Landscape Designer and firm Principal, Danilo Maffei, CPLD, PCH, FAPLD gave a presentation to the Association of Professional Landscape Designers (APLD) at their virtual membership meetup on the subject of his award-winning perennial garden for the Nemours Farm Courtyard at Stockton Montmorency, a private estate in Delaware.
Conceived as part of a 65-acre master plan, the courtyard is set before a 19th century stone barn and modern stable complex that now serves for the entertainment of family and friends rather than breeding world-class racehorses. When we first visited the site, it was in a state of neglect and nature had reclaimed the once formal, European-style space. This contrast of human construction and natural succession inspired us to create a wild garden that would ebb and flow with the seasons, relying as much on form and texture as it does on seasonal color. Likewise, the owners desired a vibrant, resilient plant palette that would not be reliant upon constant grooming to look its best. Since the garden is a considerable distance from the main house, we wanted to create a place that was constantly changing to encourage the owners to take a stroll and discover what is happening and enjoy the evolution of the seasons, with the climax in late summer and early fall.
Plant List
- Molinia caerulea subsp. arundinacea ‘Skyracer’ (Skyracer purple moor grass)
- Pennisetum alopecuroides ‘Cassian’ (Cassian fountain grass)
- Sporobolus heterolepis (Prairie dropseed)
- Achillea millefolium ‘Paprika’ (Paprika common yarrow)
- Achillea ‘Moonshine’ (Moonshine yarrow)
- Aster cordifolius ‘Little Carlow’ (Little Carlow blue wood aster)
- Aster oblongifolius ‘Raydon’s Favorite’(syn. Symphiotrichum) (aromatic aster)
- Coreopsis ‘Limerock Ruby’ (Limerock Ruby tickseed)
- Coreopsis palustris ‘Summer Sunshine’ (Swamp tickseed)
- Coreopsis tripteris (Tickseed)
- Coreopsis verticillata ‘Zagreb’ (Zagreb threadleaf tickseed)
- Helenium autumnale ‘Mariachi Fuego’ (Fuego sneezeweed)
- Iris sibirica ‘Caesar’s Brother’ (Caesar’s Brother Siberian iris)
- Kniphofia ‘Flamenco Mixture’ (Torchlily)
- Nepeta x faassenii ‘Walker’s Low’ (Walker’s Low catmint)
- Perovskia atriplicifolia (Russian sage)
- Rudbeckia fulgida var. fulgida (Orange coneflower)
- Solidago rugosa ‘Fireworks’ (Fireworks goldenrod)
- Cornus sericea (Redosier dogwood)
- Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Arnold Promise’ (Arnold Promise witch hazel)