I recently spent three days visiting gardens in Richmond, Virginia, while on a tour with the Annapolis Horticulture Society. I adore spending time wandering through gardens I haven’t seen before, and this trip proved to be perfect. The weather was gorgeous, the tour was impeccably well-planned, and the gardens were beautiful and varied. Plus the bus was filled with fun and interesting fellow plant nuts. Needless to say, we all had a great time.
Above: All the gardens featured mature clumps of perennials. Large clumps or drifts are especially eye-catching and help anchor beds and borders. For this use, great cultivars are especially worth the investment. This is hosta ‘Risky Business’.
For me, visiting mature, well-cared for gardens has a down side, though. I quickly become overwhelmed at the thought of my garden-in-progress waiting for me at home. Yes I have some sections that look great, but none of these Richmond gardens have the great swaths of weeds that I’m still planning to tackle or the undeveloped edges that still need my attention. I found myself thinking, “There’s no way my garden will ever be as…” You fill in the blank—gorgeous, lush, colorful, compelling, well-designed, well-maintained. I could go on.
Eastern Shore Gardener 