Denise Lajoei started creating her garden in Cambridge, Ontario Canada 7 or 8 years ago. After the years of work and adding to the garden every year, she was chosen to have her garden on a special garden tour organized by the Cambridge Gardening Club in August. For those of us not lucky to live close enough to go on the tour ourselves, here’s a little taste of her beautiful collection of plants!
The beautiful pink goblets of autumn crocus (Colchicum speciosum, Zone 4 – 9) bloom in late summer/early autumn without any leaves. Here in Denise’s garden, a carpet of other plants provides a backdrop to these elegant flowers that end the season on a high note. The leaves emerge in the spring, and then die back completely by mid summer.
A diverse collection of perennials and annuals provide color and interest in the garden. Here, a bird bath and garden bench invite visitors both human and feathered to stop a moment and enjoy the garden.
Big leaf hydrangeas (Hydrangea macrophylla, Zones 5 – 9) lend bright color to the shade in the height of summer. For colder climate gardens, look for varieties that can rebloom in the summer. Older, once-blooming varieties can set their flower buds in the fall, and in hard winters sometimes freeze off.
Brilliant garden phlox (Phlox paniculata, Zones 4 – 8) blooms in front of the huge, green flower heads of smooth hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens, Zones 3 – 9).
The green flower buds of Sedum spectabile (stone crop, Zones 3 – 9) serve as a subtle, understated prelude to the bright pink flowers to come.
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Comments
What an unusual birdbath!!
Good to see this green and colorful garden on yet another snowy morning. I am hungry for spring
We missed the snow although it is cold. Hopefully, your white stuff will melt quickly and spring can fully take hold.
Very nice! And did you make your birdbath top? With a foot and a half + of snow here, these photos are an especially welcome sight! Thanks for sharing!
Looks like you have the perfect setting for your big leaf hydrangeas and are being well rewarded with the bountiful blooms. Hmm, and why have I never bought and planted any fall blooming crocus? They look so appealing popping up amongst some green ground cover.
Love your plant choices and how you have arranged them. Congratulations on being chosen to be part of the garden tour!
Send some more pictures soon - these were so nice to see.
Autumn crocus are great plants. I need to put some in. I see you have peonies showing among the phlox. Makes me think of spring to come. We have various bulbs sticking their noses out but I need more. Thanks for sharing the photos.
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