Today we’re in Ann Arbor, Michigan, with Sharon and Michael Darga.
When we moved into our home in 1982, the backyard was overgrown with scrub and poison ivy. Through years of hard work, we steadily cleared and planted, gradually expanding each year. The constantly evolving garden has now moved into “any space that we can find” to plant. The garden focuses on a variety of ferns, epimediums, hostas, ornamental trees, and shrubs. We have over 200 varieties of hostas and have collected all of the Hosta of the Year varieties from 1996 to the present.
The front of the house has been filled with a variety of conifers, which include Pinus strobus ‘Squiggles’ (Zones 3–8), concolor fir (Abies concolor, Zones 3–7), and ‘Golden Spreader’ Caucasian fir (Abies nordmanniana ‘Golden Spreader’, Zones 4–6).
Leading into the backyard is a variety of hostas (including Hosta ‘Royal Wedding’ and ‘Sum and Substance’, Zones 3–8) and a river of rocks collected on various trips.
A mulch path winds through the yard. As you walk, you will see various sculptures, hostas (here you see the variety ‘Guardian Angel’), Japanese maples (Acer palmatum, Zones 5–9), and pots for color throughout the summer.
A tall sculptural Japanese maple (Acer palmatum ‘Ryusen’, Zones 5–9), a pagoda, and a weeping blue Colorado spruce (Picea pungens, Zones 2–7) highlight this area.
Another sculpture (this one called “Story Teller”) and a variety of ferns adorn this section, along with Japanese forest grass (Hakonechloa macra, Zones 5–9). An annual pot is added for height and background interest. Himalayan maidenhair fern (Adiantum venustum, Zones 4–8) provides a soft ground cover.
A sculptural bunny on the right (named Chauncy) highlights the back, with more hostas and a bench for taking it all in.
Have a garden you’d like to share?
Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit!
To submit, send 5-10 photos to [email protected] along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden.
Have a mobile phone? Tag your photos on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter with #FineGardening!
Do you receive the GPOD by email yet? Sign up here.
Fine Gardening Recommended Products
Planting in a Post-Wild World: Designing Plant Communities for Resilient Landscapes
Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.
Gilmour 811673-1001 Sprinkler
Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.
Comments
You have a beautiful contemporary home and what a great garden!
So many little surprises to see down every turn, sculptures, benches, ornamental rocks, gazing balls and a wonderful variety of plants creating such a garden masterpiece!
Oh and the Hosta's...love 'em!
Thank you so much for your kind comments!
I love your garden and how the color gently caresses your home. It makes me want to sit on the blue bench, in a complementary color of course, and enjoy all the serenity! Thank you for sharing.
Thank you so much for your kind comments!
My reaction is like rosys - it looks like your home has pulled the covers right up to its chin! It looks so cozy and hugged by the land. What wonderful gardens and sculptures - thank you so much for sharing, and send some more pictures when you can. I love Chauncy!
We love Chauncy too! And he wears a Santa hat during the holiday! He's quite handsome :)
I think my favorite shot is of the front of your house, with the conifers, but then I also like everything else! Thanks for sharing your beautiful gardens. How big is your property? You have managed to put in so many gorgeous plants!
We sit on approximately 1/3 acre, so not very big. That is likely a good thing or we would then have more property to create gardens on!
One more thing: I'm trying to identify the hosta in the far left lower corner with Sum and Substance. I don't think that one is Royal Wedding, but I love the way it looks like a bouquet, rather than a mound. Any help out there?
Unfortunately I tried to id it with two different plant apps with no luck. There is no longer a tag. Back in the day I used to label everything, but over the years tags get lost and not replaced. Sorry that I can't help.
Love your gardens; so inviting, so beautiful. I'm hoping that you will post more photos.🌱
Thank you! I didn't know that we could do that (I am new to this), but perhaps next spring I will offer more.
Just gorgeous! (Was your garden part of the Ann Arbor Garden Walk this year…? Looks familiar.)
It sure was :) Our third and final Garden Walk :)
Was such a pleasure to visit!
Thanks for posting--lots of good ideas here! In the photo with the circular sculpture and Sum and Substance, what are the plants in front of it, plants that are not astilbe nor hosta, one with dark foliage and one with yellowish foliage? They look a bit like very small spirea shrubs, but that seems unlikely.
They are burberry. My husband got three different colors and in the spring they are just vibrant. Unfortunately there is not the full sun there that they would like so they are back to green in the summer months. But, what a show in the spring. Good eye noticing them!
Beautiful garden and I love that you did it yourselves. Your first pic with the conifers is an inspiration to me. I will return to your photos as we plan our new gardens.
Log in or create an account to post a comment.
Sign up Log in