At this time of summer, certain annuals stand out as seemingly impervious to heat and drought. The profusion series of zinnias is one such annual.  These 12"-15" high bushy zinnias bloom continuously in white, yellow, apricot, orange and pink tones.  Their compact size and prolific flowering capacity make them ideal for the front of planting beds, where they can reign as the star act for the season.

Profusion zinnias are relatively new introductions, a result of crossing zinnia elegans and zinnia angustifolia. They combine their parents' mildew resistance and showy flowers. Since the new leaves and blooms extend above the old ones, they maintain a neat, fresh appearance with minimal deadheading. The 2 inch wide flowers may be single or double, and tend to fade in color as they age. Park Seed Company has a large selection of colors.  More...

The two mature deodar cedars located just outside Inn reception have been a show-stopper lately, with guests inquiring about its name and marveling about the smooth and beautiful cones gracing them this summer. 

Sitting in clusters on low-lying branches, these dense white cones almost give the appearance of carefully placed, upright Easter egg installations. They turn reddish/brown at maturity, and you can see some of these hues emerging now. The female cones disintegrate when fully mature, a process which takes up to 12 months, and release winged seeds.

Deodars are native to the lower foothills of the Himalayan mountains, where they are revered by Hindus as a divine tree. It was introduced to the U.S. in the 1830s and has remained primarily a specimen tree.  Because they like mild winters, we’re near the northern end of their range, and at about 50 feet in height, our deodars have just about maxed out.

The unusual and attractive fruit provides a valued summer look – and helps makes the deodar cedar one of our favorite evergreens.

Pineapple lilies are a welcome addition to the summer garden. They are tropical looking yet easily overwinter in our climate; their manageable size and rich colors make them wonderful companion plants in a mixed bed; and they are easy to grow.  In the Fearrington gardens, we have at least two species and several cultivars of this South African bulb, also known as Eucomis (from the Greek eukomus, or "beautiful-haired").

The leaves vary in color from deep burgundy to light green and may have either straight or curly edges and heights ranging from 6 inches to 2 feet.  The flower color may be white, green, pink or some combination of the three.  All have a tuft of bracts (the "beautiful hair") at the top of the flowering stem that make it resemble a pineapple fruit.  Since these bulbs originated in the regions of South Africa with its summer rains, they need to be kept moist during the hot months here.  More...

With May approaching, we’re coming to the end of the optimal time for landscape installations.  One exciting project we got in under the wire, under the care of gardener Wendy Moses, was the renovation of the White Garden, a beautiful space designed for the benefit of Inn guests and also a popular wedding venue. Perhaps our most formal garden, Jenny Fitch oversaw its completion in 1988, soon after the adjacent Inn Building was completed. 

The White Garden consists of symmetrical planting beds surrounding a water feature, bisected by sod walking paths, all enclosed by an elegant three sided pergola soaring over a brick walkway.  The multiple paths and perspectives make this a very intense and satisfying garden setting. More...

After an unusually long winter, we’ve had an unusually hot spring, and that heat has accelerated the development of lots of plants in our gardens.  Case in point is the gorgeous Lady Banks’ Rose perched on the pergola over the Barn entrance.  It’s suddenly in full bloom, a few weeks ahead of time. 

This climbing rose thrives in Southern gardens.  It’s virtually insect and disease resistant but does require vigorous trimming to keep it in bounds. 

Come take a look! But don’t be surprised by the harmless barn swallows zipping right above your head. They’ve taken to the barn rafters in the entrance during their breeding season and we can’t find anyone heartless enough to evict them.