Our 22 year old "Cotton-Arbo retum" is 1/2 acre of intensely planted garden rooms, linked by a series of sunken paths, ponds and waterfalls. Foliage guides the aesthetic, with great emphasis on Japanese maples, conifers, deciduous trees and shrubs. Herbaceous peonies and non-bearded iris have a strong presence in the perennials, accompanied by other perennials, vines and ornamental grasses with particular foliage appeal. The repetition of yellow foliage and purple foliage is everpresent to keep the eye engaged. The Cotton-Arbo retum is open free to the public, sunrise to sunset, daily, May through October.
597 Washington St. 01890

Take the Montvale Ave. exit off Rt. 93 (1 exit south of the 93/128 intersection.)Go west one block to the lights at Washington St.Turn left and go 0.6 miles .Turn left on Sunset Rd. and park. Walk back to Washington St., turn left and enter the gardens through the driveway only.

(handout at entrance):
WELCOME TO THE COTTON-ARBO RETUM

We moved to Winchester and began this garden 22 years ago. Aside from an evergreen hedge, and various mature maples and conifers, nothing that you now see - was here.
There were no fences and the back of our property was a wild woodland of junk trees and scrub. We began our landscape design by laying out garden beds that were visible from key viewpoints in our house. As new gardeners, our interest was in perennial plants, particularly peonies , siberian iris and daylilies. Our property had a variety of sun and shade situations and we dove into researching the vast world of Zone 5 -hardy perennials. We joined the Mass.Horticultural Society and The Garden Conservancy, subscribed to Horticulture and Fine Gardening magazines, attended many classes and workshops, and visited as many gardens as possible. And we learned volumes from garden owners, teachers, classmates and vendors.

After three years of intense garden development, our gardens were awarded the "Best in Show" prize in an amateur gardeners competition sponsored by the Massachusetts Horticultural Society and Boston Magazine. For our prize, we were sent to Holland, where, at Trompenberg, we discovered the wonderful world of conifers. This life-changing experience took us out of our perennials focus and raised our vision, literally and figuratively, so that we began to emphasize the 'bones’ of our gardens- with conifers, shrubs and trees. Visiting private and public arboreta and gardens in New England, the Pacific Northwest and England- we further developed our passion for these plants, particularly for Japanese maples, dwarf conifers and variegated trees and shrubs.Ever aware of the peaceful influence of running water in the garden, we put in a number of fountains and built a series of waterfall/ponds- to mask the traffic noise and provide some quiet sitting spots. Over the years, various pieces of garden art, quirky, beautiful or funny, have found their way in and taken up residence.

If this is your first visit, you will be surprised how different the gardens look from one week to the next. In the spring, perennials are short, there are many empty spots, and the gardens have a much more open feeling. You can see from one area to the next. In the summer, plants grow taller and fill in so that the various gardens become their own ’garden rooms’. Fences disappear and flowering vines ramble over railings,walls and obelisks. By September, the plants are at their tallest,highlighted by the many ornamental grasses.

Things we hope you will notice: The role of purple foliage , yellow foliage and variegated foliage in keeping your eyes entertained; The role of varying heights in a garden bed; The role of hidden elements and glimpses of vistas - in drawing you into the various garden areas; The role of water elements; The roles of garden art and architecture. We are so glad you have come to share our gardens. Please bring friends and come back often. **And remember- When you see a gate, open it and explore!!**

August 2009
The Way To Have What We Want Is To Share What We Have

THE COTTON-ARBO RETUM WOULD LIKE TO THANK
THE FOLLOWING VENDORS AND FRIENDS FOR OUR PLANTS:

Massachusetts:
Mahoney’s Rocky Ledge,Winchester,Ma.
Tranquil Lake Nursery, Rehoboth
Stonegate Gardens,Lincoln
Katsura Gardens ,Plymouth
Cavicchio Greenhouses, Sudbury
Allen Haskell , New Bedford
Seawright Gardens, Carlisle

Leo Blanchette, Carlisle
Sylvan Nurseries, South Dartmouth
Avant Gardens, South Dartmouth
Weston Nurseries, Hopkinton
Newbury Perennials, Newbury
Russell’s Garden Center, Sudbury
Corliss Brothers Nursery, Ipswich
Garden in the Woods, Framingham
Longhill , Ipswich
The Arnold Arboretum, Jamaica Plain
New England Nursery, Bedford
Northeast Nursery,Peabody
Completely Clematis, Ipswich
Lexington Gardens, Lexington
Doran’s Greenhouses,Lexington
Windy-Lo, Wayland
Betsy Ewing, Bonnie Brown, Judy Brain, Byron Getchell,
Carolyn Ward, Mary MacIntosh, Thalia Avila,Susan Dumaine,Mrs.Stanford Durand
Sue Webel, Wendy Coughlin, George Lotkin, Marie Tulin

New England:
Lake Street Garden Center, Salem,N.H.
Broken Arrow Nursery, Hamden,Ct.
Oliver’s, Fairfield,Ct.
Variegated Plants Nursery,Eastford,Ct.
Twombly's,Monroe, Ct.
Perennials by Susan, Amherst,N.H.
Rocky Dale Gardens, Bristol, Vt.
Cady’s Falls Nursery, Cady’s Falls, Vt.

Mail-Order:
Heronswood Nursery ,
ForestFarm, Greer Gardens, Gossler’s
Plant Delights Nursery , Fairweather Gardens , Collector’s Nursery, Ferncliffe Gardens
Kurt Bloemel ,Carroll Gardens, Roslyn Nursery, Big Dipper Nursery, Klehm’s ,
Karchovsky Cannas ,Avant Gardens, Joy Creek Nursery,Lazy S, Garden Crossings,
Scheeper’s, Van Bourgondien, Van Engelen

A VERY PARTIAL LIST(needs updating!) OF OUR FAVORITE Z.5-HARDY DECIDUOUS SHRUBS- AND THEIR SPECIAL VALUE

VIBURNUM SARGENTII ‘ONONDAGA’ lg. Shrub, wonderful maroon bracts and maroon tinged spring foliage
VIB PLICATUM VAR. TOMENTOSUM SHASTA layered branches,lg wh. flat flower heads
and SHOSHONE (like small Shasta)
VIB. SUMMER SNOWFLAKE blooms all summer, flat white flower heads
V.DILITATUM ERIE and IROQUOIS
V. PINK DAWN v. early small pink blooms

CORNUS: all are large shrubs except the mini
C. ALBA AUREO MARGINATA VARIEGATA- great bold med dk gn leaves w/ bold wide white edges
CORNUS MIDWINTER FLAME stems coral to flame in winter; fall fol. Color warm yellow/suffused w/ coral
CORNUS AUREA yellow summer foliage
C. GOUTCHALTII med dk gn leaves w/ wide bold yellow edge
CORNUS MINI VARIEG like alba aureo marg. var. but small- 2’globe.

CLERODENDRUM TRICHOTOMUM VARIEG. lg. shrub,
lg. heart shaped med gn. leaves w/ clean yellow edge, stay on late in fall.
Dies to ground and sprouts anew every yr.

DAPHNE X BURKWOODII CAROL MACKIE small shrub, small dark gn lves w/ cream edge, sweet smelling spring pink bell flowers

DEUTZIA GRACILIS NIKKO small compact shrub
covered w/dainty white spring bells
ELEAGNUS UMBELLATA -lgshrub, silver foliage

FORSYTHIA x INTERMEDIA AUREA- small fountain of small bright yellow foliage through season
F. KUMSON - med.gn.foliage w/ strong white veining

BERBERIS HELMOND’S PILLAR - small ( to 4’hx12"w) columnar , burgundy foliage
B. RUBY GLOW - burgundy foliage med globe
B. AUREA - medium, SLOW growing compact globe , yellow leaves

COTINUS COGGYGRIA GRACE lg. Shrub, smoky blue- green- plum foliage
C.COG. ROYAL PURPLE med to lg shrub, burg. foliage, likes dry, exc. drainage
C. COG. AUREA yellow leaved, slow growing.

PHILADELPHUS AUREA - med. size shrub, small yellow foliage all season
PHIL. DOUBLEFLOWER

PRUNUS X CISTENA - med to lg shrub,small maroon leaves

DISANTHUS CERCIDIFOLIUS -med to lg shrub .heart shaped leaves,
wine red fall foliage

CARYOPTERIS _DARK KNIGHT - small loose fountain of deep blue racemes_

BUDDLEIA ELLEN’S BLUE -med to lg shrub, good saturated blue/lav.flower wands
BUDDLEIA DARK KNIGHT - dk. ppl. wands

HYDRANGEA TOKYO DELIGHT flat pink flowers
HYDRANGEA QUERCIFOLIA SNOWFLAKE flat dbl. blossom heads of
wh. flow. w/ yell. centers
HYDRANGEA KYUSHU - V. late blooming, loose white flower heads

SYRINGA VARIEGATA - med. to lg size, green foliage splashed w/yellow
SYRINGA SENSATION - (flowers of dk.ppl.rimmed w/white)

CALYCANTHUS - small sweet smelling maroon flowers

CALLICARPA PROFUSION - med to lg shrub,fall wands of small med ppl. berries

CLEMATIS

CORYLOPSIS SPICATA v early spring light yellow bell flower racemes

VITEX AGNUS-CASTUS lg shrub, similar to buddleia in habit, blooms V.LATE(oct/nov); v.wonderful fragrant foliage. Dies to ground in winter and resprouts from base in spring.

WEIGELA FLORIDA VARIEGATA lg shrub, med gn leaves w/ wide bright yellow edge
WEIGELA FLORIDA MIDNIGHT WINE – mini, varieg.burgundy foliage

KERRIA VARIEGATA - small fountain of serrated green leaves w/ white edge

NEILLIA SINENSIS -a fountain of coral flower racemes in e.june,
delicate serrated leaves

CHAENOMELIS -bright cup shaped salmon,orange or pink spring bloom

HAEMAMELIS late winter small raggedy blooms- yellow to orange/red

ILEX WINTER RED profuse red berries in fall/winter

PHYSOCARPUS OPULIFOLIUS DIABLO (dk.ppl.leaves) and
AUREA (yellow foliage)
AESCULUS PAVIA lg shrub w/handsome 5 part leaves and
large bright salmon flower panicles

FAVORITE Z.5-HARDY EVERGREENS- (TO BE COMPLETED)

CHAEMY.OBTUSA NANA LUTEA
CH. PISIFERA SNOW
CH. OBT.