Stan Hywet's Three-Acre Great Garden ~ Part 1

Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens in Akron, Ohio

The Great Garden at Stan Hywet in Ohio encompasses three acres to the north of the Hall. It includes a Cutting garden (for fresh and dried flower arrangements for the Hall), a Rose garden, and Mixed borders that surround generous lawns. The Birch Allee acts as a loose background along one side of the Great garden. Also, it provides some wonderful views of the Seiberlings' Tudor-revival hall.

Russian sage (Perovskia), Sedum and Rudbeckia blooming for high summer.

Stan Hywet hall as seen from one of the five large lawns in the Great Garden.

Filipendula, yellow Hemerocallis, Rudbeckia and blue Perovskia down one of the walks that is formed by an allee of fruits threes in this garden. They form the structure of its five box-shaped "hedges" around the lawns.

The central axis is divided by this graveled utility path. It leads to the mid-point of the Birch Allee, and is the starting point for the brides who wish to use the allee as their aisle.

Black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckia) in drifts down another fruit tree allee.

White and purple Lisianthus (now called Eustoma -alert!) growing near the Cutting garden.

Joe Pye weed (Eutrochium purpurea -- another name change alert!!) with switch grass (Panicum virgatum 'Heavy Metal') in front of the greenhouse that sits down the hill from the Great Garden.

White Veronicastrum lifting to the sky, echoing the white undersides of the fruit tree leaves in the background. Birch trees leaves flicker more silver behind it all.

Switch grass (Panicum virgatum 'Heavy Metal') echoing the red of the brick grape arbor that acts as the northern boundary for the Great garden.

The central lawn in the Great Garden with nice groupings of summer perennials in its borders.

Thalictrum, Switch grass (Panicum virgatum) and Echinacea make a lovely summer scene.

Switch grass and a small yellow sunflower on the back border...

Echinacea purpurea and white-flowering mugwort (Artemisia lactiflora 'Gutzhou') at the edge of the Cutting section of the Great Garden.

I have so many nice photos from the Great garden at Stan Hywet, that I decided to post these first.
See Great Garden Part 2

In other horticultural news, I finally received my results from my RHS exam last June. I passed (with commendation) the first exam of the Level 2 Principles of Horticulture! So relieved! I have decided to go ahead and finish the Principles of Plant Growth, Propagation and Development section, and then move on to the garden design section. Thanks to all of my blogging/gardening friends for all of your encouragement!!

More of Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens:

• Back Terrace and Pool
• More of the Waterlily pool
• Birch Allee and Tea Houses
• Quarry Steps  
• Zinnias in the Cutting garden
• and..........Great Garden Part 2!