pattyspencer

Tractor1 - read your reply and I agree with you about being frank and direct. I hate candy coating as well (unless it's actually ON candy - lol) That being said some people don't take kindly to "frank and direct" - it's all about knowing your audience. It's easier to swallow positive criticism than (what other might persieve) negative (even tho in your mind you're trying to be helpful) JMO from working 28 years with State workers and (going into now) 17 years as a Boy Scout Leader

LOVE your kitty!!!!!

How magical your garden is!!! I went to your blog - can't understand a word of it but your pictures speak volumns!!! Gorgeous pictures of your home your garden and family.

Sheilaschultz - why thank you - lol but shhhhh not so loud - I don't think he noticed - hehehe

Tractor1 - I wake up happy as well - I learned long time ago that any negative vibe just affected my well being which also affected how I treated others - wasn't good. So I live by "If it serves no useful purpose - don't do it" and negativity doesn't serve a useful purpose in my life.

I've seen that twisted pine in a catalog - I think it was from Park Seed but I'm not sure (I just did a web search and didn't come up with anything and didn't notice it in any of my catalogs this season) I bought it then killed it (bad me)which I tend to do A LOT.

Pot Head - rofl - you're too funny Tractor1

I too am impressed with the plants being grown from seed! I have a east facing sun room which doesn't get any more heat from the sun so it's like 30 degrees in the morning (and over night) from November thru early May so not suitable for seed growing - oh and then there are my cats that would eat the seedlings. I don't furtilize my plants after they have been planted. Easy "secret" that I should be doing if I don't want my plants to continue looking sad.

Beautiful containers! Love all the diversity of plantings and the colors all go well together.

I LOVE IT!!!! Especially the birdhouse pathway - what a neat idea! Wish I lived closer - I'd come for the iris festival

I love it! Don't care if it's showcased (and valid points are made regarding the native understory plantings)it still presents a beautiful eye soothing picture(s)

Tractor1 - cool deer pic today!! I'm guessing that pic was taken from your porch?

Love the sprinkling of the red lilies throughout the garden - keeps your eyes moving along the way.

Beautiful!!! The color are so vibrant they just pop! Waking up to such a beautiful garden must be like being in heaven!!

Just beautiful! I really like that each picture has a caption explaining it - thank you for that! I may have to look through my catalogs and see if I can find one that's affordable. Really pretty!!

Love your garden!! The irises are my favorite!! Gosh - didn't know deer could jump a 6' fence - wow!

Love Nessie! You really have some nice planting and I really like how you've given us names.

I agree with everyone. I have my 1 succulent in an east facing 1/2 bathroom window. It has stubby (what I call) fingers but must be really happy as the new growth is several inches in length. The last pic is my favorite!

Tractor1 - cute cute pic!!

The other day I was driving to my son's work when I saw a mom goose with her 4 babies walking down the sidewalk. Dad was about 30 feet away watching. It was so darn cute!

I echo everything everyone has said!! Just beautiful

Love the flowing almond (note to self - get one (or 2)!!) The whole garden is alive with color. Just beautiful!

Beautiful garden! Love the huge pots!!

The very first picture is my favorite. Looks like a really nice cozy nook

Just beautiful! If I were buying the house I'd change nothing - absolutely nothing!!!!! And I'd hire you to come back to help me maintain it and pass on all your knowledge to me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love them!

Thank you AnnD Thought it might be more complicated - glad it's not! Will have to try this

Now this I can relate too - lol LOVE IT! My geocaching name isn't SheWhoBlings for nothing - lol Would love to know where I could get instruction on how to do this - not the laying of grout or tiles but how to prep the ball.

Good morning all! Upper Ohio around the lakes was to get a ton of heavy snow as well. I hope everyone's gardens come out of this without damage!

I agree with Tractor1 - I think the pots need something arty to make them more than just upside down pots on rods. The tower one is interesting and I agree with Garden for Good on this too.

Obviously I'm not seeing the vision that the designer's had.

Garden is really pretty but I wish the pics were a little less blurry. Everything looks very lush!

I live about an hour or so from Mansfield and have never been. Looks like a day trip should be planned! Thanks for sharing. Really a pretty place

Lots of area to work in and I really like all the different plants you have. Variety is the spice of life!

Love the pop of color in the first photo! Welcome back meander1 - hope you heal quickly!

I believe this would be my vision of a perfect garden! Beautiful!!!!!

Wow - that's a lot of gardening! I would love to have the kind of soil that would allow me to grow a lot of food plants (I would have to expensively ammend my soil) I really like Aphrodite - so cute! Lots of love going into your garden!!!

Beautiful trees! My fave is the one that looks like it's been there for ages (big trunk)

Wow - lots to see in your garden. I bet it has something surprising to see every day. It's really beautiful!

Totally love your garden! Love the before and after. You'd never know it was a small yard!! Love how you write - very engaging and gave me the giggles!!

Love it! Can't imagine how much dirt it took to fill that in tho. I love the pathway as well - very very nice!!

The tuteur reminds me of what my Scout boys would make but I know it will be a lot prettier when there are flowers all over it. Love the bleeding heart (note to self - buy some!)

Love all the huge sweeps of color!! And I really really like that path between the purple flowers. The dogs are so lucky to have such a nice place to live!!

Tractor1 - I believe ferrals tend to be more on the female side than male but Newt is a cute name. My BF had about 6 living around her home and over the years (about 10) only 1 has survived (she had them all fixed). That cat has now become a house cat that is quite the talker and very friendly.

You've created such a nice cozy spot - love it!

Thanks Tractor1! That side of the yard (north) is also where that dreded Elephant Ear is and from what I've read it has to be dug up 6-8" and if any is left (i.e. rototilled) it will continue it's growth from what is left. I do want to take out those bushes/trees and most of everything that's currently there - cover over the remaining with about 6" of newspaper and mulch on top. That's "my" goal anyway.

Tractor1 - I would love to plant more trees - however my son doesn't as he's the one who mows around everything and would just prefer I dig all that I do have - out! I have a north side of my yard that's a disaster and I have about 5 Arborvitae type that have sprouted and are about 5 foot tall that I'd like to dig out and put in my back yard that my son just wants to throw out (sigh)

I would love to have all those trees in my back yard - they are all so pretty!

Wow and I thought yesterday's photos were awesome!! Will be searching the internet for those tulip bulbs and what is the bright pink one in with the snapdragon???? These arrangements with the bulbe are just beautiful!

Just stunning! I can't imagine planting 3,000 bulbs either by hand or by the auger and then to treat them as annual - wow - tons of work but just look at the outcome! I've saved the next to last pic (bridge going into the woods) as a wallpaper.

What an inspiring story and a beautiful garden. Thanks for sharing!

It's really stunning! Reminds me of a park like setting. The colors of everything are just beautiful!

Well Sheila you've inspired me - I've just come in from digging out my fescue (which was getting crowded out by a tall green tree/bush thing that overhung the fescue) and transplanted part of it into a container - the other part of the (older part - apparently it was trying to come towards the light)I just plopped into the top of my strawberry pot (that has hens/chickens coming out of the sides). I haven't planted it in yet as I don't know if that's where I want it to remain. Thanks Sheila!!

Those are awesome! I have a blue fescue that needs a lot of tlc - maybe I should dig it up and plant it in a pot and if I do then my question is what do I do with it in the winter? Leave it in the pot or plant it back into the ground? Sheila sure has a good eye when putting these together.

You know my first thought was that Yucca as I had just been looking at purchasing it and wondering if it would do well in my central ohio are but went with my second guess. Now that I've seen the close up - I think I'll be purchasing.

I like the bridge - however with it's stark white color it sticks out like a sore thumb. I do love the palms and gives me thought to also try something not in my zone and I too would love to know what that pink plant/flower is - my first thought was a lip stick plant (but I think those are house plants)

Love the drop down patio! Very exotic looking and lush. The stepping stones add a family touch as well. Beautiful garden!

Really really beautiful!

Lovely garden! I too was surprised to see daffodis and hyacinths - I guess my perception of California is (unfortunately) limited to sun and sand - totally forgetting the northern areas. Cute dog too!!!

Can you imagine after a hard day at work to come home to this? Wow! What a beautiful job you've done!!!!!

Beautiful wisteria! I agree - it must be heaven to walk under it when it's in full bloom. The the other flower is a WOW! Gorgeous and bright! I looked it up and it's a type of bottle brush bush.

My son said I should get off my rear and do this in our backyard - lol Just beautiful!

The roses and clemantis are perfect together and the roses are so big and lush (they really must like the climant or soil or something out there)

Love the garden and all the water features as well - they are just lovely. I too tho don't have any because of all the maintenance I'm thinking I'd have - but I can see what a benefit they provide to a garden setting.

How lush is this??!! Just beautiful - I could walk those beautiful curvy pathways all day long and never get tired of the beautiful garden areas.

Really like your combinations! I've been eyeing snow-in-summer for years - glad I read these posts as I have enough "stuff" that has taken over my garden areas and I have a terrible time getting rid of.

Love the diversity of plants and I thought that driftwood was a goose at first - lol

This is one of the more perfect gardens I've seen! It is so lush and beautiful!!!!

Love the before and after as well and your cat is beautiful!! I really like all the blends of color you have as well. Really a very pretty garden! I have a bird bath and a stainless steel ball (the size of a bowling ball) I plan on moving the bird bath this year from the north side of the house (where it never gets viewed) to my back deck area - I think I'll put my ball in the bird bath like you! What a neat idea!!

To Tractor1 - I see your points. Artistic - maybe but it's just not my cup of tea either.

I've seen this type of fence before only I believe grape vines were used. I don't believe they rooted. It's an attractive type of edging but to have to pull it out before they suckered would be too much work for me. I do like the rest of the garden tho.

Lovely garden! I especially like the first picture and the painted chair. I was confused tho by the iron - I first thought it was portraying a jumping rope when it's doing the double dutch but after reading other responses I see that it's a gate.

Beautiful story and beautiful mosaics!!

Love the fish and the wild meadow look as well!

It's really neat to see plants from another country. They are just beautiful - as it the garden itself! And I like those white lamp posts just the way they are.

Beautiful garden. I especially like the side garden - it has a very zen like feel to it.

Very different! Love the opening fronds too. Really nice to see someone's garden plants from the other side of the world.

Beautiful area! Can't decide which picture I like the best as they are all sooooo pretty. Really like that you added the blue balls around the pond.

I'm echoing everything everyone said! Just beautiful!! And the fall pic is breathtaking!

Is that wall purple?? Wow - how cool is that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Love your plantings and also your layered stone wall. And I agree with Lijda - I find your garden beckoning.

Truly a beautiful garden and on only 1/4 acre. Wow! It has lushness from all the plantings but doesn't look over planted. I would rather have your garden than "a yard" any day.

Love it! Especially the last photo!!! I think I saw a couple of fairies flying across that pathway.

I am on Pinterest as well but havent figures out all it's nooks and crannies. My friend will send me something she "found" on there and wants me to go look and I can never ever find it - lol I need more practice I guess. Beautiful photos and lost and lots of work. Thank you for all you do for us!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

All are very nice arrangements. I have a ton of pots that I could be creative with - these pictures give me hope.

Love the stonework and the colors just pop. Love the area (last photo) between the plantings - grassy area and woods. I could walk this area all day and never get tired of the views.

I wish my trumpet vine was as well behaved. Altho I do trim mine on both sides of the fence I notice my neighbor trims a bit more often. And I have an autumn clamatis as well which has jumped into other areas of the yard and is very difficult now to get rid of no matter how much I cut it back.
Very nice yard. And I agree with Tractor1 on that grill.

And to tractor1 - I don't know about your trumpet vine but mine took a little over 5 years before it flowered and I was getting ready to rip it out when I noticed 2. I've had it now about 10 years and it's flowering nicely.

I love the colors - they are eye candy. I didn't realize just how pretty a north facing garden could be.

And to Tractor1 - I think you've gone from Simon to Paula this week - hehehe - but you're right it does make you want to run your hands across it.

I really like how your garden curves and looks like it's an extension of the bushes behind it. Lots of plants too that look happy to be where they are.

Holy Moley - going from 4 to 110 apples in 2 years. Those trees must be super happy in your yard. Love the idea and would consider doing this but - wow - what would I do with 110 apples? lol (yes I know - donate them - or bake)

I would not have guess that this was a shed - I thought it was a cabin in the woods - it's beautiful. Love the stream as well

I agree with meander1 - the way it was designed could have been a photo from a catalog. I really like it.

BTW - do all of you know the change in our planting zones? If not - check it out here - http://www.arborday.org/media/mapchanges.cfm

Happy Birthday Michelle!!

To Tim - beautiful plants! That strip of plantings look so lush and happy. Keep sending photos to Michelle. Are you on any of the local community garden tours? If not - you should be. Still would love you to tend my sorry garden - maybe you could even give me a tip on how to kill a plant that has grown so out of control (underground runners and straight shots of roundup doesn't kill)

Just beautiful Tim! There are several homes in the Grandview area that have plantings like that - I love driving around in the summer looking at them. I would say this was a labor of love! And yes - there are people who steal rocks. I had brought back some rocks I got from Griggs Dam that has quartz in them that I have in my garden and I caught a kid trying to take them. He said "But they're just rocks" to which I said "Yes - but they are MY rocks and you're stealing"

Love it! I really like the bright green against the color of the gravel. Hey Tim - I'm probably not too far from you (Grove City) When you're done with your garden - come over to my mess and beautify me!

And I saw those fairies as well! Just beautiful. Both the winter and summer photos just draw me in. And I really like the lights on the shed as well. Makes it more of a "home" than a shed.

Beautiful design - your eye starts at the front and wanders back. I also like knowing what the names of the plants are.

It's so densely pack with plants that one would think it would be a mess but it isn't - every plant has it's own spotlight. The colors really blend well with one another and I agree that adding the Russian Sage adds to the grouping. Love it!

Lovely garden! I especially like the climatas and daylilys that frame the arbor. Nice job Julia - you and your hubby are always busy busy in your garden and it shows! Nice to see these pics of what you're always telling us about on the other group.

What a difference between summer and winter. The only thing that didn't change was the adorable dog! I love how the red arbor stands out as well but I have to agree with Tractor1 - a bird feeder or two would complete the picture.

What a neat place to have at the end of a lovely walkway! Love it!

So pretty!

Now on to the pictures. I love them! I also went to their blog and signed up. I always thought that I was that cottage garden flower over kill type of gal but after seeing these pictures and reading their blog I'm seeing just as much beauty in evergreens and other non flowering plants. I too have a difficult time in the fall with my "lack" of flowers and I absolutely have no structure going on and the amount of clean up is - well - I hate the clean up. Maybe this year is the year I begin to change my focus. Oh and I see the rainbow as well - what a great photo that was.

First to Chefin1950 - here is a link that will tell you how to grow moss - http://gardening.about.com/od/gardendesign/qt/How-To-Grow-Moss.htm

Wow - hubby did a lot of work and you're right - you don't get the right perspective on how large it really is until you look at the construction photo. If my yard sloped toward my house instead of away I'd want to do something like you've done. It's really really outstanding!

Love the porch. Would love sitting out there wathing all the wild life. Garden is gorgeous! Especially like the pot with the impatients.

Really nice back yard - has a nice secluded feel about it. I too was wondering about leaf droppings and how much work it would take every year.

As much as I hate the snow - I love these pictures. There is a stillness about them that just draws you in

I like the softness the astilbe gives it. My Pestemon started in the sun then my neighbor's tree grew huge and now mine also grows in shade - well mostly shade up until about 1:00 s0 maybe it gets enough sun

I too love starting my day visiting this blog (and miss it on weekends). With coffee in hand I look upon the gardens green with envy wishing I had the talent - insight - and capabilities that is being presented to us. My talents seem to be more weed gardening than true gardening - lol A garden in asphalt! Who knew!! What a bold thing to do - I love it!

If I had that in my yard my neighbors would think I was doing rituals - lol Welcome to our newest member Robert! Hope everyone has a safe and fun New Years!

I agree - very magical. And if you stop and listen you'll hear the fairy folk talking.

Altho it's a great recycling idea - it's not for me

I don't think I agree with tractor1's use of the word Chachkas - difined as - 1. (Yiddish) an attractive, unconventional woman 2. (Yiddish) an inexpensive showy trinket. I too love the hosta bed and (to me) even though the entry way looks very formal it has a very inviting feeling of welcoming.

Love the bleeding heart!

A gingerbread tree - how cute it that?!! And no one nibbled off any arms or legs????? I'm impressed! Would have had a lot of casualties in my house - lol Merry Christmas everyone!

How pretty! Would love to have gardening friends like that. A lot of thought (and love) has gone into this design and it sure shows it.

I agree with the one poster who said the picture with the bench looked like a painting. I thought the same thing when I looked at it. Beautiful garden

So pretty! Color just pops!!

I do ceramics and have a tea pot I just finished that everyone loves - however it has a chip on it and would require at least another 3 firings to fix. But this would be the perfect fix! I will see if my ceramic teacher would be agreeable to Dremeling holes for me (before I go and shatter the thing it's best to ask - lol)

I have an alumium gazing ball in my side yard. I have no creativity with it - it just sits in the shade and no one sees it on that side of the house (unless I'm weeding). I'd put it in the front but I'm afraid someone would take it. I like the idea of it on the step - maybe I'll move mine to the back yard and put it somewhere around my deck.

Wow! I love the pops of color throught the garden and if you sit quietly you see fairies peeking around the flowers.

Love the color combinations!

Stunning! The colors just pop!!

Ok - at first I wasn't seeing it but after reading the comments I too like the cobblestones and the color of the pot. I think tho that the planting is too short for the size of that pot and looks a little lost.

Looks like a climbing Hydrangea that has done flowering - very pretty - very soft looking.

Beautiful! My neighbors could only wish - in their wildest dreams - that my front yard looked like this. I have way to much grass and nearly (clearly) no where enough plantings.

The baby turkey is the cutest! Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!!

Very pretty!

Stunning!

Your pond is so pretty. I never knew they had leaves tho. I just thought the pad was the pad and the lilly was the lilly. Never knew it had leaves as well.

Beautiful!

The seating surrounded by all that color - looks like a hidden nook. Love it!

Haven't decided whether or not I like this for some reason. And Tractor1 - I liked your photo you took. You should start a photo blog or something - I'd like to see more pics.

Beautiful garden!

Love the bush behind the bench but the "thing" next to it sorta looks like it dying. Is is drooping because that's the way it's supposed to be or does it need watering?

Stunning colors!

Love it!

To Mgervias - you do a wonderful job! Pesonally I think some of the commentors are just a tad too critical and not viewing this as a thing of beauty but more in an anlytical way. And just like viewing art - not everyone sees it the same. If I were to merely look at in those terms then I'd probably be critical too but you know what? Shhhh - I think I saw a fairy or two in that picture and I'm sure I saw a couple in the video.

Stunning! First I'd love to have the land - 2nd I'd love to have the money to do a landscape like that and 3rd I'd love to have her as a neighbor! (well maybe not in that order - lol) Watched the video - just beautiful!!

Love them! I was thinking they may be ceramic but if they were they would be very heavy as they look quite large - over 3 feet and I don't know where you can buy plastic or metal ones that size. Altho you can probably adapt the painting to the smaller sized ones. I think my favorite is the purple/yellow fall looking one.

Very nice! Tranquil - I would love spending time in this garden.

Wow! I'm sitting here at my computer - drinking coffee - wishing that instead of looking at those gorgeous pictures on my computer I could be looking at that fall beauty from my back window.

Absolutely beautiful!

Just beautiful! I wish you lived next door to me - the lessons you could teach!

Awesome!

That is so peaceful looking. Lush and serene.

That is just beautiful!

I love those! Too bad I'll never find them in my local nursery! Thanks for sharing!!

Love the pics! A couple of the cats look like the ones I have.

Sooooo pretty and soooooo peaceful looking. This and all the other pics are so inspirational. If only I had the money I'd try to put a little of all of them into my yard.

I also have found that in my area (5-5b) that the Japanese Blood Grass is an annual and is never in the preannual sections of the garden shops.