The gardener's eye

The Gardener's Eye

Saturday, November 3, 2012

Box, Tea and Agaves




Federal Twist wasn't the only garden we had the chance to visit while traveling to and from the Perennial Plant Conference at Swarthmore College. Tovah arranged for us to visit Andrea Filippone's elegant garden in Pottersville, New Jersey. Andrea owns an interiors and landscape design firm and has in the process become a boxwood expert. Her interest in the organic management of her boxwoods and garden transformed her into passionate proponent of sustainable and environmentally friendly gardening practices. She is a partner in a company called F2 Environmental Design which "bases its landscape management techniques on encouraging and maintaining the natural living systems, through soil management techniques, applying custom blends of compost, liquid biological amendments often referred to as “compost tea”, and other biological nutrients."


The gate into the Boxwood Garden


Andrea doesn't severely shear her boxwoods into balls, hedges  or cones. She allows them to grow naturally. She has found that they are more disease resistant, stronger and healthier. This is a cultivar of Buxus microphylla named 'Grace Hendrick Phillips'



All the lawns are treated organically with a compost tea filled with beneficial naturally occurring organisms to improve the soil.


I recognized this view immediately from a NYTimes article about the garden


Andrea is demonstrating where, deep in to plant, is the best place to prune boxwoods to let in air and light to the in order to keep them healthy and strong.



Andrea's dalmatian leads the way into the formal French potager 



The pool is the central feature leading to the greenhouse which is heated and powered by solar energy


A grouping of antique sprinklers 


The greenhouse was salvaged from Rutgers University and is filled with tender plants brought in for the winter including many cultivars of Agave. Adrea has found both boxwoods and succulents are perfect plants for keeping the local deer population at bay.



Andrea says the leaves of this agave move throughout the day, depending on the light, almost like an octopus







The boxwood nursery that Andrea uses for projects and clients is a garden in itself.

15 comments:

  1. Stunning axial views and lighting. That narrow, sloping lawn up to the building is something I would not normally like, but in it's context, nice...so is next image of the channel water feature in the boxwoods...oooh!

    Hopefully, this doesn't jinx the garden tour I really, really need to get going on!

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    1. I agree about the sloping lawn, Dave. It was unexpected but looked very cool. Essentially it was another axial view with a focal point.

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  2. Lucky you, Michael!! I love this garden and Andrea Filippone's point of view. BTW, box and agaves are two of my favorite plants. I especially admire agaves for their architectural qualities....so handsome in a classical urn. Is the garden open to the public? I'd love to schedule a visit.
    --Loi

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    1. Loi,
      I like agaves too. They are great plants for the terrace. I appreciate that they don't need to be watered when you are on vacation. Andrea's garden is open with the Garden Conservancy (2011 and 2012) as "An Architect's Garden" on 129 Pickle Rd in Pottersville, NJ. She also hosts an event called "Earthy Delights" which is "a horticultural event inviting visitors from all over the tri-state area to shop from distinguished vendors for rare plants, distinctive garden antiques, as well as attend lectures and demonstrations from nationally known speakers. The focus is on education and the many ways to increase awareness of gardening and public gardens in New Jersey" I have never gone yet, but I heard it is excellent. I think you would like it.

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    2. Hi, Michael - Thanks for the info! I hope there will be an Earthly Delights event in 2013. I'd definitely make the trip up to visit. Loi

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  3. It is an incredible garden due to the plants, the layout, Andreas eye for detail. I had the chance to work there for a day in the greenhouse a few years ago and I loved every second of it. She is a wonderful woman who has great knowledge... Love to read your blog.. Thank you!

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    1. James,
      I agree, Andrea is very knowledgeable is a delightful person. Luck you to work in the greenhouse, even for a day. Glad to see that you are blogging again. I am looking forward to future posts.

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  4. Ah! A garden I've wanted to see, and not too far away. I'll have to get there when it's on the GC open days next year. I'd kill for a rill, though I don't know where I'd put it. Thanks for showing us your visit.

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    1. Jim, I could go for a rill too. I don't have a place either. I guess we will have to settle for enjoying the one in Andrea's garden. Actually, that is true about gardening in general.

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  5. I resolutely fail to see the allure of boxwood. However, I now see that I like them better unclipped. And I love this garden. Thanks for the photos.

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    1. Jordan, I have always been partial to boxwood. I think I like the structure and the winter interest. Now, I am finding a new appreciation for how they look unsheared.

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  6. Hi Michael,
    I really like Andrea's garden, as much as any I've seen for some time. I like that she stops short of making its parts too formal or too controlled, that she has what seems to be only a framework of formality. Everything looks content.

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    1. I agree, Faisal. It all has a very pleasing feeling of balance and easy formality.

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  7. My dream glasshouse! What a treasure it is. My Boxwood are unsheared, but in my case it is laziness rather than intention.

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  8. It is an amazing greenhouse. I still like to shear my boxwoods. I suppose I should loosen up!
    Thanks for your comment.

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