Andrew Keys - Growing the Northeast Garden: Regional Ornamental Gardening

A well-designed landscape ignites the senses. This moment appears in the garden of Gordon and Mary Hayward, Putney, Vermont.

ANDREW KEYS
Photography by KERRY MICHAELS

Timber Press

Portland London

Copyright 2015 by Andrew Keys and Kerry Michaels. All rights reserved.

Published in 2015 by Timber Press, Inc.

Photo credits appear on .

Book design by Jane Jeszeck

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Keys, Andrew.

Growing the Northeast garden/Andrew Keys; photography by Kerry Michaels.First edition.

pages cm

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN 978-1-60469-680-6. GardeningNortheastern States. 2. Plants,

OrnamentalNortheastern States. I. Michaels, Kerry. II. Title.

SB453.2.N82K49 2014

635.0974dc23

2014010461

A catalog record for this book is also available from the British Library.

For BKAK
For Brett, Ethan, and MayaKM

Drumstick verbena (Verbena bonariensis) blooms in the garden of Jack Hyland and Larry Wente, Millerton, New York.

HELLO! As the writer and photographer of Growing the Northeast Garden, we would like to take a moment to personally say thank you for picking up this book. If you havent skipped ahead to the photos of beautiful plants, you may be wondering who we are. Heres a brief synopsis of our paths as gardeners and authors.

Though hes called Massachusetts home since 2001, Andrew hails from the South, and remembers long summer days playing barefoot in the woods. It was there he first discovered plants, and a lifelong love affair was born. When he grew up and moved north, Andrew endeavored to learn absolutely everything about gardening in the Northeast. Fortunately, he believes learning is the most rewarding aspect of planting a gardenexperiments abound in his own yard north of Boston. The narrative of this book reflects Andrews passion for helping others discover such rewards, and he feels privileged to have the opportunity to share what hes learned with you.

Kerry, on the other hand, is a lifelong resident of the Northeast: Connecticut, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and New York City. Like Andrew, Kerry was raised with a love for the outdoors. She has worked on farms, though she now focuses on small gardens and containers. She discovered the Northeast as a gardener in 2001, when she moved from Manhattan to her home on the coast of Maine. Kerry feels that gardening has changed her, quieted her, and that photographing plants and gardens has transformed the way she sees the world. The beautiful imagery shared in this book is largely courtesy of Kerrys talented eye.

In case you hadnt gathered from getting to know us, we are real gardeners. Sure, we know a thing or two, but Mother Nature is a great equalizer, and the playing field that is the garden is much more level than you might imagine. Consider this book a compendium of lessons weve learned in our time as Northeast gardeners, but know that we and everyone whos decided to plant and grow living things is learning something new all the time. (And dont let anyone tell you otherwise!) Even if youre just beginning to learn, youre always in good company.

In this book, weve attempted to present plants and gardens that, while they may be gorgeous and inspiring, also have practical value. Maybe youre dubious as to your ability to grow a garden as beautiful as those in the Design section (you shouldnt be), but perhaps a small corner of one of those gardens will call out to you and say, Yes! This is something you can do in your yard! Guess what? That is how all beautiful gardens begin.

Writing and photographing this book has been a joy for us, so its been easy to focus on the most important lesson of all: gardening, above all, should be fun. Humans grow plants for food, clothing, and shelter, but this book is about building a landscape to beautify your world. This type of landscape, first and foremost, should bring you joy. Build your garden with joy in mind, and we believe youre guaranteed to find it there in some small way, every day of the year.

Small can be stunning, as in James Goldens garden in Brooklyn, New York.

Welcome to the Northeast! Whether youve lived here a few days, a few months, a few years, or your whole life, youre fortunate to be residing in one of the most exciting and dynamic regions of North America. Even better, if youve picked up this book, odds are youre planting a garden in the Northeastand that is truly cause to celebrate. Yes, building a garden here (and anywhere) is a lot of work, but its also one of the most rewarding endeavors you might undertake.

More importantly, a little knowledge is key to building a garden, and this book seeks to arm you with that. First, well set the stage, with a little bit about the conditions we find ourselves gardening in here in the Northeast. From there, well survey a body of garden-worthy plants with which you can populate your northeastern landscape. (Hint: the possibilities are endless.) After that, the book will guide you through garden design, examining a group of gorgeous gardens in the Northeast through the scope of design elements and principles. Finally, well cover some of the hands-on aspects of growing things here, and what to expect when youre ready to get out there and get your hands dirty.

But waittheres one more thing, and it may be more important than all the others. More than anything, these humble pages will seek to inspire you, not just in one chapter or section, but throughout the entire book. Why? Well, because gardening itself should be an inspiration. If your landscape is uninspired, its time to change that. Lets get started.

The soothing sound of water is an ephemeral quality that helps create a strong sense of place in any garden.

A shady vignette in the garden of Bob Scherer and Jeni Nunnally, York, Maine.