Boccelli Garden and the Pavilion Garden in Early August

Peterborough Parks in Early September

The Pavilion Garden Entrance to Depot Park

Molinia litoralis ‘Windspiel’, Baptisa australis and Aster 'October Skies' at the Pavilion Garden 

The planter at Peter's Gate is planted with Scaevola 'Whirlwind Blue', Coleus 'Compact Red',  Jasminum 'Fiona Sunrise' and Phormium 'Pink Stripe'

The Boccelli Garden

The new Terrace at the Boccelli Garden

Our newest volunteer gardener, Blair

Blair, Laura and Molly taking a break at Nubanusit Terrace 

Installation Art at the Pavilion Garden

This price tag labeled "Garden. $54.99 Plants not included" was found on the hoop fence at the Pavilion Garden at Depot Park. It isn't such a great deal without the plants, is it?

Photos courtesy of Amy Jenkins

Unexpected Delights While Shoveling

When we get a significant snowfall, we often shovel the boxwoods in the public gardens. This is Nubanusit Terrace before shoveling.

 This is Nabanusit Terrace after shoveling.

 

As I was working in Putnam Park I noticed an installation hanging from the large crabapple tree at the entrance to the park.

Someone hung these hot-pink crocheted artworks that made the tree look like it was wearing earrings! It was such a delightful surprise on a such a cold and dreary day.

I also shoveled the boxwoods at the Pavilion Entrance to Depot Park.

The snow was so deep, you might not have noticed that the boxwoods were uncovered.

The Malus 'Snowdrift' grove seemed particularly well named today. The snow-covered fruit was awaiting the flocks of birds that will devour their fruit later in the season.

Depot Park Ready for 'Peak into Peterborough'

Saturday, October 19 is the Greater Peterborough Chamber of Commerce's annual fall foliage tour called 'Peak into Peterborough'. We try to make sure the parks are in tip-top shape for the visitors. Depot Park looked particularly good this week. We haven't had a killing frost so many of the gardens remained lush late into the season.

Miscanthus 'Morning Light' compliments the foliage Fagus sylvatica 'Asplenifolia' aka the Fern Leaf Beech.

A path in the park with several Malus 'Sugar Tyme' in full fruit.

The upright foliage and flowers of Molinia litoralis ‘Windspiel’ with Aster oblongifolius 'October Skies' planted at its feet at the Pavilion Garden.

Pennisetum purpureum 'Vertigo', a new grass we tried this year, was a big success. It hasn't had a long enough season to flower but the strap-like burgundy foliage was enough of a show.

The vertical spires of Eupatorium capillifolium in the Pavilion Garden look particularly lovely in the autumn light.

A close up of Eupatorium capillifolium., a native Joe Pye Weed from the South up to Massachusetts. It can become an invasive pest in warmer gardens but it performs well here as an annual: an outstanding textured punctuation point.

Peterborough Parks: Different Styles and Influences for Different Parks

The recent rains have breathed life and color back into the parks in Peterborugh. This is the Pavilion Garden at Depot Park. It has a very high proportion of annuals. I think of the waved yew hedges bordering this planting like a gargantuan pot for a huge container planting. It changes dramatically each year.

Susannah, Mollie and Laura stop working long enough to pose for a quick photo.

The planter at Peter's Gate at Depot Park

This garden at Putnam Park is three years old and beginning to fill in nicely.

There is a "block" style of planting used here like Piet Oudolf's earlier work which has influenced this planting. This garden is weighted toward grasses and perennials. One of the few annuals, Verbena bonariensis self seeds throughout the garden.

 The planter at Putnam Park

The Boccelli Garden was influenced by the "succession" planting philosophy of Christopher Lloyd and Fergus Garrett at Great Dixter. There is a mixture of cut-back shrubs, perennials, grasses, annuals, biennials and bulbs in this planting.

Teixeira Park's Ruin Garden has mostly native plants that attract birds, butterflies and pollinators. I think of Teixeira Park as the "wild" park in Peterborough. We tend to let the plants "duke it out" in this garden. Calamagrostis brachytricha, was one of the few exotic plants I used in this garden. Early on, I thought it might take over the garden, but as the other plants have filled in, it has not been able to handle the competition of the natives and is slowly being crowded out.

 The sunny East Garden at Teixeira Park is just a year old. It has a high proportion of native American prairie plants-- again attractive to birds and pollinators. It is looking a bit sparse its first season but thankfully almost all the plants survived the winter.

The new West Garden at Teixeira Park is quite shady. Mostly natives, like the rest of Teixeira Park, it has a very wild feel to it. Both the East and West Gardens incorporate a "blended" style of planting much like Piet Oudolf's most recent work.