Parb

Really pretty at a time of year when there is not as much interest in our lawns. First crop circles and now even more sculptural snow circle. Lovely!

Jill, I would love to see photos of your butterfly hatchery. Your garden is beautiful. I too, had to redo my yard, after a tornado took out all my mature trees turning a complete shade yard into a full sun yard. It has been an interesting and sometimes frustrating journey.

Thanks for showing us your garden.

Pam, thank you for sharing. You have created a beautiful garden, what I would dub a second-chance garden for all the plants you have rescued, and what a delightful daughter. I agree with Meander1, tractor1 and Vojt. I would love to see that "crick" and please tell us about the barrels. My curosity is running away with me.

I, too, would like to know what the plant is that is used on the woman. I love the way they have trimmed it to look like she is wearing a shawl draped around her shoulders. And adding the other hand with kitty treats is also very clever and natural.

You did not say where you are located and of course your heat/cold zone would also determine your planting choices.

I think the area between the column and the curved edge of the patio, the short section, would be a great place for a bubbler-type fountain. The soothing sound of a fountain is always nice and relaxing near the patio. The columns seem to be crying out for a couple of pretty containers or large lanterns.

There are many choices for the curved edge of your patio and again many of them will be determined by what you like and your growing zone. You may consider some of the shorter/smaller grasses because their soft mounding texture tends to mimic or emphasize the curve of the patio and the way the leaves move in the slightest breeze is restful and appealing.

I am viewing your photo of your back fence with the four trees and the fence lined with Emerald Cedars?/Arborvitae and I think you a have a great beginning to a wonderful back bed. I think your idea of creating a large, deep curvy bed including the trees within the bed is a great idea. You can now introduce shorter shrubs in front of the Arborvitaes as well as perennials and add in some beautiful annuals which can be changed out to suit the season. Fine Gardening has many wonderful aids for this including the tabs for plant guide, design, how-to's, gallery and best of all, their wonderful magazine Fine Gardening. Also, browse on line catalogs and nurseries for ideas. Use your favorite colors and settle on plants that fit with your gardening needs, such as low maintenance and water use. Above all avoid the mistakes many of us make with our first gardens/yards and do pay close attention to the MATURE size of the plant you are purchasing. You will want to give it the proper space so that it will thrive and look its best and attain its best shape. The right plant for the right spot will produce a healthier plant with less problems and less pruning, which is work!

Have fun with your garden, take you time and develop exactly what you want. I have worked on mine for years using some of what I inherited and working other things in. I had to move several plants a couple of times before they found their happy spot.

Good luck and remember, have fun!

So beautiful. I love the plantings. My back yard is shaped almost like this and this is such an inspiration to me. Had a tornado in December 2009 and lost all my mature trees and had to replant. The young trees should put on a big growth spurt this year. Cannot wait to have shade again. In the meantime, I am enjoying full sun plants. This just beautiful, Susan! You have created an oasis!

This is just beautiful. It is such an accomplishment.

I want to know how you kept your hostas happy in Summer heat in excess of 100 degrees? Last Summer was the hottest on record here in Texas and I live in Angelina Co., Texas and it seemed like Arizona. I am in Deep East Texas just 100 miles from the Louisiana border, so temps in excess of 110 degrees are not the norm for us. We usually have upper 90's with high humidity and an occasional temp of 100-103. I think we had one day of 121 degrees. I love hostas, but they do not seem happy with our heat and humidity. I just eyed some 'Wide Brim' today at our local warehouse store. I am thinking, thinking, thinking. LOL! Hope does spring eternal.

It looks a lot like Feijoa sellowiana O. You can see a photo here: http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=FESE2

How I envy you that lovely shade garden with the Hostas and the pot of Impatients! I lost all my mature trees in December 2009 to a tornado. It will be years before I can recreate a shady garden retreat. Just beautiful.

I think it may be Schizophragma hydrangeoides 'Roseum' or Climbing Japanese Hydrangea.

I, too, want to know the name of the vine. It looks similar to coral vine, but without a close-up of the flowers, it is difficult to tell.

You did an excellent job in recreating the dinosaur egg.

I love the first picture. However, a hydrangea could never survive in full sun in the midst of concrete in Texas! We could choose other plants that would do nicely in those conditions. Just beautiful eye candy!

Love the Lady's Slippers, too. And thanks for going back to the old way of enlarging the photos. It is so nice to be able to see all the details of the photographs, especially with my slowly aging eyes. LOL!

I just want to say that I liked the former way of enlarging the photo as I could see more detail. This new method does not enlarge it much more than the original photo and I cannot see enough detail to make out the three plants. I only see two. I do love the creeping Jenny....it does make other plants pop, especially blues, grays and silvers.