out and start from scratch. It's remarkable how you don't miss some of the things you thought you would..... and if worse comes to worse you can pull them back out of the compost pile and replant!
Two questions:
Are you planning on growing anything across the top of the pergola? and also will you be posting photos of any of those hellebores I see!?
Love the lady slipper!
Frank

omigod ... couldn't sleep tonight .. thought i would just do a LITTLE looking 'til i got sleepy ... & then i happened upon your post ... there are no words .. except, maybe, "dammit, NOW I WILL NEVER GET TO SLEEP" ...

your gardens are absolutely STUPENDOUS!!!!

... and now i lay me down to sleep and pray the lord my soul to keep ... and if i should die before i wake i pray i wake up in david's garden!

g'nite, phyl

Frank, I am growing honeysuckles, clematis, and trumpet vines across the pergola. The plants were all planted last spring and are showing signs of really starting to move, so I bet we will get some coverage this year. In the picture which shows my partner Jim, you can see one of my favorite clematis, Betty Corning, being trained up one of the posts. The post in front of Betty has a selection of Lonicera sempervirens with orange red flowers that the hummers have already come to love.

And yes, I have many, many hellebores. I have collected them from all over, some from England. They have sat in a too dry holding bed out in the woods for 2 years, and last fall I finally moved them up into finished places in the garden. I even had a couple in bloom in January before the ultracold snap hit. I am looking for great things from them, not so much this spring but probably next year after they have had a chance to settle in for a year. They are now in areas that are watered and have more light so I suspect they will do much better. They may not flower too well this year since they were moved last fall -- hellebores, like peonies and clematis, resent root disturbance and do much better once they are settled.

awgeez .. just remembered i posted here in the WEE HOURS, and now i am afraid i came off as an idiot .. i'm NOT ... REALLY!

david, if i COULD i WOULD love gardens exactly like YOURS! ... they are what i envision heaven to be ...

last night was the 1st time i was lucky enough to stumble upon your pictures ... so i know nothing of your previous home & gardens; will definitely be looking for time to do a little research on david5311 and perusing some of your old posts!!!

phyl, who lives in the suburbs & wishes SHE had pristine forests for a backyard ....

The pergola sounds like a nice bold mix of colors that complement the butterfly weed and catmint nearby! Did you plant the straight species trumpet vine? Just wondering since I have a start of Madame Galen a friend gave to me, it was an amazing vine in her garden and I hope it does just as well in mine (without taking over of course!)
.... hmmmm, I also have the honeysuckle and a minuet clematis that could sub for Betty..... maybe I need to build my own pergola!
But here it would take up my entire yard, lol
I'm jealous of the hellebores, they will do great in your new garden. I've been oogling the Ashwood posts over at G.buddies and want a few english hellebores of my own. For now though I think an intercontinental plant buying trip is out of the question. What's up with that?
thanks again for the photos.

Hi kato. The pergola is actually in another part of the garden from the gravel garden, some distance apart (more than 100'). But the combination of various blue-purple-lavendars with yellow, orange, and a dash or 2 of red is one that I like, and there is a blue-yellow big mixed border near the pergola, so that will all sort of fit together. The trumpet vine I planted is indeed Mme. Galen, along with the yellow flowered one. I could not limit myself to one kind of plant on the pergola -- I am too much of a collector for that. I have a couple of purple-blue clematis to 'piggyback' on the trumpet vine too, so we'll see how they do. The pergola is very, very sturdy, but I am worried a bit about how much the trumpet vines would take over their surrounding beds below the pergola. Both Mme Galen and the yellow climbed 6-8 feet this past year from a spring planting of fairly small (1 gal) size plants. But I think the combo of the orange and yellow trumpet vines, the orange-red honeysuckle, and the range of purple and blue clematis will be a nice 'melange; of plants. That's the hope anyway -- a harmonious jumble, providing shade as well as color and seasonal change.

David, thanks for sharing the pictures of your new home and garden, they are just beautiful. I can't believe how mature it looks. It's nice to see that you brought so many of your plants from the old garden. That garden was stunning too. I am going to forward this post to Cindy from Bench's, I'm sure she would enjoy seeing your new home.
I have some pictures of your old garden, if you would be interested in them. If you are, I can keep them at Bench's, and if you stop in this year, they will be there for you. Just let me know.

Lori

Thanks Lori. I am sure I WILL stop at Bench's this spring. Might as well put in a plug for them -- the best greenhouse for tender perennials close to metro Detroit, by far. Last year I didn't have the time or anything else for them. This year, well, to quote Scarlet, "tomorrow... is another day..."

David,

Very nice and peaceful - looks like a retreat!

I was looking for Rozanne in your pictures - thanks for letting me see her on such a cold day. She warms the heart!

Great retreat and more then great piece of work.
I am mostly veggie gardener, but your pictures expire me to try to grow something for beauty.
Keep doing and post pictures.

Stunning, simply stunning....

I'm from the Detroit area David and never realized how beautiful it can be. I've been away for more than 30yrs and by gosh it looks like you've turned it into heaven. Thank you for sharing.
L

David, I ran across this link from Gardenbuddies and I must say, you've done an excellent job in so short a time (and weren't you considering scaling back somewhat at they new house?!).

We have similar styles, it seems, as I love the contrast in hardscaping materials, and besides the obvious clematis and roses, you've got some of my favorites there that I didn't know you had (my Stewartia is my favorite non-coniferous tree, for instance). Beautiful.

David, your gardens are so inspirational to me. Thanks so much for taking the time to post all the pictures and answer questions. (only in the winter, hmmm?) I'm sure there are many people out there like me who have have pored over the photos, looked up plant names, and dreamed. . . .

I'm deeply interested in the details, because so much of it applies directly to me. I live in a similar climate, similar terrain, similar property. I live near Buffalo, NY, just across Lake Erie from you, am zone 5B, and bought a house with a woods, a pond, and a slow moving stream / swamp. The pictures of your woods could be my woods (except mine has been invaded by rosa multiflora which I suspect will be a lifelong battle.) So I struggle with a lot of the same issues, but I seem to be doing a lot more struggling than you!

You mention something about creating a "sense of intimacy", and how it's hard to achieve in a large property. I've been laboring on that issue. Our house was built in the middle of a field, and the woods is 150 feet away. So the house had full sun, and no trees. Every time I walked outside I just felt "exposed" on all sides and subject to a strong west wind. I have been busy planting lots of trees to bridge this gap with the hope that intimacy and enclosure will be provided by an overhead canopy. Trees take years to get established and grow, but even with their current small stature, they have begun to define spaces and create focal points. Unlike you, I'm relatively new to all this tree stuff but have been studying a lot. Some of my tree selections have been stewartia koreana, acer griseum, dogwood, redbud, river birch, sugar maple, red maple, etc. So I loved seeing your specimen trees and hearing you describe them. I have little experience with large shrubs but suspect that is key to enclosure as well. If you have time, I'd love to hear how you approached that "intimacy" challenge and any broad principles that you think work.

Like you, I'm a bit concerned with what I've tackled and whether I can keep up. I tell myself it is so much work now because I am creating everything from scratch - new beds, new pathways, new trees, new whatever. At some point I should get all that base stuff done and be able to maintain with minor enhancements, right? HAHAHAHAHA - Denial is a powerful coping tool! like the idea of spare planting for a plant collector . . . .

Also, I see you are growing schizophragma on your stone and brick. Are you concerned that their roots will cause damage to the mortar? I would love to grow climbing hydrangea on our brick, but DH is concerned it will cause harm. I've searched online, but really haven't found much in the way of answering this question.

You truly have an amazing property!

Thanks again to everybody. Gottagarden, I am fortunate here in that we had complete control of how the house was sited. And the house is on an elevated point right at the junction of woods and open sunny areas. So the house feels like it is in sun on 2-3 sides, but in the woods on the last major one. And the house stands up over the woods, so that, on the terrace or in the screen porch, one feels like you are in a tree house. It also creates an area close to the house to make a woodland garden.

As far as learning about trees and shrubs, they are the heart of a garden I think, especially a large one. So, read, visit gardens, go to lectures, read GW, but most of just buy and plant what you like and can afford. There is trial and error involved to be sure. But you obviously have good garden 'instincts' and design sense, and just follow them.

For me, shrubs I would not be without in the garden are viburnums of every ilk, shrub (hardy) roses, witchhazels, corylopsis, rhododendrons and mt laurels in the woodland, many kinds of dogwoods, japanese and other asiatic maples, hydrangeas..... I have been planting some conifers at the new place, my soil is good for them. But previously, I have mainly used deciduous shrubs in the garden. I tend to overplant, and plant fairly close, because I like the sense of enclosure it provides, and I like the 'tapestry' effect. In my old garden woody plants were WAY overplanted. That's why I could remove 40 trees and shrubs from 2/3 acre, and the garden did NOT look devastated -- it looked normal afterward.

I did see an article somewhere recently which stated that brickwork with no plants growing on it was no more or less likely to need repairs than that with plsnts growing on it. Can't recall where I saw it -- may have been in Michigan Nurseryman. Anyway, I am growing the climbing hydrangeas and relatives, boston ivy, etc. We'll see what happens.

David, after going over your pictures again and loving the architechture of the house and the layout of the landscape, a couple questions come to mind that I'm sure many of us are curious about:

1) I assume you worked with an architect for the house, but how involved did you get in the hardscape/outdoor layout? Did you design it yourself and install it, too? I especially like the meditation area and the fireplace.

2) Are you in the business (either the nursery side or the landscape side)? It's really beautiful how things look after only 2 years.

3) Can you talk a little about how long the process took, from designing the house and area, through permits to naked, ready-to-plant garden? For instance, you have a lot of wood chips and whatnot that were probably hauled in by the ton.

On a more personal note, you have what might be clematis 'Hagley Hybrid' paired with Persicaria polymorpha. How much shade are those in? I ask because PP can take some shade, and HH is often shaded somewhat since it fades so badly.

HI Mike. Yes indeed, I did work with an architect throughout the house design. As far as the outdoor design work was concerned, I did first with a landscape architect, but did not like most of what they came up with, even with a lot of input from me. I then worked with a design/build firm. They did the terrace and built the non-masonry stone walls. The masonry stone walls were done by the same stone mason who did the stone work on the house, the fireplaces, etc. Most of that layout was done by myself and the builder. The pergola and the screen house were designed by the architect but I laid them out with respect to the terrace, where I wanted them, also overall size. The beds and all the plantings and the layout of the woodland paths and the bones of the woodland garden I did myself.

I am not in the nursery/landscape/gardening business. This is all at the level of 'avocation' for me (though a serious one at that, I admit...)

The house took about a year to build. Most of the hardscape work in the garden was done fairly quickly, as was some bed construction, since the house was on a local showcase in 2005. But most of the other plants, other than a few specimen trees, started after July 2005.

Then, of course, there are trees on site, like the black cherry in one of the pictures, that are over 5' in diameter and have been in the making for awhile longer....maybe 150 years or more..... ;o)

That clematis you see in one of the photos with P. polymorpha is 'Marmori'. It is growing in AM sun, PM shade, a siting which suits both those plants fine.

The thing I find the most humbling about this post is that I spend so much time just trying to get things to live in my garden, that I am amazed when I see something with this level of sophistication and design. It is humbling, to say the least. Makes me realize how little I know! How long have you been gardening David?
Those astilbe are gorgeous- how old are they? Amazing effort to move all of those plants, but I can't imagine having to leave it all behind!
beautiful beautiful.
Did you have to do a lot of clearing to build the house? How much property do you have?

David - Thanks so much for your generosity in sharing both your horticultural knowledge and the lovely photographs. Your design sense is awe inspiring, and I never fail to learn from your postings.

Babs

This is a 6 acre property of which 4 acres is old growth woods and 2 acres is sun. The house is 'tucked' in along the border between the sun and woods. We did have to do some clearing on the house site, mostly smaller oaks in the 1" - 4" size range. The big trees were left as is, and fortunately even those close to the house have not shown any damage.

Those astilbes are A. taquetii superba, a very tall astilbe which gets 4' or so in height. Like all the perennials here (except some which were moved), they are 1 year old in this picture. They are planted in good soil and get irrigated -- with those basics, many (not all, but most) herbacous plants should grow to a substantial part of their mature height within a year. The clumps will of course continue to get bigger after that.

So glad I stopped by this forum to check things out. I love, love, love all you have accomplished but especially love all the stone, gravel work. I am in love with rock and it fits in beautifully in your woodland setting.

Your photos have made my day. Thanks for sharing!

Oh David, these are breathtaking! As I'm looking at your pictures I keep saying things out loud like "Oh!" "wow!" "Gorgeous!" and my basset hound keeps looking up at me with his big somber basset eyes as if to ask when our garden will look like that.

For those of us who drooled over your old gardens these new pictures are such a treat!

I found this thread while doing a search. Somehow I had missed it back in the spring. Just bumping it up so others can enjoy it. Beautiful!!

Now I know what Heaven looks like..... it's the woodlands for me just in awe...so peaceful looking...

Vegangirl, so glad you found this thread & bumped it up!

David, how about showing us some photos from this year? I've seen some already so I know you have them!

It's true. I'd bookmarked this thread long ago, and i access it every now and again whenever i need a lift, or a little inspiration. I'd love to see a current set of photographs as well!

Another vote for an update, David..pleaaaaase! ;o)
Zephirine

Well here I am perusing recent threads and I find this thread has resurfaced.....

I am at work now but I can post one 'teaser' picture that was in an email. It is the new big front bed from a few weeks ago (the one you can see was under constuction last fall, with the house in the background and the hose outlining the path). This is one year later, from the opposite end of the bed looking away from the house.

{{gwi:197824}}

I DO have quite a few other pictures from this year, and after having seen some of these again, I think I will try to take a few from exactly the same viewpoint as last fall. It might be interesting to see the change. I'll save those for another thread, maybe this weekend when I am finally off work...

~~ Snoopy Dance ~~

I can't wait to see them! This one is stunning, and i already have questions playing in my mind. But i'll save them till after you post the others ...

This thread alone is Heaven. I can't imagine how incredible the gardens are IRL. Thank you David for sharing!

~MH

garden envy, garden envy.

would someone tell me what that white spikey plant is that is growing in the picture with the white hydrangea?

David, I just came upon this thread. I truly believe that all of us are creative in our own ways. You are obviously a master at creating scenes of beauty in the natural world. The way your home and hardscaping perfectly interact with the plants surrounding them is truly a level beyond anything else I've seen on this site.

I am awe struck and I thank you for inviting us into your gardens. They are as much a work of art as any Michelangelo.

jxa44 - The spiky white plant looks to me like Veronicastrum virginicum, common name Culver's Root.

Bump. Questions about this post. Deserves another bump.

David, I'm glad people have been bumping up your post! I'd not come across your postings before (just now getting into the perennials forum after spending more gardenweb time for years on the antique roses forum). I admire your fortitude and capacity for making such a large, beautiful garden. I hope you will post more photos. Fantastic work, and beautiful results! My partner sounds a little like yours, into somewhat modern, and we both love good hardscape like you have. We've got a bit over 10 acres, but about 5 1/2 or 6 are under cultivation (a lot of that is for cut flower production, but we have fairly substantial gardens too).

I really like the look of your house, too.

--Ron

bump. great winter viewing... ah spring will be here soon