Woodland Glade
The deeply beautiful vestibule to the Core Park
In the Woodland Glade, understory shrubs were removed to create a dramatic distinction between the floor and ceiling of this garden room. The oak and maple canopy of the Woodland Glade has been lifted to provide a spacious and open feeling. In the spring, the colors of blue phlox are accented with white bursts of Tiarella cordifolia and Heuchera americana.
Our landscape architect, Gary Smith, describes the design principles behind the Maple Entrance and Woodland Glade:
“The primary theme is very simple: strong verticals of tree trunks played against broad horizontal sweeps of woodland perennials and ferns. There are no shrubs in the Woodland Glade, so the experience is that of being in a large open space, rather like a woodland cathedral. The idea is to create a sense of awe in the presence of intense natural beauty. Healthy native woodlands include diverse populations of wildflowers and ferns arranged in a finely detailed mosaic. Our Woodland Glade includes an abstraction of this mosaic pattern on the forest floor, simplifying the shapes to make a dramatic carpet of boldly contrasting textures and colors.”
Later in the season, long after the flowers have faded, the light green carpet of the Woodland Glade’s groundcover creates a tranquil path for spiritual reflection and renewal. The main plantings of phlox, Tiarella and Heuchera are accented with several varieties of carex and Pachysandra procumbens. Striped maples and white fringetrees provide a beautiful backdrop to the delicate groundcover.
Plant Varieties
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Chionanthus virginicus
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Gregory Bald hybrid azaleas
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Cornus alternifolia
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Rhododendron maximum
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Rhododendron viscosum
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Kalmia latifolia
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Leucothoe recurva
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Dervilla
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Mosses
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Lichens
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Galax
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Ferns
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Huckleberries, blackberries, blueberries, chokeberries
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