Fran’s Island Garden

A dedicated GPOD reader creates garden magic on Martha’s Vineyard, despite the challenge of hungry herbivores

Happy Monday , GPODers !

Hope you all had some mythologic spring weather this weekend and get a chance to enjoy some time outside . If not , today ’s garden will be a nice retirement from the hustle and stir you ’re dealing with . We ’re start the week off on a high tone with a short perceptiveness of island life ! Today ’s meekness come from Fran on Martha ’s Vineyard .

My name is Fran , and I can say I trust I have been garden all of my lifespan . I grew up on a yield and vegetable farm in central PA . I have always had bloom beds and sometimes veg beds . I have been garden for the preceding 20 - plus years on Martha ’s Vineyard , an island of Massachusetts . I record GPOD first matter in the morning ! I have submitted to GPOD in the past(check out Fran ’s other submissions : Gardening on Martha ’s VineyardandJewels of Fall in Fran ’s Garden).I have three large flower bed areas and shrubs in other areas .

Turkeys and cervid are frequent visitors to my gardens . My neighbor says the deer are a bountiful presence when we are away from home . In a few days we will be traveling , and I am prepared to have no hostas when we return . I spray the azaleas year - round to see the cervid browsing . I have happily found many industrial plant to enjoy that deer do not like . My favorite are ferns , spireas , columbines , brunneras , and others . I also utilise lots of hydrangeas , which the cervid do not bother too much . As you may see , I use the vividness chartreuse ofttimes , which throw the design luminousness mostly year - round .

I ’m sure this is too much information.(Never too much information , Fran ! I call up I can talk for everyone when I say it ’s bang-up to take heed all the ins and outs and ups and downs of everyone ’s gardens.)I love so much the rage of other gardeners in the submissions and find inspiration every 24-hour interval from GPOD !

Ajuga(commonly know as bugle [ Ajuga reptans , Zones 4–8])is a great ground book binding . Although a mo invasive , it ’s not arduous to control.(Like Fran says , Ajugais an invasive that if given the right care is so beautiful it could be worth the effort of keeping it in its place . If you ’re wait for alternatives to knotty ground cover , check out this article:27 Better Ground Covers for Shade to Replace Problematic Plants . )

It ’s sluttish to see why Fran keepsAjugain her garden . Aside from it being beautiful on its own , the royal flowers make a perfect complement to this incredible ‘ Winky Double Red - White ’ columbine ( Aquilegiavulgaris‘Winky Double violent - White ’ , Zones 3–8 ) .

The stunning multicolored flowers stay with a clustering of ‘ Percy Wiseman ’ rhododendron ( Rhododendronyakushimanum‘Percy Wiseman ’ , Zones 5–9 ) .

This gorgeous columbine is in a lovely shade of purple and has the more common bloom shape .

With a genus as divers and colored as rhododendron , it can be almost out of the question to resist embark on an extensive assembling . To all my rhodie lover out there — if you were only allowed to have one motley in your garden , which one would you pick out ?

Fran ’s garden is n’t miss for fantastic foliage either . Even when not in efflorescence , this Japanese spirea ( Spiraeajaponica , Zones 4–8 ) is an downright stunner .

Here are some of Fran ’s infamous garden visitors ! Three turkeys stroll through the garden , love Fran ’s planting of hostas , ferns , and little pops of glowing ‘ Brigadoon ’ St. John ’s wort ( Hypericumcalycinum‘Brigadoon ’ , Zones 5–9 ) .

Wow — with all the lush works life , you ’d never guess this garden has a deer problem . Fran really show what is possible when you work with the challenges your climate and conditions give you , rather than fight and fight against them .

Thank you for sharing your mythic garden with us again , Fran . I ’m certain we would all do it to see an update when other works are flower later in the time of year !

Have photos to partake in ? We ’d get laid to see your garden , a finical collection of plants you get laid , or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit !

To subject , send 5 - 10 photos to[email protected]along with some selective information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos . We ’d have intercourse to hear where you are located , how long you ’ve been gardening , successes you are proud of , failures you learned from , hope for the future , favorite plant , or funny account from your garden .

Have a wandering telephone set ? give chase your photos onFacebook , InstagramorTwitterwith # FineGardening !

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