Keith Irvine is sharing his garden with us today. We’ve visited with him before (Keith’s Zone 3 Garden), and it’s a pleasure to revisit this beautiful garden.
I have put together some photos of the highlights of spring 2023 in our Zone 3 garden in Oxdrift, Ontario. It has been a very dry spring here and considerably warmer than normal. We usually have an old-timers rule here that it is not safe to plant out the annuals until after the full moon in June. This year we didn’t have any frosty mornings after about mid-May.
Virginia bluebells (Mertensia virginica, Zones 3–9) show off in the foreground, with ‘Tahiti’ daffodils (Narcissus ‘Tahiti’, Zones 3–9) behind. The Virginia bluebells have pink buds that open pink and then quickly turn blue. After they bloom the plant will dry right up and disappear until the following spring. When I first planted them I thought I had lost the whole batch but was pleasantly surprised the next spring.
Brunnera ‘Jack Frost’ (Zones 3–8)
Fern leaf peony (Paeonia tenuifolia, Zones 3–8)
Early in my gardening life I visited an abandoned logging camp where lupins (Lupinus polyphyllus, Zones 3–8) had naturalized. I dug up several of each color—purple, pink, and white—and transplanted them to my property. Since then they have naturalized, although sometimes not where I want them.
Tree peonies, such as this magenta-colored tree peony (Paeonia hybrid, Zones 4–8) in the Japanese garden, require winter cover in Oxdrift. I make boxes from blue building styrofoam to provide insulation.
Bridal wreath spirea (Spirea prunifolia, Zones 3–8) has taken off beside the entrance to the house.
In this mass planting of ferns, the shorter ones at the front are nursery-bought ostrich ferns (Matteuccia struthiopteris, Zones 3–7). The taller ones in the back are native ferns. They are much easier to manage. The ostrich ferns spread like wildfire.
Yellow tree peony
I keep a very large collection of tender succulents in the basement every winter and put them in my gardens in the summer. This bowl was a gift for my 70th birthday last summer. Creating this planting was the first thing I did when I started up my greenhouse in March.
I built this succulent container about five years ago, and it is always fun to create a new arrangement annually. This one has a mixture of hardy and tender succulents.
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Comments
Your garden and plants are stunning. We have suffered similar hot, dry weather here in central Michigan. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you
Your succulents are amazing! I am inspired to plant a pot and overwinter in my basement.
Thank you and Good Luck. They need lots of light. I keep most of mine under Innova LED lights and as many as possible on a wide window ledge
I've never seen or heard of a Fern leaf peony (Paeonia tenuifolia, it's amazing seeing the red flower floating in the fluffy foliage
My absolute favorites are your gorgeous Lupins- love that color, and so interesting to hear the story of the abandoned logging camp you propagated them from and spread more beauty!
Thank you. Just a little footnote on that fernleaf peony. It does really well in our climate but not so well in warmer areas. I had a friend in Windsor Ontario ( which I think might be Zone 6?) who loved mine so I gave him one and it did OK for one or 2 seasons then just fizzled out
That fern leafed peony - swoon!!! Your entire garden - swoon!!!
Thank you
All so beautiful. Great job. Particularly in love with that magenta peony. My peonies are pushed to the limit and don't fair very well. They need more sun. :( Thanks for sharing.
Thank you. That peony is a favorite of mine too. Shame they are so short lived
Your succulent pots are works of art! Very beautifully designed. The fern leaf peony is stunning. I wish I knew how to grow lupines like yours - I can’t keep them alive here in zone 5. Thanks for sharing your photos!
Thank you
Your plants are so healthy and gorgeous, thank you for sharing!
Omg love your garden and those peony ferns just breathtaking
Greetings . I don't believe I saw this collection of photos this past spring for some reason . If I did , then I forgot . I'm now on the hunt for one of those fern leaf peonies ! Thanks for the "prompt " ! Peace from the Mohawk Valley in central New York State .
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