Comments on: TEN IDEAS TO STEAL FROM THE GARDENS AT WAVE HILL

By: john in cranston

john in cranston — Wed, 24 Jun 2015 07:04:58 +0000

I love the Scotch thistle (biennial).
My neighbors were horrified that I Was growing them (6? 7?) in the yard. I talked of how butterflies love them and birds eats the seeds (then a humming bird buzzed us as it tried to get into a bud that was not even open)
And there they grow, in a botanical garden. I feel vindicated!

Now as for growing clematis up bare branches? Terrific. Now how to stop the branches from rotting…

By: Unknown

Unknown — Wed, 24 Jun 2015 04:57:31 +0000

So I first "experimented" with coppicing while dealing short term with a badly place Albizia (Powder Puff Tree) and always was amazed with the technique in those forecourt Conservatory border with a Cotinus (Smoke Bush) that pushed out HUGE leaves on graceful wands at 10 feet…and even without a greenhouse, I may need to consider the well placed solo pot of annuals as there is always a selection of choice plants at Union Square Farmer's Market…!!

By: Shad

Shad — Mon, 22 Jun 2015 14:04:45 +0000

Hey Matt your flowers picture are very pretty. May go on the trip to Wave Hill Botanic Garden and Cultural Center to experienced what you have, well designed gardens and beautiful plantings. Great ideas for my garden too.

By: concretenprimroses

concretenprimroses — Mon, 22 Jun 2015 03:23:32 +0000

Great post!

By: Matt Mattus

Matt Mattus — Sun, 21 Jun 2015 22:40:49 +0000

In reply to Tatyana@MySecretGarden. Thanks Tatyana - I love those two,too!

By: Matt Mattus

Matt Mattus — Sun, 21 Jun 2015 22:40:29 +0000

In reply to DC Tropics.

Well, as you said – it's not something one sees in the average gardeners, garden. Unless they are first generation Italian or southern European, where one sees this practice applied often – Portuguese, French, etc – but aside from botanic garden and arboreta where there are some knowledgable plants people, I find the practice absent from most gardens.

By: Matt Mattus

Matt Mattus — Sun, 21 Jun 2015 22:37:29 +0000

In reply to kate.

Hi Kate, Oh I am so thrilled to hear about your success with Lavender here in Massachusetts – I'm going to give it a try, since the few plants which are growing there already, have been thriving for years – I feel a little crazy for not noticing it before. We must have planted grass there 5 times already – always tilling around the lavender but never really thinking that therein lay the answer.

By: kate

kate — Sun, 21 Jun 2015 21:04:18 +0000

I have a lavender border (plants ordered from the same nursery as you) in the hottest, driest, sunniest spot on our property just south of Boston. It has been thriving for some years, through torrential rains, ridiculous piles of snow, drought, you name it. I suspect yours will do fine. BTW, I have interspersed mine with an orange-blooming Agastache this year. It looks very nice. Waiting to see if they are winter-hardy….

By: Tatyana@MySecretGarden

Tatyana@MySecretGarden — Sun, 21 Jun 2015 10:09:01 +0000

These all are good ideas! Number 2 and 4 are my favorites here. Thank you Matt!

By: DC Tropics

DC Tropics — Sun, 21 Jun 2015 06:03:16 +0000

Not sure I would call coppicing a "lost art" but it isn't something you typically see in most everyday gardens. I saw some great examples of coppiced Catalpa (golden), Cotinus (both golden & dark forms), and Paulownia at Chanticleer Garden last weekend.