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Another Walk Through Heronswood Gardens: Guest Blog by Nick Rhodehamel
That I stay awake at night wondering how things have changed at Heronswood since my last visit would be carrying things a little far. But I do think about the gardens in between visits. And sometimes I play a memory game where I reconstruct walks along the various paths among the beds and try to recall what plants are where, what they look like, and what’s next to what.
I try to incorporate movement and flow as if I were walking. But, for me, this is surprisingly difficult. Even paths I know well become little more than a simple series of static images like the frames that make up film. That’s the best I can do, and when I look at images like those that follow, I realize just how limited memory can be.
The Heronswood gardens are roughly rectangular with the long axies running north–south and the entrance at the north end and the house gardens at the south end. I usually begin my imaginary walk near the entrance, near the area where cars are parked at Open Houses. Photo 1 shows the driveway close to the entrance. To the right of the driveway, and what I intended to photograph mostly is a Hamamelis intermedia ‘Pallida’. The next photo shows details of this plant with young leaves.
Hamamelis intermedia ‘Pallida’
Hamamelis intermedia ‘Pallida’
In this same bed, is a Davidia involucrata ‘Sonoma’ tree. It flowers in spring, and its flower is pictured in Photo 3.
Davidia involucrata ‘Sonoma’
At the edge of the woodland beds and the parking area, is a giant Gunnera manicata specimen that in mid May has just begun to leaf out (Photo 4) but that by the end of June will be nearly fully grown (Photo 5). Next to the Gunnera in Photo 5 is the rather lovely and fragrant Styrax japonicus ‘Crystal’ (detailed in Photo 6).
Gunnera manicata
Gunnera manicata & Styrax japonicus ‘Crystal’
Styrax japonicus ‘Crystal’
Just inside the gardens is, I believe, one of the prettiest trees at Heronswood, a field maple, Acer campestre ‘Pulverulentum’, which is shown in Photo 7 with a detail of the leaves in Photo 8.
Acer campestre ‘Pulverulentum’
Acer campestre ‘Pulverulentum’
A little farther on, across a small stream, is a bed of skunk cabbages. Pictured in Photo 9 is one (Symplocarpus thymifolia) that is native to Vietnam. This is almost certainly rare in North America.
Symplocarpus thymifolia
After a few more steps, approaching the pond and fountain, on the left is a plant that I recognize on several levels but, for whatever reason, I cannot at the moment identify. Can anyone help (Photo 10)?
Past the pond and the fountain is an ostrich fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris, Photo 11) in an area where the canopy of the gardens opens up (Photo 12).
Matteuccia struthiopteris
Stepping outside of the woodland beds onto the far end of the driveway on the left is a border (Photo 13) composed of blues (Buddleia ‘Lochinch’) and golds (golden elaeagnus, Elaeagnus pungens ‘Maculata’, and golden Japanese forest grass, Hakonechloa macra ‘Aureola’).
Buddleia ‘Lochinch’, Elaeagnus pungens ‘Maculata’ & Hakonechloa macra ‘Aureola’
Then to the right is a clump of Grevillea victoriae, an Australian plant that does not mind drought or poor soil and that as pictured in these September photos (Photos 14 and 15) has gray-green foliage and bright red flowers.
Grevillea victoriae
Grevillea victoriae
Across the driveway from the Grevillea is the iconic Heronswood hornbeam hedge with a Daphniphyllum teysmannii ‘Variegata’ (Photo 16) shown in the center of a garden bordered by boxwood (Buxus microphylla). Through the hedge, in a bed in the gardens behind the house is a Daphniphyllum himalayense subsp. macropodum ‘Aureovariegata’ (Photo 17; Photo 18 shows a detail of the Aureovariegata inflorescence). These Daphniphyllum are among the rarest plants in the garden. Daphniphyllum (family Daphniphyllaceae) occurs in southeast Asia only and is unusual in cultivation in North America. The rarity of cultivar Aureovariegata is compounded by its sterility.
Daphniphyllum teysmannii ‘Variegata’ & Buxus microphylla
Daphniphyllum himalayense subsp. macropodum ‘Aureovariegata’
Daphniphyllum himalayense subsp. macropodum ‘Aureovariegata’
In the same bed as cultivar Aureovariegata is a large and striking barberry (Berberis vulgaris ‘Royal Cloak’, Photo 19). Photo 20 pictures how the garden with Royal Cloak (left) and Aureovariegata (left center) will look in June.
Berberis vulgaris ‘Royal Cloak’
Berberis vulgaris ‘Royal Cloak’ & Daphniphyllum himalayense subsp. macropodum ‘Aureovariegata’
That’s about how my imaginary walks go, but you should come see the garden for yourself at the next Heronswood Open House on 26 June.
What a beautiful garden. It is so inspiring.
Dear Diane,
Thank you for taking the time to read and post. Come visit if you’re anywhere close.
After a few more steps, approaching the pond and fountain, on the left is a plant that I recognize on several levels but, for whatever reason, I cannot at the moment identify. Can anyone help (Photo 10)?
The flowers appear to be distincly Stachyurus praecox, however the color is off and the variegated leaf is wrong…unless this is a cultivar of the species and the photo color is off.
Dear Geri,
Good eye. You’re correct S. praecox; I believe the cultivar is Aureomarginata, which is variegated. Thanks for your help.
Thanks so much for the visit. Such an enchanting place!!
Dear Eileen,
You’re quite welcome. Thanks for taking the time to write.
Mystery shrub could be variagated form of Stachyurus?
Thanks, John. Yes, I think you’re right—S. praecox. I believe it is ‘Aureomarginata’. I appreciate your help.
the plant with the stiff, drooping flowers that you couldnt recall is stachyurus praecox. An excellent plant with very cool flowers.
I love Heronswood garen, I took several classes and have many of these fantastic plants in my garden.
Melody
HTTP://DONKEYWHISPERER.COM
Dear Melody,
Thanks for taking the time to write. If you’re free, please come to the next Open House and see the gardens for yourself.
Many thanks for your tour- I have a balance disorder, haven’t been able to travel much from Shoreline, so especially appreciate the photos and identifications.
Dear Sue,
Nice to hear from you. Glad you enjoyed the photos. We will try to post some others from the June Open House.
It was such a treat to watch. I would loved to visit.
Dear Alice,
Thanks for your kind words. We would be happy for you to visit, so consider it if you’re ever near Kingston or Fordhook Farm (Burpee’s home) at Doylestown, PA.
This is beautiful! Thank you for the walk. I wish I could come for the open house.
Dear Marian,
We’re sorry you cannot come also. Check the site again after the next Open House (26 June) and maybe we will have more photos.
A wonderful and great desciption..
Dear Pam,
Glad you like the piece. Please post again.
beautiful and interesting-thanks
Dear Dr. Sennett,
Thanks for reading and taking the time to post. I’m glad you enjoyed the photos.
Western Skunk Cabbage (Lysichiton americanus), also called Yellow Skunk Cabbage or Swamp Lantern, is a plant found in swamps and wet woods, along streams and in other wet areas of the Pacific Northwest, where it is one of the few native species in the arum family.
Thanks for the information, Karin. I’m more familiar with the eastern species, Symplocarpus foetidus, which is more closely related (same genus), to the Vietnamese one pictured (though it is much bigger than S. foetidus). Symplocarpus foetidus is interesting because in spring it will generate sufficient heat by respiration to melt snow. I don’t know if the western types do this.
FOR THOSE OF US ON GARDENING ON THE NORTHERN NEW ENGLAND COAST, YOUR WALK THROUGH WAS SUCH A TREAT. THE PHOTOS WERE GREAT AND ODDLY ENOUGH I GROW AT LEAST TWO OF THE PLANTS YOU SHOWED. I AM GOING TO DIVE INTO MY OLD HERONSWOOD CATALOGUES TO READ ABOUT THE OTHER PLANTS.
Dear Sandee,
Thanks for taking time to write. The barberry and the witch hazel ought to do well in northern New England, and both are lovely plants. Please post again.
how long did it take to finish the stunning hedge?
Dear Diana,
My understanding is that it took 8 to 10 years from start to finish, and in the Pacific Northwest, hornbeam grows quickly. The form of the hedge is supposedly based on a Gothic chapel in England. I believe the technique used to train the hedge is called “pleaching”. Such things as this hornbeam hedge are more common in Europe than they are in North America, but few are as beautiful as this one. Thank you for asking.
Been enjoying your posts Nick and am wondering, since Rhodehamel is a fairly uncommon name, whether your are related to Harley Rhodehamel from Indianapolis.
Dear Nikki,
I’m glad you enjoyed the piece and thanks for taking the time to post.
Just absolutely beautiful!
Dear GardenFairy,
Glad you enjoyed the photos. Thanks for taking the time to post.
I live in Bellingham,WA, and those skunk cabbages are not rare here…they are all in my backyard…naturally by the creek. They are wonderful.
Dear Jenny,
Thanks for taking the time to post. You’re right that the pictured skunk cabbage is very similar to the ones in your backyard. In the blog piece, in fact, I misidentified it. It is Lysichiton camtschatcensis, which is endemic to Asia; western skunk cabbage (Lysichiton americanus) is the one that is all over your backyard. In the picture, you cannot see how big this one is, but it’s a good deal bigger than either North American species. Since you’re in Bellingham, please come see this skunk cabbage for yourself at the next Open House (26 June).
Best regards
Nick