Try this recipe for success: take three things, two living and one inanimate, use ample quantities of each, and see what happens. This spring, the sedum growing in and above the stone wall near the greenhouses is spectaular! Below, a row of hosta fill the gap between stone wall and the garden path.  The fine texture of the sedum contrasts in a lovely way with the coarseness of the stone and the smooth leaf shape of the hosta. What fun to walk around the Winterthur Garden and find simple recipes for success at every turn.  With so many varieties of sedum and hosta, plus wonderful colors of stone, I’ll bet you’ll find the perfect combination for your garden!

A quick walk through the Reflecting Pool garden today revealed a couple ideas I might use in my home garden. I’d never noticed that the burgundy leaves of the filbert match the coloration in the stone walls. We’re thinking about adding a stone wall in the backyard; this observation could inform our stone selection. 

I walked to the top of the staircase and looked back on this garden area. The lushness of the new spring foliage surprised me—seems just last week bare stems were the norm. Beyond the farthest stone wall I spied bright pink azaleas. They add a punch and a beacon that pulled me into the garden’s beauty, hoping to avoid an afternoon in my windowless office.  

A bonus: for inspiring garden photos, take a look at Jeannette Lindvig’s collection. She travels the world enjoying great gardens and includes Winterthur among her favorite places.  Jeannette is a Winterthur garden and museum guide. http://web.mac.com/jeannettelindvig/Gardentravelpix.com