Building a Garden From Scratch

Putting in the work to make a dream garden

Today Ellie Gilbert is sharing the results of 14 years of hard work .

When my hubby and I move to our newly build household in Plymouth , Massachusetts , I used my fifty days of horticulture experience to transubstantiate an empty and sandlike backyard that included a unconscionable and barren hill into a garden I ’m now lofty to show off . Fourteen years later , this is what take in a vision and a willingness to do work hard has produced .

Our first job was to install a terrace off of our kitchen , which I surrounded with several bush , include aKorean spice viburnum(Viburnum carlesii , Zones 4–7 ) , chosen because of its celestial olfactory property , four lacecap hydrangeas , and several crimson pygmy barberry shrubs(Berberisthunbergii‘Crimson Pygmy ’ , Zones 4–8 ) because of their warm color . Among these shrubs I put in a wide variety of perennials , such as shasta daisies(Leucanthemum× superbum , Zones 5–9 ) , coneflowers(Echinacea),garden phlox(Phlox paniculata , Zones 4–8 ) , peonies(Paeonia ) , ocean holly(Eryngium ) , columbines(Aquilegia ) , Siberian irises(Iris sibericahybrids , Zones 3–9 ) , bleeding heart(Dicentra ) , coral bells(Heuchera),Salvia , andmeadow cranesbill(Geranium pratense , Zones 5–9 ) . For late time of year interest I also put in ornamental gage and late - blossom sedums . I opt this wide variety of plants because I wanted to ensure that something would always be in flush throughout the growing season .

To begin transform the mound , we build up steps from stones that we unearthed on our nation , and I transplanted some birch sapling from our wood and added several circularize raetam to guard against eating away . The shrub that form the main structure of the hill garden are tall oakleaf hydrangeas(Hydrangea quercifolia , Zones 5–9 ) , ‘ Rosebud ’ azaleas(Rhododendron‘Rosebud ’ , zone 6–9 ) , and several mophead hydrangea . Over the years , I filled in all the empty spot between the shrub with perennial similar to the ones I had plant in the patio garden — making sure I repeat the plantings across the mound so the net look would have a sentience of rhythm and harmony .

June is when my garden fall active with my favorite colors of pink and purpleness . Azaleas , peony , Nepeta cataria , and crane’s bill are all contend for aid . after in the time of year , those colors are replaced with varying shade of yellowed , bloodless , and inscrutable arise . posture on the terrace in the early eve and find out the joke of all the critters that apportion the infinite is a wonderful agency to loosen .

Although the garden seem to be quite full , I always seem to find room for more plant — but that seems to be the design with all die - difficult nurseryman !

Patio and Alfred Hawthorne garden 14 years later

Patio garden in belated May

Siberian irises in the patio garden

I. F. Stone stair direct to the top of the hill

Predominant colors in June

Hill and patio gardens showing change of colors in midsummer

View of the patio garden from the hill

Side view of the mound garden

nook of the patio garden showinglacecap hydrangea , ‘ Summer Wine ’ day lily , Asian lilies , annualcosmos , and zebra grass

farsighted view of the backyard showing way for newfangled plants

visitant on my Mount Shasta daisy

Peony ‘ Dancing Butterflies ’

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