Hello GPODers! Today we head to Wisconsin to update Anna Tsai’s garden (you can check out previous posts about Anna’s garden here: 21 Years of Hard Gardening Work Pay Off, Anna’s Wisconsin Paradise, and Anna’s Wisconsin Garden). Despite facing harsh Wisconsin winters, Anna is able to create timeless beauty in her garden with an abundance of gorgeous flowers.
We bought this property in Bayside, Wisconsin 26 years ago. The yard was just some bushes and overgrown trees with no flower beds. We cut down 6 trees and bushes and opened up flower beds, and tilled the soil, then I started planting different plants that thrive in moist, shady areas. In 2022, my garden was toured by the Garden Conservancy.
Stepping stones lead you into this garden oasis and colorful world. From foliage to flowers, Anna has combined all these colors and textures into a cohesive landscape.
Of course, there are some flowers that stand out above the rest (literally and figuratively)! This almost striking yellow foxtail lily (Eremurus stenophilusZones 6–9) are so bright and prominent that they become the focal point of attention.
But more subtle colors and shapes still have their own beauty. Deep red roses are always a garden-worthy sight, and rocks make for a natural yet interesting piece of garden art.
And an old trellis can be transformed into something spectacular with the help of a few climbing plants. The different shapes and colors of the conifers behind it make you feel like you are entering an enchanted forest.
Anna has created completely different garden scenes, but somehow they all blend together beautifully. Shaded beds filled with gorgeous foliage and vibrant betony flowers create a lush forest garden—and the perfect extension of the enchanted forest above.
Continuing into the shade, we see several layers of classic low light plants. Deep pink astilbe, yellow rodgersia, more large-leaf hostas, and even some ferns peeking out from behind the beds.
Anna has some gorgeous irises in her garden. This pale peach variety is delicate yet stunning.
But this bolder variety looks more like the Siberian iris ‘Caesar’s Brother’ (Iris sibirica ‘Caesar’s Brother’, Zones 4–9), really packs a punch against bright yellow sorrel.
Finally, two classic garden flowers are perfectly combined: Foxgloves (Digitalis purpleZones 4–9) have bright yellow and bright pink peonies.
Thanks Anna for sharing your wonderful garden with us again! It’s always a joy to see what you have blooming.
And I’d love to see more gardens in bloom this season. Get out there and capture your garden in full bloom, and be sure to submit your photos for inclusion by following the instructions below!
Do you have a garden you would like to share?
Do you have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular plant collection you love, or a beautiful garden you’ve had the chance to visit!
To submit, send 5-10 photos to [email protected] along with some information about the plants in the photo and where you took the photo. We’d love to know where you are, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you’re proud of, failures you’ve learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden.
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