Beauty in the Bluegrass

Kentucky gives this garden character. Simple flowers give-it style and grace.

IMAGINE KENTUCKY IN MAY-gentle hills of bluegrass, long undulating fences, and high-strung horses, restless in their paddocks. The season brings warm breezes carrying the fragrance of flowers, a reminder that spring's visit is brief. But for now, white hydrangeas, purple spiderworts, and orange daylilies brighten gardens, saluting the skies in unison before the hot days of summer arrive to quell their displays. Such is the scene at Kay Bullitt's garden, Oxmoor Farm, in Louisville.

This thoughtfully designed garden of simple flowers stages engaging displays of color throughout the year. But none can match the vibrant beauty that blooms here in spring. Whether you are a beginning gardener or an experienced one, consider this Kentucky treasure a gracious guide for the garden of your dreams.

Beginnings

Designed by pioneer landscape architect Marian Coffin in the early 1900s, this garden had a significant beginning. A native New Yorker, Coffin was one of the first female landscape architects in the country. When no established firms would hire her, she formed her own company, eventually attracting commissions from such prominent clients as Henry Francis du Pont. She is perhaps best known for her design of Winterthur, du Pont's Delaware garden.

Her work is still very evident at Oxmoor Farm, where her plan remains virtually intact, along with many of the original plantings. Coffin created a series of gardens and views that related to the entries of the house and the fields beyond. Structures and paths were softened by both formal and informal plantings of trees, shrubs, and perennials. Crabapples, hemlocks, and cornelian cherries defined the views, outlined the various gardens, and were accented by shrubs such as pearl bush, lilac, and Rose of Sharon. Perennials such as daylilies, iris, peonies, and yuccas provided dependable color and texture.

The Gardeners

Over the years, several gardeners have nurtured Oxmoor Farm, including Kay Bullitt who has held the reins for more than 25 years. Kay, who grew up in England, was a two-time Wimbledon doubles champion. After marrying and moving to Kentucky, she focused her energy on champions of another kind: Thoroughbred horses that she raised on Oxmoor Farm. More recently, with gardener Patrick Snider, she has restored the gardens to the full glory Marian Coffin intended. They cut back and rejuvenated shrubs, amended the soil, and divided overgrown perennials and replanted them throughout the garden. They also added masses of annuals to complement the perennials. Although they have focused on the border garden and the terrace garden, they have also created a new rock garden. Join us for a tour of all three.

The Border Garden

A majestic green ash anchors one end of the long path through the border garden. A simple arbor, graced with a climbing `New Dawn' rose, serves as the entry. Easy-to-grow shrubs such as pearl bush, butterfly bush, and large groups of 'Annabelle' hydrangeas form the backdrop here. Perennials planted en masse scatter dependable color and texture throughout this garden. Daylilies, iris, spiderworts, and yuccas enjoy the area with full sun. Peonies, hardy begonias, and hostas thrive in partial sun.

Annuals bring the final touches to the garden, and Kay and Patrick are careful to select hardy ones that can take the heat of a Kentucky summer. Their favorites include 'Derby' melampodium, `Purple Wave' and `Pink Wave' petunias, 'Limelight' and `Copper Queen' coleus, and several selections of impatiens. "The one thing I have learned from Kay," volunteers Patrick, "is to have lots of variety."

The Terrace Garden

Designed as a series of circles from the house, the terrace garden, too, is very simple. Brick paths form a figure eight crowned with the white gazebo at one end. A black reflecting pool in the center lawn reflects its crisp image. Kay likes to plant this area with annuals accented with a few perennials. Her choices of perennials include orange daylilies, blue-- leaved hostas, and white astilbe.

For annuals Kay prefers 'Climax' marigolds, Grape Cooler and Rose Cooler Series vincas, and white Madness Series petunias, which perfume spring evenings with their fragrances. Kay also includes Johnny-jump-ups, one of her old favorites.

The Rock Garden

Full of easy-to-maintain color, the rock garden is a careful addition to Coffin's original design. Stone-lined paths meander through a multitude of conifers and lead past a small water garden and birdbath. Forming the bones of the area, the conifers include 'Sunkist' arborvitae, hinoki false cypress, Fernspray Gold' cypress, and `Wichita Blue' juniper. `Crimson Pygmy' barberry, `Bloodgood' Japanese maple, and nandina were included to complement the shades of green seen in the conifers.

The perennials echo the warm and cool colors found elsewhere in the garden, including the red of the building's brick walls and the various greens found in the conifers. Yellow, purple, and wine-colored columbines bloom early in the season, followed by pink, yellow, and white yarrow. `August Moon,' 'Krossa Regal,' and variegated hostas are used for both foliage and flowers. `Ruffled Apricot' daylily and `The Fairy' rose also make bright additions. Patrick says the rose is a knockout that will bloom the entire summer.