Friday, July 21, 2017

The garden of Jeff Minnich, a stop on the 2017 Capitol Region GB Fling

Back to the Capitol Region and the recent Garden Bloggers Fling...this garden, at the home of designer Jeff Minnich, was our 4th stop on Saturday. Jeff gardens in Arlington, Virginia, don't let that Tillandsia usneoides (aka Spanish moss) fool you...

The entrance to the garden, off the driveway, became a little clogged as my fellow bloggers couldn't help but pause to snap a photo, or two, as they worked their way toward the back garden. I killed time by strolling up and down the street side of the garden and taking a few photos as I walked...

Finally it was my turn to work into the queue.

I must admit, the plant palette surprised me — I love an adventurous gardener! Ensete maurelii backed by a Cycad...

The Spanish moss really was over the top...(in a very good way)...

Jeff confirmed they bring up bundles every year for use around the garden.

To great effect!

There are also numerous (and large) containers throughout the garden, each featuring a large specimen plant, like this Begonia, that can't possibly be hardy in their Zone 7 garden (can they?)...

Passing under the columns you work your way down, along the side of the house, with a gentle stream and waterfall at your side. great use of a steep drop off in the topography.

But not before you come face to face with another luscious window-box...

Once on the lower, mid-level, of the property there is so much to see...

Like this collection of severed heads...

And an Agave that collects victims.

Smarter gardeners than I will be able to identify this Begonia. It must be hardy because I saw it in the ground everywhere in the DC area...

Time to venture down the steps to the lower parts of the garden. Ann leads the way...

It's a long way down there...

Looking back up.

My fellow Portland Blogger Jane (aka the Mulchmaid) was enamored with this variegated green on yellow shrub. I'm not certain of it's ID but it looks a lot like Aucuba japonica 'Overlook' from Cistus Nursery.


Heading back up the opposite side of the property.

Where we run into Heather demonstrating exactly what portion of her body the outdoor shower walls would cover. I think Jeff and his partner might be a little taller...

Weather Diary, July 20: Hi 75, Low 60/ Precip 0

All material © 2009-2017 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

34 comments:

  1. Wow, incredible garden! I have never seen Spanish Moss used in a garden before. I think the begonia is Hardy Begonia (Begonia grandis). I had it in my Alabama garden.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I hope Jeff and partner are taller, otherwise, why bother with a door at all :-)
    I can't begin to imaging the challenges of a steep garden like this. I liked the tree Ann was standing under; it is beautiful and totally unfamiliar to me.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It looks like a Crape Myrtle to me, the bark is so distinctive. There were several beautiful trees in the front garden, too. gail

      Delete
    2. I wish I could identify the tree for you!

      Delete
    3. Thanks Gail — those long thin leaves I noticed belong to a nearby tree then?

      Delete
    4. Thanks for the Crape Myrtle trunk ID.
      Those long narrow leafs must belong to a different tree (shrub?) all together.

      Delete
  3. I'm pretty sure that's Begonia grandis. Thanks for writing a post that focuses on some of the cool plants in this garden, and not just the hardscape features and how he deals with the slope. I love those severed heads, and his sense of humor. And I just want to point out (being the petty thing I am) that I did the Agave skull thing first (well, maybe not first, as far as I know, but two years ago).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Let the record show that Alison (aka Bonny Lassie) did the Agave skull thing two years ago!

      Isn't it odd that you both had the same great idea? I wonder if he saw yours and copied you? (thanks for the ID confirmation)

      Delete
    2. Looks just like the Begonia grandis I got from Dragonfly Farms. Its hardy, reseeds, and is pretty great. I've spread it around the garden a bit. Nice late color,the leaves can get really big, and should do well in your area. I love the pink flowers, but you may not.

      Delete
    3. The foliage is fabulous, those pink flowers you mention? Not so much.

      Delete
  4. Haha, Heather and that shower wall! It's fun to revisit this garden through your eyes. It took a while for me to work my way into it too, but what an interesting and adventurous garden they've created.

    ReplyDelete
  5. A gorgeous garden! I love the Cyca and the Magnolia combination and the statues and pots are really beautiful too. A wonderful place to visit!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I have to say that I find too much art that is unrelated in style to be off-putting and distracting. It keeps me from seeing the design as a whole. I keep intending to plant that Begonia grandis to cover up my spring ephemerals and seeing it here will remind to try to still find one this summer.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Linda, thanks for the brilliant idea to use Begonia grandis to cover up spring ephemerals. I have some bulb foliage (from Dichelostemma) that looks hideous and leaves a big hole right now as it dies back, and I wonder if this Begonia, which is a late riser, would work to cover it up. I've been wracking my brains lately to think of something that would work.

      Delete
    2. I second Alison's comment, seems like a great plant for filling in for those that fade early.

      Regarding your comment (Linda) about distracting art in the garden. I couldn't agree more. I've had to leave a couple of open gardens because the art was so loud. I didn't find it at all distracting in this garden. Maybe because everything was of a similar material even if the styles varied? Maybe I didn't do a good job of documenting it and made it much more prominent than it felt in person?

      Delete
  7. I remember being surprised at just how steep the drop in this garden was and your photos capture that well. I didn't realize that shower offered such limited coverage!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Just gotta cover the important parts ma'm....

      Delete
  8. I'm impressed with the plant use so much, including the planters with spanish moss as a base or padding.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Great tour, it was hard to not have people in the shot!I loved this garden! I peaked inside and saw a large desk with a window over looking the garden...great place for creating good landscaoe designs. My favorite part was sitting with Jeff and his partner on the bus and talking about gardens and design 😊

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. How nice you got to visit with them at length, they seemed like really nice people.

      Delete
  10. Great recap of this garden. Reading through the comments, I think one reason the art wasn't so distracting was that much of it, and the general color palette, was white, gray, and weathered, silvery wood. It kind of toned down the overall effect, and was echoed by the wall color. It seemed very calm to me, in spite of a few color hits from blossoms or cushions.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, that's it exactly. Playing off a comment I heard from some one on a different tour a few years ago...this garden did not look like "a thrift shop threw up in the garden"...

      Delete
  11. Yes, I remember this garden. And the talk given by its owner, who explained how he convinced all his neighbors to plant street trees. A very creative and mostly calming space, except for all the detached heads.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ok now I'm doubting myself. I thought that was Scott Brinitzer, who convinced his neighbors to plant trees. Scott's garden was the one with the huge front porch (which I was very envious of) and the from wall/planters covered with tiny rocks...

      Delete
  12. Okay, I loved the severed heads and copied Alison's Idea myself with some great skull beads. Yes Begonia grandis on the one and the other with the orange flowers is Begonia boliviensis, most likely 'Bonfire' a selection which has been asexually propagated and therefore is thought to be less hardy. I've been experimenting with both and they seem hardy here in zone 8 as long as they're dry in the winter (good luck with that) and usually emerge pretty late (end of June) especially if we have a cold spring leaving a big blank spot of dirt in a sunny location for a while. Can't have that! What a cool garden.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dry in the winter, hahaha. Late emerging is bad, I forget something is there and stick a shovel in it...

      Delete
  13. It's the most beautiful garden I've seen! And that based on your photos alone. Do they blog?!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Glad you enjoyed! Ad s far as I know, no. They do not have a blog.

      Delete
  14. But what was at the bottom of that steep slope?

    ReplyDelete
  15. Excellent post! I love Jeff's garden. He is such a gracious and fabulous person. It was an honor to work with him. :o)

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for taking the time to comment. Comment moderation is on (because you know: spam), I will approve and post your comment as soon as possible!