Unveiling the Rose Garden: A Fairy Tale Come to Life

Every year, I focus on updating a different section of my garden, and 2016 was the year of the rose bed. I have always grown roses in my garden—in fact, they were the first flowers that I planted when we moved into our house in 1992. Six roses came on the moving truck with us from the city; I grew them in pots on the porch of our rented apartment in Somerville and overwintered them in the unheated stairwell. They went into the ground in a circular bed in my front yard, created by the previous owners’ leaf pile that had been left there over the winter.

Most of them did not survive that exposed, windy location, pummeled by northwestern winds all winter long. I was a novice gardener and did not realize that my tender hybrid teas needed winter protection. But despite my lack of success, I was determined to grow roses in my garden. Aloha Rose was one of the roses that I brought from my city apartment, and it blooms to this day on my trellis – now 34 years old!

I created new beds in sheltered locations and ordered bare-root rose collections – hybrid teas from Jackson and Perkins for the bed bordering my stone garage, and fragrant David Austin roses to grow along the fence. The roses were undoubtedly fussy plants, ravaged by aphids and Japanese beetles and stripped of their leaves due to blackspot and other fungal diseases. Despite winter protection, some reverted to their Blaze rootstock, so instead of a yellow shrub rose, I ended up with another red climber that bloomed only once a year. But when they were in bloom, the roses were gorgeous.

Every year, my children lavishly decorated the table with roses for my Mother’s Day breakfast and made elaborate bouquets for my June birthday celebration. They even brought me a bouquet of my roses when I was in the hospital one November. So even as I debated whether I should continue growing these beautiful, fussy flowers, I knew that I could not give them up. I decided to go on a quest for roses that were winter-hardy, disease-resistant, fragrant, re-blooming, and had the cabbage-rose look of old-fashioned roses that I love.

The Quest for Sustainable Roses

At the Connecticut Flower Show, I attended a wonderful lecture by Mike and Angie Chute of RoseSolutions, entitled “Twenty-Five Fabulous Roses.” Mike and Angie had just published a book, Roses for New England: A Guide to Sustainable Rose Gardening, and I was delighted to learn about roses that could be grown here in Massachusetts without winter protection and without constant fungicide or pesticide application.

Most of these are hybrids that have been developed in the last 15 years. While Mike shared his list of 25 favorite roses, I asked him to point out those that were also fragrant. Sadly, in an effort to hybridize for hardiness, disease-resistance, and a long season of bloom, modern hybridizers had sacrificed fragrance. Of the 25 roses on Mike’s list, only 6 were fragrant.

I also found a second excellent guide, Roses Without Chemicals by Peter E. Kukielski. Peter is the former curator of the rose garden at New York Botanical Garden, and this book highlights 150 tough new varieties of roses that perform well in all kinds of conditions. Each rose in the book has a detailed description, along with a point rating which includes scores for disease resistance, bloom, fragrance, and an overall score.

Cross-referencing both lists, culling out only fragrant roses and those with full cabbage-rose heads, choosing those hardy to our zone and those that grew in a particular size range, I came up with a list of about 15 roses. Now the challenge was to find them for sale. I decided to order them via mail-order so that I could get them in the ground early, as nurseries often do not have roses until May. I was also looking primarily for bare-root, because I think that it’s easier to establish bare-root shrubs in the garden. Some nurseries have already closed bare-root orders for the season.

In the end, I was only able to find about half of my list and placed my orders at White Flower Farm, Heirloom Roses, and Palatine Roses in Canada. My final selections were Pink Martini, Ascot, First Crush, Lions Fairy Tale, Mother of Pearl, Pomponella, Summer Memories, and Cinderella Rose.

Thriving in Challenging Conditions

It has been eight years since I purchased the new roses, and they are all going strong. The best plants were from Palatine Roses and came bare-root. They grow to about 5 feet, bloom from June to October, and the foliage remains blemish-free all season long. My annual maintenance includes pruning and adding compost in spring, and monthly fertilization with Epsom Rose fertilizer from May to August.

The best time to order plants from Palatine Roses is in January, as they sell out very quickly. I hope that you’re inspired to grow disease-free roses. They will reward you with years of bountiful flowers and the intoxicating scent that I cherish.

Embracing the Challenges of My Garden

When looking for a property suitable for raising a family and building a garden in 1994, my main criterion was to live by water. A property overlooking an old reservoir seemed perfect, so we jumped at it. Perhaps it should have been a clue that the house had been on the market for seven years – it was our first rookie mistake.

While we do have mosquitoes in my native England, they are innocuous compared with the blood-sucking behemoths which teem in their thousands around us. The entire property is on a slope, with a swamp and stream presenting many design, wetlands, and erosion challenges. The land had been completely abandoned, and the forest had long ago claimed back any garden that had been there.

And then I found out that Massachusetts doesn’t really have soil – it’s more like rocks with bigger rocks. Undeterred, we set about building our dream garden. My husband from Iowa, zone 4, was a conifer expert, and I love flowers, so we figured that we would meet halfway in shrubland.

Rather than fight the conditions, we embraced them, using the rocks and local stone to build retaining walls, giving us much-needed flat beds to work in. The streams became features to build around, and we installed two ponds. We gradually cleared and reclaimed the garden, using the cuttings and weeds to make compost, which was then used to augment the soil.

My beloved husband passed away eight years ago, but his garden legacy lives on. I hear his voice in his conifers and trees, which are now mature, reminiscent of the slow march of time. I think of the garden as my canvas on which to play with color, shape, and texture. The garden is a reflection of me – some parts formal, some relaxed, traditional and modern, serious and whimsical.

A Garden of Surprises and Delights

Two stone spheres stand like strong sentinels, and a stone spiral draws you in. If a tree falls, I will put its stump in the stump garden, hollow out the trunk, and use it as a planter, or make a sculpture from the branches – all trying to use what nature has given me.

I have 43 Japanese maples, and my kids make me promise not to buy any more. It has taken me 30 years to understand how to prune them to reveal each specimen’s individual beauty. I’ll ignore the kids’ imprecations and get just one more.

Interestingly, the mosquitoes seem to have gotten used to me over the years and largely leave me alone. What joy every year to see what nature will bring, to see how things have grown, to plan and re-plan new beds and combinations. Every time I think it’s complete, it changes, and I am intrigued to see where we both go next.

A Journey of Discovery and Delight

As you enter the Kominz garden in Weston, Massachusetts, your jaw drops as your gaze lifts up the steep slope. A serpentine grass path leads through a series of gardens built around collections of unusual conifers, Japanese maples, rare trees, hostas, and perennials.

When Phyllis first moved into the house 55 years ago, the former hotel cottage was in major need of TLC. But it sat on an acre of land, and Phyllis had always dreamed of having a large garden. The first 20 years were focused on the house work and children. When Phyllis and David married 35 years ago, the garden became a joint hobby.

A tour of English gardens inspired a passion for unusual conifers. Other collecting interests followed – epimediums, hostas, daylilies, and Japanese maples. The Kominzes traveled extensively and collected horticultural souvenirs. Unusual Japanese maples were tucked into suitcases and brought home from Oregon, and other collectible plants were purchased on trips to New England specialty nurseries like Broken Arrow, Cochato, Cadys Falls, Avant Gardens, Haskell Horticulturists, Blanchettes, and O’Brien Nursery.

The Kominzes’ site provided many challenges – a long, narrow shape, steep incline, and a base of ledge. In many areas, there were only a few inches of soil. They solved some of these issues by creating a series of curvilinear terraced gardens in the sharply sloped front yard. Retaining walls, fountains, and a pond were added. The curving shape of the gardens provides the illusion of a much wider lot, and terracing creates usable planting areas and keeps water from washing the garden away.

While the design of the garden is beautiful, the plants are the stars here – from 200 dwarf conifers in every shape and hue to red columnar beeches, uncommon elms, and hundreds of hostas and other perennials. Phyllis has a great eye for combining plants that complement each other with their colors and textures.

After touring the incredible front garden, the richly planted backyard is a real surprise. Here, invasives, particularly poison ivy and bittersweet, had to be cleared before planting could begin. The beds were then outlined with brick and gravel and adorned with more plant collections.

Inspired by years of living in Japan, David installed his own Asian garden. Phyllis added a whimsical fairy garden with miniature bungalows that resemble English thatched-roof cottages. Japanese lanterns, figurative statues, miniature chairs, and metal roosters add charm to the garden beds.

Phyllis and David were lifelong learners, attending lectures at horticultural societies, the Massachusetts Horticultural Society, New England Hosta Society, Massachusetts Chapter of the Rhododendron Society, American Conifer Society, Rock Garden Society, and Lexington Garden Club. They both found that gardening reduced stress, added true joy to their lives, and kept them physically fit and young at heart.

David worked in the garden until his late 90s. Today, Phyllis manages the garden by herself with the help of friends and family. She continues to collect new plants and create new planted areas. She enjoys sharing the garden with visitors and is a true inspiration to fellow gardeners.

Art and Nature in Harmony

Visit ten professional artists’ private gardens, many with additional guest artists on site. Experience paintings, sculpture, ceramics, fused glass, woodwork, pyrography, photography, calligraphy, jewelry, and other works of art. The gardens, which vary in style, include sculpture gardens, woodland trails, acres of mountain laurel, a labyrinth, handmade stone arches, fountains, pools, a wildflower meadow, paths, terraces, and an abundance of flowers, shrubs, trees, fruits, vegetables, and herbs.

Art work, much of it horticulturally inspired, will be available for purchase. Individuals, families, and groups are welcome. Bring your camera or sketch book if you wish. This relaxing self-guided tour through Ashford, Coventry, Mansfield, and Willington in the beautiful hills of northeastern Connecticut is free.

The Rackliffe Garden features paths and boardwalks over a brook, a large collection of labeled miniature hostas, and a variety of interesting shade plants. There are enchanting planters created from recycled daybeds, handmade stepping stones, a totem pole, and other surprises throughout. Host artists Jane and Dan Rackliffe create fused glass art and functional pottery, respectively.

At Suzy Staubach Willow Tree Pottery, set in an old hayfield, you’ll find a welcoming old-fashioned country garden with arbors, informal hedges, stone benches, an armillary, and an antique hay rake. Guest artists Barbara Katz, Gretchen Geromin, and Lauren Merlo collaborate on unique handmade cutting boards and signs made from local fallen or dead trees.

Barbara Timberman’s exuberant watercolor paintings and hand-bound journals celebrate plants and flowers, complemented by charming domestic objects. Aline Hoffman’s stone labyrinth and outdoor sculptures grace the hidden garden at Maple Brook Studio.

FentonRiver Studio bursts with a vibrant display of colorful blooms and sculptures, including a seven-foot lion, a fountain, a large lighted fairy house, a koi pond, cast cement leaves, and more. At Flying Dragon Farm Studio, you can wander through a lush mix of fruit, flowers, and vegetables, including an unusual aquaponics garden in a greenhouse and a fish pond.

Michelle Allison continues her fascination with the vessel form, turning to metal after 55 years of working with wood. Her large metal vessels include capacious negative space, appearing light and open. Scott and Ellie Rhoades have created a picture-perfect garden around their house and the studio Scott built himself, featuring stone arches, formal borders, terraces, a pool, fruit trees, and a wealth of specimen shrubs, trees, and perennials.

John C. Starinovich uses natural holes from downed trees combined with metals, crystals, deer antler, bone, shells, seed pods, various woods, LED lights, and most importantly, mirrors to create his one-of-a-kind art sculptures at Holes in the Woods.

This relaxing, self-guided tour through the beautiful hills of northeastern Connecticut is a must-visit for art and nature enthusiasts alike.

Heather Garden: A Botanical Gem in Fort Tryon Park

The three-acre Heather Garden is the crown jewel of Fort Tryon Park, with a stunning 600-foot perennial border punctuated with heaths and heathers, as well as other flowering trees and shrubs. It began as the vision of John D. Rockefeller, who collaborated with the Olmsted Brothers to create a picturesque park overlooking the Hudson River.

During the 19th and early 20th centuries, Fort Tryon was home to several beautiful estates. Rockefeller began acquiring these estates as they came up for sale, gradually assembling 67 acres that he gave to the city for a public park. Rockefeller hired the illustrious Olmsted Brothers firm to design Fort Tryon Park in their signature picturesque landscape style, preserving the spectacular vistas of the Hudson River and the Palisades.

The Heather Garden was to be a distinct area of beauty within the park, built into the side of a rocky ridge. Low-growing heather was chosen as the predominant plant so it would not obscure the views. The site provided many challenges with its steep, rocky topography and thin soil. It took four years to transform it into a manicured landscape with promenades, stone retaining walls, terraced wooded slopes, lush gardens, and eight miles of paths for pedestrians.

Since its completion in 1935, the park has been restored several times. The latest renovation of the Heather Garden was completed in 2010 by landscape designers Lynden B. Miller and Ronda M. Brands. The result is a spectacular flower garden with 550 varieties of plants.

The garden is bisected by a central path. On one side is the perennial border with old-world roses, historic azaleas, hydrangeas, and other flowering shrubs that provide year-round structure for the ever-changing tapestry of perennials. On the other side of the path is the heather bed, anchored by several historic yews and a massive Siberian elm. More than 30 varieties of heaths and heathers hark back to the garden’s original design, set amidst companion plantings of perennials, conifers, and ornamental trees.

The topography and plantings vary from rocky slopes hosting delicate alpines to meadow-style plantings of sun-loving perennials. In the spring, flowering dogwoods, rhododendrons, and azaleas complement peonies, candytuft, Siberian irises, poppies, and salvias. Summer brings on yarrows, hibiscus, globe thistles, roses, catmint, and astilbes. Butterfly weeds, red hot pokers, black-eyed Susans, and coneflowers provide food for pollinators in the fall, while dramatic color arrives with the spectacular fall foliage and the blooms of asters, anemones, stonecrops, and hyd