Ornamental Garden: Stone walls replaced original railroad
tie structures, with a grass path and stone stairs. Present garden with boxwood
now a hedge and perennials.
Photos are
from Sandy Motyka in Connecticut. She says, "For years we owned several
acres of land behind our first home in Newtown. In the late 1990s we
decided to build on a part of that land we had enjoyed walking through with
dogs and family. It was important to us to preserve the natural beauty of the
land and not turn it into a typical suburban lawn-centered landscape. This is
just a glimpse of what we have done on five acres. These photos focus on the
ornamental garden behind the house. It’s really stone-lined giant flower pots
that were backfilled with compost and topsoil. Everything is grouped for impact
and ease of care. It’s the most formal of the plantings. All else is geared to
transition into the natural landscape with hardwoods, including beeches, lots
of native ferns, and rugged stone outcroppings."
Same garden in full summer, after white lilacs have bloomed
close up with butterfly
this garden when newly planted about 8 years ago
same garden as above when new with annuals and some
perennials
stone stairs replaced railroad ties
The side yard plantings are designed to blend the beautiful
natural landscape replete with native hardwoods and natural ferns, and to
minimize lawn wherever possible. This is the side yard with a rustic patio - the little maple has since
left us L
side yard keeping natural stone outcropping and native ferns
to blend with stone wall with hydrangeas. White 'Ice Follies' daffodils and
old-fashioned narcissus fill the area under the hydrangeas in spring
front yard
Entry to fern garden. This area was rubble from the house
building and lots of stone, probably from the backside of the glacier, and some
natural ferns. It was a mess, but every year we plant some more ferns to fill
in.
We added natural stone steps and rustic ornaments to make
this rubble pile look nice since we see right off the terrace