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Award winner author of gardening humor books

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May Dreams Gardens

Garden Design Update: Yard Becomes A Garden

June 1, 2011 By Carol Michel 15 Comments

Clematis ‘Rooguchi’

Over in Ploppers’ Field, another small-flowered clematis, Clematis ‘Rooguchi’ is blooming. It doesn’t have as many blooms right now as Clematis ‘Pagoda’ but it has a charm of its own, regardless.

I think I’ll keep it and maybe get some more small-flowered, bell-shaped clematis because I like them. I like them a lot. I have two more in pots on the patio that I need to plant sometime soon.

I like them so much that the other night, I had three more small-flowered clematis in my online shopping cart, but I held off clicking the “submit” button just to prove to myself that I could show some restraint when it comes to plants.

Plus the ones in my cart weren’t the ones I really want.

The ones I really want are sold out, so I signed up to get an email when they are available again.

I also like Bletilla sp., hardy ground orchids, these days.

I’m still thinking about ordering some more of these.

In other garden news, and this is the part that many people like the best, I’ve decided to show before and after pictures of Woodland Follies/August Dream Garden because the transformation is remarkable, even though the plantings are fairly new.

As the Hort-enabler replied when I sent her a picture showing a new bird bath in the garden, “You would never know it was the same yard.”

That’s exactly what I had hoped for when I hired a garden designer two winters ago.

What was once a yard is now a garden. And I could not have done it without the garden designer. I’m just not wired for “garden design”. I’m wired for plants, for gardening, for digging, for growing vegetables, for coveting small-flowered clematis and hardy ground orchids, for buying tiny, cute plants for fairy gardens, for mowing, for collecting hoes, for having conversations with Dr. Hortfreud.

Here’s a before picture, looking from the patio out to a few trees planted in the yard.

For those of you who missed it, I chronicled the patio transformation last summer.

This evening, I took this picture from roughly that same spot.

Sorry I didn’t have sense enough to move the garden hose out of the picture.

I hope you can see that I’m no longer looking out at a yard with a few trees planted in it.

I hope you can see that there is a garden there, with a path running through it.

It’s quickly become one of my favorite spots in the garden.

 And look at all the room for plants!

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: garden design

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. growingagardenindavis says

    June 1, 2011 at 4:59 am

    It's just wonderful Carol! I love the ground orchids too, and have a little patch of them I'm trying to get going. The hose requires no apology…I've seen them in several posts lately. Seems to be a common garden denominator!

    Reply
  2. Wendy says

    June 1, 2011 at 5:22 am

    …room for plants. That's the joy of it, isn't it. A great home to plenty of "one ofs".

    Reply
  3. Fairegarden says

    June 1, 2011 at 11:14 am

    It is a garden for real, Carol, full of potential and already giving you much happiness. I see so much room for new plants, jealousy is surging up. I admire your restraint in not ordering the little clemmies that were not your favorites.
    Frances

    Reply
  4. Gatsbys Gardens says

    June 1, 2011 at 11:35 am

    Wow, you've got lots of areas to put plants, what fun! I especially like that curving path.

    Eileen

    Reply
  5. Anonymous says

    June 1, 2011 at 12:00 pm

    Santa Rosa Gardens has beautiful bletilla on clearance, both purple and white!

    Reply
  6. Gail says

    June 1, 2011 at 1:18 pm

    Carol, It a wonderful transformation~I know what you mean about design~I had to hire help to redesign my front porch path. I am very pleased with it, too. Btw, I am growing several clemmies in containers on the porch stoop. I will plant them in the garden this fall, but for now they are up front and very visible. gail

    Reply
  7. Dave@TheHomeGarden says

    June 1, 2011 at 1:44 pm

    Looks great! I like the curved pathway through the garden. Great idea!

    Reply
  8. Glimpses of Glory says

    June 1, 2011 at 2:09 pm

    What fun you'll have! I love a new garden, the possibilities!!
    I think I like the design aspect of it all ( That's prob why I have change my main garden 3 times!)…its so exciting to choose plant combinations but then on my way home from the nursery I wonder" who is going to plant all of this?" lol and the answer is always the same "me!"
    Enjoy

    Reply
  9. Commonweeder says

    June 1, 2011 at 2:58 pm

    What a beautiful transformation. None of us should think there is something wrong with hiring a garden designer, or thinking it will be too expensive. We have to look at the cost/benefit ratio.

    Reply
  10. Dee/reddirtramblings says

    June 1, 2011 at 5:47 pm

    Carol,

    Even after so little time, it just looks amazing. You should be so proud. Can I come plant shopping with you?~~Dee

    Reply
  11. Mr. McGregor's Daughter says

    June 1, 2011 at 8:45 pm

    That's a wonderful transformation. Now you just need some nice patio chairs in which to sit and admire it. (If you ever have time to just sit.)

    Reply
  12. Lisa at Greenbow says

    June 2, 2011 at 12:49 am

    What a transformation. It is marvelous. I know those empty places won't be empty for long. What fun you will have filling that shopping cart with Must Haves.

    Reply
  13. Laura @ HV Garden Journal says

    June 3, 2011 at 3:45 pm

    Congratulations – have a fabulous time playing in your new garden! Very, very exciting…

    Reply
  14. Pam/Digging says

    June 5, 2011 at 3:32 am

    I love to incorporate existing trees into new garden areas too. It looks wonderful, and how fun to have new gardens to play in! Enjoy!

    Reply
  15. Cindy, MCOK says

    June 5, 2011 at 6:21 pm

    Just think … the gardens in back will become ever more beautiful and welcoming as they mature.

    Reply

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