Garden Photo of the Day

From Bare Earth to a Garden

Remembering a garden creation

Today’s photos come from Charlie Benedick, who is remembering a former garden in Virginia.

We began by adding shrubs, trees, and then perennials. Then we added a patio. It was my dream garden. Sadly, we were only able to live here three and a half years before moving on. I hope the new owners love this garden as much as I did. I miss it every day.

 

From this view of the front garden, it’s hard to believe that this was nearly a blank slate when the gardeners arrived!

The patio looks like a wonderful place to relax and is surrounded by a beautiful planting with color coming from a range of different foliage types.

Containers of annuals bring in an extra jolt of color.

Bigleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla, Zones 6–9) loaded down with flowers.

These hardy geranium (Geranium sp., possibly ‘Rozanne’, Zones 5–8) flowers are beautiful from this angle.

A huge stand of bright bee balm (Monarda didyma, Zones 4–10).

A mass of loose, informal annuals growing together creates the feel of a romantic cottage garden.

 

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Comments

  1. User avater
    treasuresmom 03/22/2019

    Love Rozanne!

  2. User avater
    meander_michaele 03/22/2019

    The garden that you said your very sad goodbyes to is a real beauty, Charlie, and I don't blame your heart from feeling heavy at leaving it. You did an awesome job on the patio and its surrounding plantings. I love the inclusion of the chartreusy colored bushes (maybe a variety of spirea) and the containers filled with flowers. You didn't mention what your current living situation is but I hope you have (or will have) continued opportunities to garden .

  3. User avater
    user-7007816 03/22/2019

    You did an amazing job in such a short period of time. Hopefully, the garden will be well tended and you can come back to visit.

  4. wittyone 03/22/2019

    This is such a wonderful landscaping effort, it goes to show how thought, preparation and hard work can take a house from nothing out of the ordinary into a welcoming, sheltering home . With all your experience in transforming your former home I can just imagine you working hard in a new situation making another area lovely and inviting. Send pictures once you are done, or better yet send some showing the before and after and everything in between. It's so encouraging to see what a person can do if they just take things in hand and keep going.

  5. User avater
    simplesue 03/22/2019

    I'm impressed! You put in a gorgeous finished garden in such a short amount of time. Some new home owner got lucky! You really do nice work. Such a drag having to start over again, but you can do it for sure. I think a gardener will always miss their old garden though, but it is a learning experience.

  6. DebbieMountainMama 03/22/2019

    I hear your pain, Charlie! I would have been incredibly sad to leave that beautiful paradise! I had to say goodbye to a garden when I got divorced, that was heartbreaking....I had started with nothing as well and by the time I left it was a showpiece!

  7. btucker9675 03/22/2019

    What a lovely garden and it suits the house perfectly. Hardy geraniums are a favorite of mine - grew so well in NJ and I started two last year that are just leafing out now so I am hopeful! Amending this terrible red clay that passes for soil here in NC is still a trial and error project for me.

  8. elainerichards 04/04/2019

    What a delightful multitude of plants you have assembled - I spent time with each photo diving in run 3 and figuring out the ones that weren't named. Thanks for sharing, and great job with your gardens!

  9. User avater
    longjumper 08/19/2019

    I love gardens, I want kids to play bubble shooter between gardens.

  10. MargaretRDaniels 10/07/2019

    Let weeds do their job. They will heal and nourish our bare soil this autumn and winter. view

  11. nobita88 02/27/2020

    The information you have posted is really good and very helpful, I will often visit your site. online jigsaw puzzles

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