Garden Diary: Early Brooklyn
The new garden in Brooklyn is about one year old, though I believe it was still mostly bare of plants at this time last year. Above is a center view from the house ... a view from the left below ...
... and from the right. The ceramic face of Bacchus will be replaced by something larger in scale, though I don't know what yet.
The boxes came through winter in good health and form, and they're quickly putting on new growth.
The epimediums and sedums at the back of the garden give quite a lot of brightness for so early in the season, though the ground there is largely still bare, awaiting planting with Hakone grass (either the green species or the 'All Gold' cultivar).
I took Les's advice and mulched the hell out of my Tetrapanax 'Steriodal Giant'; it came through the winter with no damage, and I look forward to seeing it grow to monstrous size this summer.
Two unknown Pulmonarias appeared this spring, apparently stowaways with plants I brought in last year. They've added so much early interest, I may add more this spring.
But first I have to see which of the still invisible plants appear to be successful. Below Mukdenia rossii, Ligularia japonica, and a minature Liriope (or is an Ophiopogon?) make an interesting combination of color and form.
My shoe gives a sense of scale.
The three plants across the back are Seven Son Flower (Heptacodium miconoides)--destined to be more small trees than flowers. I'll prune them into wacky shapes once I see better how they'll grow.