Today we’re in Ann Arbor, Michigan, with Sharon and Michael Darga.
When we moved into our home in 1982, the backyard was overgrown with scrub and poison ivy. Through years of hard work, we steadily cleared and planted, gradually expanding each year. The constantly evolving garden has now moved into “any space that we can find” to plant. The garden focuses on a variety of ferns, epimediums, hostas, ornamental trees, and shrubs. We have over 200 varieties of hostas and have collected all of the Hosta of the Year varieties from 1996 to the present.
The front of the house has been filled with a variety of conifers, which include Pinus strobus ‘Squiggles’ (Zones 3–8), concolor fir (Abies concolor, Zones 3–7), and ‘Golden Spreader’ Caucasian fir (Abies nordmanniana ‘Golden Spreader’, Zones 4–6).
Leading into the backyard is a variety of hostas (including Hosta ‘Royal Wedding’ and ‘Sum and Substance’, Zones 3–8) and a river of rocks collected on various trips.
A mulch path winds through the yard. As you walk, you will see various sculptures, hostas (here you see the variety ‘Guardian Angel’), Japanese maples (Acer palmatum, Zones 5–9), and pots for color throughout the summer.
A tall sculptural Japanese maple (Acer palmatum ‘Ryusen’, Zones 5–9), a pagoda, and a weeping blue Colorado spruce (Picea pungens, Zones 2–7) highlight this area.
Another sculpture (this one called “Story Teller”) and a variety of ferns adorn this section, along with Japanese forest grass (Hakonechloa macra, Zones 5–9). An annual pot is added for height and background interest. Himalayan maidenhair fern (Adiantum venustum, Zones 4–8) provides a soft ground cover.
A sculptural bunny on the right (named Chauncy) highlights the back, with more hostas and a bench for taking it all in.
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