BEDROCK GARDENS
Bedrock Gardens is a nonprofit public garden that integrates unusual botanical specimens, unique sculptures, and interesting landscape design and features into an inspiring journey. This 30-acre site has recently transitioned from a historic farm and private garden to a public oasis of horticulture, art, and inspiration.
Bedrock Gardens is a nonprofit public garden that integrates unusual botanical specimens, unique sculptures, and interesting landscape design and features into an inspiring journey. This 30-acre site has recently transitioned from a historic farm and private garden to a public oasis of horticulture, art, and inspiration.
Of Interest...
For the 2026 season:
- We are open Tuesday thru Friday and the first and third weekends of the month.
- In October, we are open the first and second weekends with our final day of the 2026 season on Sunday October 11.
- Get a preview of What's in Bloom below (scroll down) or on our new Blooms page HERE.
- Here are some Quick Links to Visiting, Membership, and Donate pages
- And remember that memberships also make great presents. Explore that HERE.
Explore our Calendar of Events and Programs
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Welcome to the 2026 Season!
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For all questions about events or programs, contact our education director HERE.
Join us with a Membership
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Join now, reap the benefits of membership all season long.
Joining now entitles you to benefits for the entire year. Members are valued as part of our family, contributing their talents, wisdom, and support to maintain and enrich our premier destination garden. Enjoy exclusive benefits and support our ongoing efforts. |
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New Book on the Garden
Jill Nooney has written a book on the garden called
"Bedrock: The Making of a Public Garden" .
"Bedrock: The Making of a Public Garden" .
Links
- WMUR's NH Chronicle also produced a truly wonderful piece on us on June 30, 2025. See it HERE. (There is an ad at the start that you can skip.)
- PBS's Windows to the Wild produced a great 14 minute segment on us on Sept 24, 2025. See it HERE.
- NH Chronicle produced another great segment on us, this time on the Fairy Hobbit House Festival. July 28,
2025. Watch it HERE.
- PBS's Windows to the Wild produced a great 14 minute segment on us on Sept 24, 2025. See it HERE.
- NH Chronicle produced another great segment on us, this time on the Fairy Hobbit House Festival. July 28,
2025. Watch it HERE.
AN OASIS OF HORTICULTURE, ART, AND INSPIRATION
Plan Your Garden VisitJoin one of our daily tours or discover the gardens on your own. No reservation required.
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Educational ProgramsWhether you're young, old, or somewhere in between, we offer classes for all gardening levels.
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Become A MemberAnd enjoy the gardens, exclusive perks and show your support for Bedrock Gardens.
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WHAT'S IN BLOOM
You can click on each image to see the Latin name, information on each plant, and where they are found in the garden.
We are also working on a longitudinal look at what is in bloom through out the year on our page: Blooms.
We are also working on a longitudinal look at what is in bloom through out the year on our page: Blooms.
Plumleaf Azalea
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Anise Hyssop
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Red Cauli Sedum
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Chinese Prickly Ash
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Willow Gentian
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Cutleaf Coneflower
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Plumleaf Azalea
Plumleaf Azalea, Rhododendron prunifolium Long after the beautiful spring blooms of azaleas and rhododendrons have faded into only a memory, the plumleaf azalea sets the woods ablaze with its brilliant red flowers in late August. A wonderful surprise in the heat of late summer! Plumleaf azalea is considered to be one of the rarest North American azaleas and the latest blooming. It is native to only the states of Georgia and Alabama, growing in densely wooded ravines and steep streambanks in the Chattahoochee River Valley. First collected in roughly 1913 and first cultivated in 1918 at Harvard’s Arnold Arboretum in Boston, it produces 1.5-2” 5-pointed funnel-shaped vivid red to bright orange-red flowers with elegant long stamens that are held in clusters of 4-7 flowers. Growing 8-12’ tall and roughly 6-8’ wide, plumleaf azalea has an open spreading form and despite its southern origin, is hardy to USDA zone 5, as in NH. Populations in the wild appear to show high variability in bloom time, size, and color, ranging from deep scarlet through orange-red, apricot, salmon, to pink. These native populations are in decline due to a number of factors – among them habitat destruction, poaching, and overbrowsing by deer. The beauty of the plant and its singularly late bloom season have spurred efforts to produce hybrids; these efforts have been aided by its natural variability. Locally, Weston Nurseries in MA have used the plumleaf azalea to extend flowering times of summer-blooming azaleas into August, with cultivar bloom colors that include cherry red, dark orange, and light pink. As for most rhododendrons, plumleaf azalea prefers shade and moist, acidic, and well-drained soils but will tolerate partial shade. Although its flowers have no scent, they attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds, particularly since they bloom so late. The foliage turns an appealing plum shade in the fall; the inspiration for its common name. Plumleaf azalea is a gorgeous native shrub that puts on an amazing floral show that is always a bit of a surprise in the late summer. It is all the more appealing since it occurs in the shade against a backdrop of dark green leaves, making the vibrant bloom color seem even brighter. The plants are hardy, easy to grow, and unusual and they are a wonderful addition to any shady garden. At Bedrock Gardens, plumleaf azalea can be found in the Shrubaria (#28) garden. |
Anise Hyssop
Anise Hyssop, Agastache foeniculum Blooming from mid-summer into fall, anise hyssop produces 3-6” tall flower stalks tightly packed with whorls of small (1/3”) unscented soft lavender to violet purple flowers that are absolute pollinator magnets. A single plant is capable of generating upwards of 90,000 flowers. Considered one of the best native plants for a variety of pollinators, anise hyssop attracts butterflies, bumblebees, honey bees, carpenter bees, a number of species of moths, and hummingbirds. Since blossoms open over a long blooming period, they assure a lengthy nectar and pollen season. Native to prairies, dry forests, and fields in the upper Midwest into Canada, anise hyssop is a member of the mint family that forms a clump 2-4’ high and roughly 1-3’ wide, growing from a small taproot through rhizome spread. Plants also self-seed readily. Anise hyssop prefers full or partial sun and average to dry soils and once established, is drought tolerant. The foliage grows on square stems and is fragrant; both are characteristics of the mint family. Leaves smell like licorice or anise and are the inspiration for the plant’s common name. They can be used in herbal teas, as flavoring in jelly, in salads, or when dried, in potpourri. Flower spikes make attractive additions to fresh or dried flower arrangements. Native American populations used the plants for cough, fever, and diarrhea relief, and for wound treatment. A reliable and hardy native plant with delightfully scented foliage and showy flower stalks that both contribute a vertical accent to the garden and appeal to pollinators, anise hyssop is wonderful addition to a sunny garden. At Bedrock Gardens, anise hyssop can be found in the Ping Garden, adjacent to the Allée (#6) garden. |
Red Cauli Sedum
Red Cauli Sedum, Sedum telephium “Red Cauli” The vivid hot pink flower clusters of Red Cauli sedum draw and catch the eye of anyone that sees them in the late summer garden. Resembling small (4”) heads of bright pink cauliflower (the inspiration for the cultivar name), the flowers are a striking contrast to the plant’s deep red stems and blue-green leaves tinged with purple. Red Cauli is colorful all season long – in the spring, plants form an arching mound 12-18” high of purple-red stems holding notched blue-green succulent leaves that become flushed with purple as they grow; in mid-summer, abundant clusters of pale pink flower buds develop and open in late summer to reveal the tiny star-like, intensely pink flowers, which gradually deepen to a deep rich ruby red; by the fall, maroon seeds have developed and add an accent to the autumn garden. With a lengthy bloom season running from late July into October, all four flower stages can be seen on plants at times. The mature deep red flowers are some of the darkest developed in sedums and the closest to a true red color in the group. The bright raspberry and deep red flowers attract a variety of pollinators such as bumblebees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Like all sedums, Red Cauli prefers full to part sun and average to dry soils, although it tolerates some moisture; plant coloration deepens as the amount of sun increases. With its succulent, water-storing leaves, Red Cauli and other sedums are highly drought resistant. An outstanding plant in all seasons that becomes a true feature of the late summer garden, Red Cauli sedum is a gorgeous and memorable addition to a sunny garden. At Bedrock Gardens, Red Cauli sedum can be found in the Ping Garden, adjacent to the Allée (#6) garden. |
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Chinese Prickly Ash
Chinese Prickly Ash, Flatspine Prickly-Ash, Zanthoxylum simulans Chinese prickly ash is an attractive deciduous large shrub or small tree that is primarily grown as a source of Sichuan peppercorns, a key ingredient in Chinese cuisine. Native to China, Taiwan, and Korea and growing on open hillsides and woods, it has rather knobby branches and a vase-like architecture; its trunk and branches both bear broad spines, the source of its common name. Chinese prickly ash grows to about 20’ tall and has 3-5” compound leaves which resemble ash leaves; they are strongly fragrant when crushed. The leaves are also edible, adding a pleasant scent and light peppery taste as a garnish or in a salad. The abundant small (3-5 mm) green flowers are held in loose clusters and open in mid- to late summer, adding a chartreuse hazy look to the tree. In fall the 4 mm round red fruit ripen, darkening to reddish brown, and split open to release glossy black seeds. It is the seed capsules however, rather than the seeds, that are harvested, dried, and used in cooking. The spice has a unique scent, flavor, and heat and adds hints of citrus, black pepper, and a savory pungency to dishes. It is a crucial ingredient in the frequently used Chinese ‘five spice’ mix. Resin from the plant’s bark and roots is used traditionally as a powerful stimulant and tonic. In the fall, leaves turn a vivid yellow, adding seasonal interest in the garden and an attractive contrast to the red fruits. Chinese prickly ash grows best in full sun or part shade and prefers moist, well-drained soils. It is an attractive multi-faceted small tree whose leaves and peppercorns are both useful and bring a unique fragrance to the sunny garden. At Bedrock Gardens, Chinese prickly ash can be found in the Ping Garden, adjacent to the Allée (#6) garden. |
Willow Gentian
Willow Gentian, Gentiana asclepiadea One of the most beautiful flowers in the fall, willow gentian produces trumpet-shaped 2” flowers in a deep sapphire blue, a rare color in the garden. Native to mountains in Central and Eastern Europe to Turkey and Iran, Western Asia, and Siberia to North America, its original habitat was open montane woodlands, forest edges, moist meadows, and streambanks. In the garden, willow gentian prefers partial sun or open shade and rich moist, well-drained soil, conditions similar to its native environment, and is thought to be one of the easier gentians to grow. It is one of the larger species in its genus, producing gracefully arching stems that grow from a central mound to roughly 2-3’. Leaves grow in pairs along the stem, are lance-shaped, smooth, and glossy; they are the source of the plant’s common name since they were thought to resemble willow leaves. In late summer into fall, clusters of 2 or 3 flower buds develop in each of the leaf axils in the center of the stems that then open into the deep “gentian” blue flowers, pointing upward and outward along the long stems. Willow gentian has a long history of use in traditional medicine dating back to ancient Greece and Rome, and was thought to have both anti-inflammatory and antiseptic effects. Plants have also been used to make herbal bitters and flowers can be used to produce a blue dye. In addition, willow gentian figures in traditional folklore, where it was thought to have magical properties, protect from evil spirits, and bring good luck. Flowers are a valuable source of late season nectar for a number of pollinating insects such as bees, butterflies, and moths. Leaves are used as a food source by caterpillars of swallowtail butterflies. Willow gentian is a beautiful perennial for the fall garden where its graceful stems laden with brilliant sapphire flowers make it a seasonal highlight. Outstanding in any shady garden, planting willow gentian on a slope where its arching stems can create a flowering cascade is particularly lovely. Long-lived and not particularly fussy about growing conditions, it makes an exceptional addition to the fall garden. At Bedrock Gardens, willow gentian can be found in the Funnel (#13) Garden and the Ping Garden, adjacent to the Allée (#6) garden. |
Cutleaf Coneflower
Cutleaf Coneflower, Rudbeckia laciniata Cutleaf coneflower is a tall lanky native perennial that produces large drooping lemon yellow flowers from late summer into the fall, brightening the autumn garden. Native to North America from most of southern Canada and throughout the lower 48 US states aside from CA, NV, and OR, it grows in floodplains, moist thickets, woodland edges, and along stream and riverbanks. In the garden it prefers similar such conditions – full to part sun and moist well-drained soils. Cutleaf coneflower grows 3-10’ tall and spans 2-4’, and from late July into September features showy 2-3.5” bright yellow daisy-like flowers with drooping petals and domed green center flower disks that are held in loose clusters on the tall stems. The plants have long been cultivated for garden use and were introduced into Europe in the early 1600’s. Several well-known attractive cultivars have been produced (Hortensia, Goldquelle, Herbstsonne), some with increased petal numbers over the 6-12 typical of the species. Leaf shape varies along the stem; the large bottom leaves are deeply cut or divided with 3-7 toothed lobes (the source of the plant’s common name of “cutleaf”) and gradually become smaller, with few or no lobes at the top. The leaves are edible and native Americans ate the young stems and leaves either raw or cooked. Cutleaf coneflowers have a well-developed rhizome structure and can spread fairly aggressively, forming colonies of plants. The flowers are a nectar and pollen source for a variety of insects, including bees, wasps, butterflies, moths, and a number of flies. The foliage also serves as a food source for assorted insects and after plants have died back, bees nest in the dead, hollow stems. In the fall, the flower cones change from green to yellow as they mature, eventually becoming golden brown seed heads that attract goldfinches and other small birds. With its clear yellow flowers held high on tall stems, cutleaf coneflower creates a long-lasting show over its lengthy bloom season, particularly in the partly shady areas it prefers, where its masses of bright blooms bring color and light. Although its natural ability to spread by rhizome growth limits its use in some garden settings, plants can provide erosion control and are an excellent choice in damp meadows, wildflower gardens, and shady woodlands where it can have room to expand. At Bedrock Gardens, cutleaf coneflower can be found in the Swaleway (#14) garden. |
Posted 08-31-2026
"...one of the most beautiful and intriguing
landscapes in New Hampshire."
- Boston Globe
landscapes in New Hampshire."
- Boston Globe