Garden #5
Delahanty Garden - Bayview Ave
Welcome to our gardens. In 2002 the National Wildlife Federation certified our backyard as a wildlife refuge. We are proud of that distinction. As you take the tour please notice the eco-friendly setting and wildlife friendly species of plants in our gardens.

As you start the tour through the North Gate, our Fieldstone-path Garden contains daylilies, hardy geranium and calla lilies along with annuals for color. There is a very old Pyracantha residing here also. To your left Clematis Jackmanii is growing on the trellis along with a pair of Holbecha, being that it takes two to produce the fruit.

Step across the deck to walk the red stone path, along which is a lilac hedge on your right, bordered with perennials of Montauk Daisy, Golden Shower Coreopsis and Black-Eyed-Susans.

To your left, inside the brick patio, you will find our Berm Garden filled with grasses, ferns, lirope and sedums. We know spring is truly here when the mini crocuses are in bloom, along with the Hellebore nestled into the corner of the brick BBQ. Bright red Crocomsia tops the berm. Next to this is a bog pond for bio-filtering the koi pond and home to a variety of water plants. A Weeping Blue Atlas Spruce anchors the opposite end of this garden. The 4 yr old koi you see in the pond were given to us after hatching in the koi pond of a friend.

As you continue down the red stone path, edging the brick patio is an Island Garden of California Poppy, which surrounds the home of a PG Tree Hydrangea.

In the northwest corner of the yard are daffodils, a spring garden favorite, nestled under the border of Hostas, which are followed up the following month by vibrant Kiss-Me-Kate Lilies, and then in July, becomes filled with hundreds of Gladiolas; so named our Gladiola Garden. Also find here a variegated Euonymus evergreen and the elusive Gypsophelia. A keen eye may spot a box turtle or two napping here.

Surrounding the back of the hot tub are day lilies, Mullenbergia Grasses, a white variety of Rhododendron and ivy covered Oak Trees. On the decks are flower boxes and pots filled with herbs and annuals of different varieties.
As you make your way across the grass behind the Rhododendron, our Strawberry Patch is straight ahead, which yields us about 20 pints a year of preserves. The Asparagus Patch is to the left and provides for many delicious servings. To the rear of this is our Vegetable Garden. You’ll find our composting area conveniently located in the corner, near the Pussy Willow tree. All the yard and kitchen scraps get chipped and recycled here and put back into the garden later.
The next garden you will encounter contains Oriental Poppies, Oriental Lilies and a fragrant ground cover of Lilly of the Valley. Earlier in the spring blooms the Pink and White Bleeding Hearts. Overshadowing this is a large fragrant Jasmine bush. The entire yard on this side is bordered by an evergreen Euonymus hedge of over 35 years. Turn your attention now behind you and you might come to rest on the aged stone bench, originally belonging to the hosts’ mother. Next to the water fountain is a St. John’s Wort bush. Enjoy the Blue/White Garden, which contains Hydrangea, Veronica, Monkshood, White Echinacea and Platycodon, bordered with Lady’s Mantle and lamium.

Nestled next to the house is a newly created Water Pond containing Water Lily, Cannas, Arrowhead, Papyrus and a resident water turtle. Two Peony Trees, Allium, Boxwood, Bugleweed, Forget-Me-Nots, Huechera and one of our favorites, a recently planted Black Bamboo, surround this pond. Head now toward the large Weeping Cherry Tree and you’ll see to your right an Oakleaf Hydrangea, with Climbing Hydrangea growing on the shed. Follow this garden around to see Red Stick Dogwood, Salvia, Azaleas, Butterfly Bush and Hardy Hibiscus, along with Climbing Roses and Red Honey Suckle adorning the fence. Hugging the house grow Hydrangea bushes with a ground cover of Pacasandra. A front border of Huechera and Blue Festuca Grasses combine with assorted Daylilies and Hollyhocks.

Enter the South Gate to the front yard and breathe in the familiar fragrance of Walk-on-me-Thyme competing for space with the Money Wort. Bee Balm is also sharing space with Russian Sage, Coreopsis, Leopards Bane, Yellow Iris and Calaminthia. Work your way around to the front along the brick walkway and you’ll spot a Princess Ilex Holly (lonely for a Prince) with a PG Tree Hydrangea next door. The street side of this walk contains many assorted plants including a Variegated Weigela, LA Lilies, Dusty Miller and a Butterfly Bush, all bordered by a front row of Thuga Green Giant planted to grow for our eventual privacy from the road. Circle around the path to visit our Front Berm, home to a variety of Lavender and winter-blooming Heaths and Heathers. Just east of this is our winter-blooming Witch Hazel JELENA. Early Crocus and Daffodils call this home too. This will lead you to the Oriental Poppy patch matched with Cinnamon Iris and White Snow-in-summer.
As you exit the brick pathway, you will be exiting our gardens and facing a 27-year-old Magnolia Tree surrounded by assorted spring flowering bulbs and Pink Creeping Phlox followed by white Astilbe for the summer and Montauk Daisies for the fall. Please take your time to enjoy our ever-evolving gardens, representing life, and thank you for your visit.

Cathy & Michael

NEXT Garden #6
Tvelia Garden - Stephani Avenue