The Windmill Garden

Published: Fri, 2 Sep 2011 08:48:30

By: CL Fornari

Hyannis Country Garden Sponsors The Windmill Garden at Heritage Museums and Gardens in Sandwich.

---

Hyannis Country Garden is pleased to sponsor The Windmill Garden at Heritage Museums and Gardens. Designed by C.L. Fornari, this garden is predominantly perennials, many of them donated by Garden Splendor. Adding color, texture and seasonal charm are spring bulbs, annuals from Proven Winners and Twist n’ Shout Hydrangeas.

“When I design a garden,” Fornari says, “I look at foliage first. If there is a variety of colors and textures of foliage the garden will always be attractive even if the plants aren’t flowering.”

Most of the perennials in the garden are low-maintenance plants. These include Geranium ‘Rozanne’, Nepeta ‘Six Hills Giant’, Stokesia, Actaea ‘Brunette’, Baptisia, Phlox ‘David’, Hemerocallis ‘Fairy Tale Pink’, Phlox ‘Blue Paradise’, Heuchera, and Hakonechloa ‘Aureola’.

There are three perennials that C.L. Fornari feels are nice plants that require more maintenance. “The Japanese Anemones, Alchemilla (lady’s mantle), and Achillea (yarrow) are more work,” she explains, “because the anemones and lady’s mantle self seed so you have to continually weed out the seedlings. The yarrow spreads, and isn’t as long-lived, especially if it’s planted in rich soil.

Annuals play a big role in this garden as well, providing bridge color through the summer and fall. “Perennials come back every year if we’re lucky,” Fornari says, “but you can’t beat annuals for flower power.”

In 2010 the annuals used were Scaevola and Snow Princess alyssum. In 2011 Fornari chose Euphorbia Diamond Frost, Superbena Dark Blue, and Lantana Samantha to plant among the perennials.

For more information about these plants, call Country Garden or come into the store. For more information about Heritage Museums and Gardens, go to www.heritagemuseumsandgardens.org