Monday, May 20, 2013

Garden Tour Week: Bill's Hopkinsville Garden


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One of the benefits of being in a garden club--and a fairly active one at that--is the ability to meet new gardeners and to tour gardens. One of our members (Sandy) is from the Hopkinsville/Clarksville region and knows many folks around the area. One of her childhood friends (Bill) happens to be a very good gardener. Sandy had been wanting to visit his garden for a while and wanted to take our garden club (Beachaven). Well, the garden tour finally went on the calendar this year and eleven lovely ladies went for a nice convoy along some country roads to Hopkinsville Kentucky to visit Bill and Linda's garden. What a treat!
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I would call Bill's garden a mainly mixed garden consisting of trees, shrubs, perennials, and hardscape. There is a heavy emphasis on trees and shrubs; which is my kind of garden! All of the specimens were artfully sited to titillate the senses with color and texture. Being that it is spring chartreuse was a big color factor so I started this post with a lovely spirea and the spiderwort in the above picture (with blue flowers) is 'Sweet Kate' tradescantia. Blue and chartreuse colors work very well together.
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I believe the above shrub to be a 'Tiger Eyes' sumac though I did not ask Bill so can't be 100% sure. 'Tiger Eyes' is a highly sought after shrub that is quite in vogue right now. It and elderberries seem to be all the buzz.
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Hardscaping was a major element of the garden. Bill has been very hard at work making numerous paths, formal gardens, a water feature and even a delightful garden retreat. A picture of that will come in a later post. There are three posts on Bill's garden this week. After that I suspect I may take a blogging break or slowdown.
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This mock orange was the prettiest mock orange I have ever seen. Maybe because it was growing in full sun it was very happy. I am not sure. The flowers were only slightly scented but did have a nice scent. When shopping for mock oranges always buy them in bloom so you can be sure you get a scent. Even if you buy a shrub with a nice scent, sometimes scented shrubs don't always have a scent each year. I think it depends on growing conditions. I have noticed this with a sweetshrub I purchased last year. It had a good scent then but doesn't have much of one now. This mock orange was unique in that the flowers were really large and it was simply gorgeous!
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Bill and his lovely wife were kind enough to set up a little table in the shade with all sorts of bottled water and drinks. It was a delightful little spot to relax and chat about the garden.
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Another long view shows some of the conifers mixed with deciduous shrubs. Bill chooses his shrubs for texture and color. Conifers, Japanese maples, and other shrubs fit in nicely together in this garden.
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I started this post with a spring picture and I guess I am ending it with a spring picture too. Peonies are a staple of spring gardens. I think Tennessee is getting close to their southern limit but anywhere they can get a good cold spell will ensure your peonies do well. Bill's peonies were bursting with color on this sunny day when we visited....

in the garden....
Words and Photos Property of In the Garden Blog Team, In the Garden

11 comments:

  1. I love to tour gardens. I always come away with an idea or two. Every spring I think I see peonies and think I should plant some. I just don't have much full sun to work with. I am afraid I would be disappointed with their blooms yet when I see your picture of this peony I get itchy to try. Thanks for taking us along on your tour.

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  2. It was such a beautiful garden and Bill and his wife were just delightful people!

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  3. That shady table looks like the perfect retreat on a hot, sunny day. Gorgeous photo of the peony!

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  4. What a special garden! Love the mock orange: we had one up North in our old house and I just hope the new people appreciate and have cared for it... As for Spiderwort: it is a backbone of my garden! A friend here, in not N.C., even has it out in the middle of a very sunny, hot garden and says yes, it does bloom all summer. Mine stays in the shade and is very happy there!
    Hope you will take a look at my latest "hardscaping": our new stone egg garden ornament! It's received lots of attention on line and in person: http://www.libbywilkiedesigns.com/2013/05/friday-flowers-our-new-stone-egg.html

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  5. I love all the new ideas I see when you feature the gardens!!

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  6. Lovely garden. I am loving the spiderwort! It really goes well with the salvia. The shaded areas look inviting, too.

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  7. I agree, garden clubs do go to some nice places. I am quitting our club due to time constraints and health issues, but it has a great group of friends of whom I will still stay in touch. Bill does look like he has done a lot of work in the garden and that pays in how it shows. Have a good break. I found that traveling does the same for me. I am away now and have very limited time to blog (losing WIFI at my next stop) and that does the trick to refresh.

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  8. I've enjoyed the MG get-togethers here, but I think you get to know people better when you're part of a club. It sounds like you have a great one to belong to up there. I wonder why elderberries are so popular? Could it be for wine-making purposes?

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    1. W2W, I think elderberries are very popular because of the new cultivars 'Black Lace' and 'Aurea' and also elderberries are the Herb of the Year this year. Everyone is into those chartreuse and black colored plants with nice texture. The berries can't hurt either.

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  9. Tina I enjoy seeing the creative eye of other gardeners...I can see the hard work and lush beauty here.

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  10. And to think, I had a chance but past on seeing this garden in person.... Sigh...

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