Garden at a Glance
N Native species
N† Nativar (cultivar of native)
PW Proven Winners
⚠️ Monitor / drainage caution
❓ Variety unconfirmed
Bulb Bulb
North/West Bed
Large foundation bed wrapping north & west sides. Roses, spireas, smokebush, lavender, catmint, clematis, and more.
Island Bed
Front yard island. Globe arborvitae, spireas, cranesbill geraniums, heliopsis, catmint, and alpine asters.
Hosta Bed
Shaded border with established hostas and four varieties of coral bells.
Hemlock Bed
Shade garden under hemlocks: black cohosh, brunnera, astilbe, columbine, ferns, and Jacob's ladder.
Backyard Trees
Washington hawthorn and white flowering dogwood — both native.
South Bed
Small south-facing foundation bed with peonies, bee balm, goldenrod, fragrant sumac, and more.
East Bed
Two-section border bed. Hydrangeas, roses of Sharon, Russian sage, sneezeweed, red hot poker.
North/West Bed
Part Sun / Full SunFoundation bed wrapping north and west sides of house. North section is part sun; west section is full sun.
Annuals
| Plant | Variety | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Angelonia | Angelface Blue | PW |
| Angelonia | Angelface Perfectly Pink | PW |
Roses
| Plant | Variety | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Rose | Oh So Easy Lemon Zest | PW |
| Rose | Oh So Easy Italian Ice | PW |
| Rose | Flower Carpet White |
Evergreens
| Plant | Variety | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Arborvitae | Anna's Magic Ball | PW |
| Boxwood | Sprinter | PW |
| Japanese Holly | Steeds Upright (tree form) | |
| Bearberry | Arctostaphylos uva-ursi | N |
Shrubs
| Plant | Variety | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Smokebush | Royal Purple | Non-native |
| Forsythia | Show Off Sugar Baby | PW |
| Red Twig Dogwood | Arctic Fire | PW |
| Spirea | Double Play Candy Corn | PW |
| Spirea | Snowmound | Old wood bloomer |
| Spirea | Double Play Doozie | PW |
| Weigela | Czechmark Trilogy | PW |
| Azalea | White | ❓ Pre-existing |
Perennials & Grasses
| Plant | Variety | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tulip | T. saxatilis | Bulb |
| Catmint | Cat's Pajamas | PW |
| Catmint | Lemon Puurrfection | PW |
| Penstemon | Bejeweled Rose Rhinestones | PW |
| Speedwell | Magic Show Pink Potion | PW |
| Speedwell | Magic Show Purple Illusion | PW |
| Speedwell | Venture Blue | |
| Hyssop | Blue Paint | N† |
| Little Bluestem | Schizachyrium scoparium | N |
| False Indigo | Lemon Decadence | PW N† |
| New England Aster | Symphyotrichum novae-angliae | N |
| Ox Eye Sunflower | Burning Hearts | N† |
| Allium | Bug Beauty | Bulb |
| Lavender | Big Time Blue | ⚠️ Drainage |
| Lavender | Superbly English | ⚠️ Drainage |
| Lavender | Hidcote English | ⚠️ Drainage |
| Threadleaf Coreopsis | Zagreb | N† |
| Creeping Phlox | Spring Hot Pink | |
| Sedum | Sunsparkler Wildfire | |
| Amaryllis | Red and White | Bulb |
| Sedum/Succulent | "Big Sedum from Joanne" | ❓ |
| Big Blue Salvia | Salvia guaranitica | Grown from seed |
| Butterfly Weed | Asclepias tuberosa | N Do not divide! |
Vine
| Plant | Variety | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Clematis | Happy Jack (on lamp post) | PW |
Island Bed
Full SunFull sun island bed in the front yard.
Shrubs
| Plant | Variety | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Globe Arborvitae | Fire Chief | |
| Spirea | Renaissance | PW |
| Spirea | Yellow foliage, pink flowers | ❓ |
| Spirea | Double Play Doozie | PW |
Perennials
| Plant | Variety | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Alpine Aster | White and Pink | N |
| Ox Eye Sunflower | Burning Hearts | N† |
| Cranesbill Geranium | Dragon Heart | Dark purple |
| Cranesbill Geranium | Rozanne | Light purple |
| Cranesbill Geranium | Rozanne | ❓ Medium purple |
| Catmint | Dropmore |
Hosta Bed
ShadeShaded border bed. Hostas are pre-existing and well established.
| Plant | Variety | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Hosta | Frances Williams | Established |
| Hosta | Dancing Queen | Established |
| Coral Bells | Primo Wild Rose | PW |
| Coral Bells | Primo Peach Berry Ice | PW |
| Coral Bells | Northern Exposure | |
| Coral Bells | Grande Black |
Hemlock Bed
ShadeShaded border under a row of hemlock trees.
| Plant | Variety | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Black Cohosh | Actaea racemosa | N |
| Heartleaf Brunnera | Jack Frost | |
| Heartleaf Brunnera | Queen of Hearts | PW |
| Heartleaf Brunnera | Sea Heart | |
| Ostrich Fern | Matteuccia struthiopteris | |
| Astilbe | Chocolate Shogun | |
| Astilbe | Vision in Red | |
| Astilbe | Pink or White | ❓ |
| Columbine | Multiple varieties | Minister, Spring Magic Blue, Kirigami series |
| Jacob's Ladder | Stairway to Heaven | |
| Jacob's Ladder | Heavenly Habit |
Backyard Trees
| Plant | Variety | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Washington Hawthorn | Crataegus phaenopyrum | N |
| White Flowering Dogwood | Cornus florida | N |
South Bed
Full SunSmall south-facing foundation bed.
| Plant | Variety | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sweet Goldenrod | Solidago odora | N |
| Ox Eye Sunflower | Tuscan Sun | PW N† |
| Tickseed | Firefly | N† |
| Tickseed | Ricked Super Star | ❓ N† |
| Daffodil | Unknown | Bulb ❓ |
| Andromeda | Pieris japonica | ❓ |
| Peony | 3 plants | ❓ |
| Rhododendron | Unknown | ❓ |
| Bee Balm | Jacob Cline | N† |
| Balloon Flower | Twinkle Blue | |
| Lavender | "From Darlene" | ❓ ⚠️ Drainage |
| Fragrant Sumac | Rhus aromatica | Large shrub |
East Bed
Full SunTwo-section sunny border bed along east side of property.
Watch list: Bleeding heart and ostrich fern are planted in full sun but prefer part shade. Monitor for early dormancy or scorching — may relocate to Hemlock or Hosta bed in fall 2026.
| Plant | Variety | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Catmint | Neptune | |
| Hydrangea | 4 plants, unknown varieties | ❓ |
| Bleeding Heart | Common (Dicentra) | ⚠️ Monitor |
| Speedwell | Dwarf Spike | ❓ |
| Ostrich Fern | Matteuccia struthiopteris | ⚠️ Monitor |
| Rose of Sharon | Purple (×2) | |
| Azalea | Perfecto Mundo Double Purple | PW Reblooming |
| Red Hot Poker | Pyromaniac Orange Blaze | PW ⚠️ Drainage |
| Speedwell | Marietta | |
| Russian Sage | Superb | |
| Ox Eye Sunflower | Smooth | N† |
| Sneezeweed | Helenium autumnale | N |
Seasonal Calendar
Key dates: Last frost ~late April to early May · First frost ~mid-October · Zone 6a
January – February
Planning
- Review plant reference and garden log
- Order seeds and new plants
- Observe winter structure — red twig dogwood stems, evergreens, seed heads
- Inspect and sharpen tools
- Note areas where you want to add plants this spring
March
Cleanup & Pruning
- Summer spireas — remove dead wood, shorten by ⅓ (not hard-cut)
- Red twig dogwood — remove ⅓ oldest stems at ground level
- Roses — remove dead/weak canes, shorten strong canes by ⅓
- Rose of Sharon — remove dead, damaged, crossing branches
- Clematis — remove dead vines, shorten to 12–18″ above ground
- Forsythia, Snowmound spirea, weigela, azaleas — do NOT shape now
- Large shrub: light thinning · Cut-back shrub: cut to 1–3 ft
- Little bluestem — cut to 2–4″ before new shoots (don't delay!)
- Cut back perennial stalks to 1–2″ above crowns
- Clean up sedum — old stalks to new buds
- Hyssop is slow to emerge — don't assume it's dead
- Apply compost to beds, remove winter debris
- Check lavender, hyssop, red hot poker for winter damage (drainage issues)
- Hydrangeas — delay pruning until buds break after hard winter
April
Spring Growth
- Prune forsythia immediately after bloom — remove ¼–⅓ oldest canes
- Prune azaleas right after bloom — lightly shape and thin
- Finish perennial cleanup
- Divide catmint, cranesbill geraniums, asters if needed — NOT butterfly weed
- Plant new shrubs and perennials
- Apply mulch (keep away from trunks and crowns)
- Watch for rabbit browsing — especially East Bed and Island Bed
- Columbine and bleeding heart emerging in Hemlock & East beds
May
Planting Season
- Plant annuals (angelonia) after last frost — mid-May is safest
- Install supports for black cohosh and bee balm
- Prune Snowmound spirea right after bloom — old wood bloomer
- Optionally pinch sedums by ⅓ to reduce late-summer flopping
- Have frost cloth ready through mid-May
- Monitor lavender drainage after spring rains
- False indigo should be blooming
June
Early Summer
- Deadhead roses for repeat bloom
- Shear catmint by half after first flush for rebloom
- Optional Chelsea chop on heliopsis — cut back ⅓ for bushier plants
- Light tip-pruning of spireas after first bloom
- Deadhead peonies after bloom — leave all foliage
- Monitor hostas for slugs
- Light shaping of arborvitae, boxwood, Japanese holly
- Cranesbill geraniums and speedwell in full swing
- East Bed: Watch bleeding heart & fern for scorch
July
Heat & Rebloom
- Deep water during dry spells — prioritize new plantings, roses, hydrangeas
- Deadhead: roses, catmint, coreopsis, speedwell, heliopsis
- Cut back early perennials for rebloom (catmint, cranesbill)
- Perfecto Mundo azalea reblooming in East Bed
- Monitor hydrangeas for wilting
- Butterfly weed and big blue salvia attracting pollinators
- If hot/dry: water deeply but less frequently for deep roots. Prioritize East Bed fern, Hosta Bed, Hemlock Bed.
August
Late Summer
- Continue watering during dry spells
- Sneezeweed (East) and asters (N/W, Island) starting
- Plan fall planting
- Note plants needing division — NOT butterfly weed
- Check fragrant sumac — encroaching on neighbors?
- East Bed decision: If bleeding heart/fern struggled, plan relocation this fall
September
Fall Planting
- Plant new perennials and shrubs (excellent root establishment)
- Divide perennials as needed
- Begin planting spring bulbs
- Reduce fertilization
- New England asters and sneezeweed at peak
- Red twig dogwood leaves turning
October
Transition
- Continue bulb planting
- Remove diseased foliage
- Leave seed heads for winter — little bluestem, black cohosh, coneflowers
- Add compost to beds
- Water deeply before ground freezes
- Fall color: smokebush, dogwood, Washington hawthorn
November
Winter Prep
- Finish bulb planting before ground freezes
- Drainage-sensitive plants (lavender, hyssop, red hot poker): light/airy cover only — no heavy mulch on crowns
- Butterfly weed: good drainage, leave undisturbed
- Protect from deer — East Bed roses of Sharon and hydrangeas
- Cut back bee balm (mildew-prone)
- Leave grasses and seed heads standing for winter interest
- Store tools and clean up
December
Rest & Review
- Review what worked and what didn't
- Update plant reference with changes, new plants, or losses
- Photograph winter structure
- Plan additions and repetition strategy for next season
Important Notes
Winter drainage kills! Lavender, hyssop, and red hot poker are more threatened by winter wet than cold. Keep crowns dry — use pine boughs or straw, never heavy bark or compost mulch. Consider gravel mulch around lavender if drainage is marginal.
Butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa) — has a deep taproot. Do NOT divide or move. Plant it where you want it and leave it alone. Slow to emerge in spring; mark its location.
Frost cloth tip: Drape over plants before sunset, let it reach the ground to trap warmth, secure edges, and remove in the morning once temperatures rise.
Old wood vs. new wood — Old wood bloomers (forsythia, Snowmound spirea, weigela, azaleas) flower on last year's stems. Prune right after bloom, never in early spring. New wood bloomers (summer spireas, roses, Rose of Sharon, clematis) flower on this year's growth. Prune in early spring.
To-do list for 2026: Identify hydrangea varieties in East Bed · Assess bleeding heart & ostrich fern by end of summer · Plant counts per bed · Develop watering strategy for drought periods