Garden Gate – October 2019

(Michael S) #1

GardenGateMagazine.com | GARDEN GATE 47


3 | Boxwoods lead the way. Besides providing evergreen color, these
solid-looking boxwoods draw your eye to the steps that lead to the
picturesque shed.

4 | Easy watering Leaving a few 6-inch-
wide and 9-inch-deep gaps in the wall
means there’s room for soil and a good-
sized rootball. A piece of 1-inch PVC pipe
runs through the stone directly to each
planting gap for watering.

MORE THAN PERENNIALS
Evergreen shrubs, arbors and
stone walls create beautiful
winter views—especially with a
dusting of snow.
Boxwoods are featured through-
out, and you can see them on the
terrace in photo 3. Most are com-
mon species, but some are unusual.
‘Graham Blandy’, above, has a
unique columnar habit. It towers
above the other plants and pro-
vides contrast. Sandi has noticed
that the Korean boxwoods’ strong
branches handle snow load
especially well. Pruning once or
twice a year keeps these shrubs
in shape. Even though it’s a lot

of work, seeing the interest they
provide in winter makes it worth
the effort.
STONE WALLS While there
were originally three stone walls
dividing the slopes into terraces,
Sandi added a few more with the
help of her dad, who was a stone
mason, and using stones found on
the property. Adding new stair-
ways made getting between the
different levels easier, too.
When you love plants, you’re
always looking for ways to show
them off. Take a look at the
clever solution she came up with
for the wall-planted plants in
photo 4.

‘Graham
Blandy’
boxwood

Boxwood

1-inch
PVC pipe

GG14944_51_FG.indd 47GG14944_51_FG.indd 47 6/26/2019 11:06:51 AM6/26/2019 11:06:51 AM

GardenGateMagazine.com | GARDEN GATE 47


3 |Boxwoodsleadtheway.Besidesprovidingevergreencolor,these
solid-lookingboxwoodsdrawyoureyetothestepsthatleadtothe
picturesqueshed.

4 |Easywatering Leavinga few6-inch-
wideand9-inch-deepgapsinthewall
meansthere’sroomforsoilanda good-
sizedrootball.A pieceof1-inchPVCpipe
runsthroughthestonedirectlytoeach
plantinggapforwatering.

MORE THAN PERENNIALS
Evergreen shrubs, arbors and
stone walls create beautiful
winter views—especially with a
dusting of snow.
Boxwoods are featured through-
out, and you can see them on the
terrace in photo 3. Most are com-
mon species, but some are unusual.
‘Graham Blandy’, above, has a
unique columnar habit. It towers
above the other plants and pro-
vides contrast. Sandi has noticed
that the Korean boxwoods’ strong
branches handle snow load
especially well. Pruning once or
twice a year keeps these shrubs
in shape. Even though it’s a lot

of work, seeing the interest they
provide in winter makes it worth
the effort.
STONE WALLS While there
were originally three stone walls
dividing the slopes into terraces,
Sandi added a few more with the
help of her dad, who was a stone
mason, and using stones found on
the property. Adding new stair-
ways made getting between the
different levels easier, too.
When you love plants, you’re
always looking for ways to show
them off. Take a look at the
clever solution she came up with
for the wall-planted plants in
photo 4.

‘Graham
Blandy’
boxwood


Boxwood

1-inch
PVC pipe
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