Summerhouse & Patio Garden
Established 2022
SITE CONDITIONS
Light: Full sun
Soil type: Well-drained sandy loam
Soil moisture: Dry
Topography: Flat
Key plants: Blue-eyed grass (Sisyrinchium montanum), butterfly milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa), little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium), northern blazing star (Liatris novae-angliae), purple love grass (Eragrostis spectabilis), scrub oak (Quercus ilicifolia), Silverrod (Solidago bicolor), stiff aster (Ionactis linariifolia), sundial lupine (Lupinus perennis), three-toothed cinquefoil (Sibbaldiopsis tridentata), yellow wild indigo (Baptisia tinctoria).
OVERVIEW
The patio garden features plants that thrive in dry, sandy soils and full sun. Notable examples butterfly milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa), yellow wild indigo (Baptisia tinctoria), stiff aster (Ionactis linariifolia), northern blazing star (Liatris novae-angliae), and scrub oak (Quercus ilicifolia).
The woodland planting to the west of the summerhouse features plants that thrive in moist soil conditions and part shade. Examples include boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum), labrador tea (Rhododendron labradoricum), cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon), and tall meadow rue (Thalictrum pubescens). This area of the garden was planted in May 2024.
The summerhouse features a green roof planted with purple love grass (Eragrostis spectabilis), chosen for its ability to thrive in the challenging conditions of the slope, shallow rooting depth, and drainage issues. Alongside the love grass, we are observing the emergence of wild bee balm and several non-native pioneer plants. This project is proving to be a valuable learning experience, offering insights into suitable plant choices and management strategies for this hard-to-access site.
AFTER
BEFORE
Purple lovegrass (Eragrostis spectabilis)
Photo credit: Martha Moss
GARDEN DEVELOPMENT
Exciting Ecology
The range of Three-toothed Cinquefoil (Sibbaldiopsis tridentata) is mainly along the Appalachian Mountains from Maine to Georgia. While people living south of Maine need to climb a mountain to catch a glimpse of this plant, we routinely find it growing at sea level in sandy, gravelly areas along roadsides in coastal Maine. We also find it on mountain tops like on Cadillac Mountain at Acadia National Park. The mountain top populations south of here are thought to be remnants from the last period of glaciation. They are now isolated from each other on widely separated mountain tops.
Heartfelt thanks
The summerhouse was skillfully constructed by Jerry Brach, his son Merrin, and their dedicated team.
We appreciate the support of the Brooklin Garden Club, whose funding allowed us to hire Tade Sullivan to build the benches.
The stone for the patio was generously donated in memory of Charlie Treyball, an enthusiastic supporter and cultivator of native plants, as well as a skilled stoneworker. The concept for the patio was conceived by Pam Johnson, a co-founder of NGBH. Her passion for native plants, along with her talents as an observer, writer, and illustrator, was the inspiration behind this garden.