3.16.2009

A Garden Full of Fancy Foliage



I never get tired of foliage. It carries the garden through the season, providing structure, form and texture. And, done right, color. Colorful foliage is just the ticket for creating vibrant scenes that please from early spring to latest fall, and, if you use evergreens, all year long. As an aficionado of foliage-especially leaves in hues of blue, chartruese, gold, burgundy, silver and cream, which I found in abundance in Les and Monique Anthony's electric borders. They're the kinds of gardeners who never met a plant they didn't like-as long as it had colorful foliage, so the place is a treasury of unusual woody plants, and plenty of perennials too.



This winding path isn't long, but that doesn't mean it's not rewarding. And, a cool design element. Happening on this garden is but the first in a series of surprises. It's located in a staid suburban development and to say it stands out from its neighbors is, well, an understatement. The whole development was, not so very long ago, a cow pasture, which may explain why things just seem to grow like topsy in the Anthony's borders.

Anyway, the surprises really start once you get out back, where the garden begins in earnest.


Happily there are places where you can just grab a chair and soak it all in.

Even the containers provide hits of bright, eye-grabbing color. These bright blue pots make a catchy counterpoint for the chartreuse, silver and burgundy leaves that enliven this scene. But why take my word for it? If you're around the Connecticut area, see for yourself. The Anthony's Wallingford garden is a new addition to the Garden Conservancy's Open Days program, and will be open July 12. For more info, go here.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

I love looking at all the layers and textures. It is all so well-designed and beautiful.

Chandramouli S said...

As usual, your foliage posts are awesome. I love the containers - a lively blue...

Steve Silk said...

Jill-O-It really is a tapestry, carefully woven from all kinds of bits and pieces.

Steve Silk said...

Chandramouli--Thanks, I always figure you cannot go wrong with blue, It is the one color-other than white, which I'm not fond of-that compliments, and complements, all others.

Anonymous said...

A feast for the eyes. When winter holds on and you know spring is coming, it's wonderful to look at a garden that's so beautiful coming out of winter. Truly beautiful. You Northern folks can enjoy this type of beauty during the winter, where as me in the mid-Atlantic enjoy our beautiful springs. Thank you.

Steve Silk said...

Anon--Well we can really only enjoy it through photography. Though this garden is LOADED with winter interest, it's not the same.

mindy said...

such a thrill to see the latest of the Anthony garden- one of my all-time favs. What a talented duo!!