Phil....what is that big guy to the left of the double tree trunk? It could be a variegated elephant ear, it is so big.
Wow.

And what's this business of ONE picture? Leave us wanting more, is that it? :) Mighty nice.

All you folks have ROCKS EVERYWHERE!!

Wonderful!

So different than my straight and orderly line up ! I envy you people with wooded lots like this.

Moccasin, That's Francis of Assisi. Oh, not that one? ; )

Phil, I love your wooded gardens. Even though you planted the hosta they look so natural in that setting.

chris

Phil, I can't decide which hosta in that setting I like the best. I like them all. My eye was immediately drawn to the one beside the double tree trunk. Would that one be 'Yellow River'? I think I see a 'St. Paul' and a 'Krossa Regal'. Am I right? Your Francis of Assissi looks as though he should be there between those two huge green ones. What are they? Everything looks so pristine and verdent. I could spend a lot of time there. I admire your talent in creating such a natural looking setting. Please keep the pictures coming.

Thanks for lookin'! moccasin landing,the plant just to the left of the double tree trunk(Dogwoods),is Northern Exposure. Rocks are everywhere here. I can't dig a hole for a new hosta without finding at least one.
Irawon,the one beside the double tree trunk is Northern Exposure. Those are Dogwoods,and they are native to here. I don't have St Paul,but the tall one at the right is Krossa Regal. Others in the pic are;Lakeside Shoremaster,Francee,Summer Fragrance,Abba Dabba Do,June,Golden Meadows,and Allegan Fog. The two big green ones are Lakeside Ripples nearest the camera,and the one on the other side is T-Rex. Remember,this is a compressed photo and perspective makes it look like they are right on top of St. Francis,but they aren't that close. Talent has nothing to with it. I just put them in,as I got them. They weren't all planted in one year. This part of the garden,has been going on since 2006,when I started this part of the garden. I wish I could say I had a plan,but I really didn't. Phil

Phil,

Your wooded gardens are wonderful. I've seen more of your pics in previous posts. I was wondering about your overall approach or plan. I started my hill garden from nothing without much plan, just started buying plants and putting them in. (Actually did not originally start with any hosta). Once I created the paths lined with rocks I had some structure to work with. Now buying mostly hosta, with some companions. I sometimes agonize over where to place them. I'm not knowledgable enough yet to always know how much space to allow for mature plants or to visualize how neighbors will look together. Glad to see that the unplanned approach can lead to great results as in your gardens. Hope mine look a little like yours someday.

Beautiful and serene, thanks so much for sharing your garden with us Phil.

Wendy

Some nice choices in your lovely woodland setting there Phil.
Cher

Thanks for sharing. Nice!

bkay

I always love seeing your gardens, Phil. You are my inspiration! I need to plant a few more trees now that we have lost several in the back and are getting more sun there. Also planning to amend the entire area in order to have enough soil to backfill with after digging out all the rocks! If I ever get mine looking half as good as yours, I can die happy. Until then, keep your pictures coming!

So Northern Exposure is THAT BIG? Hmmmm, the daddy/mama of my poor little Eskimo Pie, which croaked on me.

Looks like it was a better choice than Eskimo Pie, looks strong and beautiful.

To mocassin landing and others who have looked. Almost all my hostas grow tall with big leaves,because of the type of garden I have. Woodland gardens grow plants with bigger,but less leaves than others grown in more sun. Unfortunately,I don't have a lot of sunny areas to grow hostas in. That can be good,or bad,depending on how you look at it.Bad for hostas,but good to grow veggies,or lots of flowers,which prefer full sun. I have no secret formula,just good red clay in the woods,which seems to grow everything well. I just plant em'. Thanks for all the kind comments! Phil

Well, Phil, you are sitting atop your good red clay, and I'm sitting on top of a hillock of gray clay which is 22 feet above sea level and the highest land around here. It has a slope to it, so except for spots where tree roots rot and create an underground sink or drain, it drains fairly well. But no woodlands covering the surface with blessed shade.

Had not thought about the red clay of Georgia extending north to NC piedmont region, but it sounds right now that you mention it. And all that slivered layers of soft sandstone? Is that the kind of rock which you deal with? Or is it limestone? Whatever, it comes together so you are able to create a lovely garden, "just planting them." If only that were the case everywhere!

Moccasin,yes we have sand stone a lot here,but some are harder rocks,and they last better. Also,there is some granite,and every once in awhile,I find some. There are places even on my property that have huge boulders,and there is one almost under my house foundation. Not one that I could carry,you understand? I'm getting to the age where I don't care to carry around large rocks. It's too easy drop one on my toes,or fall down while carrying them! Then there's always the possibility of one rolling down hill and destroying a hosta,or two. This happened recently,when one of the rocks along the path rolled down on top of one of my Gold Standards,as the rock was above the plant. I removed it,and propped up a few petioles,and you can't even tell it ,now. (I wasn't the cause of that),probably a squirrel running along and bumping it. I once had a squirrel that missed while jumping from tree to tree,and landed on my Halcyon and flattened it! This was a few years ago,and it has recovered. Sorry to rattle on so long! Phil

Gorgeous, makes me dream ....

Phil, 'Northern Exposure' WAS on my wish list. It's going back on. I like the fewer but larger leaves on your hostas. Happy gardening, everyone.