As most of you know, Elizabeth and I are plant nerds. We had the opportunity to represent Eagleson Landscape at a gathering of our ilk to tour 10 Central Michigan gardens in October. The Center Region chapter of the American Conifer Society arranged the event, and we were all excited to see each other again after two years. An outsider would have been able to tell that we were a bunch of plant nerds because the weather was cool and rainy – who else is willing to tromp through gardens in those conditions? The wet ground did not serve the landscapes well though, so we were even more grateful to the owners.
Of the 10 gardens, the youngest was 5 years old and the oldest was 50, allowing us to appreciate the potential of the newer ones and the history of the originals. Three of the gardens were small backyards, about 40ftx 60ft, and were wonderfully done. They showed off what can be achieved in a small space, where every plant counts. The idea is to overwhelm the eyes with quality rather than quantity!
Viewing gardens of differing ages also provided a unique perspective on investing time into a landscape. All the owners are not professional landscapers; they started their gardens as a hobby with no idea what they were doing. They grew into skilled gardeners, and I am not quite sure they can still call themselves hobbyists. Maybe obsessed hobbyists? Each space also had different takes on garden art which is something that I love since it reflects the gardener.
Here is an overview of the gardens we toured:
Saturday Garden #1
Owned by the publisher of Michigan Gardener and a new plant writer and garden lecturer, this backyard began as a white garden for a wedding. One homeowner is a foliage person, collecting dwarf conifers, small trees, shrubs and perennials. The other is a flower person – annuals, tropicals, and perennials. The individual collections come together beautifully.
Saturday Garden #2
This 1 ½ acre garden has been planted for over 50 years, creating a park-like setting with a 200-yr old elm. The latest collection effort focused on special dwarf conifers and miniature conifers. I enjoyed how they used rock to create topographical variation in a flat landscape.
Saturday Garden #3
Elizabeth and I thought this garden was a super example of what can be done with a typical city yard. The landscape is 25 years old and features over 10 conifers and other specialty ornamentals.
Saturday Garden #4 & #5
This garden spills over into adjacent one-acres lots, providing a lot of room to roam. Planted over 47 years to be a 4-season garden, it showcases conifers, Asian maples, rhododendrons, azaleas, ornamental trees and shrubs, sun and shade perennials, groundcovers and bulbs. The owner has introduced some plants into the gardening world, using his garden for testing before introduction, and is a stalwart in the conifer gardening enclave.
Saturday Garden #6
This small space contains over 250 varieties of plants, including conifers, Asian maples, Hostas, beeches and more. The owners have developed “rooms” and “views” in the space, providing transitions between focal points, including a small water feature.
Saturday Garden #7
This garden is another example of creating a lot of impact in a small space. The hardscape is meant to honor Michigan’s economic heritage. The owners have been on their property a bit longer than us but have been gardening for about the same amount of time – 7 years. It was interesting to compare what can be accomplished in the same amount of time.
Sunday Garden #1
This homeowner has been a hobby gardener since 1999 with a special interest in conifers, maples and woodland plants. While conifers play a major role, his garden features 20 different Japanese maples, plus dogwoods, gingkoes, beeches, ornamental trees, wildflowers, Hosta and perennials, as well as a small trough featuring rock garden plants. His garden has won awards from the Rock Garden Society, and he has experimented a lot with Tufa and limestone, both weathered and non. He works for the dept of public works so has access to concrete drainpipes, which he used in his garden – I found this design especially nifty!
Sunday Garden #2
This garden was originally a farm, and the current owners had to move tons of rocks to create a two-acre garden. They embraced the plentiful rock to create an award-winning rock garden with conifers being a key design component.
Sunday Garden #3
The homeowners originally made conifers the primary focus of this garden which turned into a business. They started a nursery that has introduced 17 new cultivars to the trade, primarily conifers. They use their gardens to evaluate their introductions before releasing them. Many of the original plantings still remain. Andy Duvall has been a great source of new species for us, but sadly, he is retiring. Happens to the best of us, right?
It was so nice to see people again! Elizabeth and I are always excited to meet with other garden enthusiasts – we become energized and filled with new ideas and inspiration which we then apply for our clients. I also went to Utah with my brothers this fall and had the same experience. Looking at nature reinvigorates and gives me more reference points for my designs. On our way home from Michigan, we stopped at a favorite nursey (like we always do anytime we travel) outside of Ann Arbor and picked up a lacebark pine. As they mature the bark gets a lacy, zebra-like coloring. You can visit it at our garden!
If you are equally inspired by the pictures of our tour, reach out to me. You can send me an email or give me a call at (317) 997-4803 to discuss your landscape desires.
