SUCCESSION

GARDEN

WEST TISBURY, MARTHA’S VINEYARD 

Andrew Wiley, a lifelong student of the natural world and a true creative force at Vineyard Gardens, brings deep knowledge and artistic vision to every landscape he touches. Having absorbed the language of plants from an early age, Andrew's approach is intuitive, immersive, and grounded in both experience and experimentation. His transformative year at the renowned Great Dixter House & Gardens in England further unlocked his passion for succession planting and expressive garden design.

At Vineyard Gardens, Andrew’s front display bed is a living example of this philosophy, a dynamic, ever-changing canvas of hardy annuals, perennials, and pollinator-friendly plants. The garden moves poetically through the seasons, with one plant gracefully fading as another comes into bloom. The result is a series of intimate vignettes that seamlessly work together as a vibrant whole.

Hardy annuals, plants that complete their life cycle in one season but thrive in cool temperatures, play a key role in this layered approach. Sown in early winter, they develop strong root systems and offer early, long-lasting blooms. This strategic method, known as succession gardening, ensures a continuous flow of color, fragrance, and ecological activity throughout the growing season.

Andrew’s garden is more than just a display, it’s an invitation. An invitation to slow down, observe the rhythms of nature, and discover the quiet joy of a space that is always growing, always changing, and always alive.