A Friend's Garden

I'm not a writer.  Or a photographer.  Or a philosopher.  Let's just say I'm not a lot of things.  What I am is an appreciator.  Recently I was afforded a delightful, and impromptu tour of a friend's garden to share in the beauty that came from her imagination and labor. 

She is a gardener.  

She has vision.  



When we walked the pie-shaped lot of her property line, I was amazed at the work that had to be done before she could even begin.  She pointed out many varieties of shrubs and trees they'd hauled away just to start the framework of her flower beds.  Each corner of the yard is slightly different.  

It begins with an "inspiration", usually a photo from a magazine.  Then her and her husband search and find the architectural building blocks that set the stage for a living flora and fauna concert.  An abandoned picket fence, an old metal cattle gate, some recycled barn slats and she's got a garden that blossoms with imagination.  

Bold irises and delicate peony bushes welcome visitors.  You know this is a Gardener's home. 

Her front walk welcomes visitors with a white-washed picket fence and bold blue irises.  Sharing real estate is a hearty line of pom pom filled peony bushes.  Nestled within this sunny spot are varieties of daisies, "Dr. Seuss"-like grasses and other flowers, each expertly designed to bloom, die back and allow a new variety to come forth.  

I call these "Dr. Seuss" flowers, as they remind me of  Horton Hears a Who.

She's created beautiful, varieties of vignettes throughout every nook of her yard. She has a Japanese footbridge which will soon span a small dry creek bed made from field stone.  Another of her projects in development is a tiered rock waterfall.  One can imagine how this will inject a delightful sound of a bubbling brook into the serenity.  It perfectly compliments the songs of frogs, residents of a nearby pond, who croak out their mating calls nightly at dusk.
  

Bold orange lawn chairs are striking against the blue irises.

Located in the center of the garden is a stone fire pit with a pair of vintage orange lawn chairs, a brilliant find from a garage sale.  Nothing is discarded.  She uses every available resource for her beds including the plants themselves.  As they mature and expand too large for their space, she pulls them up and places them in what she calls a "left-over" flowerbed, where they may thrive until they're needed again.  

Injecting finds of whimsy, like this silly caterpillar, brings out the personality of the gardener.

Within each of her beds you'll find statements of whimsy.  Something I find appealing.  It indicates to me she is a kindred spirit.  I was surprised to find among the many things she had, including birdhouses, metal sculptures, and funny insects, she did not have a fairy house.  When I told her about mine, I think I may have sparked a new project for her. 

Finally the showcase of the garden, the gardener's shed.  This was hand-constructed from old barn materials.  She showed a local craftsman a photo who was able to imitate the original in every way.  On its flank is a stand of brilliant poppies.  The perfect compliment in this Oz-like setting.  

As we strolled leisurely under the setting sun, she shared her plans.  Her garden is ever evolving.  She confesses its a hobby that requires a lot of work.  But for her lament, you could easily see that among the nutrients used to feed her garden, love is the most important ingredient.  I hope you enjoyed this tour of a friend's garden as much as I did.