Hi GPODers!
Gardening, in some ways, can be a lot like cooking. It’s satisfying to make yourself a delicious meal, but it’s much more rewarding to share your culinary creations with a loved one. Even better than that is working in the kitchen together, making memories as the dish comes together. The same can be said for our outdoor spaces, with the joy of togetherness making even the most beautiful landscapes that much more meaningful. Damian Smigocki in Germantown, Maryland, embraced this concept when he set out to create a garden that his wife, Debbie, would most enjoy. Through this process, a bland backyard has transformed into a colorful and flourishing English-style garden that is deeply meaningful for both of them.
In 2002, when I got married and moved into my wife’s house here in Germantown, Maryland, I asked Debbie what kind of garden she would like for me to create. The backyard had only two trees: a maple and a Colorado spruce tree (Picea pungens, Zones 2–7), which was bought as a Christmas tree. Debbie said she would like an English garden. The first order of business was to replace the wooden rail fence and gates with two arbors and a white picket fence I built. Then I created flower beds around the perimeter and later, three more beds, a paved walkway, and a small pond. Shrubs and evergreen trees were added to complete the garden.
English gardens are always abundant in soft, romantic blooms, and Damian made a point to include plenty of pollinator-attracting selections. Here, an Eastern tiger swallowtail (Papilio glaucus) enjoys a marvelous mass of lavender-pink wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa, Zones 3–9) and might make its way to the bright pink garden phlox (Phlox paniculata, Zones 4–8) in the background.
An English garden is not complete without some meandering paths that lead you through the lush design. This section of the garden is a fabulous tapestry of vibrant and diverse foliage that looks cool and calming. A dwarf pink lilac in the foreground adds a pretty pop of color.
While Damian’s plantings are delightfully diverse, he also smartly employs some massing to create layers of color. Large clusters of even more garden phlox create an attractive pattern of pink and white.
Damian has also created gorgeous color combinations throughout the beds and borders. ‘Golden Mop’ false cypress (Chamaecyparis pisifera ‘Golden Mop’, Zones 4–8) on both sides of a cherub statue create the basis for a chartreuse and purple design with spirea and alliums.
This landscape is so glorious and inviting that a variety of birds visit the garden and add even more color to the space. A northern cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) and indigo bunting (Passerina cyanea) appreciate the shelter of this open birdhouse.
Flowering trees add to the layers of color and interest. A pink flowering dogwood (Cornus florida f. rubra, Zones 5–9) is the perfect addition to this bright green spring garden.
Another view of the chartreuse and purple beds reveals more of the alliums—potentially the cultivar ‘Purple Sensation’ (Allium ‘Purple Sensation’, Zones 4–9)—that pop against this mix of green.
Did you ever see a garden border so lovely that you wanted to nestle inside of it? Damian made that fantasy a reality when he stuck an Adirondack chair in this spot, and made an interesting focal point in the process.
Lastly, another photo of those pretty chartreuse and purple beds. Some English gardens get the bad rap of being chaotic or messy, but Damian has managed to establish patterns and organization among the garden abundance.
Thank you so much for sharing your stunning garden with us, Damian! Your space would have been inspiring if you built it for your own enjoyment, but the love that went into its creation makes it something truly special.
Do you garden for someone special in your life? Did you design a garden you knew your spouse would also love, like Damian, or do you save a bed for plants that children or grandchildren will find delightful? Let us know in the comments, or consider sharing your garden with the blog. Follow the NEW directions below to submit your photos to Garden Photo of the Day!
We want to see YOUR garden!
Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit!
To submit, fill out the Garden Photo of the Day Submission Form.
You can also send 5–10 photos to [email protected] along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden.
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