Last updated on January 15th, 2017
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE what’s shaking (or not) in my garden these late-spring days? Then by all means join me on this slightly inebriated (and definitely lilac-scented) garden tour:
Can you eat and walk at the same time? Good. Because I’ve prepared these cheese-and-herb crackers for you.
We can dip our crackers into this deliriously-delicious Chive Pesto.
And for further amusement, we can wash down the crackers and pesto with a refreshing Cosmopolitan. Or ten. I make the cocktail this way.
Trust me, no public garden would offer you this high-brow treatment. Longwood Gardens doesn’t care if you are hungry. And Dumbarton Oaks would sooner watch you spit cotton than offer you something cold, cranberried, and spirited.
But here in Kevin-land, you are treated like an aristocrat. And there’s no admission cost!
Now take a big swig of your Cosmo, and…
SWOOSH!!! We are standing at the South Gate of the Rose Garden. I created this 100×50-foot oasis back in 2004, after I removed a previous owner’s asphalt parking lot.
And where are the roses? Well, three committed suicide during the ferocious winter of 2014. And the surviving shrubs are putting out new growth. They need lots of fresh canes before they can even think about flowering. I’m encouraging them with Espoma’s organic “Rose Tone.”
Meanwhile, last week I went out with my Felco pruners, and removed tons of dead rose canes. The basket above is filled with lifeless canes from just three shrubs.
Heading north, a 5-year-old Dicentra spectabilis continues to bloom in a bed of pachysandra, and beneath an ancient silver-leaved maple. I love its pink “Bleeding Hearts.” Young specimens might bloom for only 2 weeks or so. But well-established plants will bloom for an entire month if the weather isn’t excessively hot.
Let’s head up this blue-stone path to the grove of white pines. I built this gentle ascent with the help of my friend Herminio. How we groaned as we carried the stones one-by-one up the hill. Oh, the things we do for beauty.
As you can see, the pines have produced lots of new growth, just as they do every spring. The new, pale-green stems are commonly called “candles.”
If you pinch the candles at the half-way point, as I do, the trees will produce extra branches. In other words, they will transform themselves into voluptuous beauties.
I cut an opening through the pines in order to produce a view of the urns that flank the headless statue beyond.
The tall arborvitaes on the right were only 5 feet tall when we set them out 9 years ago. Now they’ve become statuesque beauties, at least 12-feet in height. I love them, as do a tremendous number of birds. They find winter shelter and springtime nesting quarters in the evergreen boughs.
Want birds?
Plant lots of evergreens!
And here is the Kitchen Garden, as viewed through the open gate. This “living supermarket,” which I created in 2008, contains 12 raised beds.Β The larger beds (8×4-feet) are framed with rough-hewn hemlock. The narrow beds (8×2-feet) are framed with common pine. A wire-mesh fence protects the garden from deer and other woodland creatures.
The narrow beds are planted with dwarf zinnias. I recently pinched their tips to encourage bushy growth. In my world, there is nothing worse than a scrawny zinnia. Besides, pinched zinnias produce lots of flower-bearing side-shoots. And the more flowers, the more bees to pollinate crops.
A note on zinnia-pinching from the National Gardening Association:
Pinching should begin early. You can start the process when the zinnia seedlings have developed their second or third set of true leaves. Remember, at each node (where the leaf stem or petiole meets the main stem), there is a bud. When you pinch off the growing point, you are removing hormones which suppress the growth of those lateral buds. Once the lateral buds start to grow and they produce a second set of leaves you can pinch those to encourage even more side growth! So pinch away!
Yesterday, I set up my all-wood Joan Crawford-Approved tomato trellis. Why the Crawford reference? Well, suffice it to say that Joan hated wire clothes hangers as much as I loathe wire tomato cages.
“Christiiiina! No…Wire…Cages…EVER!”
Actually, my friend Joan — Ms. Crawford to you — has been a terrific influence on my gardening. Here’s proof.
The potatoes are flourishing in their bed-on-a-bed. When the vines reach 6 inches in height, I apply weed-free straw to within 2 inches of the top leaves. Potatoes form on stolons (underground stems) beneath the straw. I’ve never had an issue with voles, moles, or snakes rummaging through the straw. Thank goodness.
Not that I mind snakes. Gerta the Garter Snake is my favorite pesticide.
The ‘Copra’ onions are coming along nicely…
Ditto the autumn-planted, hard-neck garlic. The crop should be sending up its seed-pods, or “scapes” in a matter of weeks. I turn the scapes into this obscenely-delicious pesto.Β
In other beds you’ll find bell peppers…
And lovage, a superior substitute for celery in my version of Duck Breasts Mirepoix…
And broccoli, which is already “heading up”…
And ‘Red Russian’ kale, a delicious feature in this Ham, Kale, and Swiss Cheese Tart.
Opposite the Kitchen Garden is the Pool Garden, where hemlocks and statuary reside.
And the less-pornographic Ms. Autumn.
Beyond the Kitchen and Pool Gardens are a couple of boxwood-edged perennial beds. These are planted with scented yellow daylilies, blue baptisia, purple columbine, and pink ‘Sarah Bernhardt’ peonies.
The purple columbine (a product of my winter-sowing efforts) is now in bloom…
Along with this indigo Baptisia.
Between the two perennial beds is the entrance to the Woodland Garden. But let’s save this shady retreat for another day, okay?
Let’s have a look at the Serpentine Garden.
The Serpentine’s top terrace is my current favorite. Here, the hedge of ‘Palabin’ (a dwarf lilac) is now in bloom. I planted the hedge in 2009, the same year I carved this garden into the steepest hill on the property. (Design details.)Shall we should sip our cocktails and inhale the intoxicating lilac perfume while sitting on this bench?
Our view to the right. Below the lilacs, and cascading over the wall,Β is Phlox subulata.Β I do not water these or any of the other plants in the Serpentine Garden.Β I’ve never deadheaded the lilacs nor the phlox. They are perfect perennials. You might like to add them to your own garden.
I could show you the Herb Garden and the formal Blueberry Patch, but we looked at these just last week.
As we linger on the bench in the Serpentine Garden, I hope you’ll tell me about your own planted place. For instance, I’d love to know if you lost any perennials during the frightful winter of 2014.
Hungry for more? Get my email updates!
Other mind-numbing posts you might enjoy:
A Better Rhubarb Pie
My Very Serious Brownies
Lemon Ice Cream Tart with Gingersnap Crust
Jayne says
Thank you, Kevin for the lovely trip around your beautiful garden. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Heidi Haas says
so pretty….I love your phlox..I have tried planting several times..sadly, I am a phlox killer…
Janet says
So sorry about your roses, Kevin. Love the phlox and lilac and the stone paths. In zone 5a just north of you, I lost two lavenders. Also two beauty bushes and a witch hazel and a handful of ferns that I had planted last September did not make it through. Maybe I was being too optimistic trying to beautify a shady location. But I am thrilled to welcome back four filberts, and a handful of elderberry, and a couple of dogwoods and a peony that I forgot that I planted. Seeing these new friends emerge and leaf out this spring has been just about spiritual.
Tammy says
Kevin, your garden looks marvelous, as always. After attending your garden tour last summer, it’s even more fun to look through your photos because I can picture the location on your property.
I planted zinnias for the first time this year — 60 of them. I’m curious about the pinching back comment. Is this true for all zinnias? How tall should they be when I pinch them back? Thanks!
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Tammy – All zinnias benefit from pinching. Scroll up to the zinnia picture, and you’ll find that I’ve added pinching-directions in a note from the National Gardening Association.
Cary Bradley says
Timely visit, as always, and am loving the cracker in chive pesto, thanks! Two questions if you please, which heirloom tomatoes are you trying this year? and where can I find the love baptisia? (In the West, we adore Scotch Broom, which is also from the pea family and boasts delightfully fragrant canary yellow pea-like blooms.) Alas, your baptisia is new to me. Would love to add it to my garden. Last weekend hail hit hard as a rock and I’d put in 2 tomatoes before running inside (and bringing other tom transplants with me). Sadly this week, they look unhappy and I’m considering trying to find replacements. Kev, your gardens look spectacular and I am especially coveting your generous spacing of greens. Generous spacing is my hardest learned lesson, still working on it. Enjoy this gorgeous Saturday, my dear.
Jane says
Kevin, thanks for the wonderful tour of your gardens. I lost my beautiful David Austin roses bush this winter and everything else did fairly well. I live about 45 minutes from your gardens and my neighbor and I would love to visit Iin person, when is your next tour ( please not next Saturday as I am watching my new granddaughter)? Thanks for such a witty website, love it!
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Cary – Sorry to hear about your hellish hail-storm!
Tomatoes: I planted two ‘Theuret’ Brandywines, grown from seeds I received from reader Judy Hines. Other heirlooms are ‘Rose’ and ‘Mortgage Lifter.’ Regarding Baptisia, look for it at any garden center that specializes in perennials. New for me this year is Baptisia ‘Twilight Prairieblues.’ It’s a violet variety developed by Jim Ault of the Chicago Botanical Garden.
Judy says
Love the tour. Spring is beautiful at your home…
Nolie says
Thanks for the garden tour – enchanting. Here in Southern Minnesota I lost a few small shrubs, but the DEEP snow did protect alot of evergreens from rabbit “haircuts”. I’m a huge lover of bleeding hearts too. Today’s favorite is Valentine – a red flower with gorgeous foliate too, or is it the old-fashioned by the sum and substance hosta, OR maybe the fern-leaf . . .
Claudia says
Thanks for the continued inspiration, love your tours! I have a small yard but have put in several different unique gardens with boxwoods outlning them all. I take one area each spring and do something fun! This Year I put in 4 -4×4 raised planters, I put 16 heirloom tomatoes in one of them, oops! after seeing yours I think I may have planted way to many?
Brandy Hovonick says
I enjoy your updates, photos, and gardening comments. I got married a year ago and inherited a very large and open yard with 3 large, well-established roses, an ornamental pear tree, and a peach tree. That’s it. I have so many ideas for all this space and have now had one full year of gardening. Starting from scratch is a lot of work, but very rewarding. Thanks for the inspiration to keep digging!
badger gardener says
I can smell the lilacs. I gave my own lilacs a severe pruning 2 years ago and consequently went a couple of springs with a weak show, but this year it has paid off as it is healthy, beautiful, and perfuming the whole yard. Peony perfume should be any day now too.
Made your chive pesto the other day. Delicious. I was looking around for your green quiche recipe but couldn’t find it. Had to go by memory, and I think I got it close. I guess I will have to wait for that cookbook : )
Tracy says
I have tomatoes on the vine!! Grandpa would be so proud. He had tables and tables of tomatoes to eat.. I always made sure to eat some of the little yellow pear ones:) I have a cream colored lilac living with the lavender ones.
Molly says
What a way to start the day, Kevin- land! Beautiful, inspirational and fun, you’ve got it all, baby!
Karen says
Awwww Kevin…I love you so much!
You bring great joy to my Sunday mornings!
XOXOXOX π
Michelle says
Hi Kevin,
Thanks for the drink it was delish! I love your property and envy you every time we tour together. Don’t fret though I try to work my magic on my (shudder) sub lot. One day though…
Anyhoo I lost a beautiful Japonica bush that was over 10 years old. It was literally a twig when I planted it. Ever hear of them? They start out green then turn red in fall and in Spring they have the cutest white flowers on them. I’m in your zone, the hand state (MI).
Next time I get to NY, we will be planning a visit! Thanks so much for always being the gracious host. I can only dream about half if the stuff you do BUT one day…
Christina Ann says
What a lovely walk .
Thank you!
Mary Germanotta Duquette says
The Serpentine’s top terrace! Gasp! Love it with all my heart.
jean says
Kevin, you give such a great tour that I almost feel like I am walking the paths with you and sipping my cosmopolitan! There is hope for your rose bushes as I almost lost mine but also trimmed back and fed them the rosetone and one is blooming and the other two have buds. One is Sally Homes that my kids brought me from Cape Cod years ago and I would have been crushed if something happened to it but she is holding on. Thank you for a lovely tour. I am always in my garden, if I had your garden to enjoy, I’d probably just move into the garden for the summer as it is just breathtaking and I’d never want to go inside. Enjoy and thanks for sharing with us.
Juanita says
Thank you for the tour.
Julie says
I lost most of my lavender this past winter. I live outside of Chicago. Very sad. And unfortunately the bind weed and creeping Charlie are taking over. Not sure how to get rid of those. π
Paula says
I thought I had lost my 10 yr-old David Austin rosebush to the 2013-14 winter cold, but after cutting back all the dead canes, I noticed some new shoots coming up–it will be a long time before it blooms, but at least it’s still alive for now.
Your gardens look lovely–you gave a great tour today–thanks!
Chuck Rasmussen says
Thanks for the many tips! I’ll implement them this week. I know you have an open house/garden twice a year, but I miss it. I live on the New Mexico/Colorado border so I’m far from your great place. But, if I plan a flight back East, is there any chance I could see your gardens in person sometime please? Thanks for the great tour.
Cissy Kross says
We are in south Florida and will be in Westchester County/Armonk over Thanksgiving and would love to visit your gardens…is there any chance of a tour on 11/29 11/30. It’s a really short trip but that would be THE highlight!! Please let me know when you can. And maybe the town where you are. I am hoping it isn’t too far from Armonk. Love your site, recipes and wit.
Liz says
I am envious. Such beauty. This is my second year in an actual house so I can have a garden. No where near as large as yours, but I will still enjoy it. Thank you for mentioning phlox. I had forgotten about them. I, too have ground that will not grow anything, not even weeds. (I think the ground was poisoned at one point.) I had 3 beautiful roses that I planted last year. One survived. I also had a small bed of mints, peppermint, pineapple, chocolate and orange mints. The only one to survive was the chocolate mint. I was over joyed to see that my trumpet vine and wild grape vine survived the winter. My columbines survived, but, unfortunately, none of the other plants survived. (Mostly my herbs.) I have some new ideas about protecting my plants for the coming winter, thanks to you. Oh, I live in Colorado, on the High Plains (basically a high desert. Very dry and very hot.)
Ann Tidd says
Kevin…thank you for the delicious crackers and cosmo and the nice tour of your wonderful gardens….made a nice start to my day…..Ann
Gretchen says
Hello Kevin,
Thank you for the delightful trip through your heavenly gardens and really, Dear One, your thoughtful refreshments put the journey over the top.
A sincere request — would you please consider giving a tutorial on how to convert a black-top parking lot into a garden of beauty? Pleeeeeese?
Old Man Winter did away with a ten year old Midas Touch rose which was my husband’s favorite, but my precious 142 year old thornless rose survived. She’s battered and somewhat broken, but still she lives with buds that will bloom in a few weeks. All the roses were dealing with a severe case of die-back but a dose of Epsoma, epsom salts and a large dose of compost seems to have revived all but the King of Hearts bush that still struggles.
Bind weed, creeping charlie and poison ivy are just the opposite. I swear these pests thrive on adverse weather.
Jerry in sealy says
Thank you Kevin, enjoyed the walk and the conversation, not to mention the Cosmo! Here in Texas we are already getting warm and humid, 7″ of rain and 80 degree temp. Harvesting plums, Gulf States Beauties, lots of juice for jelly and syrup. Apples were hard hit with ice during blooming so not a good crop this year. Figs are coming along excellent!
Barbara says
Your garden tours always inspire me to create new views in my garden.
Jody says
Kevin, I had a butterfly bush growing in a large pot that survived three previous winters but died over this past winter.
Most of the buds on the canes of my hydrangeas died over the winter, so I was left with dead sticks. I just recently cut them down. There is new growth coming from the center. I fed them to give them a kick start. I read in a newsletter of a local garden center that this happened to all the hydrangeas around here.
On the other hand, I planted a Canadian chokecherry tree last fall and gave it lots of water and mulch and it came through the winter just fine.m it had fragrant flowers. It starts out green but is now the leaves are turning maroon. I guess having Canadian roots this past winter was a piece of cake for this tree!
Of course, the weeds came back just fine this spring…..
You have a beautiful garden, Jody
maris says
So lovely! I really appreciate how green it is in your world from where I am out here In California. Last weekend and this weekend we have been removing our lawn and planting more drought tolerant plants. I instead on drought tolerant flowering plants as I am not yet ready for a desert xeriscape on our little postage stamp. I do like desert gardens that other people have, and maybe eventually I will be able to work up to that if we have to out here.
But I just love how you have done your property and will think of it today as I mulch in the hot sun.
My best to you always!
Cathy says
What a beautiful walk. I thoroughly enjoyed it. As we live in a condo, I have a much smaller garden. My snapdragons and dianthus are in bloom. I did lose my perennials and was out yesterday looking at a dwarf lilac. Now that I see yours, I think that I will get 2. Thank you for the lemon cookie tart recipe – I will be making those this week!
Marcia Leitschuh says
What died back this past winter was clover in my lawn. This is the first year that the bunnies have nibbled my peas and broccoli. I think it is because there wasn’t enough early clover to fill their tummies.
Dorothy says
Do you have any info on how to make the “all-wood Joan Crawford-Approved tomato trellis?”
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Dorothy – Click this link for building info: My Joan Crawford-Approved Tomato Trellis. To see how the vines look when they are growing on the trellis, check this post.
Clare Oliva says
Thanks for the wonderful tour of your beautiful gardens, Kevin. I just love boxwoods and you use them superbly.
I live in northern New Jersey and after the brutal winter, all of the canes on our hydrangeas died. Fortunately, healthy new growth is coming up from all of them so they should bounce back. Curiously, our rhododendrons seemed to have loved the especially cold winter. We have never had as many blooms on our rhodas as we have this spring!
BjTreants says
Kevin Lee, I know when I see a post of yours about either food or garden, before I have viewed to the end, I will have lust in my heart ! This tour of your gardens, with drink & food to enjoy as well, was champion ! You are such an artist with spoon or shovel, dear one. Thank you for sharing with us.
BjT
Anne says
What a refreshing tour. I too lost so many roses and holly as well. Winter burn is dreadful. With such cool weather, many other plants seem to be thriving. My tree peonies have never looked so good.
paula K says
like Jody and Clare, our hydrangeas here in SE PA died back but are coming to life in the center. Same with butterfly bushes….and i am keeping watch over a 15 year old Crape Myrtle…it is barely coming out with tiny leaves here and there….this poor thing survived being run over by a backhoe over ten years ago—cant lose it now! And hate to prune it way back, nothing sadder than a badly pruned Crape Myrtle…. The Red Buds and Rhododendren were extra pretty this year.,,,and i am trying hard not to miss our 18 white pines destroyed and removed after the ice storm.
Beverly, zone 6, eastern PA says
I lost a very favorite culinary Sage. I have 3 battered Hydrangeas resprouting only from the bottom with new stalks, no leaf or flower buds on last year’s branches. My Buddleia’s are
S L O W L Y waking up. My biggest loss was a grove of spectacular Phyllostachys nigra, Black Bamboo, 20 years old, and every single cane shed every leaf and has yet to resprout. New canes are coming, but mostly too far from the main patch to be kept. AND THE LOCAL CITY GARDEN CLUB HAS ME ON THEIR TOUR in 3 weeks. I have to tolerate a sickly patch of Black Bamboo for a possible 150 visitors. Egads.
Carole says
Even thought the refreshments and tour were virtual, they were lovely.
anita says
Thanks for sharing your beautiful Kevin-land. Loved all the photos, especially the last 3.
Lisa b says
Thanks for sharing – what a beautiful walk!
carol turrentine says
Kevin,
Great way to start Monday, touring your beautiful gardens! Here in the Shenandoah Valley in VA, many of the butterfly bushes are growing very slowly due to our harsh winter. We did build raised beds for our vegetables and the weed problem is low and the yield so far, high! I want to try your Joan Crawford tomatoe supports; I, too, do not like the wire cages, ugly and not easy to harvest the crop.
Donna says
I love touring your garden. I am 80 years, have gardened all my life. I also have a garden, huge perennial-also vegetable garden. Touring yours, always makes me wish I was young again and able to landscape our place with walkways and a serenity spot.. I call my garden a hodpodge garden. Love bleeding hearts and have many as I will see a seedling and immediately transplant it into my hosta’s Love the tours.
Ann Honer says
Hi kevin,
Thanks for the tour. Your garden looks wonderful.
Here, in N. Illinois, I lost 2 of my roses. We had a really bad hail storm that covered everything,
but surprisingly enough, all of the plants in my milk jugs survived.
Thanks for the tip on ‘pinching back the zinnias’. I hadn’t heard of that before.
Margo Heck says
Thank you for the tour. Late spring is my favorite time of the year. I think I may have lost a “Lavendar Boy” rose but there are a few new shoots coming. The white lily of the valley may have overrun it. I definitely had a suicide of my 3 year old “new dawn” redwood tree which puzzles me.Maybe it heard me saying that it was going to have to be moved because it doubled in size every year and would have grown to 75′.
Ditto on the garden tour because I live about a half hour away and my friends from the Iris and Hosta societies would love to visit.
Sonja Jones says
I can smell the lilac. Tasting the Cosmo. Loving the beauty. Thank you for the tour. π
Janet G. Metzger says
I had forgotten about lilac! Thank you for the reminder. The crepe myrtle is blooming already. I picked my first okra today. We have been feasting on herbs for awhile.
Happy Summer!
Pax,
Janet
mags says
Thank you for a peek into your beautiful garden Kevin! I too have got lovage and russian kale – we have something in common lol!
I’ve never planted lovage before but I believe the flowers have a wonderful fragrance – it does grow v. tall so had to find a spot to give it plenty of room to grow! I make a point of growing a different herb/vegetable each year to see how it does:)
So relaxing – thank you for sharing!
Mags
Karen Thomas says
I highly enjoy your narratives. Very humorous! Many people think it’s folly to plant a garden in the desert area of Kingman, AZ, but they are wrong. My garden of purple green beans is already yielding beans of pickable size, and the kohlrabi are beginning to bulb. I’m delighted! Many pansies and Johnny jump-ups survived the winter, which after one hard frost was quite mild. The challenge will be keeping them alive through the hot summer. Temps are already in the 90s and will hit 100 this weekend. Wish me luck!
Marilou says
I lost an old rose. It bloomed beautifully last spring; but when I cut back dead canes I could not find any green shoots. I had two Rose of Sharon shrubs; one in the northeast corner of my garden and one in the southeast corner. The one in the northeast corner died from the severity of last winter. My sister also lost her Rose of Sharon shrub. The Church of Christ that is located north of my home had three Rose of Sharon shrubs; two of which died from last winter’s severity. π
donald says
I can’t exactly remember how I got here this afternoon, but I went ahead and signed up. Three days ago I set out five tomato plants and four lilacs (three different varieties) in the back yard. There are two pepper plants. Perfect timing. You are going to be a great source of information and entertainment. Details like the link you provided Dorothy on J.C. approved trellises make it easy. I bought a house on 1.7 acre yard in western Ky that until a few months ago was covered in 7′ tall marestail. But a shovel slides through turf and all like butter in the backyard, and there is absolutely nothing else to do here except work in the yard in my spare time. Thank you for all of your knowledge and experience. I think I’m going to have fun.
Jamie Shafer says
Love your bluestone path up the hill – don’t have a place like that on my property but if I ever find one i will emulate. I like that way of mounting a gentle slope better than any I have seen. Weeded today for a few hours in hot sun but enjoyed the activity and the flowers. I have scads of Digitalis ambigua which is light yellow and has a very long season. Do you have any? Maybe I should bring some when my friend and I visit your garden. It selfsows and there’s nothing I like better than good volunteers in the garden.
Ellen says
Kevin, this is SPECTACULAR!! Even though it’s taken me a whole month to get to look at your mail, not through design, trust me. With evidence of your followers (above), as always you inspire us all, thank you. Is your garden and house open for tours? I pass through what I believe is your region about twice a year and would love to visit in person:)))
SWOOOOOOON!
jason says
hey kevin, jason from connecticut, i was bummed to have lost a huge amount of my butterfly bushes from this past winter. I collected a variety of colors, going to different houses of people who let me take cuttings which all rooted extremely well, also purchased a couple. The cuttings grew into huge plants in gallon pots with root systems bursting out the bottom that could have filled a pot 3 times the size. From roughly 20 plants I have 2 that are showing a small amount of growth. I did a ton of yard work and cleared out a huge area behind my house to create a nice big butterfly/hummer garden and these were to take center stage but I was left with very little to work with, pretty bummed and have done nothing so far this year to replace them. Luckily everything else perennial and shrub wise came back fine. Take care & keep up the great work on your site.