Amy Kinsey's Posts

At the Museum, we maintain nearly 200 different herbaceous perennials in the gardens. A herbaceous perennial is a winter hardy plant that dies back to the ground each year and lives more than two years. In late summer, we collect seed from some and divide others to maintain a healthy collection— and tomorrow participants spend three hours in my garden class learning how it’s done.

Here’s a look at some examples from around our grounds:

Campanula-carpactica

Gaillardia-x-grandiflora

Lobelia-cardinalis

Lobelia-syphilitica

In the following two weeks, students will also be learning about pruning of woody plants and year-end garden maintenance. Yes, it’s that time of year!

The Japanese maples are in full color and Indian summer is here. This image is of the historic cut leaf Japanese maple planted in 1904 or 1905 near the pergola east of the house.

The gardeners and volunteers began the fall leaf pickup in earnest this week. Although many of the trees and shrubs have shed their leaves, the European beeches and ginkgos should reach full color in the next several days – a perfect time to enjoy the gardens in this great weather.

As the harbingers of spring, the winter aconites (Eranthus hyemalis) under the beech in the Front Lawn begin to loose their yellow color and the very last of the snow piles disappears from the parking lot, the gardening season is under full swing at George Eastman House.

Winter Aconites

The Christmas rose (Helleborus niger), a bit of a misnomer in our growing zone, is in full bloom under the fothergillas and tree peonies in the West Garden.

Christmas Rose

Tucked in the southwest corner near the steps into the West Garden is the earliest blooming rhododendron on site, the Korean rhododendron (Rhododendron muconulaum) whose pink flower buds are showing color.

Korean Rhododendron

There are Siberian squills popping up everywhere, in the lawns and many of the beds and borders. The first daffodil opened in the Terrace Garden on April 8.

Daffodils

The fern-leafed peony (Paeonia tenufolia) and oriental poppies (Papaver orientale) seem to grow inches each sunny warm day.

Fern-leafed Peony

Oriental Poppies

Garden Tours officially start in May and run through September, Tuesday–Saturday, 11:30 a.m. and 3 p.m.; Sunday, 3 p.m. If you are a Museum Member, see what’s in bloom on the members’ monthly In the Garden tours from May through September, including May 24 and June 28.