FIVE YEARS AGO, my Woodland Garden was not a garden at all. It was a jungle of wild sumac, aggressive vines, and thorny brambles. You couldn’t pass through the area without the aid of a machete and a can of bug spray. Read on, and I’ll show you how clearings were made, how paths were laid out to create a sense of mystery, and how the addition of a gurgling pond, comfortable seating, and colorful woodland plants all contributed to making this former eyesore a shady retreat. (And if you promise not to tell anyone, I’ll even show you my “Secret Garden,” which is hidden within the woodland one.)
Now, before this thicket could perform a Cinderella act, it had to be cleared of weeds and debris. By “debris,” I mean rusty hubcaps, old tires, beer cans, and other trash deposited there by the previous owner. I also removed about 80 wild sumac trees. Sumac, if you have never encountered it, is the weediest of all weed trees here in the Northeast. But it is soft-wooded and shallow rooted, and therefore not too difficult to cut or dig up.
What remained after cleaning were native shade trees, including maples, oaks, and catalpas. I let wild honeysuckle (above) remain, too, for it was useful for screening the woodland from the more formal parts of the property. Unfortunately the shrub is an exotic invasive, and I have been advised, by several readers, to get rid of it.
An air of mystery is essential to a woodland setting. For instance, paths should never be straight. They should be curved, and rather sharply, too. This invites a visitor to meander slowly through the garden, in order to discover what lies beyond each and every bend. My paths are framed with fallen branches (and cut-up sumac—at least it’s good for something), and paved with wood chips.
I’ll admit that I had help laying out these paths. Royal help, in fact. You see, Harold Brown, a former Footman to Queen Elizabeth, a former butler to Charles and Diana (and later, Princess Margaret), and now the owner of this drop-dead gorgeous Bed & Breakfast in Tumbridge Wells, happened to be visiting during my week of woodland-making. So now he can add “Master Path-Layer-Outer” to his already-exhaustive resume.
Can we agree that no garden is complete without a water feature? I made a little pond for my woodland by paying a brawny friend to dig a three-foot-deep, four-foot-wide hole. He lined the cavity with leftover roofing material I had on hand, and then filled it with water. A small pump keeps the water moving and well-aerated. Birds, frogs, chipmunks and about 25 goldfish and Koi enjoy the gurgling pond as much as I do. A pair of Adirondack-style chairs provide comfortable seating beside the pond.
Although a hammock seemed appropriate for this restful place, I failed to find one in an unobtrusive color. Consequently I settled for the next best thing — a slatted-wood swing. The swing is suspended between two strong maple trees. It overlooks a bed of New York ferns (Thelypteris noveboracensis), interplanted with pink and red Primula japonica.
Within the woodland, but completely disguised by maple saplings and wild honeysuckle, is the “secret garden.” To make this circular-shaped “room,” I simply cleared a patch of weeds, laid down wood chips for a floor, and then placed a table and six chairs there. In the summer, I like having dinner with friends in this dim, natural setting, while seated at a table that is laid with linen, candles, crystal goblets, and my best china and silver. That’s my idea of “dining in the rough.” Harold Brown would approve.
To provide the garden with three seasons of beauty, I planted the sides of paths with shade-tolerant perennials. That’s Campanula persicifolia ‘Takion Blue’ pictured above. This two-foot tall “bell flower” puts on a big violet-blue show in late May; flowers appear on and off again until frost. I have it in a bed that is edged with the colorful Hosta ‘Wide Brim.’ This is a hosta that deer don’t seem to like.
Indispensable in a woodland setting is the pink, red, or white Primula japonica. Here in zone 5b, its candelabras of bloom appear in mid-May, and sometimes continue through mid-July. The plant reseeds itself yearly, providing its soil isn’t disturbed.
For a touch of true blue, I relied on the common Forget-Me-Not. Yes, this Myosotis sylvatica can be invasive. But in a woodland garden, who cares?
Ferns are essential in a woodland setting, and you can have great fun selecting varieties. I planted large sweeps of the lacy-leaved, native New York fern Thelypteris noveboracensis) and the somewhat-evergreen Christmas fern (Polystichum acrostichoides) as groundcover. Also nice to have is the ‘Ghost’ fern, pictured here. When viewed at night, this Athryium gleams with eerie iridescence.
Sweet woodruff, or Gallium odoratum, makes a particularly effective woodland groundcover. I have it in a small bed beneath a wild cherry tree. Its tiny white clusters of bloom appear in May.
Other flowering plants and shrubs in this garden include rhododendrons (above), hellebores, astilbes, and Spanish bluebells. All these thrive happily beneath the garden’s canopy of maple, oak, wild cherry, and catalpa trees.
And that’s the story of my Woodland Garden, a magical place that beckons when the weather turns hot and humid in summer. There, shady conditions, comfortable chairs, and a gurgling pond all contribute to a sense of cool comfort, whether one sits, strolls, or gently swings. If you have a wild patch on your property, perhaps you’ll consider transforming it into a shady oasis, too.
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Lovely woodland garden! Do you have much trouble with mosquitos there? My folks woodland area is difficult to do anything with, here in Michigan, because of the little buggers.
Any natural anti-mosquito tips for us?
Shera VanGoor – Nice to meet you. Yes, mosquitoes can be troublesome here. Not a single natural repellent I’ve tried has proven effective. Consequently I keep a can of “Deep Woods Off” hidden under a flower-pot in the Woodland Garden. No sense in letting mosquitoes ruin a fun evening, right?
Great post Kevin! I just spent the day doing some clearing and planting my wetland area so this was particularly inspiring to me. No mosquitos yet, but I did break out the deep woods to deter ticks. How do you keep brush and bramble from growing back? If I don’t weed-wack at least once a month I get a jungle especially by the stream beds which are steep.
I am so jealous as I sit in my 1-acre subdivision plot that six years ago was completely treeless. We’ve planted over 50 trees and we’re not done yet, but I grew up near the woods and miss having that cool, shady, natural, wild element nearby. Beautiful job.
Oh, what a beautiful garden, Kevin! Thank you so much for sharing.
Absolutely lovely! I really like how natural the paths look. What a great way to utilize the wooded area of your property!
I love this Kevin. Tell me about the pond fountain. Every year I buy a new pond pump and every year I give up on it by late June. It won’t stand up straight, etc.
What talent Kevin!! Thank you again for all that you share with us!! Such inspiration….it makes me want to get outside immediately and begin digging up my property!!!!
Gorgeous garden. Wow!
Erica – I let a fair amount of brush and bramble remain on the perimeter of the garden. These “scruffy” things help to screen the garden. They also keep my little “glen” from looking overly-manicured.
Suzanne – Good for you! All those trees you are planting will before too long provide the cool, shady, woodsy atmosphere you desire.
Louise – You are too kind. Thank you.
Jenny – Thank you. The shredded wood chips which pave the paths make a very cushy walking-surface!
Brigid — Pond pumps can be a pain, especially when the pond floor isn’t level. Last year, I set a flat piece of field-stone on the bottom of my pond, and placed the pump there.
Theresa – With a dream…and a shovel…all kinds of things are possible!
Emily — Thank you!
That looks like a great space! I have a very small wooded area on my property that I dream about creating a new area in. Unfortunately, it is over run with poison ivy and I am very sensitive to it. I saw your vinegar for killing weeds idea on Pinterest. Do you think vinegar would work on poison ivy?
Ah this would be my very favorite place
Pam – The most sure-fire way to eradicate poison ivy is to pull it up. A lawn or garden service will do this for you. Or you and a helper can manage the job, providing you are willing to dress for the occasion!
I asked my lawn person to remove poison ivy that was growing in my rose garden. The vine is shallow-rooted, so he was able to get up every last trace of the root. The job took all of 5 minutes.
Terry – The woodland garden is my favorite place, too, especially when the weather turns hideously hot and humid. It’s always 5-10 degrees cooler there!
It’s been a successful Winter for me thus far thanks to some good advice from this site. My poinsettia is thriving, and although I thought I’d be tired of looking at it, it does match some red in my kitchen cafe curtains, so I’ve become used to it. I’m going to follow your instructions for reblooming next Winter. I’ve had forsythia branches aplenty and my winter-sowing is well under way. What didn’t work out this year was attempting to bring indoors some rosemary and lavendar. The rosemary was in an outdoor pot, I cut it back severely and repotted. The lavendar was 1 or 2 yrs. old that sprouted up in an open garden. Should I have just taken cuttings? Any advice for next year?
badger gardener – I actually responded to your comment right after you sent it. Seems it disappeared during the great web-host meltdown!
Next year, cut your rosemary back in August. This will give the plant a chance to start growing again under ideal conditions outdoors. Then, when you bring it indoors, give it really cool temperatures and plentiful humidity. You might have to place a clear plastic bag over the plant to give it the moist air it wants. It’s a fussy herb.
As for lavender…take tip-cuttings in July, and root them in 4-inch clay pots. This will give you fresh, young plants to bring indoors for winter. Older plants, uprooted from the garden, are warn out after their hard summer’s work.
I feel like a bit of a killjoy, but that honeysuckle looks like one of the invasive, exotic species that have naturalized in the region. There are many reasons to remove them if they’re one of the exotics. A hollow pith is characteristic of the exotic spp,. Obviously positive ID is the first step in determining if something seemingly weedy should or should not be extirpated from an area. I live in Ulster county, where there is lots of Lonicera tartarica, which looks like that, with both white and pink forms.
Nancy – Thanks for the heads-up! I will investigate this Lonicera further. If it is an exotic invasive, I’ll certainly admit that in this article.
So there IS a place for honeysuckle! Thank you for the tips!
Janet
Hello Kevin…
Your garden is indeed inspiring! I live on 5+ acres with a creek that backs to state forest land. As you can imagine, deer are daily visitors. I’d like to give some areas of the non wooded areas floral displays, and I’d like to try some fruit trees also. Do you have any thoughts on protecting young trees from deer without erecting iron cages around them? I know Burpee seeds, for instance, does reference some types of plants as being deer resistant, but where can I find out different methods of keeping deer at bay? I don’t want to become embroiled in a war with them! I’d appreciate your thoughts….
Desperately, Liliana
Kevin-
Are the Japanese primroses deer resistant ?? What other sucesses do you have over the deer in your shade garden ??
I live in the Seattle area on a 1 acre lot and I am absolutely inspired. I can’t wait to get out and work on the development of my woodland garden.
Heather Schlerf – The primroses have proven deer-resistant for me. And thanks for the reminder — I really need to have a Deer-Resistant Plants feature on this site. Meanwhile, if you browse the “Perennials” category, you’ll find that I always mention in each plant’s profile whether it is deer-resistant.
Jann — So glad my Woodland Garden has inspired you to design one, too. And in your climate, just imagine the plants you can have there!
Hi, Kevin, Again, I have thoroughly enjoyed a tour through an area of your garden! Thanks!
One more benefit of honeysuckle: the luscious scent will stop you dead in your tracks on a calm spring day!
Also, I see you grow Sweet Woodruff. Do you know how to use this to make May wine? It’s simple: take a few sprigs of sweet woodruff, poke them down into a jug of white wine (it changes the taste, so there’s no need to buy pricey wine; a gallon jug will do… at least for me and my friends) and let it steep for 48 hours or more. I steep it in the fridge. It has the most unusual, fresh taste! My friends and I look forward to celebrating May Day with May wine!
Thanks for all your good knowledge, photos, sharing, and advice!
Hi Kevin – LOVED looking at the photographs of your woodland garden. I’m interested in knowing how much space this garden takes up, and how long are your paths. Also, how long did the cultivation of this space take you? Thanks for all of the info you cove in your newsletters – I’m learning a lot!
Bookmarked! So pleased to have wandered over to your woodland garden. I followed a trail from your vinegar-as-weed-killer post to your herb garden to here. I’ve been perplexed for a while about what to put in to re-naturalize an area of my (Indiana) yard that has “secret garden” potential, but you just don’t see these types of plants at most garden stores and it’s hard to be sure what to consider. I’m dealing with dry shade from maples and elms combined with Buck-eye and lots of Black Walnut ( and it’s unfriendly toxin) I’ve put in a variety of wonderful hostas and 2 kinds of red bud. Tried 2 different dogwoods ( twice!) but they’re toxin sensitive…I grew up in Tennessee with mountain Laurel which I believe is in the rhododendron family and it has been my dream to put some in, but can’t tell if it would live here. Looking forward to trying the Forget-Me-Nots, Primula japonica and the Campanula persicifolia ‘Takion Blue’. Is it really possible that they bloom so beautifully with so little sun? Thanks so much for taking the loving care to create such an inspiring and informative web site.
Kevin,
Your woodland paths and garden are lovely! I have tried to do something similar in the past but could not get past the poison ivy and oak that come up everywhere- even through my honeysuckle and azaleas. How can I kill it without killing my plantings, too? I sprayed everything before beginning to plant but the poisonous vines just keep coming back undeterred. I am in zone 8.
Andi
our town has a 10′ tall pile of free wood chips. did you do anything to
“prep” the paths b4 putting down the chips? cardboard underlay?
Dennis R – After outlining my paths, I laid down landscaping fabric. But in truth I have been removing the fabric bit-by-bit each year. Why? Because as the paving-material (shredded wood) breaks down, the fabric becomes exposed. And it looks, I kid you not, like ugly underwear.
Cardboard might be difficult to work with. But thick layers of newspaper will act as a weed-barrier for a season or two. After you lay the newspaper down, spray it with water so it doesn’t blow away while you work.
Now, go grab those free wood chips!