Woodgrove is a small suburban garden bordered on the north side by a four-meter-tall (13 ft) beech hedge. An arched window cut through the hedging frames the picturesque landscape beyond, giving a vista of the Irish countryside, with sheep and cows grazing in the lush green fields. Within the garden, a small water feature composed of a stream and pond adds interest and is home to dozens of frogs that spawn there each spring. I created the feature some years ago with marginal planting including deciduous shuttlecock ferns (Matteuccia struthiopteris), deer fern (Blechnum spicant), and Korean rock fern (Polystichum luctuosum) making a perfect companion planting alongside bog iris, astilbe, candelabra primula, and marsh marigold. A water lily adds to the ambiance, creating a peaceful place to contemplate and relax to the therapeutic sound of the water flow.
