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"The Wilderness": A New Garden From Wild Woods

© Marge Talt

Although I am not overly fond of grass which doesn't grow particularly well in shady areas, in order to tie the new area into the existing one, we will extend the lawn into the center of the new garden, curving it around the north end. The two areas will be separated by a clump of Maples, now bordering our grass, that I like and want to keep, but the continuation of a green ground should pull the two areas together visually.

The row of Leyland Cypress along the West Border are quite open at the base, so I need to find an evergreen that I can plant behind them as a filler. This filler needs to extend beyond the Cypress and a group of three Dogwoods that now end the border. I'm considering the common Cherry Laurel (Prunus laurocerasus), which is evergreen and even flowers. The species can grow to 10 or 18 feet high, but the readily available cultivar, 'Otto Luyken', seldom grows taller than 4 feet and flowers in heavy shade, which it would be getting behind the Cypress. I will search for the species to use between the Cypress and behind the Dogwoods, where I will need more height to hide that tennis court. Beyond the Dogwoods is the now open and sunny area.

I've just about decided to invest in some Hemlocks (Tsuga), probably the Canadian Hemlock, T. canadensis, which is a bit faster growing than T. caroliniana and more readily available. This is one of the few needled evergreens that tolerates shade, though they will grow better in sun. While we've opened up the area, I know that it will become more and more shady as the years pass and the existing trees, as well as the plants I put in, grow. Hemlocks will get to 40 or more feet in height with a spread of 25' or so, but this will take a number of years. I have in mind using a triangular group of them in the northwest corner, spaced about 6 feet apart so that they will form a solid block, giving me a good background for deciduous plants.

On the north side of the Dogwood group that ends the existing border, I plan to put the coveted Magnolia grandiflora. To fill in between the Magnolia and the Hemlocks, I think I will use a mixed group of Holly (Ilex). I haven't decided on which ones, yet, but may include the cultivar 'Edward J. Stevens', which is the male clone needed to pollinate the 'Nellie R. Stevens' I've put in the 'Gap'. I also have two Pieris in my holding area, which can become part of this evergreen grouping. Although I've had them for several years, the largest is only about 3.5 feet tall - they are slow growing. I've got two or three Rhododendrons back there which can go in this new garden, as well.