A space created with elements of Chinese design and English garden aesthetics

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In the middle of a move from California to Massachusetts in January 2005, Tingshu Hu and her husband, Philip Zhao, saw a single apple tree surrounded by deep snow and adorned with red fruits that glistened in the winter sun. Little did they know that this tree would be the spark of inspiration that would lead to the network of lush garden rooms that make up their garden today. Delighted, they knew they needed a variety, like the 'Prairiefire' crab apple (bad Zones 4-8 of 'Prairiefire'), own. “We were very impressed and decided to plant one in the center of our new backyard,” says Tingshu. “This is the first tree we planted, and all the other plants and elements of the garden were built around it.”

A look at the garden:

Location: Dunstable, Massachusetts Size: 1 acre Area: 6

Conditions: full sun to partial shade; clay soil Age: 20 years
A move from west to east made them avid gardeners. Tingshu and Philip never dreamed that moving from California to New England would spark a new passion for plants.

As they worked around this initial focal point, they drew from the best elements of English and Chinese garden design to create a cohesive space that manages to feel much more tropical than a New England climate should allow. “The overall landscape design was inspired by the four elements of Chinese gardens: plants, water, rocks and structures,” says the couple. Tingshu takes care of the plants, creating beds of 'organized chaos' characteristic of English cottage gardens, while Philip builds the structures and captures the landscape beautifully in his photography.

As you can imagine, flowering trees and shrubs are essential plants in their design. Since the first crabapple investment, they have added 23 more flowering woodies to the property. Some other favorites include their weeping crabapple 'Louisa' (bad 'Louisa', Zones 4–8), Eastern Redhead (Cercis canadensiszones 4–9), Stellar Pink® horns (cornus 'Rutgan', zones 5–8) and weeping peach 'Crimson Cascade' (Prunus persica 'Crimson Cascade', zones 5-9). However, his garden is rich with almost all classifications of plants. Trees and shrubs do not need to bloom to be worthy of a space; conifers, Japanese maples (Acer palmatum and cvs., Zones 5–9) and red branch dogwoods (Cornus sericea and cvs., Zones 2–7) add incredible foliage and bark interest. In the spring, a large number of bulbs appear and several perennial plants such as mint (granddaughter spp. and cvs., zones 3–8), lady's mantle (Alchemilla molliszones 4–7), prat rue (Thalictrum spp. and cvs., Zones 3–9) and Japanese anemone (Anemone hupehensisZones 4-8) offer a variety of colors and textures from March to October. Ornamental grasses soften edges while covering the ground like creeping thyme 'Magic Carpet' (Thymus serpyllum 'Magic Carpet', Zones 4–9) and 'Baby Tears' sedum (Album Sedum vary chloroticum 'Baby Tears', zones 4-9) fill in the gaps.

densely planted garden bed with lots of ground cover
Dense plantings reduce maintenance and increase interest. Each of the garden areas on this compact lot is full of plants. Robust perennials such as betony 'Hummelo' (Stachys officinalis 'Hummelo', zones 4–8) and thread leaf tick seeds of 'Zagreb' (Coreopsis verticillata 'Zagreb', zones 3-9) are interplanted with mat-forming ground covers that include various sedums and thymes. The knitted matrix leaves little room for weeds to grow.
patio garden surrounded by plants in midsummer
Although spring is colorful, vitality peaks in midsummer. You'll find an assortment of small trees and early bloomers in your backyard, but when summer arrives, it's time to shine for perennials and annuals. Surrounding the patio and living areas in a variety of hues ensures that the scene is always inviting during the season when the couple (and their visitors) are most outside.

The water element was added in the form of two magnificent ponds, and the abundant rocks found on the property meant free material to create retaining walls. Philip has been hard at work in the years since moving into his new home building pergolas, fences, patios, paths, bridges, a greenhouse and even an aquaponics system. From design to construction, the couple creates it all.

small garden pond with lotus
Water is an essential element for design. As one of the central principles of Chinese gardens, water plays an important role in this space. Two ponds bring a serene quality to the property and allow gardeners to grow moisture-loving plants such as lotus (Nelumbo nuciferazones 4-9).
colorful annuals mixed with tough perennials
Different types of plants are mixed in perfect harmony. Although colorful annuals like zinnias (Zinnia spp and cvs.) and sages (Sage spp. and cvs.) stand out more, a supporting cast of hardy perennials and soft-textured ornamental grasses serve as the backbone of the main garden.
front garden with many plants
The front garden is as spectacular as the back. When you pull up to this Massachusetts home, you immediately know that a couple of talented gardeners live here.

Of course, nothing so rewarding doesn't come with its challenges, and Tingshu and Phillip have dealt with two small but persistent pests: rabbits and voles. Rabbit-proof fencing covers three-quarters of his lot, offering protection to many of his prized plants, but the bluebells require a little more creativity. Planting the more tempting specimens in wire mesh baskets has helped, although it has greatly increased maintenance needs. Mint (mint x pepperitaZones 5-8) proved somewhat effective in deterring its voles, but its aggressive spread is not easily controlled. The best method so far has been to support a growing population of garden snakes. “We are actually very happy to see the snakes, which some may find strange,” says Tingshu.

As the garden continues to grow and evolve around that original crabapple that started it all, the assortment and composition of plants, water, rocks and various structures continue to elevate the design. With each passing year, more garden rooms appear for Tingshu, Phillip and their two dogs, Luke and Deedee to enjoy.

Kaitlyn Hayes is the editor of the Garden Photo of the Day blog. Follow her on Instagram @agirlherdogandtheroad.

Photos: Courtesy of Philip Zhao

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