Hi GPODers!
Few can pick up a paintbrush for the first time and recreate a Picasso in the same afternoon. Even fewer could try piano as a beginner and finish their first session with a perfect rendition of Beethoven. However, many can pot up some pretty plants and instantly create something spectacular where there once was nothing. This is not to downplay the amount of work that goes into gardening but to emphasize how a low barrier to entry makes this pastime accessible and easy to get hooked on. With a little research, trial, and error, you’re on the fast track to building beautiful beds that you’re constantly tweaking and upgrading. This is exactly the case for Jennifer Furan in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. She is a newer gardener, really getting into it after moving to her current home in 2021. In that short amount of time, she has done a lot of work to create an incredible garden with some seriously beautiful plants, as if this were a hobby she has been mastering for decades.
Hi GPODers! I’m a relatively new gardener, having moved to our current home in Eden Prairie, Minnesota in 2021. I garden in Zone 4b/5a on a suburban lot that’s about one-third of an acre. Our first task was to remove overgrown and unkempt junipers that surrounded the property at the borders, much to the neighbors’ delight. Then the tough part began: what to do with all of the suddenly empty garden beds. Year one was spent just doing my best to manage the weeds. Year two, I filled the space in with easy-care annuals, while I figured out this whole gardening thing. After hours of researching and listening to podcasts, of course, including Let’s Argue About Plants, I finally felt confident enough to start putting in perennials and shrubs. I’m sharing some pictures of my progress in the last two years.
The part-shade area of the back garden is a garden bed we share with the neighbors behind us. ‘Sun King’ aralia (Aralia cordata ‘Sun King’, Zones 4–8) has grown significantly in two years, with a ‘Euphoria Ruby’ Joe Pye weed (Eutrochium purpureum ‘FLOREUPRE1’, Zones 5–9) in front of it, which is in bud for the upcoming fall weather. To the right is ‘Brilliance’ autumn fern (Dryopteris erythrosora ‘Brilliance’, Zones 4–9) with heart-leaved golden Alexanders (Zizia aptera, Zones 3–8) from a local native plant nursery. The ‘Sun King’ aralia always catches my attention as I glance out the kitchen window while washing dishes, and never fails to put a smile on my face.
The best part of improving the garden spaces in our yard is the many visitors we are graced with each day. This swallowtail butterfly loved the ‘Jeana’ garden phlox (Phlox paniculata ‘Jeana’, Zones 4–8) that recently started blooming this season.
I’ve quickly found the need to spontaneously create new garden spaces because I’ve run out of places to put new plants. And while I wait for plants to bulk up, this year I added annual verbena (Verbena bonariensis, Zones 7–11 or as an annual) to help fill in the space. The monarchs and bumblebees have particularly loved this addition.
From back to front and left to right: ‘Summer Wine’ ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius ‘Seward’, Zones 3–7), ‘Blackhawks’ big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii ‘Blackhawks’, Zones 3–9), Verbena bonariensis, Rock ’N Grow® ‘Midnight Velvet’ sedum (Sedum ‘Midnight Velvet’, Zones 3–9), and ‘Ogon’ spirea (Spiraea thunbergii ‘Ogon’, Zones 4–8).
Last spring I took on the perhaps ill-advised task of converting a 60-foot-long and 20-foot-deep area of grass along the road into a new garden space. The impetus for this was that I was tired of repairing this area each spring and trying to grow grass that never took in this full-sun space with the radiant heat from the black pavement street. I put in a mix of plants native to my area and ornamentals. It has been fun to see the pollinator activity. Gardening in the front yard resulted in a lot of questions from neighbors who didn’t necessarily understand what I was doing. In this second year, those same neighbors have transitioned to complimenting how the garden is looking.
Butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa, Zones 3–9, left), ‘Montrose White’ calamint (Calamintha nepeta ‘Montrose White’, Zones 5–9, right), with purple poppy mallow (Callirhoe involucrata, Zones 4–8, in front)
Also in this new front yard garden: ‘White Swan’ coneflower (Echinacea purpurea ‘White Swan’, Zones 3–8) with our native pearly everlasting (Anaphalis margaritacea, Zones 3–8)
Another view of this front garden: ‘White Swan’ coneflower backed up with old field goldenrod (Solidago nemoralis, Zones 3–9), New Jersey tea (Ceanothus americanus, Zones 3–8), ‘Summer Romance’ and ‘Pink Cotton’ Candy’ betony (Stachys officinalis ‘Summer Romance’ and ‘Pink Cotton’, Zones 4–8), butterfly weed, ‘Montrose White’ calamint, and purple poppy mallow
All of the gardening work has led to me wanting to find ways to relax in the shade. This is a favorite spot under a ‘Whitespire’ birch (Betula populifolia ‘Whitespire’, Zones 3–6) with a new glider bench. I’ve put together a small fountain consisting of a cement outdoor pot filled with large rocks to act as landing perches for birds and pollinators, and adding a solar water pump. It creates the perfect space to relax, especially after a long day working in the garden.
Front: ‘Lemon Zest’ Japanese forest grass (Hakonechloa macra ‘HakBri1’, Zones 5–9), hellebores, and FlowerFull smooth hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens ‘Baiful’, Zones 3–8)
Thank you so much for sharing your impressive plantings with us, Jen! It’s clear to see the research you did before purchasing your plants; you’ve amassed some superb specimens that will undoubtably mature into an incredible garden oasis.
Just as gardening has a low barrier to entry, Garden Photo of the Day does not have any entry requirements! No matter how much experience you have, what kinds of plants you grow, or what your goals with this hobby are, we would love to highlight your garden. Follow the directions below to submit photos via email, or send me a DM on Instagram: @agirlherdogandtheroad.
We want to see YOUR garden!
Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit!
To submit, send 5–10 photos to [email protected] along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden.
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