About
Over 11 years ago Millers (2006 Roger, 2007 Lynda and Nathan) left the long, cold, and burrowing winters of Indiana to pursue the dream of living in plant heaven. Miller’s Manor Gardens was a mail order iris, daylily, and hosta operation along with a small nursery specializing in unusual perennials, shrubs, and trees many of which were sourced from Oregon. The commercial business was closed with the move allowing more time for hybridizing, true gardening and plant searching. We now operate the business on a limited basis focusing on fuchsias. Nathan concentrates on conifers.
|
|
|
The garden now includes roughly 1000 different perennials ranging from sun to shade loving (not counting iris) and over 400 different conifers (Nathan’s specialty). During normal years there is generally something blooming in the gardens at all times. These plantaholics are truly addicted and the limiting factor with new plant selections is most frequently mature size, the smaller the better. Nathan uses most of the conifers for grafting material and Roger propagates several perennials especially fuchsias.
Lynda is the iris hybridizer and works with all sizes of bearded iris. She specializes in MTB’s and TB’s. True MDB’s (not runted SDB’s) are also a favorite project. The iris garden is limited to less than a half an acre with the majority of the seedlings being forced off-site to another location near by. Space limits the collection to approximately 600 registered varieties and 300+ selected seedlings in the valuation process. The iris are grown in long rows to allow for cultivation and are all dug each year with only 2 or 3 rihizomes per variety retained. Currently nearly all the seedlings make their first appearance in the home garden. Lynda's 2019 introductions are available at Mid-America Gardens.
|
|
The small front yard has become a bed for more miniature conifers and perennials with our only remaining area of grass, a 4 foot path which Vaniah (Nathan’s Yorkie) demanded. Behind the house you will find two large contoured raised beds of conifers and siberian iris plus a few other perennials. Pathways thru the plantings are all wood chips to make walking less slippery and wet during our rainy season.
We welcome guests to our garden at anytime but prefer groups to be small as parking is limited with no street-side parking. Besides having three open garden visitations a year, we also participate in five plant sales, and can be open by appointment.