Garden in the Sky

What a treat to tour the many thoughtful garden beds at a residence that sits on the edge of the Cumberland Plateau at an elevation of 1,900 feet. Rita Venable visits the couple who designed and installed a long and flowing border bed that takes advantage of the grand view just beyond. In a section of side yard, they’ve allowed nature to be nature. It’s full of no fuss, mostly native, herbaceous perennials. Also highlighted are trees and shrubs that support wildlife.

Plants Featured in this Clip

LINDERA benzoin (Northern spicebush)
ASIMINA triloba (Pawpaw)
HYPERICUM CALYCINUM ( St. John's wort) 'Brigadoon'

Gardener Extras

Blood meal can repel deer as its smell is associated with predators. It's also a natural fertilizer high in nitrogen.
Sonication, also called buzz pollination, is when bees use their flight muscles to produce strong vibrations that force pollen out of flowers.
Centaurea cyanus (bachelor buttons, coneflower) is an easy plant to grow from seed.
The Chelsea chop is a method of pruning that controls the flowering season, limits the size, and often decreases the flopping of a number of herbaceous perennials.
Lavandula x intermedia 'Phenomenal' is a great lavender variety for the South because it is tolerant of heat and humidity.