Garden Photo of the Day

Memories of a Northern Summer Garden

Blooms from Zone 3

By GPOD Contributor

Today we are visiting Mary Spaulding’s garden.

I submitted photos of my emerging spring gardens in May 2020 (click here). I’d like to share some photos of our July-August Zone 3 gardens. Even though it was a very dry year, my husband’s diligent watering paid off.

Hosta cultivars next to some maple treesOn the west side of the house, hosta cultivars are shaded under a large old Amur maple (Acer ginnala, Zones 3–8). I would love to grow Japanese maples (Acer palmatum, Zones 5–9), but our winters are too severe. A mass planting of Stachys macrantha (Zones 3–8) is on the left side.

Hostas ‘Gold Standard’ and ‘Solar Flare’‘Gold Standard’ and ‘Solar Flare’ hostas (both Zones 3–8)

Rosa ‘Nearly Wild’Rosa ‘Nearly Wild’ (Zones 3–9) has simple pink flowers produced in great abundance.

Calamagrostis and Clematis collectionThis longer view of the garden shows Calamagrostis ‘Karl Foerster’ (Zones 3–11) and Clematis on a trellis.

Feverfew, white Phlox and Rosa ‘Nearly Wild’.Feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium, Zones 3–9), white phlox (Phlox paniculata, Zones 3–9), and Rosa ‘Nearly Wild’.

Hemerocalis ‘Lazy Summer Days’Hemerocallis ‘Lazy Summer Days’ (Zones 3–10)

Astilbe with Hosta "Solar Flare", and asiatic lily ‘Tyrol’ Astilbe (Zones 3–8) with Hosta ‘Solar Flare’, and Asiatic lily ‘Tyrol’ (Lilium hybrid, Asiatic group, Zones 3–9)

Clematis ‘Piilu’ aka ‘Little Duckling'Clematis ‘Piilu’ aka ‘Little Duckling’ (Zones 3–8)

Stachys officinalis ‘Humelo’Stachys officinalis ‘Humelo’ (Zones 3–8)

Clematis ‘The President’Clematis ‘The President’ (Zones 3–8)

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Comments

  1. sandyprowse 11/30/2021

    Wow. Truly stunning. I am already sad for summer’s closure. Go away snow!

  2. garden1953 11/30/2021

    Lush and beautiful gardens. Thank you for sharing.

  3. gardendevas 11/30/2021

    Splendid! Love the lush happy flowers and winding grassy paths.

  4. User avater
    user-7007816 11/30/2021

    What a lovely, diverse space you have created. Great job!

  5. pattyspencer 11/30/2021

    Beautiful!

  6. User avater
    treasuresmom 11/30/2021

    Wow! Everything is so lush. Could you share some winter pics?

  7. shegardens 11/30/2021

    Thank you for sharing—your beautiful garden was inspiring. This summer my husband and I reworked an area, placing a slightly winding path (similar to yours) edged with perennials and shrubs into an area that changed drastically after a large, old tree had to be removed. As a zone 4b gardener, I’m sometimes a little envious of the lush plantings in other parts of NA, but your zone 3 is a reminder that beauty can surround us with thoughtful planning and careful attention to selecting plants suitable to the zone.

  8. User avater
    simplesue 11/30/2021

    I just had to save the photo of your garden "on the west side of the house"...so inspiring, done to perfection!
    An amazing garden and wow- in zone 3...I can't even imagine something so challenging.
    Well done!

  9. btucker9675 11/30/2021

    What a beautiful garden - love the winding grass paths and that Nearly Wild rose is so pretty! These photos made me happy!

  10. User avater
    cynthia2020 11/30/2021

    Mary - I enjoyed looking at all of your summery photos. Thanks for sharing!

  11. Maggieat11 12/01/2021

    Fabulous! You certainly have a serious weather challenge but you have tackled it with great persistence and success is. Great job!

  12. User avater
    vanhatalosuomi 12/02/2021

    Lovely photos of a fantastic garden! Thank you for sharing it!

  13. carolineyoungwilliams 12/15/2021

    Thank you for sharing your beautiful garden Mary. I love the choice of color and flowers. I've been considering doing a grouping of Hosta and your photo is beautiful.

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