New home. New garden.

This client was one of my very first when I started The Captured Garden over 20 years ago. She and her husband recently downsized and while they loved their new home, they weren’t crazy about the builder grade gardens. They were especially challenged (after coming from a large property) by the lack of privacy in the backyard.

I decided to add plants to the hill beyond the fence. Incorporating evergreens like thuja ‘Degroots Spire’ at key points gives year-round privacy and low-maintenance ‘Limelight’ hydrangeas provide weeks of summer blooms. A columnar purple beech will be the exclamation point in the garden. I also planted inside of the fence to soften the hard lines. Fothergilla is beautiful in the fall and feathery amsonia, with its yellow fall foliage, will be the icing on the cake. Large junipers and hollies were installed between the homes for additional privacy.

The garden is filling in and now when you enjoy a cup of coffee or glass of wine you might forget you have neighbors!

Garden overhaul.

Sometimes you need to start with a blank slate. While I am usually a fan of saving, or re-using, plant material this garden, once lovely, had become overgrown and tired. We removed everything and amended the soil with compost. The idea was for two garden areas – a public view and a private view. The public view, from the driveway, was a bit formal with a line of ‘Midwinter Fire’ dogwood backed by a line of inkberry hollies. A beautiful Stewartia tree stood in the background. Once at the top of the steps visitors would enter the private garden. This garden, visible from the home, incorporated colors that were complementary to the interior decor.

We uncovered quite a few incredible rocks which we added to the garden as design elements; I was especially excited about the stones we had stacked and turned into a fountain.

Urban bird lovers.

These clients were avid bird lovers and wanted a space that was attractive to their winged friends, despite the fact they lived five stories up in the heart of downtown Boston! They had bird feeders, but we encouraged them to attract even more birds with perennials. We added cedar planters around the perimeter of the deck and planted perennials like bee balm, thistle, butterfly weed, salvia and lobelia which were sure to draw in a crowd and they did. Two crabapples ‘Coralburst’ were chosen for their small size as well as small fruit, which is more edible for the birds.

Our clients loved color and had a sense of fun so we made sure that the colors we used outside would complement the décor INSIDE the condo.

The day of installation was hot but we thought the end result was pretty cool. And based on the amount of wildlife visiting the deck we weren’t the only ones!

Tropical punch.

I LOVE elephant ears (Alocasia, Colocasia and Xanthosoma). I mean I REALLY love them. Maybe because I am a huge fan of foliage and you can’t beat their beautiful large, heart-shaped leaves which can be black, purple, emerald green, chartreuse, yellow, or a mix of colors. Even the stems deliver impressive colors.
 
Elephant ears always play a predominant role in my summer containers and the favorites get to spend the winter in my daughter’s (now empty) bedroom.
 
Alocasia and Colocasia are native to tropical southern Asia, Indonesia, New Guinea and parts of Australia, while Xanthosoma is native to tropical America. They are often grown for their edible, starchy corms or tubers. The leaves are also edible but, like the corms and tubers, need to be cooked as the plant contains needle-like crystals of calcium oxalate which are a skin irritant. If you are wondering how to tell Alocasia and Colocasia apart here’s a tip that works most of the time: Alocasia’s leaves usually face pointed end up (like an A), while Colocasia leaves usually face pointed end down. Alocasia typically has leaves that are shinier, while Colocasia leaves are matte or glossy.
 
Elephant ears play a major role on my back patio which is mostly shaded but they will also grow in filtered sun, provided they have enough moisture. In general greener types can take higher light levels. I find that the yellow-stemmed ‘Lutea’ prefers indirect light, so the leaves don’t scorch. Elephant ears like moisture and will grow very well at water’s edge. While fertilizing is not necessary, the more you water and fertilize the more they will grow. Currently on my patio I am enjoying ‘Calidora’, ‘Hilo Beauty’, ‘Metalhead’, ‘Lutea’ and ‘Frog in a Blender’. I am missing ‘Regal Shield’, a favorite from last year, which is a darker-leaved variety with beautiful veining. ‘Hawaiian Punch’ is another cool choice with pink
veining and stems.
 
They say that an elephant never forgets but trust me you will never forget elephant (ears) once you design with them.