great job on design i love what you have done!! mendy

Posted by mendy on 2007-07-30, 04:41:59   Report this as offensive.

Your garden looks so relaxing and beautiful! Must feel great to see hard work pay off.
Cherie

Posted by lilypadcherie on 2007-07-30, 23:24:40   Report this as offensive.

Lovely garden area and really like the way you've used the fencing. Great color!! What kind of tree is that, have been looking for something like it for a long time. Will it survive in zone 3b? Thanks Mona

Posted by monacda on 2007-08-01, 23:14:25   Report this as offensive.

Wow, thank you so much everyone! You guys made my day. I have fallen in love with gardening, but had a tough time with it in the beginning, being a very detailed person. I wanted everything to look perfect, but that never happens, and with a bad back, can't happen. So I just relaxed a bit and this is the result. So glad you all like it. The tree I believe is a dwarf Japanese Red Maple. But I'm not really sure, nor am I sure about it's doing good in zone 3, I am in zone 5 and it's come back every year. It does get some frostbite in early spring though, but just shakes it off and replaces the leaves with new ones. I had to laugh about the tree, I saw a garden at my daughter's elementary school that gave me my inspiration for this garden, the shape, the paths winding through the garden, and the tree at the end. But I will tell you this, never again will I plant around a tree, first there was a hornets nest in it, we got attacked. Then trying to plant under and around those branches is terrible, and lastly nothing does well under that tree. I've had this garden for allmost 5 year's and am still having no luck with under there. It does feel very good this year though, to see all my hard work has paid off. This year it is truelly at it's best, not sure why, but I'm so happy it has finally come together nicely. Thanks for the compliment on the fencing, man was that a toughy. The store didn't have enough for my whole garden, so I bought all they had, then I bought taller ones for the back of the garden. They were mismatched, but painted them all white to blend together and seperated them to make them go around the garden. So thanks so much everyone for the compliments and for making my day.

Posted by cargobean on 2007-08-06, 14:39:25   Report this as offensive.

Talk about an Invitation.... What a fantastic job! make me feel like walking right in!

Posted by oxmyx on 2007-08-11, 10:09:13   Report this as offensive.

Just the most beautiful garden I've seen! You did a wonderful job. What are those gorgeous tall blue whispy plants in toward the back? They are just lovely! Keep the good work but it looks like you do even better when you just relax and enjoy. Thanks for sharing.

Posted by danarg on 2007-08-31, 03:30:39   Report this as offensive.

You have a very nice garden! What is that tree you have there?

Posted by traegernator on 2007-09-14, 17:05:02   Report this as offensive.

Your garden just invites you to come on in a sit down and that's just what I would like to do. I would probably never leave it.:-)

Posted by earthdragon on 2007-09-14, 21:54:49   Report this as offensive.

Oh my gosh, is that whole area your yard? It's so beautiful!

Posted by hosenemesis on 2007-09-25, 00:04:08   Report this as offensive.

Very pretty!

Posted by laurabs on 2007-09-26, 20:20:10   Report this as offensive.

Very pretty! I love the bench-wish I was there now not looking at 4ft of snow!! Brandy

Posted by brandymulvaine on 2008-01-24, 18:49:12   Report this as offensive.

The perfect little cottage garden. Love the profusion of blooms!!

Posted by alicia7b on 2008-01-27, 18:03:06   Report this as offensive.

Wow, I love your garden, it looks great, how do you like your Russian Sage? I have been thinking about doing something similar in my back yard, and had Russian Sage in mind. Does it need much care?

Posted by yasmin_mena on 2008-03-04, 16:44:09   Report this as offensive.

That is just a little bit of Heaven !

Posted by lavender50 on 2008-03-07, 23:33:37   Report this as offensive.

I am imagining sitting on that bench and just enjoy.
What a gorgeous combination of colors.

Posted by naturekeeper on 2008-03-08, 21:45:58   Report this as offensive.

Hi Yasmin Mena:

I absolutely love my russian sage!! This was it's third year and it was glorious. It bloomed from the beginning of July all the way through to the end of September!! It is totally carefree, drought tolerant and the best part, no deadheading. I am ordering some little spires to try this year in the middle of this garden, because of the ease of this plant and not having to deadhead it. I now have May Night Salvia's there and can't keep up with the deadheading. So I figure the less deadheading the better. That's my goal this year, less maintenance. I too am going to try the russian sage all around the back of my garden, I'll post pictures when they are all in full bloom. Not sure how they will do in the part shade, but we'll give it a try. Let me know how you make out. Cargobean

Posted by cargobean on 2008-03-11, 13:49:40   Report this as offensive.

Hi Yasmin Mena: Thanks for the compliment, oh my no, the russian sage is so carefree. No deadheading, drought tolerant and it blooms from the beginning of July till the end of September. Ya just can't beat it. It's given me no trouble at all. I too am thinking of putting them all around the back of this garden, will see how it does in the part shade though. I'll post pictures late this summer. Please post pictures when you get a chance too, would love to see how they look. Also they bloomed their first year, can't remember how big they were when I got them, but probably normal pot size at my local nursery. And they bloomed great their second year, but their best was their 3rd year. I'm also trying the smaller one, little spire this year, because this is one of my favorite plants, so will see how that does, So good luck and thanks again.

Posted by cargobean on 2008-03-11, 13:57:10   Report this as offensive.

I wouldn't change a thing. It's positively delightful

Posted by myoneandonly on 2008-03-16, 16:59:55   Report this as offensive.

Great job with the flower berm makes me all the more anxious for the warmer weather. You mentioned having problem's with growing under the tree, I've had luck in this area planting bulbs in the fall for spring color, also Hardy Geraniums do well in part shade hardy and pretty colors too in late spring. Russian Sage don't do well in shade, I've tried it and had to move them on a plus note they do transplant well. What you have accomplished here looks quite stunning!
Keep up the good work and do hope you back is OK now. Wendy

Posted by elephantear on 2008-03-17, 10:37:38   Report this as offensive.

THIS is BEAUTIFUL! I have saved it as a pic! LOVES IT!

Posted by tube_u_ler on 2008-04-05, 13:28:06   Report this as offensive.

Absolutely stunning! I would love to have something like this one day. I just got my first house this year so I'm getting some ideas. I am saving this picture. =)

Posted by anitapita on 2008-05-07, 18:51:01   Report this as offensive.

My mother once told me I was the only person she'd ever heard of to plant flowers under a tree! I didn't know you weren't supposed to! Just luck. The trick is to plant shade loving plants.
I just found this site, and enjoy it very much!
Doe

Posted by doe41 on 2008-05-08, 07:01:57   Report this as offensive.