In sixteen years of gardening in Delaware County I have never seen such amazing blossom. David Turan came by and took a few photos of the trees in bloom. I hardly recognize my own garden! So nice to have a pair of fresh eyes to capture this glorious time of year- thanks David.

On a more serious note, I haven’t seen any bees on the blossoms, just one lone hummingbird doing all the pollinating. Usually, my wife and I would lie under the canopy of blossom and hear the intense buzzing sound of working bees. I wonder if we will even have apples this year. So sad.

Northern Spy Apple orchard

Donald Wyman Crabapple & apple tree

Crab-apple snow in summer

apple blossom & lilacs in bloom

Pond covered in pollen

Donald Wyman crab apple

Ice house seen through apple blossom

Spring is my busiest time in the garden. Planning new areas, planting new plants and getting on top of the weeds feels like a lot. Last week I planted 7 new trees and several shrubs which, for any of you who live on the so called soil of Delaware County will know, is not an easy task in our rocky environment. One hole took me two, yes two hours to dig out, one enormous rock after another. Eventually, and very happily, I was able to plant my prized Magnolia Elizabeth – a pale yellow flowering tree that has been on my wish list for years. It is a hybrid of the cucumber tree magnolia hybridized at the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens.

The gentle spring we have had so far means my garden smells amazing. I have four Magnolia Stellatas around the house and it feels like I’m in a perfume factory.  My wife took some beautiful shots of the tree in flower.

detail magnolia Stellata

Magnolia Stellata

detail magnolia stellata

The other star in the garden is Fothergilla Gardenii- a small handsome shrub with white green flowers.

Fothergilla Gardenii in flower

We painted an old metal bench and put it on the hillside among the daffodils  and I planted 3 Stephanadra incise ‘Crispa’ around it which will eventually grow large enough to completely encompass the bench.

old metal bench painted white in daffodils walk

We have frost warnings for tonight with temperatures in the low 20’s. My apple trees have sensibly not flowered yet, but the plum, cherry, and pear trees are all in flower and will get zapped I’m afraid.

 I wrapped the two magnolias that have yet to flower – let’s see if it works!

Magnolia Elizabeth wrapped.

The more I garden the more I value the wonderful variety of texture and color that is possible in foliage. Unlike flowers that are here today and gone in10, foliage is around from spring until late fall. Many plants start off with vibrant iridescent spring green foliage, but by July the color has changed to a deeper, what I call, summer green.  When this happens plants tend to blend together making it harder to see the individual varieties of plants – making it harder to maintain interest. One of the ways to break up some of that monotony is by interjecting plants with foliage that is inherently interesting because it is not green!  Here are a few photos of some of my favorite grey foliage plants.

Salvia argentea

Macleaya cordata -plume poppy -silver back side of leaf shimmers in the breeze.

Salix elaeagnos -Rosemary willow grey foliage

Onopordum-acanthium-Scotch-thistle

Pyrus salicifolia pendula- Weeping Pear tree

Artemesia Silver Mound in moon garden

Stachys Helen Von Stein- Lambs ear with astrantia

Cerastium tomentosum- snow in summer- grey in the garden

Artemesia ludoviana behind drumstick allium

artichoke foliage

Chinese proverb

When I bought my 1840s farmhouse I inherited half a dozen 150-foot-plus trees. A couple of the evergreen trees posed a serious threat and eventually I had to remove a Douglas fir and white spruce that were leaning into and casting deep shade over the house for much of the day. I also have a 75-foot silver maple that had a 30-foot branch looming over the house until it was pruned back because during more than one fierce storm, with winds over 60 miles an hour, I leapt off the sofa, heart pounding, to the sound of cracking limbs. I have, thus, concluded that it’s not a good idea to plant “large trees” near houses. I am not saying they don’t have their place; they do, but ideally at a safe distance. Given two factors ― the extreme weather we have been having (two hurricanes in 14 months), and that trees are an important element in anchoring a house to the landscape ― I think choosing smaller tree varieties makes the most sense. In the northeast, white pine, Norway spruce and maples were commonly planted near farmhouses in order to shield buildings from winter winds and shade the roofs in the summer. But when these tall varieties reach maturity they are often out of scale and dangerous to the structures they were meant to protect.

It’s rather obvious that homeowners do not consider the mature size of trees when planting and you can see examples of this driving though most neighborhoods. I once saw a solid row of 40- foot arborvitaes covering the entire front of a house, blocking all light and views. When considering planting a tree near a house or outbuilding why not plant small trees that grow between 15 to 30 feet tall? When planting near a building you want to take the mature height (e.g. 30 feet) and add a few extra feet (35 to 40) for safety to find the correct planting distance from a building. I prefer to plant trees near houses that don’t exceed the height of a two-story building because the smaller scale tree helps create intimacy and provides a pleasing view from a window, or framing an entryway, creating a sense of enclosure near a patio or deck. Small trees are also the best choice for planting beneath power lines, where maximum height should not exceed 20 to 25 feet.

I divide trees into two categories: hybrid /ornamental and native /wild. I prefer planting the former near homes and buildings, and the latter species farther away from houses because they offer a natural transition to the existing landscape. “Ornamental trees” have showy flowers, or fruit, interesting foliage or buds, attractive bark, multiple trunks, or beautiful branching patterns. Because of these very attractive qualities it makes sense to have them nearby so that you can see the interesting shape, color and texture from season to season; ornamentals usually have several seasons of interest. In early spring, when you don’t feel like venturing outside, it’s nice to be able to take in the view of an early flowering tree from inside.

Some suggestions: The first tree to bloom here in the Catskills is Cornus mas – Cornelian cherry dogwood, the longest lived of all Cornus species. Bright yellow flowers open on naked branches in March when nothing else is showing. Last year mine was in flower for over three weeks! Originally from central and southern Europe and western Asia, Cornelian cherry dogwood brightens up the bleakest spring day. Growing to 20 to 25 feet it is multi-stem densely branched and is ideal for screening or used as a hedge plant.

Cornus Mas – first tree to bloom in spring.

Amelanchier canadensis – shadowblow, serviceberry has many names. A native tree and the next to bloom it grows abundantly alongside country roads, woods, bogs and swamps throughout the eastern seaboard. Its delicate white flowers show up like lace against a backdrop of emerging copper leaves. It has a second vibrant season of interest when the red fruit appears and has good autumn foliage.

Magnolia stellata – star magnolia can flower up to 20 days because the buds open at different times. It grows 15 to 20 feet high and 10 to 15 feet wide. At first the magnolia looks more shrub like when you buy it, but over time it becomes a dense tree with large dark green waxy leaves, beautiful grey multi-stem trunks, and fragrant white flowers. It is one of my favorite small trees and I have planted four throughout the garden. There are several other beautiful magnolia hybrids to consider: M. loebneri, M. ‘Dr. Merrill’ and M. ‘Leonard Messel.’ Last fall, I purchased Magnolia ‘Butterflies’: This cross of M. acuminata and M. denudata usually forms a small tree with an upright central leader or sometimes a multi-stemmed shrub. It has yellow cup- to star-shaped flowers (3 to 4 inches across) that are fragrant and appear before the leaves in early to mid spring.

Magnoila Stellata, 2nd tree to bloom for me in the spring.

Dr. Merill magnolia- Deborah Banks photo

Magnolia Ann -
photo Deborah Banks

Acer ginnala – amur maple is one of the most cold-hardy maples (zone 3) and reaches a height of 15 to 18 feet and wide which makes it a great choice for a smaller maple. Grown as a large shrub or small tree, it is one of the first woody plants to leaf out in spring. Fragrant creamy white flowers appear with the new foliage and the wings of the fruit turn red in August and September.

Acer griseum – paper bark maple has brilliant red fall foliage reaching a height of 20 to 30 feet. I plan to plant one for the winter landscape because its cinnamon-colored peeling bark looks terrific against a blanket of snow. It is very hardy (zone 4) and originates from China. This tree has been on my wish list for years and I hope to purchase one soon.

Acer pennsylvanicum – snakebark maple or striped maple. I am always thrilled to find this smaller maple growing in the woods near my house. It’s easily recognizable as it has beautiful vertical white fissures (a snakeskin pattern) that develop on the bark. This native tree grows as an understory tree along the east coast and reaches a height of 15 to 30 feet. It isn’t the showiest of the fall maples but it does turn a nice yellow. I would plant this in the wilder part of the garden.

Cercis canadensis ‘Forest Pansy’ – redbud tree is considered the hardiest of the redbuds and has rosy pink flowers in April followed by reddish purple foliage. The purple foliage changes to green in late summer but there is still a tinge of the purple throughout the summer. This native tree is more commonly seen farther south, but I have two gardening friends who have planted them in higher elevations here in the Catskills. This is definitely on my wish list for future trees.

Chionanthus virginicus – white fringe tree is found in a variety of habitats throughout the southeastern United States and is cold-hardy to minus 30. No two seedlings are alike in all characteristics. It has been difficult to propagate the native species from cuttings. The slightly fragrant 6 to 8 inch long panicle flowers bloom on the previous year’s wood in late May-early June. I planted one in front of a dark green arborvitae hedge so that the spectacular display of white fringelike flowers would stand out. It is one of our best native trees and should be planted more.

Chionanthus Virginicus- fringe tree

Cornus kousa – kousa dogwood prefers sun or shade and is considered one of the most elegant of the dogwoods. It has creamy white 2 to 4 inch flowers comprised of four long-pointed bracts that open on distinct horizontal branches in late spring. The tree is much hardier than our native C. florida and is a better choice for our northern climate. It grows to 20 to 30 feet high and wide. I would use this tree as a specimen tree. Give it a good focal point in the garden and don’t crowd it because its strong architectural form needs plenty of space to be appreciated.

Crataegus crus-galli var. inermis – cockspur hawthorn (zone 4) is a thorn less hawthorn, a beautiful ornamental tree with 2 to 3 inch flowers appearing in May. The tree reaches a mature height and width of 25 feet. In autumn the foliage turns a brilliant red and is covered in half-inch red fruit that ripens in late September-early October.

Several hawthorn hybrids do not have thorns nor are they prone to cedar hawthorn rust. One such thorn less variety, recently popular, is C. virdis ‘Winter King’. I see it planted along many highways now in New York State. ‘Winter King’ is the king when it comes to bright red fruit in the autumn. The very pale grey bark glows behind the red berries. It’s a stunning tree, reaching a height of 20 to 25 feet and is hardy to zone 4. I purchased two of these and they have yet to show fruit but newly planted trees can take a few years to acclimate to their new surroundings.

Another good choice is Crataegus phaenopyrum — Washington hawthorn which is the most popular of all hawthorns planted in the U.S. This variety is covered in 1 to 3 inch long spines but the overall habit of the tree is broadly oval with nice lustrous dark green leaves. In my part of New York State the wild hawthorns are one of the first trees to take over a fallow field, but they can’t compare to the seasonal interest of the hybrids.

I planted the white-flowering Malus ‘Snowdrift’ crabapple outside my living room window and in spring, from my sofa, I watch as many as 20 brilliant orange Baltimore orioles flit from branch to branch when the tree is in flower, gathering (I guess) the tree’s nectar. Robins move in on this small tree in October and strip it of the half-inch red fruit in preparation for their migration south. Although ‘Snowdrift’ does not possess the showiest crabapples, it is probably one of the best varieties for bringing wildlife into the garden because the birds consume the small crabapples like popcorn. It reaches a height of 15 feet and a width of about 20 when mature. There are so many good choices of crabapples and every garden would benefit from a few. I also planted Malus ‘Donald Wyman.’ It’s worth it to visit a nursery in early fall when you can see the fruit display of the crabapples.

Malus Donald Wyman -Crabapple tree

Prunus sargentii – sargent cherry. There are only a couple of ornamental cherry trees that are ideal for us in the northeast and sargent cherry is one of the best. I planted this tree a few years back and am amazed at how quickly it has grown. It will reach a height of 20 to 30 feet and is hardy to zone 4. It blooms in early spring when the daffodils are in bloom and makes a nice addition to the early spring garden. It has 1.5 inch bright pink flowers that open before the tree leafs out. After flowering, new reddish tinged leaves emerge which turn shiny green in summer. The fall color is great and it has a small orange and red fruit. The other cold-hardy cherry is P. subhirtella — higan cherry variety ‘Autumnalis.’ I bought three of these trees which I planted around the garden. The tree will bloom in the fall, hence its name, in warmer areas of the country but not for us here in the cold northeast. It is covered in delicate soft pale pink flowers in the early spring and for my money is the most beautiful of all of the cherries.

Prunus subhirtella-Autumnalis -Higan Cherry

Small trees work well near walks, parking areas and outbuildings and provide a transition from taller trees and into expansive open fields and meadows. Given that Hurricanes Irene and Sandy raced up the east coast it would appear this type of extreme weather will continue. I think it makes more sense than ever before that we plant responsibly when considering trees. Luckily for us there are many beautiful small trees to choose from. Donstathamblog.com

Cercis-forrest-pansy-
photo Deborah-Banks

Small Ornamental trees:

Acer griseum

Cornus: Cornus mas – Cornelian cherry, Cornus alternifolia, Cornus kousa

Cercis canadensis  ‘Forest Pansy’

Crataegus Hawthorn – C. virdis – ‘Winter King,’ C. phaenopyrum Washington

Magnolia hybrids: Magnolia x. loebneri, M. ‘Dr. Merrill,’ M. stellata, Magnolia x. ‘Ann,’ M. ‘Butterflies,’ M. ‘Elizabeth’

Malus — crabapple: M. ‘Donald Wyman,’ M. ‘Snowdrift’ (many varieties)

Prunus – cherry trees: P. ‘Autumnalis,’ P. sargentii

Stewartia, and Styrax japonicus

Small Native trees:

Acer pennsylvanicum, Amelanchier

Carpinus caroliniana, Chionanthus virginica

Cornus florida – dogwood (best in lower elevations)

Corylus americana

Crataegus – Rosaceae

Hamamelis – some are more tree-like than others

Magnolia virginiana

Before shot: of proposed pond site

Before shot: pond being dug. arctic willow

The pond walk has evolved over a long period of time with the majority of the plants showing up after the pond was dug in 2005. The pond project was one of the most exciting projects to date and I could not have foreseen how beautifully it would evolve. Some of how the pond developed was natural, but there was also some interference as well! The first two years, bull rushes tried to take hold, but my wife who had seen other ponds taken over by the plant, set herself the task of removing them one by one each summer. And every August, I still spend 3-4 days removing the three varieties of golden rod and brambles that show up at the ponds edge. By selecting what grows we left room for native forget-me-not, flag irises, daisy, boneset and asters mixed in with many varieties of sedges and native grasses to stake their claim. We never see bull rushes now because the real estate they like is already taken. Friends who built ponds who did not beat back the bull rushes have ended up with a pond full of bull rushes and not much else.

pond filled up 2 weeks after being dug

Laying out alley of taxus- walk to the pond walk and new borders

After shot: path leading to pond walk, plantings filled in

After shot: pond walk integrating native flag irises into plantings.

Pond walk

The native flag iris seeds heads droop with the weight of their load eventually rotting and releasing the seeds that then embed themselves all around the  pond’s edge – which is both a spectacular sight in and out of flower and a wonderful habitat for frogs and other wildlife.

view across pond- pond walk

Tips for a lovely pond.

If you mow right up to the edge of your pond, the grass clipping will end up in the water and break down as acid which creates the perfect conditions for pond scum. In the area I live many people have their ponds in the middle of a large lawn with no wildflowers or grasses.  I think these plant starved ponds look overly manicured and are sterile environments that miss the opportunity of providing an important habitat for all the forms of life that would otherwise be drawn to a pond. I leave a 4-5’ foot buffer of these native plants around the water’s edge.

But whether you have a buffer or not most young ponds go through many different developmental stages and I believe the appearance of free-floating algae is one such stage of the life of a pond. The PH in the water changes after several years. This problem can be resolved by adding barley straw to the pond during the warmer months. For a more in depth article about pond scum read Kaatskill – summer 2008 article-A Blooming Pond.

Besides being a wonderful place to swim, our pond is a retreat for several varieties of ducks, blue heron, American Bittern, butterflies, and dragonflies and many more.

Native Aesculus parvilora planted on bank of pond

The banks and outer area of the pond walk are planted with several variety of tree including Chionanthus virginicus, Malus Donald Wyman, Carpinus Betula, Betula Nigra,  Amelanchier  canadensis , Prunus autumnalis, Pinus strobes, Salix alba Tristis, Syringa reticulate, and a wall of Thuja techny.

Some of shrubs I planted on the pond’s bank include several varieties of Syringa vulgaris, Aesculus parvilfora, Salix purpurea nana, Salix britzensis, Cornus sericea, Philadelphus, and Hamamelis Virginia.

I really wanted the pond to look like it has always been part of the place and by letting the gentler native plants take hold I feel that has been achieved.

Blue heron sits in arctic willow- weeping willow behind.

American bittern- wild life shows up at pond when area is protected by plants.

Native Boneset encouraged by removing golden rod- August pond walk

Flag iris and other native wildflowers encouraged along drive connecting to pond walk

I planted several ‘variegated plants’ including the shrubs Daphne ‘Carol Mackie’, Cornus alba ‘elegantissima’, Salix I. ‘Hakuro Nishiki’, and the Hosta S, Frances Williams. For the chartreuse colors I planted a golden hop which spills over the top of the bench, and lots of alchemilla mollis., and  Hemerocallis ‘Ice carnival’- which is a soft pale yellow day lily.

Entry Room planted with white & chartreuse plants

The white flowering plants include: climbing hydrangea, foam flower, oregano, white foxgloves, goose-neck loose strife, white columbine and in the spring white alliums and spring green tulips come up throughout this room. The yews either side of the door give the pale planting a nice dark contrast.

Golden hops spill over garden bench & cornus a. elegantissima variegated shrub in corner.

Taking a leaf from Gertrude Jekyll’s book about mono colored plantings, I allow myself the occasional aberration; blue pansies in spring and a common blue sage plant near the front door break ‘the rules’ and to my mind makes for a more natural less ‘designed’ look that works.

Daphne ‘Carol Mackie’- very fragrant shrub with variegated leaves

white foxglove & alchemilla mollis

View of entry garden

white rugosa roses, alchemilla mollis, lupines, hostas planted continuing theme in parking area

August view of entry room, yews planted for dark green foliage

Limelight hydrangeas & phlox David continue planting theme down driveway

Moon garden

Prior to the Sissinghurst White Garden, British garden designer, writer and artist Gertrude Jekyll made several mono-color gardens, including blue and grey. In contrast to the Sissinghurst garden, when Jekyll made a mono-color garden she was never rigid. A painter, she knew the value of adding the occasional blue or soft yellow flowering plant to enhance the white flowers. White gardens have their place in garden history, and I have to say that after three years of having an area in my garden that is “white” it is one of my most favorite areas to be in.

I call my white garden “The Moon Garden.” My wife and I frequently walk the “policies” as she calls it [a Victorian expression for walking the grounds] after dinner or before going to bed. The white, silver and variegated plants glow in the moonlight. In spring, when not much is flowering, the moon garden’s foliage is also pleasing, a planting scheme which balances and repeats the deep green and grey, and variegated foliage knits the planting together. Of course nature will always try to take back this forced scheme and there is now a Forget-me-not that appeared this year in the middle of a feathery fern on the edge of the white border. Like Jekyll, I am not going to be rigid because the soft blue flowers seem right and also the fern has never looked happier, using the Forget-me-not to grow through and be supported by.

Yellow flag irises allowed in Moon garden and part of the Pond Walk

I came across a book called The Moonlight Garden: New Discoveries at the Taj Mahal edited by Elizabeth Moynihan who was a nearby neighbor of ours before her husband, Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan, died and she sold their place. I wish I had known about this book when she still lived down the road because I might have plucked up the courage to meet her. Mrs. Moynihan had lived in India when her husband was the U.S. ambassador to India. She was part of a group of American horticulturists who helped uncover the lost garden of the Taj Mahal. Before the restoration if you looked straight across the Yamuna River from the Taj pavilions you would see what appeared to be farmers’ fields. However, historical references, paintings, and more recently satellite photographs revealed that this area was once surrounded by a large wall that completely enclosed a beautiful garden that was a continuation of the gardens back across the river.  This walled garden was known as “The Moonlight Garden” built by the first Mughal emperor Babur (1526-30); inside the wall were extensive pools, fountains and water channels. It was a sumptuous pleasure garden, one very different from the more formal garden in the Taj enclosure.

onopordum-acanthium-scotch-thistlein the Moon Garden

Moonlight gardens were a tradition enjoyed by Indians before the Mughals. During the excessive heat of the day these gardens were a refuge of cooling waterways, fragrant blossoms and trees. Over time Babur’s moonlight garden was covered over by the silt of the Yamuna River. Satellite photos revealed ghostly formal lines of the original gardens. To date I don’t think these gardens have been restored, but much of the beautiful ornamental stonework was removed and saved from further deterioration.

In writer/gardener Eleanor Perenyi’s wonderful book Green Thoughts she writes about how white gardens were the rage in the 1920s and ’30s in England and the U.S. There was also similar enthusiasm for white rooms here. This non-color fascination with rooms and plants was considered a highbrow aesthetic choice. Perenyi explains that historically in the 1800s in England there was more of an emphasis on the scent of plants than we have today. Most of the plants that had heavy perfume were white flowering and came from warmer climates. These white flowering plants were usually kept in hothouses or glass houses. Tuber roses and gardenias were among the most cherished. The early plant collectors were from the upper classes of English society and Perenyi believes there was an association made that all white flowering plants when designed as a single-color garden are considered refined and even a little snooty!

English delphiniums in the Moon Garden

Now, in 2011, I think things have changed a bit. There are so many common plants that have been hybridized, like the purple Echinacea-coneflower that is now widely available in many white forms. The wild meadow plant Astrantia was taken out of the meadows of Europe and put into garden borders and is also widely available. When I think about my particular selection of white plants they are as common as mud!

Three years ago I extended my garden beyond the hedge and made a primary white flowering garden. Some of the flowering perennials I used are: Echinacea ‘White Swan,’ Echinacea ‘Coconut Lime,’ Astrantia ‘Snow Star,’ Iris ‘Immortality’ (twice blooming tall bearded iris), white flowering English delphiniums, Peony ‘Charles White,’ and Peony ‘Jan van Leeuwen,’ Phlox ‘David,’ Rosa ‘Suaveolens,’ Salvia argentea  ‘Artemis’ (great large silver foliage and beautiful white flowers,) and Yucca ‘Ivory Tower.’ And last is the bulb Eremus himalaicus. The tall spiky white flowers hold up to late spring wind and hold their flowers for a very long time.

Nicotiana Sylvestris in the Moon Garden

Shrubs include: Aesculus parviflora, Cornus sericea ‘Silver and Gold,’ Cotinus coggygria ‘Golden Spirit,’ Exochorda macrantha ‘The Bride.’ I also add the annual Nicotiana alata ‘Fragrant Cloud,’ Nicotiana sylvestris, and Nicotiana alata ‘Lime Green.’ The Nicotianas (tobacco plant) are the most fragrant at night in order to attract the moths that pollinate them. Although in this climate they are an annual, once planted they magically reappear each summer.

Echinacea ‘white swan’ in the Moon Garden

Grey-color foliage is an asset in a white garden. The soft leaves of Stachys ‘Helen von Stein’ (Lamb’s ear) or the willowy grey foliage of Artemisia ‘Silver Mound’ simultaneously set off and ground the bright white flowers. I also like to use the occasional Scotch thistle which has a large grey leaf and I allow the small purple flowers because the foliage is such a bonus to the garden! It reaches a great height of 6 to 8 feet. Variegated foliage also adds light to the white garden. One of my favorite variegated shrubs is Cornus sericea ‘Silver and Gold.’ As there are so many variegated plants to choose from you can hardly go wrong.

I find it much harder to find plants with deep green foliage. This color is important because it is what provides depth and contrast against which the light variegated foliage and white flowers can gracefully float. I repeat the perennial Astrantia ‘Snow Star’ and Echinacea purpurea ‘White Swan’ because both have nice deep saturated green leaves. In early spring the European meadow plant Astrantia appears as fat green mounds which give a nice structure to the garden.

In a garden I prefer smaller, more intimate spaces that don’t try to look good throughout the year.  They have their season and you look forward to that time when they are at their most beautiful.

Whether you decide to make a white colored garden or not it is worth it to include some of our more fragrant white flowering plants into the border: Philadelphus lewisii, white roses, Daphne, Magnolia stellata, Syringa (Lilac), Nicotianas, Phlox, liliums and lily-of the valley, just to name a few. To view photos of plants- click here.