Man of a Thousand Garden Stories: The Garden of Charles Cresson

I have to say I was slightly ashamed that I'd never heard of Charles Cresson before our trip to Swarthmore College this summer. Google his name and see what I mean. But, I'm not one to turn down a garden tour, so when Tom said Charles Cresson had invited us for an evening tour of his garden after the Woody Plant Conference, I was ready to go.

We followed the native Swarthmorian to his house through the tight neighborhood streets and parked in front of what one would assume was just another house in the neighborhood, save for the 12-foot deer fence. What was going to be a quick tour easily continued into the twilight hours of the night with rich, personal stories of almost every plant in the garden, especially his prized Camellias and Hydrangeas. There was more to Mr. Cresson's garden than one could see from any point and he lead us on a very winding, but deliberate, path by new beds where prized old trees from his grandfather's days had fallen, his back porch, vegetable garden, bonsai collection, diverse perennial/annual borders, and meadow by his creek, just to name a handful of nooks and crannies we found ourselves in.

On our way back to Martha's Vineyard I found myself scribbling down every moment I could remember so that I could hold the experience in my mind. Such a wealth of knowledge. I felt like I'd met a true American gardener.

Horticultural Inspiration: The Woody Plant Conference

I was excited to attend the Woody Plant Conference at the Scott Arboretum at Swarthmore College, however I had no idea I would be so deeply inspired by the talks. People in the horticulture department at N.C. State told about the excellent collection at the Scott Arboretum and my experience surpassed any expectations.

There is something about being around a group of passionate horticulture people. Todd Lasseigne reminded me of the rich family of plantspeople in Raleigh with his impassioned presentation about overused plants, tried-and-true plant and plants that are worth knowing. Andrew Bunting, the curator at the Scott Arboretum, introduced us to some really exciting interspecific magnolias, and Chanticleer Horticulturists Dan Benarcik and Jonathan Wright reintroduced the crowd to hydrangeas, both beloved favorites and those most gardeners haven't met. I don't know of anyone who wasn't salivating over those plants. Four words: Magnolia macrophylla grandiflora hybrid.

On top of the excellent presentations, I got to see an old classmate who was working for Andrew and a woman I was an intern with at Duke Gardens. Horticulture really is a small world. A wonderfully small world.

This post is to friends, new and old, human and plant alike.