Garden Photo of the Day

Glenda’s garden in Washington State

Photo/Illustration: Courtesy of Glenda Curdy

Today’s photos are from Glenda Curdy. She says, “I have always loved being outside in the dirt from the time I was a small child. I am a self-taught gardener and love foliage versus flowers. I am a bird lover also, so many of my plants are planted with birds in mind, especially hummingbirds.

Photo/Illustration: Courtesy of Glenda Curdy

“My gardens have been evolving in this yard for about twenty-four years. If something doesn’t work I simply move it. I don’t take myself too seriously when it comes to gardening. If I can’t remember a plant’s name, oh well. I own a business and several of my plants have come from my customers–how wonderful to walk around the gardens and think of each person who has helped shape my landscaping.

Photo/Illustration: Courtesy of Glenda Curdy

“I also enjoy the Asian influence in my gardens so I designed most of the wooden structures and Don built them with a little help from me. We are always coming up with new ideas to make our gardens our very own. In the back we originally had a small pond but we took it out and put in the rock feature with the bamboo spout. I planted heavily around it so the birds feel safe and protected while bathing. This may be my favorite feature in our back yard. Nothing feels better to me than a great day working in the garden, backache and all when I’m done. Pure joy.”

It shows, Glenda. Your garden is wonderful!

Photo/Illustration: Courtesy of Glenda Curdy

***I’m getting so many great submissions, but I can always use more! Dig out your cameras, take a big long walk around your garden, and SEND ME PHOTOS! I love having more than I could possibly process to choose from. Thanks!!***

Photo/Illustration: Courtesy of Glenda Curdy

***One more thing…..have you always wondered what your fellow GPODers are like in person? Never thought you’d get a chance to meet them? Check this out…. While the GPOD isn’t officially a taunton forum, it’s close enough, and I wanted to extend the invite. Anybody at all interested? I’d be willing to search for some gardens to tour…

Photo/Illustration: Courtesy of Glenda Curdy
Photo/Illustration: Courtesy of Glenda Curdy
Photo/Illustration: Courtesy of Glenda Curdy
Photo/Illustration: Courtesy of Glenda Curdy
Photo/Illustration: Courtesy of Glenda Curdy
Photo/Illustration: Courtesy of Glenda Curdy
Photo/Illustration: Courtesy of Glenda Curdy

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Comments

  1. user-1020932 06/05/2013

    glenda, i love your space and your garden philosophy. i also am more about the foliage/structure of the plant and for me flowers are a bonus. questions: is that a tom torrens bell in the first photo? an upside down fern with the Enkianthus? i'm glad to see a fellow Sarracenia lover the tubes are great and the flowers look unearthly. it took a bit of "work" to get to gpod this morning but i'm glad i made the effort to see your garden. great job!

  2. user-1020932 06/05/2013

    P.S. i keep finding stuff in the photos. the Equiseteum, i love this plant. the stone "bird bath" by the bamboo and gate, the grindstone at the end of the path. is it a grindstone or something else

  3. User avater
    meander_michaele 06/05/2013

    Hi, Wendy, your garden looks like a wonderful oasis...the intriguing structural elements and the limbed up multi-stemmed trees give it that desirable 4 season appeal that is so characteristic of gardens with an Asian influence. I can easily imagine the hub bub of bird activity that goes at your fountain rock feature...lots of flitting wings as they dart from the plant material to the water and back again.
    Your chubby tummy Buddha brought on a smile...too bad I don't look at myself as kindly when I'm feeling a bit too rotund!

  4. Mwmiller 06/05/2013

    What a lovely way to begin the day! Wendy, your garden is so peaceful and welcoming. Thank you for sharing.

  5. cwheat000 06/05/2013

    I too love the enkianthus and fern photo. Good work tntreeman. I knew the shrub but not the variety of fern. I thought for sure it looked like something that wouldn't grow in my garden, but according to the Dave's garden website, it looks like it might. What a cool fern! The pitcher plant is also a cool oddity. It wouldn't have thought to put it in a container, but it looks amazingly sculptural. I also like the structures in your garden. They showcase the plants so nicely.

  6. cwheat000 06/05/2013

    On closer inspection, it looks like all your ferns are very interesting. What is the one behind the Buddha and the one near the water feature? I keep finding stuff too. I think this is one of those gardens, you really need to see in person, to fully appreciate. Fire up the GPOD private jet.

  7. Quiltingmamma 06/05/2013

    I have really enjoyed your garden this morning. I love all the added elements to your green. Besides the Asian ornamentation (which I love) I can pick up the drift wood and beach pebbles you have utilized. Very nice.I am particularly fond of your bird baths and features. Are they stone, or cement? Or both?
    All very lovely and lush.

  8. User avater
    Tim_Zone_Denial_Vojt 06/05/2013

    So beautiful. I'll be back to look at these more closely when I have time. Such nice design and great plant choices, even if you can't remember their names!

  9. Quiltingmamma 06/05/2013

    I meant to say also, I love the glass plants by the bamboo water feature. Very Chihuli.

  10. tractor1 06/05/2013

    There are so many unique components in Glenda's garden, the more I look the more I find... like those search rebuses. Just to the left of the bell is some sort of pitcher plant that I don't recognize, and directly across the sod from teh bell are a mated pair of blue herons. I too prefer unique foliage to flowers and I see lots of very interesting specimens. And I am enjoying finding all the chachkas, I'm certain there are plenty more that are not in those photos... perhaps they will appear in teh next set. Thank you, Glenda.

  11. GrannyMay 06/05/2013

    Beautiful! Glenda, every plant, every art object, every stone, every pot has been chosen with care and put in the perfect place. The structures you designed and built add to the perfection. Your attention to every detail has made this a garden to study and to enjoy carefully and slowly, bit by bit. Thank you!

  12. Wife_Mother_Gardener 06/05/2013

    Love those pitcher plants! They look so happy. Very nice, calming path through your garden. Great job!

  13. Nurserynotnordstroms 06/05/2013

    Thank you all for your wonderful comments. The water features in the front are all cement and the rock in the back yard is man made by a talented person here in Washington State. He casts real ones and then makes them with some special material so they can be moved around.
    The glass pitcher plant in the back by the water feature was done by another talented person named Barbara Sanderson We are very fortunate to have such great talent locally.
    Yes and the bell is a Tom Torrens. We purchased that for our anniversary several years ago in La Conner Wa. A beautiful little town a few hours away. The wooden structure was designed specifically for our bell. I can look out on this every morning from the kitchen and the dining room.
    The round circle on the ground in the back by the rock feature is an old top of a cedar table. The legs were rotting at the base but the top was perfect. So we laid in on the ground and planted Corsican mint in the slats. It's been there for many years.
    Have a Happy Day G

  14. Nurserynotnordstroms 06/05/2013

    tntreeman,
    I am a lover of ferns I buy anything I think I may not have. Can't get to many ferns, but sorry I don't know the name of the fern next to the Enkianthus. No it's not upside done just has an interesting shape. The birdbath is a secret safe place for the birds we are going to add a drip line to it because the birds always splach the water and we are filling it constantly. We also hang nesting material close by for our feathery friends. It's fun to watch a hummingbird disappear this a large beak full of fluff
    Have a happy day
    Glenda

  15. terieLR 06/05/2013

    Fantastic & creative Glenda and Don. If I were a bird... I can hear them singing happily while visiting your beautiful, unique gardens. I'm sure they are thankful for the free nesting materials. How fun.
    Like Vojt, I will return. ;)

  16. User avater
    meander_michaele 06/05/2013

    Glenda, so sorry for time travelling back and addressing you as Wendy whose garden we enjoyed seeing a few days ago.
    By the way, that's a great composition of plants you have put together in the one large container picture you shared. It really highlights all the colors that work so well together in your garden. Is that a variety of euphorbia towards the back and, if so, do you happen to recall it's name. I had one for a season or two called 'Chameleon' but then it disappeared on me...hmmm, kind of ironic considering its name...ha, maybe its still there but I just can't see it because it is blending in so well.

  17. user-1020932 06/05/2013

    i can now see it's a table top but never in a million years would i have guessed that from the photo. i had convinced myself it was some rare ancient japanese rice grinding stone and that i could never have one,,,,,,now i know i can. tom torrens is great, isn't he? now i'll google barbara sanderson and see if she ships.

  18. Nurserynotnordstroms 06/05/2013

    Poor Don I hardly mentioned him ,he says he is the ghost gardener instead of a ghost writer. It did sound like I do all of it but we make a great team he mows fertilizes and when a giant pot needs moved he always there for me. I do all of the weeding and plant placement. He even cheerfully goes to all of the open gardens and garden walks with me. Mention a nursery trip and he is always by my side. We are partners in crime.
    Glenda

  19. janeeliz 06/06/2013

    What a beautiful, peaceful and fun garden you've created, Glenda. Each plant, piece does seem perfectly chosen and placed so carefully. I'd love to walk through it...very , very slowly.

  20. Nurserynotnordstroms 06/06/2013

    meander1
    The Euphorbia in the pot is blackbird. Had to look it up sorry it took so long had to wait until I got home from work. Thank you for your kind words
    Glenda

  21. Nurserynotnordstroms 06/06/2013

    Hi tractor1 what you are seeing next to the bell is a pitcher plant but it is blown glass. The other long green leaves you see are orchid plants and I have had very little luck getting them to bloom again. Anyone have any suggestions for me. I have beautiful foliage from them just no blooms,they have been in that location for about 15 years. Thank you for your kind words
    Glenda

  22. wGardens 06/06/2013

    Worth a first look.... and a second... and third.... lots of interesting things in your gardens! Very enjoyable; Thanks for sharing!!!

  23. bee1nine 06/06/2013

    Glenda, sorry for the day-late post. All very fine and intriguing is your Asian style garden! What fun and creative
    placements! Have you ever considered using King Tut papyrus?
    Also noticed your placement of bamboo. Looks like a barrier
    line around it. A very good idea, wish we DID sooner, since
    our bamboo we planted some years ago at the far right back
    side in the backyard has taken over! A continuous battle
    removing new shouts each spring. It makes a great living
    fence, but... anyway, we live n learn!!

  24. Nurserynotnordstroms 06/06/2013

    Bee1nine ,thank you for your comments. Yes Don dug a deep barrier. No escaping. But on a garden tour we talked to a home owner that has timber bamboo and no barrier. For 20years or so he just steps on the new shoot and his perfect property line of bamboo remains perfect. Give it a try and let me know how it works for you. Can't let it get tall before you step on it. He had many varieties of bamboo also. His yard was stunning.
    Have a happy day!

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