Hocking House Open House ,Part #1

This weekend was the open house at the Hocking House
which is near my home.
Since I had not been there for two years I just knew Jean
would have some new pieces of sculpture added to her
gardens and gift shop so my daughter and I took a tour
of her gardens Saturday.
Jean has turned her property into a huge garden
showplace where amongst all of her plantings are
her sculptured pieces of art.
Jean Magdich is a renowned local artist and was
featured in Better Homes and Gardens Magazine in 2008.
Also on the property is her gift shop which just happens
tobe a log cabin which was built in the 1850’s.

The grounds surrounding the log cabin and her home
is full of many shade loving annuals and perennials among
which are giant ferns and hosta’s.

Scattered about are also impatiens, torenia, ivy, lilies,
coleus, and caldium’s and a few plants which were
unknown to me.

There are many different flowers, shrubs and vines all
woven into garden rooms and with pathways lined
with the stepping stones which are some of her
fabulous creations.

I saw several people stepping over the stepping stones
in her paths because like myself they were afraid of
marring their beauty.I heard her husband saying that
they were there to walk on but I cringed when I tried to
walk on them. LOL!

This mass of plantings of beautiful white plumed flowers
was one of the plants I did not recognize but would have
loved to have in my shady beds.
Anyone know this shade loving four foot plants?

Thanks Everyone for the identification on the Gooseneck

Loosestrife. On second thought maybe that was why it
was growing so well if it is invasive. Maybe I do not want
it anyway. LOL!
Then again the woodland bed may be a good
place for it to spread.

The blooms on it are gorgeous and pop in the shade
and Jean’s ‘Green Man’ looks very happy amongst them.

The tall beauty below is another I do not recognize
but it had large leaves at the base with this long plume
which made it about five feet tall. These wonderful lavender
to white blooms on it had to be staked.
Any plant that grows so large in the shade is going to
be on my ‘to get’ list of plants.
What is it?

Thanks Grace for the ID on this beauty!
Acanthus mollis Bear's Breeches

I thought the combination of plantings below with the
purple Helitrope was so bright and pretty mixed with
the oranges.

There were of course loads of bee, butterfly and
hummingbird loving plants about in the sunny areas.

Pink Monarda

Red Monarda

Black Eyed Susans

White Swan Echinacea with a hitch hiking Earwig.
I see that I am not the only one that was infested with
the little pests this year.

Lilies were also scattered throughout her garden.

I saw that the peonies had finished there blooming
but all of our gardens are two to three weeks ahead
here in this part of the state so some of the blooming
plants had already bloomed.
The birdhouse looks like wood doesn’t it.

These blooms are among some of her creations
which she calls Ever Bloomers. These blooms and colors
never fade.

I fell in love with this Ever Bloomer planter.

I would have liked to bring these Rabbits home with
me. No worries on them eating my plants.

One of the many finials she makes and is
scattered throughout the beds of flowers.

How would a Giraffe look in the woodland beds?

Since I came back with loads of pictures and some
pictures were of her newer pieces that I have not show
before through the years I will make further
postings filled with Jean’s flowers and art pieces.

This little piece of art was not among my favorites
and not because it was not beautifully made but because
of my ‘hate snake’s with a passion’ attitude.
Or maybe it was because it laid amongst Jean’s Caladiums
which were the color that mine were suppose to be or
because it lived among the beautiful Begonias that I cannot
grow without killing. LOL!
To see more of Jean’s artistry- “ Hocking House ”


Happy Gardening,
Lona