 |
Bicentennial Botanical Gardens' rock garden
|
Ambitious rock gardens are generally only undertaken at large Universities or gardens in large urban centers which have the resources to pay for the expensive construction costs, the rock and hardscape, and to obtain and maintain enormous collections of challenging and often difficult alpine and montane wildflowers. It's not an accident that the St. John's garden received the first Francis Cabot Award from the North American Rock Garden Society as a superior public rock garden. Truro's masterpiece received the same reward last Saturday night at the A.G.M. of NARGS.
A movement in North America in recent years has bucked this trend. Two of the most extraordinarily beautiful rock gardens have been created and are reaching a graceful maturity in two of the Maritime provinces in Canada at smaller Universities where one might not expect gardens of such splendor and sophistication. Both gardens were the brain child of Bernard Jackson (more about him at the end) and both are what I would characterize as best case scenarios: gardens on the scale of the Bicentennial Botanical Garden's rock garden in Truro and the Memorial University of Newfoundland in Saint John's would usually cost well into the six figures, or perhaps even seven. Their development and maintenance would entail enormous, complex coordination and substantial costs. The fact that both these gardens were created in the first place, and have achieved the level of perfection that they have is a testament to a veritable plexus of coincidence, serendipity--and perhaps most importantly, the wisdom of wise managers and highly functional institutions. And above all a supportive community of gardeners.
 |
Geranium sanguineum v. lancastriense
The garden features an enormous variety of exposures, vignettes and views: every ten feet another vista unfolds: here a terrific form of the normally tall and blowsy "Bloody" geranium dots the ground for many square yards...
|
 |
| Geranium sanguineum v. lancastriense |
Every bit as enchanting close up!
 |
| Camassia quamash |
I love the contrast of the yellow new growth on the dwarf spruce and the bright blue camas...
A fantastic variety of dwarf conifers placed in perfect spots. Many are two decades or more old, and developing that quality that I find especially pleasing at great gardens: venerability!
 |
| Magnolia cv. |
We just missed seeing this fantastic
Magnolia 'Ann' in bloom: in early JUNE, no less!
|
| Juniperus cf. procumbens |
Yet another vista--with the huge spread of blue Juniper contrastic so well with the greener alpines beyond...
 |
| Campanula chamissonis |
One of several enormous mats of this choice campanula from East Asia. I have grown it--but never as well as it grows here. What a joy to find these in peak bloom! The Truro climate suits a fantastic range of classic rock garden plants. They grow here better than almost anywhere I've seen them!
 |
| Fern medley |
I'm a fern fanatic (fernatic?) and three of my favorite ferns are hobnobbing under this rock: narrow beech fern (
Phegopteris connectilis) on the left mixed with some oak fern (
Gymnocarpium dryopteris) in the middle, trailing into shield fern (
Dryopteris spp.) on the right...just not fair!
Fantastic vistas in every direction!
 |
| Betula 'Crimson Frost' |
Sorry for the bad picture: it's a plant I would love to grow!
 |
| Aquilegia alpina |
Lovely as a single specimen--later you'll see this in drifts...
 |
| Kalimeris yomema ‘Variegata’. |
I recognized most plants in this garden--but not this one: please help me identify it! Andrew Stewart--who oversees this garden--got back to me proper with its name. This is a plant new to me!
Kalimeris yomema ‘Variegata’ identfied by Andrew Stewart, who manages this garden.
 |
| Hurricane Fiona removal |
One of many trees and shrubs that were casualties of Hurricane Fiona last fall: it was a very big chore to clean the garden up for us. If I hadn't seen the many stumps I wouldn't have guessed what had happened...
 |
| Tulipa saxatilis |
On and on it goes--and we're only in the granitic section of the garden so far!
 |
| Microbiota decussata |
Would we could grow this as well in Denver!
 |
| Primula japonica |
There are stunning woodland beds here and there where larger trees prevail: just look at the wonderful blends of foliage shape, texture and (oh yes, flowers to boot!)...
 |
| Stylophorum diphyllum |
Common I know--but a wonderful native perennial.
 |
| Phlox stolonifera |
An enviable spread of this phlox...
 |
| Gymnocarpium dryopteris |
What I'd give to have a colony like this in my garden!
The bench is so encrusted in gorgeous lichen I doubt anyone sits in it--basically a sculpture now!
A wonderful "holey" rock...
 |
| Stephanandra incisa 'Crispa' |
A heck of a specimen: grown on a rock garden it is twice as showy as on level ground.
 |
| Corydalis lutea |
A great colony of this corydalis!
 |
| Ramonda myconii |
Many choice plants tucked in here an there--
Callianthemum kernerianum (or
anemonoides bottom left)
Anthriscus sylvestris
I'm guessing at the I.D.
 |
| Hypericum sp. |
I grew this once and lost track of the specific name: any suggestions?
 |
| Geranium sanguineum v. lancastriense |
A wonderful pale form--I believe this is the type of the variety.
 |
| Meconopsis cambrica (yellow form) |
Welsh poppies can be weedy, but they have their place.
 |
| Sedum hispanicum |
Now THIS is a pretty annoying weed in my nursery: only saw a few at Truro...
 |
| Authentic stone troughs |
Pretty nifty lilac as well!
We've now transitioned to the brand new Limestone section of the garden. I had no idea this was in the works when I visited 9 years ago! It was completed just in time for COVID when Volunteers were not able to help for two years. Even with all the challenges, this section was filled with treasures growing (as on the granite) superbly. I know nothing comparable at the dozens of public rock gardens I've visited over the decades (except Denver's: we have both limestone an granite!)
 |
| Geranium x cantabrigense |
 |
| Ptilotrichum spinosum between Dasanthera section Penstemon |
I have never seen such a lovely pink form of the crucifer. I'm surprised how well the Dasanthera perform on the limestone: perhaps it's dolomite?
 |
| Juniperus horizontalis |
Planted in the middle of the rock (with a hold drilled through). Pretty fancy gardening!
I have been commenting more than I intended there are so many images still up ahead (let's see how patient you are? Perhaps there will be a prize if you drudge through?)...I will restrain myself to labeling the images by and large. I think you can tell I like this garden!
 |
| Closeup of S. pisidica: pretty stunning flower! Love this thing. |
 |
| Armeria caespitosa 'alba' |
 |
| Anemone globosa |
 |
| Azorella trifurcata |
 |
| Armeria cf. maritima |
I believe this is Veronica 'Waterperry Blue'--one of the most adaptable of the genus.
 |
| Salix sp. |
 |
| Salix sp. |
I wish we grew alpine willows this well!
 |
| Geum coccineum |
 |
| Dodecatheon (Primula) pulchellum. |
Emblem of the North American Rock Garden Society: if you don't belong yet, shame on you! (I'm the president after all!)...
Click here for a link that will make it easy for you to do so! It's the Society of plant connoisseurs--you ought to belong you know!
 |
| Thalictrum cvs. |
Intrigued by these--don't look like typical
T. aquilegifolium...much more compact, and so dark. Do you know the cv.?
 |
| Genista delphinensis |
 |
| Silene sp. |
 |
| Athyrium cf. nipponicum |
Looks like it's possibly the 'Branford' hybrid rather than pure
nipponicum. We couldn't get away with planting this in full sun like this!
 |
| Globularia cordifolia |
 |
| Minuartia verna |
 |
| Valeriana supina |
 |
| Onosma ex Djimil Dag |
This may be the nicest yellow
Onosma I've seen (and I've seen a lot of them!)
 |
| Dianthus arapadianus |
What a fantastic plant!
What a clever juxtaposition of broom and Chamaecyparis pisifera cv.! Honestly, this garden never ceases to amaze. I am so glad we scheduled the NARGS meeting--worth attending just to see it. Now I must contrive ways to get back at regular intervals and watch it evolve.
 |
| Erinus alpinus (white form) |
What a cool woodlander (I presume you can read the label as well as me)...
 |
| Opuntia engelmannii |
Rod Haenni, with whom I strolled through the garden, suggested this ID: How strange to see a plant from the deep Southwest thriving so in the far Northeast of the continent! How powerful microclimatic manipulation can be!
 |
| Opuntia compressa |
I imagine this won't bloom until July--but I suspect it will make a spectacle!
I'm not big on garden sculpture. I like this one, however.
The Nova Scotia Rock Garden Club is a chapter of NARGS. They are NOT one of the largest chapters (yet), but that didn't stop them from staging one of the very best AGM's the Society has had--wonderful field trips, garden tours and speakers. Run very smoothly start to finish. And I suspect many of their members are volunteers at this garden, which I regard as one of the finest works of art in rock gardening anywhere.
 |
| Convallaria majalis |
The garden is even big enough to have a champion spread of Lily of the Valley which was in full bloom. The fragrance!
 |
| Primula sieboldii |
 |
| Dicentra spectabilis |
 |
| Meconopsis cambrica yellow |
 |
| Dianthus cf. anatolicus |
Monster mound!
 |
| Meconopsis cambrica Orange |
Hard to tell what color I prefer...
 |
| Fagus sylvatica 'Pendula' |
Wonderful medley of conifers...
I love the way the upright Ostrich fern and iris foliage contrasts with the weeping Norway spruces somber drapery.
 |
| Picea abies 'Little Gem' |
Hard to believe this is the same species as the last...it doesn't grow this well on the Steppes of Colorado, I can assure you!
 |
| Geranium renardii |
Love this Geranium!
 |
| Viola pubescens |
This is a new violet for me: I would love to try an grow it--although it looks potentially rambunctious. Well, so am I!
 |
| Geranium sanguineum v. lancastriense |
Now that you've trudged all the way to the end of this post--you may not wish to hear that I featured this garden
in ANOTHER blog post nine years ago. That post also features more about Bernard Jackson as well--the remarkable designer who created not only Truro's, but also St. John's great rock gardens.
Having spent decades working in a public rock garden, and maintaining a pretty extensive private one, I cannot begin to express my delight in this masterpiece--conceived with genius, executed with artistry, an maintained with great skill. Congratulations, Truro!
Happy to be volunteering at this garden.
ReplyDelete