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Swapping Huckleberries

Himalayan Honeysuckle ( Vaccinium glauco album)  Himalayan Honeysuckle ( Vaccinium glauco album) has been an attractive feature along our north-facing foundation since I planted it in 2016. You will have to take my word for it since I cannot locate a photo although I know one exists somewhere in the realm of the Internet or floating on a cloud somewhere.  I did locate a photo of how it looked when it was first planted - It took a few years to fill out but it did so nicely to an attractive mound about 2 feet high by 3 feet wide.  Last year, it started to look bad.  I cut it back but it had not improved and this is how it looked a few weeks ago - I decided to rip it out and plant another huckleberry - this time Vaccinium ovatum , more commonly known as the "Evergreen Huckleberry".  This is a plant that I've wanted for ages and kept putting off getting one because I could not find a good place for it. By most accounts, this is an amazing plant, a native one and excellent for

The Garden of Reuben Hatch


I've really missed visiting gardens this year. I know that many of the HPSO gardens are open by appointment and I keep trying to put some on my schedule. A few weeks ago, a co-worker introduced me to Reuben Hatch at the nursery and suggested that I go see his garden. He was kind enough to invite me over. It turns out he just lives down the road from us, less than a mile away!

Mr. Hatch is a very interesting man. He once operated a rhododendron business on his property. I only saw a few rhododendrons in his garden but he has a great collection of plants, many of them rare and unique.

The first tree I noticed when I stepped out of the car was this deciduous magnolia with fuzzy leaves planted next to the driveway. He said that it was from South America.



He has many interesting varieties of Japanese Maple. This one is 'Peve Starfish' -



A view of the front garden -



The small variegated tree in the center of the photo is a Dove tree (Davidia). The variety is 'Lady Sunshine'.

A closer look -





He has the green Davidia as well -




Speaking of variegated leaves, this dogwood was stunning. (And I can't recall the name) -



A hedge maple (Acer campestre 'Carnival') was incredibly beautiful. My photo doesn't adequately capture the beauty.  I want one! -



And, lo and behold, the largest Embothrium coccineum (Chilean Flame Tree) that I've ever seen. Mine is still under 1' (after 3 years!) but it is showing some activity this year. Mr. Hatch said they should be grown in a pot for a while before going into the ground. I believe he said this one was 15 years old. I hate I missed the blooms.



This Japanese Maple was especially beautiful with the morning sunshine coming through the leaves. He did not remember the name of it. It was a stunner.



This one is 'Geisha Gone Wild' and an unknown rose in the foreground. We have 'GGW' and it is currently our favorite maple. Ours is small and in a pot.



Another beauty -



And this cherry tree with the most lovely bark -


As you can see, there is quite a collection of interesting conifers -








As well as ornamental grasses -






As well as some amazing phormiums (New Zealand Flax) -


One had even bloomed -


Thank you Reuben for sharing your amazing garden! 

Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy

Comments

  1. What inspiration and so close to home. You can possibly keep an eye on your favorites. I too like that 'Carnival' maple and the tall skinny weeping blue spruce. Those would be on my most wanted list.

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  2. It's funny what's hiding in plain view just a mile down the road. It's a fantastic garden and seem to have my favorites: conifers, Japanese maples and grasses. I don't think I ever saw a fermium in bloom.

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  3. Wow, is that a garden, and how lucky you are to have found it. Thanks for sharing it. I so miss seeing other gardens and this one is a gem.

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