Whimsy

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GARDEN TOUR SEASON

This is the first garden tour I attended this season, there are several more on the agenda.  I promise to post about them all.

Nothing says Welcome quite like a gate. I saw several that intrigued me on the  Gardens for Connoisseurs Tour to benefit The Atlanta Botanical Garden.

P1240474My friend Becky rushing in to get detail photos of this delightful gate. We were tripping over each other in excitement. look at these ….

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Clever designs and beautiful workmanship. We  loved all the details. Gates like these were in several of the gardens, a wonderful piece, both practical and whimsical.

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Several of Atlanta’s finest private gardens open for this annual event. These are all designer gardens with regular and knowledgeable  crews to tend them. They are perfectly groomed. One will never find a yellowing leaf, no space left where a plant was lost, some annual potted plant is placed in its stead, very tastefully.

Touches of whimsy…….

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The summer containers were packed with  perennial foliage plants and annuals.

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I was particularly taken with a table centerpiece …..

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and of course the peaceful sound of water.

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Beautiful gardens…..

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P1240715All in all a no miss event. With our weather this year, the gardens will be more beautiful that ever.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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AUDITION

Perfect for the part!

‘Shopping my garden’ for the plants to surround the Schiaparelli Bench.

The hot colours of the knockout Roses……

and these purple berries (Callicarpa dichotoma or Beauty Berry)….there is also the perilla.. and maybe some cleome.

This area is coming together…at least in my head!

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A CHARMING GARDEN HOUSE

 My friend Ginny has a wonderfully charming Garden House.

                                                                                       

She is getting everything organized, pegboard for hanging garden tools,

shelving to hold baskets of vases organized by size; there is an area for Christmas & Easter decoration storage and a counter for potting & flower arranging, upon which Ginny is creating a ceramic mosaic of the 4 seasons.

                                                                                                              

What I love most about it however, are the scenes she had her friends paint on the walls.

                                                                                                   

                                                                                                      

                                                                                                         Ginny paints too, her wall below…

                                                                                                  Can’t wait to make my small contribution .

A note to my readers: the blog GARDEN PHOTO OF THE DAY written by Martha Tate will reappear shortly. Her domain name was accidentally dropped and taken by another blogger. I will post her new link as soon as it is available.

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FINIALS – IN – WAITING

“At each end of this lovely little wall were two brick pillars. They stood there, perfectly poised, exactly the right height, exactly the right width. But in spite of their architectural rightness they were wrong, or rather, they were incomplete. They had obviously been built to hold something – carved pineapples, or stone balls, or…or…or Urns.

It was when the word Urns came into my head that the garden was born” – Beverly Nichols

Lacking a lovely wall or even just the brick pillars…. I have finials, two sets. One, a basket of flowers….

        The other of fruit.                                                                              

FINIALS – IN – WAITING!   

 “Surely – in all matters appertaining to elegance – the most important thing to do first is the last thing?” – Beverly Nichols

We think alike.

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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

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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.

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FUN & GAMES

Chess anyone?

                                                                                          

Come out to play!

                                                                                 

Or perhaps you prefer to walk on water.

A garden is more than the sum of it’s plants. Have some fun!

© All photos 2011

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GARDEN ACCESSORIES

Garden accessories should  be ….

                                                                          

wildly whimsical…

                                                                   

or one with nature.

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Challenge

Some sites are not conducive to gardenmaking. It takes great skill and determination to build a garden under such challenging circumstances…… such is the case with the garden that a friend created.

                                                                            

In front, she created a wonderful perennial border with enough evergreen shrubs  & small trees to give structure and interest in winter.

The huge challenge was the back. Like so many homes in the Piedmont, it was built on a slope. A very steep slope.

Here is what she did.

A gracious, inviting entrance abuts a seating area …

Supported by terraced stone walls…

the lowest of which houses a small pond.  (below)

Below, looking DOWN into the garden.

To compound the problem, her house was downhill from her neighbour. Drainage was a nightmare. So…she incorporated  a dry steam into her design to channel the water.

She used river rock for the most natural appearance and the stones are substantial enough not to be moved by the rushing water.

Stepping stones lead the way through inspired plantings …

with touches of whimsy and surprises tucked in when least expected.

She also has some very good ideas for planting pots…

But that is another post. Thanks for the lovely visit.

© All photos & text 2010

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FOR THE BIRDS!

One of the joys of being in the garden is listening to the orchestra of  insects and birds. Here are some ways gardeners have lured them into their sanctuary.                                                                        

A Feeding Tree, opposite a kitchen window to enjoy them from inside as well.

                                                                              

A supply of fresh water is essential, year round…

                                                                            

   Cluster housing, for the average family…                                                        

                                                                            

Single residence with plenty of acreage.

                                                                           

For Royalty, a castle. Note servants quarters behind!

Aside from attracting our feathered friends to the garden, these touches of whimsy add character and HEIGHT to a planting, or can serve as nice surprises tucked in the appropriate spot.

© All photos & text 2010