Prairiebreak: A special garden and gardeners

Derry and Cerinthe major v. purpurascens

Because the nursery is associated with her name, one might assume the garden is Derry's (and since there are so many flowery bits, in a way it's true), but spending several days here you realize more and more that her husband, Peter, plays every bit as big of a role in the scheme of things. The expansive vegetable garden (still only partly planted this time of year) is all his, and I suspect the labyrinth featured in the middle--and numerous architectural features (it is a very large garden with lots of architecture)--are very much the vision of a professional architect! And Peter designed the amazing house that sits in the middle of the garden (and inside the ancient barn)--a tour-de-force in and of itself. A bevy of bulbs, lots of flowering trees, and the earliest perennials were most in evidence this time of year. Since the nursery boasts lots of annuals and late season perennials, I can't begin to imagine what the still rather open borders must look like in August: perhaps one day I'll find out?

Cerinthe major v. purpurascens

Technically an an annual, this was in full bloom in mid-spring: in this case a winter annual no doubt! It will doubtless keep blooming until its sheer mass becomes too much some time in the summer--make it almost exactly a literal "annual"--filling a whole calendar year! In Colorado these are strictly summer growers.

The tulips throughout the garden were simply fantastic. Tulipa 'Ballerina' and Paeonia 'Madame Gaudichau'

They often get children with customers at the nursery, and as you can imagine this graceful and elegant labyrinth is a highlight of the visit for them!

This is the view from the guest room where we stayed: not too shabby!

Bulbs everywhere: here Leucojum aestivum 'Gravetye Giant'--which was enormous!

One of my favorite views of the ancient Barn structure (filled inside with a very modern home)...

Peltoboykinia watanabe

The interesting flowers on this in summer don't really measure up to the fabulous leaves!

One of my favorite self-sowing annuals--obviously one of Derry's faves as well--it was here and there throughout the garden. Derry tells me the Smyrnium is not an obligate annual for her--but simply monocarpic.