Tailored Turtle

The new Tortoise Island was planted with a variety of annuals to compliment the Silver Mound Artemisia and Japanese Black Pine. 

The plantings included: Scopia Gulliver Pink, Scopia Gulliver White, Dusty Miller, 'Silverdust', and Portulaca.

The were all randomly placed in the hopes that they may grow into each other and form a temporary ground cover for this season. By using annual I can switch out plants each season depending on the look I am trying to obtain.

In the meantime, the plantings are doing well and I am hoping that more flowers will emerge as we move further into summer.

A Memorial to Beautiful Plants

Memorial Day weekend arrived and all my extra effort to prepare the garden early this spring has paid off. The plants throughout the the garden did not disappoint, especially after some much needed rain.

Gaunyin Needs a Makover

Wanting to do a better job of hiding the foundation along the Zen garden pathway, I decided to make some changes to the Guanyin bed.

I removed the large Variegated Japanese Forest Grass that has resided in the location for the last few years. 

Forest Grass - bottom right

It had become large and was beautiful, but due to some issues with the grass beneath the meter-lantern, I decided to chop it into four pieces and use it to replenish the base of the lantern box. 

Over the winter, a lot of the existing grass simply did not return. In addition, after the building of the porch last summer, the old curved bed below the lantern box was no longer semi-circular. So, I decreased its width to give it a more balanced look while using grass from the Guanyin bed to replenish what had failed to grow back.

It will take some time, but as summer arrives the entire bed should fill in with grass.

As a result of the move, a large open space became available  along the Guanyin bed. Wanting to hide the foundation, I opted for two shrubs. First I planted a Cora Louise Itoh Peony (Paeonia x 'Cora Louise') with a large white flower. The Peony should grow to about 3 x 3', but I will need to keep an eye on it and make sure it doesn't overtake this location. I am hoping it gets enough light. 

I also added a Crimson Pygmy Barberry (Berberis thunbergii var. atropurpurea "Crismon Pygmy'). The Barberry should only grow to about 2 x 2' and will eventually hide the foundation without the shrub becoming too large. 

I am concerned that this location will not have enough sunlight for the Barberry. This bed is the brightest location in the Zen garden, but shade has slowly been increasing each year with the wood lot behind the garden continuing to grow. Hopefully, both these shrubs will be ok.

If everything works out, Guanyin will have a more lovely bed in which to rest.

Pining for a Turtle

Two transitions occurred this week within the garden. A beloved Scotch Pine tree was removed after a period of decline that left the tree in too poor a state to recover. Shortly afterwards, A Japanese Black Pine arrived that would fill the physical void left by the removal of the cherished Scotch Pine.

The Scotch Pine started to show signs last summer of distress, especially after its bi-annual pruning. The tree had rested in the viewing garden since 2019. I had pruned it several times over the years, but never so much as to cause distress or shock. 

Before Pruning 2023

Immediately After Pruning 2023

Fall 2023

However, something went noticeably wrong within a few weeks of the 2023 pruning. The tree did not die, but it did shed most of it's needles. It could have been the shock of the pruning, the inconsistent weather, or the poor sandy soil. I was never able to determine the cause. I waited to see if the tree would heal, but alas, over the next ten months, the tree did not improve, in fact, it got worse.

As a result, I decided to remove the tree and use the location for a long desired feature - a Turtle Island.

I first posted about Kami Jima - The Tortoise Island in 2020. At that time I mentioned that stone and plant placements within Japanese gardens can sometimes represent islands, and that often one of the islands was referred to as a tortoise island, or kame-jima (亀島). The idea originated with the cult of immortality, a Daoist inspired belief from China in which the tortoise is a symbol of longevity representing 10,000 years.

I also included some images of examples employed in several gardens:

Ryōan-ji  - Kyoto, Japan

Isshidan (Rtogen-in) - Kyoto, Japan

Originally, I planned on using stones I had left over from other garden projects, but the stones never really worked well.

With the opening up of the space within the central bed of the viewing garden, I could now try to create a more authentic tortoise island. I was inspired by two distinct garden examples Tenshin'en in Boston, Massachusettes, and the Anderson Japanese Garden in Rockford, Illinois:

 Tenshin'en

Anderson Japanese Garden

I loved that both these gardens used a combination of stones and plants to create the metaphorical illusion of a tortoise.

My plan consists of a Japanese Black Pine (Pinus thunbergii 'Thuderhead') at the center to represent the shell of the turtle. 

This tree has the potential to get very large if unattended, so I will need to be diligent about removing candles each year to restrict its growth and control its shape.

On the right side I have placed a large red stone that I recycled from elsewhere on the property. This large stone will represent the tortoise head. 

On the left side I have places a somewhat small red stone to represent the tail.

To represent the feet of the tortoise I planted four Silver Mound Artemisia (Artimesia schmidtiana 'Silver Mound'). 

I will need to keep an eye on them to see how well they do. They too may need some trimming over time. 

From the edge of the viewing garden the tortoise island is stating to take shape.

I also plan to fill in the surrounding areas with some other plants and/or ground cover to help define the tortoise from the rest of the bed and plantings. The island is still a work in progress.

On either side of the tortoise I also planted two large shrubs. On the left, a Cora Louise Itoh Peony (Paeonia x 'Cora Louise') with large white flowers.

On the right I planted an Ivory Halo Dogwood (Cornus alba 'Baihalo'). 

I am hoping to keep these two shrubs trimmed down to about 3' in size. I think they will help frame the tortoise while also adding some more interest to the viewing garden.

Falling Blossoms

Mrs. Krabapple has finally dropped her blossoms. Scattered on the ground, they took on a beauty all their own.

As spring begins the transition to summer, the petals that brought so much joy will be missed, while the knowledge of their annual return leaves one with a wonderful sense of anticipation for the beauty that will once again bring great joy!

Corner Reborn

This season has been one of challenges that I did not anticipate. Throughout the garden many plants did not reappear after the winter. However, in the stroll garden there are several additional problems. 

First, voles decided to over-winter near the large East Gate at the end of the Stroll Garden. It appears they did a lot of digging within the bamboo but they also destroyed the large expanse of dark green Hosta that had been residing in that corner since 2012. 

Hosta, Dark Green, at right - 2020

For 12 years the Hosta thrived and no critters ever bothered them. This season they were decimated. I did my best to dig up the remnants and pot them up for rehabilitation, but it will be a while before I can determine if they will survive. Essentially, the voles ate the roots from underneath during the winter.

In their place, I planted four new Elegans Blue Hosta (Hosta sieboldiana 'Elegens') that were similar in style to the previous plants, except with a white bloom. I can only hope that the voles and rabbits leave these new plants alone. It will take several years for this corner to achieve the same lush, full look a before. 

I also decided to remove a small two foot section of bamboo and plant a Variegated Dwarf Cardinal Shrub (Weigela florida "variegated Nana') in the corner. 

Given that this shrub might grow three to four feet, I am hoping that it will cover up the corner and add a bit more interest. I also am waiting for the bamboo in this bed to fill in - it has been a couple of years since the bamboo has done well. I may have to consider its removal at the end of the season.

Digging Deep & Planting New

This spring I am embarking on some major adjustments to plants and soil. Every year the wood lot behind the garden grows taller resulting in less light and more shade. As a result, I am switching out and replacing plants that will be more shade tolerant.

In addition, the soil in many of the small rocky areas along both sides of the Zen garden need to be replenished. As I place new plants and move older ones, I am taking the time to dig new holes and switch out the soil with new soil mixed with fertilizer.

I've also learned that the Hosta do not do well long term in these tight spaces and need to be dug up and split after a couple of years. Doing so will allow the smaller cutting to thrive and allow the extra cutting to be used elsewhere. Wherever possible, I am also trying to enlarge the location by readjusting the stones to make the planting spot larger.

So far I have added at least nine varieties of new plants and moved five. I am sure the work will continue, but it will help invigorate the garden as summer approaches. Below are the new additions:

Patriot Hosta

Captain Kirk Painted Hosta

Wide Brim Plantain Lily Hosta

Shadowland Autum Frost Hosta

Bridal Veil Astilbe

Two Montgomery's Late Red Astilbe were added along the fence line.

Two Younique Raspberry Dwarf Astilbe were planted on either side of the Moon Window.

Two different Foxgloves were planted to test slug tolerance and shade in the Zen garden

Digitalis purpurea Foxy Foxglove

A Carillion Foxglove (Digitalis grandiflora 'Carillion') was added near a Forest Grass (since removed to make way for an Astilbe). 

In addition to these new plants, I also spit, moved, or re-soiled the following plants:

A Shade Fanfare Plantain Lily (Hosta 'Shade Fanfare') from 2014.

Plantain Lily 'Francee" Hosta

Jurassic Park Hosta

Pumpkin Spice Foamy Bells (Heusherella x 'Pumpkin Spice')

With some luck, all these additions and adjustments will result in a healthier garden.