Duff & Donna Evers, Part 3: The Woodland & the Gate of Lost Marbles

Digging, weeding, planting, hefting and hauling loads of compost; gardening is often tough physical work! It's not a hobby you would intuitively think would be suited to someone in late middle life or even older.

If you've been following this series of blog posts, you'll know that now by now that Duff and Donna Evers have a very large garden, but what you may not realize is that they are both gardeners in their seventies. 

If Donna could interject right about now, she'd probably tell you that gardening keeps them fit and young at heart. She might even toss in a lighthearted joke about gardening saving them a fortune on a gym membership.

It may be a lot of physical labor, but gardening is also a passion; a love of plants and nature that both she and Duff share. 

In this, the final post of the series on their garden near Halifax Nova Scotia, we are going to look at the little woodland garden to one side of the house, and to the what Donna refers to as the "gate of lost marbles."

I am going to let Donna tell you the story of this part of the garden in her own words:

"This area started out with a cedar hedge between us and our neighbour. There is a path through the hedge for visiting back and forth, by both people and pets."

"On the edge nearest the lawn, we planted a border of rhododendrons. In the area between these plantings, there were native hemlock, maples and poor spruce. Again, we weren't planning to garden in this area. Nature took care of the unsightly spruce, we limbed-up the hemlocks and bought more plants. Another garden to fill."

"Now we needed a way in and out of this garden. Duff built arbours leading into the garden at both ends."

Miss Cleo makes a grand entrance.

"There is also an arbour halfway down the garden and an arbour with a series of window frames that runs along a retaining wall. I love the view of the lake through these 'window frames'. The arbours all support clematis or climbing vines. Clematis flammula is a wonderful scented late bloomer."

Anemone sylvestris

Anemone sylvestris has ferny foliage and white flowers in late spring. Anemone sylvestris looks wonderful in combination with Narcissus or tulips. It also helps disguise the bulb's dying foliage. This plant spreads quite readily. Full sun or light shade and moist to wet conditions are preferred. Height: 30-45 cm (12-18 inches), Spread: 30-60 cm (12-23 inches). USDA Zones: 2-9

Donna: "Trillium grandiflorum 'Flore Plenum' was a birthday gift from a gardening friend. I hold my breath every spring until it appears. Then there is mandatory viewing for friends, neighbours and even total strangers."

Donna: "Maiden Hair Fern, Adiantum pedatum is a shade lover, pest-free and looks good with everything. What more could you ask?"

Maidenhair Fern, Adiantum pedatum has arching black stems and fans of green leaflets. The foliage is great in cut flower arrangements. These ferns like rich, moist soil. You may find that they take several years to reach a mature size. Height: 30-60 cm (12-23 inches), Spread: 30-60 cm (12-23 inches). USDA Zones: 2-9.

Donna: "Anemonella thalictroides 'Shoaf's Double'. Just being able to let that trip off your tongue makes you a gardener. It blooms for about a month."

Anemonella thalictroides 'Shoaf's Double' is a plant native to woodlands that bloom in spring. It is easily grown in average, well-drained soil, but its preference is sandy-humusy soil. Height: 30-45 cm (12-18 inches), Spread: 7-15 cm ( 3-6 inches) USDA Zones 4-8

Primula kisoana alba

Donna on the subject of Primula kisoana alba: "I love the pink form too. They spread by runners, but are not invasive."

Primula Sieboldii

Primula Sieboldii is native to eastern Siberia, Manchuria, Korea and Japan where is grows in open woodlands and damp meadows. Primula Sieboldii likes free draining, soil that is rich in organic matter. Sun to light shade. Height: 15-30 cm (6-12 inches), Spread: 30-38 cm (12-15 inches). USDA Zones 4-9

Primula Japonica

Candelabra Primrose, Primula japonica is a group of woodland plants with fresh green foliage and a crown of flowers in late spring. They prefer part shade and moist or wet clay soil that is rich in organic matter. Height: 30-60 cm (12-23 inches), Spread: 25-30 cm (10-12 inches). USDA Zones: 5-9

In the background is Brunnera 'Jack Frost' with tiny blue flowers.

Brunnera macrophylla 'Jack Frost' has heart-shaped, silver colored leaves that are veined in a bright green. Sprays of blue flowers, which closely resemble forget-me-nots, appear in mid-spring. 'Jack Frost' can take more sun than many other types of Brunnera, but it prefers afternoon shade particularly in hotter gardening zones. Average garden soil is fine, but 'Jack Frost' likes moist conditions. Height: 30-40 cm (12-16 inches), Spread: 30-45 cm ( 12-18 inches). USDA Zones: 2-9.

There is a nice collection of rhododendrons and magnolias in this area of the garden.

Donna: "Magnolia Susan is one of "the girls" from the US National Arboretum. I like it because the blossoms open over several weeks and you always have a combination of dark buds and paler open flowers."

Donna's photo of Magnolia sieboldii 

"It would be difficult to pick a favourite magnolia. Magnolia 'Butterflies' has wonderful upright foliage. Magnolia sieboldii (shown above) is vase-shaped and suitable for a smaller garden. The outward facing blossoms are white with purple centres. In the fall, it has showy red seed pods."

Donna's photo of Magnolia 'Helen'

"We were given a collection of magnolia seedlings, started by a friend with seed crosses from the American Magnolia Society. These seedlings, which are now trees, caused great excitement when they first bloomed. The best of the lot is one we have named Magnolia 'Helen' after our friend's mother. It has caused a stir in the magnolia world. I think our friend would dig it up and take it home if the darn thing wasn't so big. He is working very hard at propagating this beauty."

"This area slopes to what was once an ugly divergent ditch, but is now my favourite spring tonic. Siberian iris, Skunk cabbage and native Interrupted fern fill in later. Right spot, right plant. Over the bridge behind "The gate of Lost Marbles" (no need to ask who has lost their marbles) is a compost area".

"We lifted the idea for the Gate of Lost Marbles right off the internet. The marbles really shine in February on a fresh fall of snow- a bonus we didn't expect. 

"The gate and the fence is covered with a grapevine that does double duty. It hides the compost bins and gives us wonderful grape jelly. A holding bed and a makeshift cold frame are also tucked behind the gate. A Red Haven Peach tree and Rhododendron schlippenbachii have somewhat elevated the status of this necessary, but unsightly part of the garden."

And so we arrive at the end of this three-part series.

What a pleasure it has been to work with Donna Evers to put these posts together. She has put up with endless questions and has always replied to my emails with patience, warmth and a wonderful sense of humour.

Thank you, Donna, from the bottom of my heart!

Missed Part 1? Go back and read it here.

Here's a link to Part 3.

The Garden of Duff and Donna Evers, Part 2: The Upper Terrace and Lakefront

Providing a privacy screen at the front of Duff and Donna Ever's house is a narrow band of trees and shrubs. Underneath the tall evergreens is a path that meanders through a woodland garden. On the outer edge of the woodland garden, there is a low stone wall that runs along the edge of the lawn. 

Donna tells me that: "The area along the walls get full sun. It is filled with spring blooming plants and bulbs- a lot of them ephemerals. Azaleas and low growing rhododendrons share this space. In mid-summer, the daylilies take over followed by asters in fall."

"Initially we planned only to garden along the stone wall, but once again, we got carried away. We made paths which twist and turn around the rocks and through the trees. We limbed-up the old native hemlocks to let in more light and then added Rhododendrons, Magnolias, Pieris, Viburnum and hydrangea. Lady slippers, Trilliums, Anemone and Arisaema are some of the perennials that share this space."

"We have planted some primulas in the damp pockets throughout this garden. A clump of Lilium canadensis is doing well, fingers crossed. Old stumps are left to become planting pockets for ferns."

"With the exception of a yearly mulch of shredded leaves, this garden requires little maintenance."

The soft mauve flower is Creeping Moss Phlox 'Emerald Blue'. The orange buds are an azalea which Donna tells me is a cross made by a friend.

Grey foliage and the black flower buds of a Dianthus contrast beautifully with 

the golden foliage of Barberry 'Golden Nugget'

Dwarf Crested Iris, Iris cristata 'Pale Blue'

Dwarf Crested Iris, Iris cristata: has pale mauve-blue flowers with gold-crested falls. In the right location, this iris will spread quickly to form a dense colony. Iris cristata prefers light shade and moist soil, but it can be grown in dry shade as well. If grown in a sunny spot, the soil needs to consistently moist for this iris to flourish. Height: 15-30 cm (6-12 inches). USDA zones: 3-9.

Gentiana acaulis

Donna:" The blue color is electric. This is an easy to grow spring bloomer. I've been spreading little bits of it all over the gardens. It likes bright light and the moist, well-drained soil all the gardening books talk about;-)" 

Lady Slipper Orchid, Cypripedium 'Gisela'

Donna: "This plant came from Fraser's Thimble Farm. It is the case of "the wants" every time I look at their catalogue. We grow several Cypripediums and I am always happy to see their noses poking out of the ground in early spring."

Throughout Duff and Donna's garden, there are bird feeders and birdhouses. I asked Donna to tell me about their obvious love of birds:

"The birdhouses serve a double purpose. The chickadees nest in them and it is great fun watching them raise their little ones. We string wire from four corners of the birdhouse to the bottom of the post. This provides support for a clematis...."

Clematis macropetala 'Bluebird'

"You can always garden-up should you run out of room at ground level. The chickadees don't seem to mind. We feed the birds year round. We have hummers, nuthatches, a variety of finches, jays, woodpeckers, flickers and mourning doves. Nothing exotic, but the garden is always full of birds."

Clematis macropetala 'Bluebird': has nodding, bell-shaped, purply-blue semi-double flowers. This is a Group 1 Clematis that blooms in spring on the growth of the previous season. 'Bluebird' requires 4 to 6 hours of sun each day. Height: 8-10 ft.  USDA Zones: 4-8.

"Duff made the benches, the arbours, the obelisks, the birdhouse, the chairs, the fences, the deck, all the stone wall, the troughs and the patio. I have been asked if he can be cloned:-)"

Primula

"There are two yellow magnolias near the shed. The one closest to the shed is M. Yellow Lantern and the other one is M. Hattie Carthan."

"In spring this garden is full of Crocus, Chionodoxa, Hellebores, Rhododendrons and Azaleas. Along the front of the border is Geranium'Kashmeri White'. Then it is poppies and alliums. Summer blooms are lilies and dark-leafed Chocolate Eupatorium. Yes, we do have lily beetles, but I hand pick them off. I can't imagine the garden without lilies. Later it is Echinacea, Phlox and Purple Dome Aster."

"Duff made the chairs 20 years ago. They were unfinished cedar and for years they were a weathered shade of grey. The yellow paint has given them a few more years... The coffee cups tell it all. It is a great place to sit and watch the birds in the birdbath."

Cleo the cat surveys her kingdom

Donna says that she and Duff did not intend to garden along the lakeshore. They removed some of the more scruffy spruce and maples to open up a view to the lake and then called it a day.  

This woodland area became the spot that they dumped surplus plant material that resulted from plant division as well as plants that had for one reason or another fallen out of favour. When Donna and Duff finally ran out of room in the rest of the garden, they turned their attention to their "dumping ground".

Donna: "To date, we have not amended the soil. We have just planted among the roots and the rocks. We have a central path leading to the lake and this year Duff put in steps and two boardwalks so it is easier to walk around and enjoy this wild garden."

Donna: "Just when you think spring will never arrive Caltha palustris (Marsh Marigolds) fill the bogs. The bees are even happier than I am to see the yellow flowers. The blossoms hum with bees."

"Primulas have also done well. We started with three Primula Japonica, gifts from a gardening friend, and now there are three hundred or more- all self-seeded. They fill my heart with joy."

Lysichiton (Skunk cabbage) both white and the yellow form also like the moist conditions found here. Siberian iris, Sweet Woodruff, Filipendula and Darmera peltata all grow well in this area."

Marsh Marigold (left) and Candelabra Primula, Primula japonica (right)

Marsh Marigold, Caltha palustris: is a North American native wildflower that can be found on the banks of streams and in other boggy locations. It grows best in moist, fertile soil. Marsh Marigold has rounded leaves and yellow buttercup-like flowers in spring. It sometimes goes dormant in the heat of summer. Full sun or part shade. Height:15-30 cm (6-12 inches),  Spread: 25-30 cm (10-12 inches). USDA zones: 2-9

In the foreground left is a rhododendron, in a curve sweeping to the right is a line of Solomon's Seal, Polygonatum. Behind the Solomon's Seal is pink Candelabra Primula, Primula japonica.

Here's a link to Part 3.

Missed part 1? Here's a link.