The Grand Gardens of Baltimore

Baltimore may be best known nationally for its murder rate and The Wire on HBO, but in horticulture circles it’s known for plants and gardens. So I happily signed up for a regional Garden Writers Association event featuring some top drawer gardens in and just outside of Baltimore.

Here are my favorite shots from the day.

Above, author Kathy Hudson (left) with Penney and A.C. Hubbard, owners of the garden at the center of the gorgeous book On Walnut Hill (foreword by our own Allen Bush).  The garden was designed by the renowned plantsman largely responsible for Baltimore’s critical role in horticulture – the late Kurt Bluemel.

Caryopteris

This little courtyard sits just outside Penney Hubbard’s office, from which she enjoys the soothing sounds of the waterfall.

I love how a potted Japanese maple fills this corner of the court, and probably looks interesting all winter.

Next, the garden of landscape architect Carol Macht. We eagerly explored the long views from inside the home, especially from Carol’s kitchen window.

Stepping down from a large seating and dining area is a large deck with a small pool designed for wading when Carol’s kids were young and its home today for fish.

I’d seen the lovely garden of Nell Strachan and Peter Ward several times before, which may be why my only photo is of this glorious mass of asters. It reminded me not to give up on asters in my own garden, where they’re always too tall and ugly at the bottom. (I’m hopeful, though, that the Nepeta I recently planted in front of them will do the job of hiding the aster’s ratty-looking stalks.)

Finally, the humongous estate called LongView in Reistertown, MD.

Pretty grand, huh?

Love this gate into the kitchen garden.

And the cutting garden.

Most of the garden writers on the tour gathered here for a group shot. Photo credit to Washington Gardener Magazine and a big thanks to publisher Kathy Jentz for organizing a fabulous event!

(The gang went on to other gardens, Babikow Greenhouses and dinner while I high-tailed it back home in time to beat the rush on Baltimore’s notorious beltway.)