Tucked behind the Tubbs’ house, Pan’s Garden has been and is currently undergoing a loving renovation to not only improve drainage but also redesign the plant material. Early in 2011, critical plants were bare rooted, carefully washed and saved. The remaining plantings were removed from the two center panels and the small semicircular bed in front of Pan and the beds treated with herbicide.
During the summer of 2011, various sized grit was spread and rototilled into the beds of heavy clay improving drainage and then rototilled again before replanting began in early August by the Willowwood Foundation funded interns Stephanie Anderson, Anthony Paglinco, Matt Whelan and Falon Watson who learned first hand how to renovate a garden. The bluestone edging was lifted to grade, aligned, and reset to emphasize the forced perspective. The new theme of the garden is a “Tapestry in White”. New plants included Anemone xhybrida ‘Honorine Jobert’, Astilbe ‘Deutschland’, Boltonia japonica, Iris tectorum ‘Alba’, Lobelia siphilitica ‘Alba’, Phlox panicutata ‘David’, and Tricyrtis hirta ‘Alba’. In the Story of Willowwood by Marta McDowell, Lois Poinier remembers visiting WW with her mother, a friend of Hal Tubbs. “The garden was enchanting for a child, with its statue of Pan. It was so silver.” The cool floral palette and silver plantings glowed in the twilight. Pam Wilson, Plant Curator, said Pan’s Garden was much sunnier then and could support lots of flowers and the silvery lamb’s ears edging the beds. The garden is more shady now. The white plants will pop against the greenery. The project is continuing this summer as the remaining beds are renovated.