What strikes the eye when you first enter the property is the bodacious round drive in the front yard which at its peak is heralded by a choir of pink and white hydrangeas.  Next, look up and catch the majesty of the spruce, pine and a variety of mature Carolinian Forest trees throughout the front and side yards. This presents the perfect stage for acid loving Hydrangea and Rhododendrons. The front yard is punctuated with mounds of Lavender and interspersed with Iris, tall grasses and Russian Sage. Tucked up against the house is a Butterfly Bush, awaiting its summer debut, when both butterflies and hummingbirds come by for a drink of warm nectar.

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Watch for the Hardy Hibiscus which reminds Lenore of her birthplace in the Caribbean, where myriad varieties of hibiscus are plentiful year-round. As you round the far side, see the Iris and saffron orange Day Lilies, Peony bushes then, Bravo! about five different varieties of Hosta.

 

How wonderous the backyard is. Pay appropriate attention to the diva red Rose bush that will greet you by the pool. Notice there are metal fish swimming like a Greek chorus from many of the towering trees. Stately Rhododendrons live under swaying branches touched by sunlight and accented with yellow Lilies. Now see the playful Wisteria reaching towards the sunlight with bravado.  Beside this is a climbing hydrangea and the two are like sisters competing for the limelight. Just breathtaking. Flowering trees are accented below with plentiful ferns that provide a baseline and thrive in the shade.

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Outside the kitchen window and carefully planted along the fenceline, long grasses sway with the beat and keep Lenore smiling as she stands working in her kitchen.

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In Lenore’s playbook? Don’t be too prune happy, especially with new plantings, and buy the most mature specimens that you can afford. Don’t forget to feed your plants, sing their praises and say thank you for the everchanging seasons of a garden.