To paraphrase Samuel Johnson, when you are tired of Fox Hollow, you are tired of gardens; for there is in Fox Hollow all that gardening can offer. Inta Krombolz’s garden is a plant addicts’ garden with personality and great design flair, a rare thing indeed. These three gorgeous acres are just outside West Chester, with mature trees, a cornucopia of unusual plants and the natural drama of contrasting elements of color, texture and form. Scattered through the gardens are whimsical sculptures Inta welds from old pieces of agricultural equipment that she finds in Amish machine shops, discarded buggy and machine parts are transformed into vines, arches and flowers and garden reeds. She delights in taking old utilitarian parts and putting them out to pasture in an aesthetic sense.
A once problem damp shady area was so overgrown with brambles, nettles and skunk cabbage when Inta and her husband bought the property they could not walk through it. Over the decades she has transformed into a moist shade garden layered with hostas, ferns, astilbes, iris and waves of chartreuse and purple leaved plants drifiting to a large rock-edged pond that Inta dug herself one mild winter to handle run-off water from the road and underground springs. She said when she started gardening the heavy clay soil was like cheese, so dense you could cut it with a knife, and she had to work in leaf mold and compost form the wooded areas so her plantings could thrive. The informality of the woods she inherited are reflected in the plantings, with large natural drifts of bold leaved hostas, Filipendula ulmaria ‘Aurea’(golden meadowsweet), Perilla frutescens ‘Autropurpurea’ and Ligularia stenocephala ‘The Rocket’ with contrasting feathery ferns and fine sedges.
Chris Woods, the director of Chanticleer, says that good gardens are the expression of an individual heart and should make one laugh and express the joy of living. For me, Fox Hollow does just this.
A once problem damp shady area was so overgrown with brambles, nettles and skunk cabbage when Inta and her husband bought the property they could not walk through it. Over the decades she has transformed into a moist shade garden layered with hostas, ferns, astilbes, iris and waves of chartreuse and purple leaved plants drifiting to a large rock-edged pond that Inta dug herself one mild winter to handle run-off water from the road and underground springs. She said when she started gardening the heavy clay soil was like cheese, so dense you could cut it with a knife, and she had to work in leaf mold and compost form the wooded areas so her plantings could thrive. The informality of the woods she inherited are reflected in the plantings, with large natural drifts of bold leaved hostas, Filipendula ulmaria ‘Aurea’(golden meadowsweet), Perilla frutescens ‘Autropurpurea’ and Ligularia stenocephala ‘The Rocket’ with contrasting feathery ferns and fine sedges.
Chris Woods, the director of Chanticleer, says that good gardens are the expression of an individual heart and should make one laugh and express the joy of living. For me, Fox Hollow does just this.
Partial list of Perennials Perennials in the garden Astilboides tabularis Actaea pachypoda 'Misty Blue' Adiantum pedaling Maidenhair Fern- Native Arisaema trifhyllum Jack in the Pulpit- Native Asarum canadenses wild Ginger- Native Aster divericatus white woodland aster- Native Athyrium filix-femina Lady Fern-Native Amorphophallus konjac Voodoo lily Arisaema sikokianum , ringens Astilboides Tabularis Beesia deltophylla Bergenia Edens Magic Giant(by basement) Boehmeria nipononivea Kogane Mushi yellow leaves, fuzzy Cardamine trifoliate Cacalia delfinifolia from Wayne Cloranthus serratus Chelone Glabra white title head native Chiastophyllum oppositifolium succulent with arching yell flws Cypripedium japonicum from Wayne Cryptotonia red poison ivy Cypripedium reginae Deinanthe bifida Darmera peltatum Dicentra spectabilis Gold Heart Eupatorium fistulosum Tall Joe Pye Weed - Native Eupatorium coelestinum Hardy agiretum blue- Native Echinacea purpurea Purple cone flower-Native Fargesia Anceps,Robusta bamboo Gentiana andrewsii Bottle Gentian -Native Geranium maculatum wild geranium-Native Gautheria procumbens wintergreen -Native Heuchera villosa var. Atropurpurea Maple leaf -Native Leucosceptrum jap Gold Angel near leather leaf viburnum Leucosceptrum October Moon Lobelia siphilitica Blue lobelia-Native Mertensis virginica Virginia Bluebells-Native Michela repens partridge berry on rocky berm Onoclea sensibilis Sensitive Fern-Native invasive Osmunda regalis Royal Fern-Native Podophyllum peltatum Mayapple -Native Polystichum acrostichoides Christmas Fern-Native Polygonum cuspidatum variegatum Sedum ternatum shade sedum-Native Silphium terebinthinaceum. Prairie Dock Rohdea japonica Sarcococca x confusa Saruma henryi Sedum kamtschaticum 'Sweet and Sour' Selaginella braunii Arbovitae fern Silphium perfoliatum-Native Silphium terebinthinaceum-Native Silphium laciniatum Smilacina racemosa Solomon's Plume-Native Sinecio Aurea native yellow multiple daisies Speirantha convallarioides from Wayne Spigelia marilandica Indian pink-Native Spiranthes cernua Chadds Ford Syneilesis aconitifolium Tiarella cordifolia foam flower-Native Tovara(new name-Persicaria) Brushstrokes by acer Shaina Tovara lance coporal Tradescantia Sweet Kate Iris leavigata Variegata. In bog Trillium erectum Tricyrtis hirta Golden gleam by chimney Veronicastrum virginicum -Culvers root-Native Impatiens omeiana Disporum flavens. Yellow fairy bells Disporum cantonienses 'night heron' Gentian aucules. Very short Blue Aralia Cordata Sun King Baptisia arachnifera. Silver leaves Phuopsis. From Joanna Reed Amsonia Hubrichtii Baptisia australis Purple Smoke Caryopteris divaricata Snow Fairy. Chelone glabra Hot Lips Geranium Rozanne Lillium fomosanum Symphytum uplandicum Axminster Gold Actaea pachypoda. White Dolls Eyes Adiantum pedatum. Northern Maidenhair Fern Amsonia Blue Ice Anemonopsis macrophylla (by Rhodos. Lavander) Arisaema Ringens Arusaema Sikokianum Bletilla striata alba Orchid Brunnera macrophylla Jack Frost Brunnera Variegata Campanula latifolia. White.and blue Cypripedium. Lady Slipper Orchid Cypripedium Pubescens Cypripedium Gisela Darmera peltata pink flw in Spring Disporopsis pernyi. Under CCV Glaucidium palmatum Purple flws in Spring. By Rhodos Primrose kisoana. Phyteuma scheuchzeri. Horned Polystichum Setiferum 'Herrenhausen'. By Blue Bunny Rampion lavender Pom Pima near upside down fern Podophyllum pleianthum. Chinese Mayapple Persicaria virginiana Painters Palette Primula kisoana fuzzy leaf Primula japonica in bog Kirengeshoma palmata. Yellow waxbells Koreana Ligularia Dentata Britt Marie Crawford Musa basjoo Polygonatum. Solomon Seal Commutatum. Giant Humile. Dwarf Kingianuum. Willow leaves Odoratum Variegatum Saruma henryi Spigelia marilandica Syneilesis aconitifolia Trachystemon orientalis big green leaves under s maple Tradescantia Sweet Kate yellow leaves Tricyrtis macronthopsis. Big yellow bells Viola labradorica dark leaves-Native Waldsteinia ternata. Barren Stawberry Vernonia lettermannii. Short purple flws Zantedeschia aethiopica Herculis Calla Lily in bog Clematis Kasparov. Very large purple Tinantia. Pringlei. Purplish wandering Jew Yucca Golden Sword. Near big mill wheel Yuca Rostrata 'Sapphire Skies'. In rock garden Yucca aloifolia Variegata by garden house | Shrubs Abelia mosanensis. Fragrant abelia Yuca elate very fine Buxus sempervirens Cephalotaxus harringtonia Duke Gardens Cephalanthus occidentalis button bush. Buxus Elegantissima Buxux Graham Blandy Buxus sinica var. insularis. Korean boxwood Buxus hybrid Golden Dream. Gold edge on leaf Buxus Kingsville Buxus Compacta. Both minis Cryptomeria japonica Elegans Nana in front of garage Deinanthe bifida Illicium parviflorum Florida Sunshine. Yellow leaves Lonicera nitida Baggescens Gold Lonicera pileata along lower driveway Hammamelis. Arnolds Promise Larix decidua Larix decidua Little Bogle by bird feeder Larix decidua Varied Directions Larix kaempferi. Japanese Larch Larix laricina. Eastern Larch Lindera benzoin spicebush Microbiota decussata. Russian Arbovitae Ceanothus Marie Bleu Lonicera prostrata. Along driveway Cotinus Golden Spirit Buxus sempervirens Dee Runk Hamamelis Virginians witchhazel in the woods Ilex crenata Ivory Tower. In rock garden. Variegated very tiny Illicium floridanum Halleys Comet. Near orchids Red flws Staphylea. bumalda. By edge of lower stone apron Hibiscus dasycalix. Fine leaves. White flowers Euonymus J. Green Spire. Aronia arbutifolia Brilliantissima Callicarpa dichotoma Early Amethyst. Beautyberry Calycanthus chinensis. Near waterfall steps Calycanthus floridus Venus. Near airconditioners Calycanthus Hartlage Wine. Red flowers Cephalanthus occidentalis. Buttonbush. In bog. Native Cephalotaxus harringtonia Duke Garden. Low spreading Fastigiata Korean Gold Chamaecyparis nootkatensis Glauca Pendula -Alaska Cedar Clethra barbinervis Clethra Sixteen Candles Comptonia peregrina. Sweet fern shrub Cornus sericea Silver and Gold. Variegated leaves. Cornus sericea Hedgerows Gold. Corylopsis pauciflora Corylopsis spicata. Yellow chains in Spring Cotinus coggygria. Golden Spirit Deutzia gracilis Deutzia gracilis Cardonnay Pearls Deutzia gracilis Nikko Deutzia gracilis Magician Duetzia glabra Godshalls Pink Disanthus cercidifolius. On bank Eleutherococcus sieboldianus Variegatus. Fiveleaf Aralia. Next to basement Enkianthus campanulatus Red Bells Fothergilla intermedia Blue Shadow. Silver leaves. On bank Hamamelis intermedia Arnold Promise. Near lower gate Hibiscus syriacus. Variegatus. Flws don't open H Diana. White. Front garden Hydrangea paniculata Limelight Hydrangea quercifolia Little Honey. Yellow leaves Hydrangea quercifolia Snowflake Hydrangea quercifolia Snowqueen Lespedeza thunbergia Gibraltar. On bank Leucothoe fontanesiana Silver Run. Variegated leaves Lonicera pileata. On edge of lower driveway Physocarpus opulifolius Diablo. Ninebark Pieris japonica. Little Heath. Small variegated Rhamnus frangula Fine Line. Glossy Buckthorn Thus typhina Tiger Eyes Thus typhina Lacinita Thuja occidentalis. Eastern Arbovitae Thuja occidentals Gold Drop. Semi dwarf bright gold Thuja plicata Western Arbovitae Thuja plicate Sunshine. On bank End of driveway Thujopsis dolobrata. Staghorn Cedar Thujopsis dolobrata Variegata. By big oak Spirea bullata. From Joanna Reed Spirea thunbergii Ogon Spirea vanhouttei Pink Ice. Variegated leaves. White flowers Sophora davidii. Near peach Syringa laciniata. Cutleaf Viburnum Summer Snowflake Viburnum acerifoloum native in the woods Weigela florida My Monet Weigela subsessilis Canary W Midnight Wine. 18-24" tall Zenobia pulverulent a Trees Acer Goshiki kotohime (small across front of deck). Acer Hana matoi variegated (Very fine cut leaves) Acer palmatum Atrolineare Acer palmatum Katsura Acer Aconitifolia Acer palmatum Sekka Yatsubusa (by side garde steps) Acer palmatum Mikawa Yatsubusa Acer Grisum - paper bark Acer Ho Shime no Uchi (in front of Corylopsis) Acer Shaina Acer Khyohyme. Acer Butterfly Acer Seryu Acer palmatum Tamukeyama (3 on the bank) Acer p. Green Acer coral bark Acer Toyama Nishiki Acerbic Shirasawanum aureum. Full moon Alnus Blue Imperyalis (by big oak) Catalpa bignoniodes Aurea X Gordlinia the Franklinia hybrid from Andy Schenk Ulmus hollandica. Wredel'. Yellow fastigiate by Rhodos Ulmus alata 'Lace Parasol' Picea orientalis Skilands. Gold needles Pterostyrax Cercis canadensis Silver Cloud Robinis pseudoacacia Frisia Sciadopitys vertcillata. Japanese Umbrella Pine Stewartia pdeudocamellia Styrax obassia Zelkova serrata Goshiki (variegated in bog) Aralia elata Variegata Chamaecyparis obtusa. Crippsii Cryptomeria japonica Cryptomeria japonica Black Dragon Cryptomeria japonica Glubosa Nana Juniperis communis Gold Cone Metasequoia glyptostroboides Ogon Taxodium ascendensl (near peach tree) Taxodium distichum. Bald Cypress Taxodium distichum Pendulum Taxodium distichum Peve Minaret |