It’s an understatement to say that we were overwhelmed when we moved into Sutherland five years ago. It was overgrown and needed to be tamed. And while we were dreaming and rearranging the property into the garden of our dreams, we did not speak of it aloud. We could barely keep up with all the mowing– 2 acres by push mower. Gardening, like so many other projects, would be relegated to our daily mantra “maybe next year.” For now, there was Honeysuckle to dig out, trees to remove, and hardscape in all the wrong places.
That was a long summer, and this old house has not stopped throwing us curve balls. Still, as I mow today (still by push mower, but much more productively), I can’t help but notice the improvements we’ve managed to make along the way. Sutherland, like no other, has strengthened my connection to nature in both large and small ways. As I find myself gazing across the lawns, I give you a few remnants of our beautiful spring.
The Horse Chestnut tree is in full bloom. I love the white flowers which form the panicles. Believe it or not, this beauty was hidden by a dreadful Silver Maple tree– quickly abolished along with other problematic specimens.
Dicentra spectabilis is commonly known as Bleeding Heart. These herbaceous perennials were already here when we moved in. They are lovely plants that love shade and bloom from April to May. Because the foliage goes dormant somewhat quickly, it’s best to plant these among other later developing perennials which will fill in as the Bleeding Heart foliage begins to die back.
I believe this Hawthorne Tree is a Winter King Hawthorne. Although it’s not one of my favorites, it’s at its best in bloom and serves a useful purpose as it provides shade for the Hosta Garden. The Hostas beneath are slowly waking up from their long winter nap.
In the fall of 2009, we planted 26 herbaceous Peonies in colors black, red, purple, pink, and white. Many were purchased as bare-root from Peony’s Envy and others inherited. There were few blooms to speak of last year (not surprising), but this year they are coming on strong. Unfortunately, we did not get the names of each variety documented, so it’s gonna be a surprise when they all bloom. The gorgeous red Peonies were a gift from Mrs. Shirley Whitlock.
These concrete urns were added our second summer at Sutherland. I don’t know if the original house had urns or not, but I like them here. They typically hold Pansies till June, then they are replanted with something more dramatic for the summer months.