Today we’re visiting Joanne Eddy’s garden.
Our property is just outside Halifax, Nova Scotia, and when we bought the house, it was basically a big blank slate. A few trees were on the property itself, but they were surrounded by woods on the edges to give great privacy. I started all the gardens from scratch, and my main focus has been daylilies (Hemerocallis hybrids, hardiness varies by cultivar, but generally Zones 3–9). I’m part of the Nova Scotia Daylily Society; however, I really like to make gardens that look good in the off-season too (winters are long in Nova Scotia), so when my perennials fade in the fall, that big front garden still has structure from the evergreens and hydrangeas. I also don’t plant only daylilies, I try to combine them with other perennials to give more interest, color, and texture to the garden space. I have far too many ideas and not enough time, as I have a young daughter and she needs me too. I’m also a member of the Hammonds Plains Area Garden Club (shout out to them).
I’m basically self-taught. My mom always had flowers, and I think when we bought this house in 2008 it was a no-brainer that I’d garden the heck outta the yard. There are still many more garden beds to be made, but I’m happy to have a lot more to do and to expand.
Stunning late-summer sunset over the garden, filled with blooming daylilies and panicle hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata, Zones 3–8)
Daylilies are putting on their summer show. In the bottom left corner is the variety ‘Emerging Star’.
Hemerocallis ‘Driftglass’ is one of Joanne’s favorites. Behind it is soft yellow threadleaf coreopsis (Coreopsis verticillata ‘Moonbeam’, Zones 3–9).
In summer, the garden is filled with flowers, but you can also see the various shrubs that ensure there is still structure and interest in winter.
‘Royal Charm’ daylily is usually one of the first to bloom in the garden.
‘Spotted Fever’ is an unusual daylily variety with double petals and a speckled color.
One of the great things about daylilies is their sheer diversity of flowers. This ‘White Juan’ has a totally different shape than ‘Spotted Fever’.
It isn’t all daylilies. These Siberian iris (Iris siberica hybrids, Zones 3–8) are gorgeous.
In autumn, trees and shrubs take over for the perennials.
On this Nova Scotia winter day, the garden shed and shrubs look dreamy covered with snow, while the daylilies rest underground until summer returns.
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