May 19, 2016 by Sandra Jonas

GARDEN TOUR 2

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One of the joys of the Garden Tour Season I always look forward to, is the tour put on by Georgia Perennial Plant Association. Several chosen gardens are opened to the membership for one week- end a year. Most gardeners would have bottled water and iced tea available for the visitors. Margaret Moseley would serve her famous Almond Tea whenever her garden was opened. Last week Pimento Cheese party sandwiches were passed around on silver trays for the guests! (Did I forget to mention that in the last post?)

For several years I served as the Tour Chairperson of this organization as well as The American Hydrangea Society. I know firsthand about what it takes to create a successful event. So I was not surprised that in recent years the format has changed and only one garden is opened for a day. I like this change. One no longer has to budget their time and rush to see as many gardens as possible in the allotted timeframe. These are SPECTACULAR gardens where one could happily spend the entire day and still not take it all in.

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This year, the garden of Lyndy Broder was the featured garden. Lyndy is a dear friend and an expert on the genus Clematis. Her knowledge and talents however, go far beyond Clematis. She has collected an amazing variety of unusual and seldom seen trees and shrubs to create a personal arboretum ‘par excellence’ on her property….and almost all are festooned with the most delicious varieties of Clematis one could imagine.

P1240753 A wall of seed grown species welcome visitors

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P1240771 Golden Larch (Pseudolarix amabilis) with Clematis

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The Canadian Geese Meadow leading to the lake above.

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P1240768 The Sanctuary of St. Fiacre, patron saint of gardeners ( loved working with Lyndy on this project)

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When a garden of this caliber is open….. everyone comes. This turned into a reunion of great plantsmen and gardeners, a huge amount of talent here, the energy was palpable.

January 30, 2014 by Sandra Jonas

A NEW FOCAL POINT

As I walk through the garden I see all the areas that would be much improved with a focal point.

The Circle of Friends (above) has a wonderful pot, an Italian reproduction of a Gertrude Jekyll design. (I want something taller, this is too round & short)

At the end of the Rose & Clematis Walk is the Schiaparelli Bench.

The cutting garden has several focal points as it is divided into four parterres…

The bench .. (On axis with the Potager)

St Fiacre…

and serving as focal point from two views is one of the classic Four Seasons.. ‘Summer’…

and opposite ( below) an urn… (An overturned pot acts as plinth; my Poverty Cycle)

My friend, the brilliant and talented Landscape Designer Tara Dillard posts about focal points on her blog constantly!

This winter when I decorated my dinning room for holiday festivities, I was keenly aware that the view from the window was less than I hoped.So I moved ‘Summer’ from the cutting garden directly on axis with the centerpiece on the table.

She is here temporarily, I do think ‘Winter’ would be more appropriate since that is basically the only time we eat in the dining room, and ‘Summer’ belongs in the Cutting Garden with all the blooming beauties of her season. She has been moved so often that to paraphrase Margery Fish “In time she will learn to walk”

Ah, decisions, decisions… I always opt for more plants and labor when spending my garden $$$$. Perhaps this will be the year I concentrate on accessories.

March 27, 2013 by Sandra Jonas

CREATING A PATH

There are two choices when creating a path.

Curved paths create mystery, one cannot see the end.

Straight paths, on the other hand, require a focal point to stop the eye.

Above, a reinforced focal point. The tree is the main focal point reinforced by the urn and plinth.

photo taken on recent speaking engagement in Ft. Worth TX.

June 16, 2012 by Sandra Jonas

HYDRANGEA TOUR PART 2

The second garden on tour was that of Cheryl & Max Lenker.

It is a perfect English Style Cottage Garden; complete with rose arbor entrance, boxwood lined walk and welcoming plaque…

The mixed borders are masterfully planted …

featuring an elegant shade structure that serves as focal point.

Adjacent to the house is an outdoor living room with all the accoutrements for gracious living & entertaining.

From this area one can enjoy the sound and sight of a split stream waterfall.

If one ascends to the upper level one crosses the waterfall.

Here the character of the garden changes and one discovers a quiet shaded walkway …

and a place for contemplation.

This garden has it all and of course the hydrangeas were fabulous!

We all see different elements in a garden, I have not touched on the amazing front of this house, so for more on this garden see PRETTY OLD HOUSES and LINDARAXA.

May 21, 2012 by Sandra Jonas

CONNOISSEURS GARDEN TOUR 2

To continue the garden tour…

all were meticulously appointed…

lushly planted pots…

with a Belgian Fence as background, below…

a private putting green that can double as a Bocce Court!

The best treatment for a driveway and large parking court… antique cobbles in asphalt…

Beautiful side door…

A Mediterranean style home deserves a Mediterranean style courtyard, below.

Then there was THE GARDENER….

I’m told he never stops working nor has he ever asked for a raise! Below, the no maintenance garden…

Interesting treatment for steps….

and finally one of my favorite gardens, below…

There is a marvelous screened porch….

overlooking a stunning English Knot garden.

Admittedly, I did not get to all the gardens. There were eleven gardens on the two-day tour and I saw only nine, in one day.

I strongly suggest this annual tour held on Mother’s Day weekend to benefit The Atlanta Botanical Garden. Hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.

May 19, 2012 by Sandra Jonas

GARDENS FOR CONNOISSEURS TOUR

There is nothing like a garden tour for some inspiration and the Atlanta Botanical Garden’s “Gardens for connoisseurs Tour” is one of the best.

The gardens, all private, ranged from highly manicured to woodland all in the heart of the city.

Here are some photos I took…..

I liked the way formal elements were incorporated in to this woodland paradise….

as well as a formidable Bonsai collection.

Also, the groundplane changed to mark the transition from one garden room to another…..

Then there is the patio area around the house….

And opposite the French Doors……

I could go on and on about this garden, it is 2.75 acres with two creeks and boasts 300 different cultivars of Japanese Maples. I did not want to leave.

In stark contrast, the next garden was about as formal as Versailles! Well actually, Vaux le Vicomte , the predecessor to the gardens at Versailles.

The above garden in search of Edward Sissorshands and an assistant!

The tour will continue. I took over 250 photos!

April 14, 2012 by Sandra Jonas

GARDEN TOUR part 1

“You should have seen it last week!” The familiar phrase heard from gardeners, when showing visitors around. Well to avoid that I’m posting a time-lapse kind of garden tour. Photos from the garden over the last two weeks.

The Dogwoods in the meadow, like most other spring-flowering plants, cooked in the 80 degree temperatures. the blossoms did not last long. Above, in their moment of glory with the native Phlox (Phlox divericata).

Above, the view from a second floor window, Dogwoods, Lady Banks Rose (white selection) & Viburnums. Those ‘Snowballs’ (Viburnum macrocephalum) are trained into trees.

Love the tree right by the house.

Early clematis, blooming now for several weeks.

Along the North Border….Viburnum ‘Kern’s Pink’ & Baptisia…. (below)

followed by Viburnum opulus, Purple smoke tree (Cotinus coggygria ‘Royal Purple’ ) & Styrax obassia ..heavenly fragrant bells.

Clematis ‘Carnaby’ & Cotinus ‘coggygria ‘Royal Purple’

Look at those knockout roses below.. not pruned this year, they are lush & voluptuous reaching almost 6 ‘ tall.

The rose,’ Madame Alfred Carrier’, burst out of her restraints..

so….the trellis is moving again… to paraphrase Margery Fish, “In time she will learn to walk!”

All leading up to the Shocking Pink Schiaparelli bench.

To be continued….

December 15, 2011 by Sandra Jonas

A GARDEN VISIT

Yesterday I visited with Margaret Moseley. As usual I came home with a list of ‘must have’ plants.

Margaret has been an inspiration for many gardeners. Every season her garden is filled beauty wherever one looks.

Above, a welcoming entrance… the large tree to the right is a Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba), straight ahead is a Japanese Flowering Apricot (Prunus mume).

Margaret laid those stones when she was in her 70’s!

Below, a seating area beneath a flowering cherry tree (Prunus serrulata ‘Kwanzan’) surrounded by azaleas, camellias and underplanted with a variety of textured & fragrant groundcovers…

Well thought out focal points….

Her philosophy…

Camellias in bloom…. my new plant list…

Some of these Camellias are heirlooms, rare in the trade. While they may be a challenge to locate, don’t give up, they are out there.

One of my personal favorites is Camellia japonica ‘Ava Maria’ (above). When I first saw it in Margret’s garden the hunt to acquire one was on! Her very generous daughter Jane located it for me. It is a gift I treasure, as is Margaret’s friendship.

Note: plant names are visible if cursor is on photo. To read more on Margaret & her garden visit GARDEN PHOTO OF THE DAY. She is often featured.

October 11, 2011 by Sandra Jonas

FALL TOUR

The area of the garden I’m sharing now on this Fall Tour is little seen because it’s incomplete. Not that any garden is ever ‘done’ or completed, however this part is has only ‘bones’ and is waiting for me to flesh out the details. Till now it did not seem too pressing because all the important plants were tiny (1 gal.) but over the years they have matured. So its time has come.

This green space above, divides the grapes and berries on the right from the vegetables on the left. (My husband’s Vegetable Garden is MY POTAGER)

This feature, four upright exclamation points, is one I repeat in different garden rooms (with different plants) throughout the garden. Here, Eastern Arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis) ‘Degroot’s Spire’ marks the intersection of several foot paths; to the right ( West) is the Rose Walk terminated by the Schiaparelli Bench….. (below)

to the left (east) lies the North Border which runs parallel to the Potager ….

and straight ahead, (south) the Viburnum / Clematis Court.

Looking back, (north) the uprights frame the putti that resides at the end of the Cutting garden…

Going forward (south) through the Viburnum Court, around the bend, Oakleaf Hydrangeas frame the path to the Main Walk and the back of the house. (note the Camellia sasanqua blooming on the right.)

This winter some garden construction is on the agenda.

July 12, 2011 by Sandra Jonas

A GRACIOUS GARDEN

Last week I mentioned my client the gracious Ms. C and her luxurious flower arrangements. Now lets take a look at her garden.

Like so many homes here in the piedmont, the house was set into a slope which began immediately past the brick patio.

High on one side… ( note patio in left corner)

drop off on the other.

While several talented designers had created plans for the landscape, it was not till Ms. C bought an antique fountain in England that serious consideration was given to getting the landscape ‘done’. Enter me.

Entertaining & a cutting garden were high on the list of priorities .

So, here is what we did.

We cut into the slope to bring it to grade with the patio, and we built decorative retaining walls ( stucco, same as the house). This would create a larger space for entertaining.

The soil that we excavated was then reused to create another garden room where the grade dropped off.

We then terraced the slope on the opposite side …

to create an herb & cutting garden on the uppermost level.

Here there is just enough room to indulge her passion for gardening ,without it becoming overwhelming.

Below, a few more views…

I appreciate it when my clients maintain their gardens, this one was meticulous!

A gracious garden for a gracious lady. Thank you Ms. C.

July 9, 2011 by Sandra Jonas

THE BOTHY

For years I have wanted a greenhouse /potting shed /garden house/ conservatory… any structure in the garden to serve the above purposes would do. Not to be confused with a tool shed, we have one of those.

Over the years , what I had heard from clients who built any one of the above, is that they were expensive… One client calls hers “The Taj” another “The Potting Chateau” … you get the idea…

Then, I saw the structure Susanne Hudson built in her garden. Soon as I saw Susanne’s Folly, I knew mine was within reach.

Susanne is one of those Designers who can make something out of nothing!! She built this conservatory with found windows.

Same idea as what Bunny Williams did with windows & pilasters she rescued from a Hudson River estate. Below.

I had to work with what I had, the abandoned chicken coop (terrible story …. dogs chewing through wire… feathers everywhere…..heartbreaking!).

‘Thrown together’ by my husband and untrained labor when I was out of town (I’m apparently too ‘demanding’!) It was the focal point in the Potager! I don’t even have a photo and believe me…that’s a good thing!

Last week Susanne Hudson surprised me with a visit . As fate would have it, she had WINDOWS in her van and she left them for me!

Today I am 8 windows closer to completing my garden structure …. the BOTHY.

Edith Hope suggested the name when I posted a potting shed. She commented that it needed a tattered but comfortable armchair and tea making facilities. Then she would call it A BOTHY.

(A one room hut or cottage where unmarried male servants lodged… Also an unlocked shelter where the wayfarer could seek shelter.)

I’m almost there!

June 19, 2011 by Sandra Jonas

SHOCKING 2

I LOVE the Schiaparelli Bench!!

In context, with plants of like colour.

This garden space, which separates the “Pleasure Garden” or Viburnum Court from the Potager, has long given me grief. Originally it was conceived as a Rosemary Walk; a brick lined, grass path, planted on both sides with rosemary. Meant to make contact as one passes and release its glorious fragrance.

Alas, that failed miserably.. The soil here is heavy with clay, and although it has been well amended, it is still not light enough for a mediterranean herb. BUT it is perfect for Roses with Clematis as companions. I also allow some Cleome to seed itself….. Still under construction. …. A garden in Homage to Elsa Schiaparelli “that Italian artist who makes clothes!”- Coco Chanel

June 16, 2011 by Sandra Jonas

SHOCKING!

Think pink!

Shocking Pink!

Schiaparelli* Pink!

Same colour as the pink ‘Knockout Roses’ below…

BUT the main purpose was to detract from the mess weeds in that garden space. Distraction as a design tool? It works!

(Paint Behr 680B-5 Strawberry Freeze)

*Elsa Schiaperelli, provocative fashion designer, rival of Coco Chanel.

May 22, 2011 by Sandra Jonas

MAKING AN ENTRANCE

What are the elements that make this entrance so welcoming?

The stone walls & arch certainly give it gravitas, the lush planting softens the hard surfaces…

There is no gate, clearly we can enter…

The pot, as focal point, arrests the eye, then the curved path pulls you in…don’t you want to see what lies beyond?

The entrance above begs the question…”Do you have an invitation?”

Both have their place.

April 28, 2011 by Sandra Jonas

LESSONS FROM CHARLESTON S.C.

No cameras in the gardens! The only photography allowed was from the public sidewalk. Still there are many lessons to be learned.

All the gardens are small, tiny in fact, some no larger than a postage stamp.

In small gardens, design is more important than it is in larger landscapes; for here, there is a concentrated use of space. Also, because the space is limited and seen all at once, the details & planting must be faultless.