Our first attempt at a semi-natural woodland garden...
May 19, 2003

Click images to enlarge.

The woodland garden path is off to the left of the stone steps shown above left.
(Time to prune the groundcover encroaching on the steps!)
It runs along the lower slope of our hill, under a stand of large Oak and Hickory trees and Dogwoods.
Its central focus is a row of yaku species rhododendrons which bloom in early spring
and I never seem to capture with the camera.

The rest of the year the woodland is dominated by wildflowers, ferns, and hostas.
Slowly emerging are also some very young summer and fall species azaleas (deciduous),
which we acquired from a specialist breeder in south Jersey a couple years ago.
Stands of large and small species of "Bleeding Hearts" bloom throughout the woodland.
The species shown right above will bloom repeatedly from spring through early fall.

Click images to enlarge.

A stand of perennial Woodland Phlox (left above) follows the Virginia Bluebells in May.
Unfortunately, I didn't capture the Bluebells in a photo this year.

At the end of the woodland path is the Holly Ridge which, besides holly trees,
has rhododendrons, hostas and spring bulbs.
The Holly Ridge is bordered on its right end by the arbor entrance to the back of the yard.
A path at its other end leads to the other side of the back of the yard.
I will add photos of the Holly Ridge when I get a chance.
The back section of the yard, which we call the "Back 40" for now (It's about 40 sq. feet.), is not yet landscaped...
the one, remaining, large, planting project to do.
We are currently building up its soil with composted oak leaves at the back border.

One of the rhodies on the Holly Ridge and also in the woodland is a special rhododendron (above right), called "Goldfort."
It is a very old variety, which I searched high and low for, having first seen it at the Dupont estate,
"Winterthur," in Delaware, near Philadelphia.

We have visited many of the old estate gardens in New Jersey and nearby Pennsylvania,
to study the old plants and traditions of planting, for ideas for our own gardens.
Our aim is to create a design which is suited to our 1929 house
and to the old garden traditions of this region.

I finally found two, infant "Goldfort" plants at a specialist breeder's in upstate New York, several years ago.
They are just now getting large and blooming prolifically.
Their large blooms are a pale, transluscent yellow, not quite as white as this photo shows.

Goldfort is preceded by nearby daffodils and tulips in this color, on the Holly Ridge.
In summer, it is followed by a swath of simarly colored daylilies. The Goldfinches fit right in!

One of these days, I need to photograph our wonderful array of birds,
which we attract with 7 bird feeders throughout the year.
Many of them breed and make their homes here.

May and June are the peak months for Perry Parc.
Lots more activity to come...
Click here.

To return to Index,
Click here.

Page 3, Perry Parc Log 2003