Finding Solace in Kit’s Garden

Today we’re visiting Kit Jensen’s garden, looking back at some views from the past year.

While I’ve owned this small suburban home in northeast Ohio (South Euclid) for over 30 years, the garden has changed so much. These are views of the past year when flowers became a solace and a daily pastime.

Winter aconite (Eranthis hyemalis, Zones 3–7) is always the first to bloom. It is spreading wonderfully. (Editor’s note: This is sometimes difficult to establish because the bulbs may have dried out too much. Soak the bulbs before planting, and expect that some of them won’t survive. But once winter aconite settles in, it will cheerfully spread and give incredible early color every spring.)

A mix of hellebore (Helleborus orientalis hybrid—I think ‘Pink Fizz’ or ‘Amber Gem’, Zones 4–9) and ephemeral bulbs.

These Oriental poppies (Papaver orientale, Zones 3–8) are eagerly awaited. Oriental poppies are long-lived perennials, but they go dormant each summer after flowering.

Clematis montana ‘Odorata’(Zones 5–9) makes a wonderful display out of a chainlink fence.

Lonicera sempervirens ‘Major Wheeler’ (Zones 4–8), with bugleweed (Ajuga reptans, Zones 3–10) beneath. Putting in this long-blooming vine was the start of adding more verticals.

Peonies are such a durable, long-lived perennial they can be passed down from generation to generation. These are my grandmother’s peonies (Paeonia hybrid, Zones 3–8).

This rose helps disguise a neighboring garage.

A donated mandevilla (Mandevilla hybrid, Zones 9–11 or as annual) glows in the evening sunset.

This Clematis tangutica (Zones 5–9) with bright yellow flowers was new this year. The seed heads stayed equally attractive through December.

The alyssum (Lobularia maritima, annual) self-seeds each year, as does the dusty miller (Jacobaea maritima, Zones 7–10 or as an annual) under the tree hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata, Zones 3–8).

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