Garden Photo of the Day

READER PHOTOS! Michaele’s garden in Tennessee, revisited

The garden of one of everyone's favorite daily commenters! (meander1) Check it out HERE.

We’ve featured Michaele Anderson’s garden in Friendsville, Tennessee, twice before (refresh your memory HERE and HERE), but I must have been living under a rock for the past few months, because I never made the connection that Michaele is Meander1! Michaele just sent in a new batch of photos this week, and her email address tipped me off. Duh. Everyone else knew, right??

Photo/Illustration: Courtesy of Michaele Anderson

Anyway, my spaciness aside, here’s what Michaele has to say about this new installment from her gorgeous garden: “I am sharing a part of my garden that we call “the waterfall”. It is actually composed of 4 connected ponds with several waterfalls and a stretch that gives a cascade impression.

Our dog Piper by a smallish pond we call the Jacuzzi.
Photo/Illustration: Courtesy of Michaele Anderson

“The area was originally just a yucky part of our property that we hated to mow because it had such uneven ground and a good bit of elevation. My husband and I designed the master plan but it took guys with big equipment and know-how in order to get the rocks in place and do the heavy digging work and concrete and stone work.

This is the bottom pond which is fairly serene. It gets lots of dragonfly activity.
Photo/Illustration: Courtesy of Michaele Anderson

“I am always adding new plants or fun decorative doodads. My indulgence this year was to put together something we call the “butterfly tree” which is at the top of a slope and surrounded by oak leaf hydrangeas and some newly planted ‘Miss Ruby’ butterfly bushes. What can I say…it makes me smile.”

Beautiful, Michaele. Keep those photos and insightful comments coming.

This is the stretch that gives a mountain cascade impression.
Photo/Illustration: Courtesy of Michaele Anderson
A carpet of generously reseeding impatiens.
Photo/Illustration: Courtesy of Michaele Anderson
Different perenniels which have naturalized and battle for growing space.
Photo/Illustration: Courtesy of Michaele Anderson
This shows the handsome arched bridge my husband designed and helped build.
Photo/Illustration: Courtesy of Michaele Anderson

Want us to feature YOUR garden in the Garden Photo of the Day? CLICK HERE!
Want to see every post ever published? CLICK HERE!

**Check out the GPOD Pinterest page, where you can browse all the post in categories…fun! CLICK HERE!**

View Comments

Comments

  1. terieLR 06/14/2012

    A beautiful sunrise and your gardens...what a wonderful way to start my day! You have truly initiated a masterpiece of your property Michaele. I am hooked on all the details.

  2. wGardens 06/14/2012

    Ah, Sweet success. It looks great. Love the stonework, too. A great accomplishment; Congratulations!

  3. PBoehle 06/14/2012

    How beautiful! The ponds and waterfalls were so nicely done. Too often they come out very unnatural, your contractors have real talent.

  4. bethnbijoux 06/14/2012

    Wow...just...wow! I really like the incorporation of the reseeding impatiens and the naturalized perennials. And I agree with PBoehle, it all looks just like Mohter Nature herself built it!

  5. annek 06/14/2012

    Oh my Michaele...I always looked forward to reading you comments in response to the GPOD photographs as they're always so thoughtful and poignant. In fact, I typically relook at each photograph and marvel at the astute observations you make. With your keen eye for plants and design detail I've pondered at how your garden would look and today I've learned it is exceptional! The ponds and waterfall appear as though they've been there for eons...very natural and authentic. The bridge, the plant selection, colors and serenity are fabulous (even Piper adds to the beauty). You and your husband are very talented, indeed. (I predict this post will be shown to several husbands over the course of the day as an inspirational 'push' to accomplish a similar effect...my husband is already contemplating a sore back)

    Oh and Michelle, I had no idea of the link either!

  6. tractor1 06/14/2012

    What Annek said!

  7. User avater
    Tim_Zone_Denial_Vojt 06/14/2012

    Wow, wow, wow! Not only are you as nice as pie, but your garden and plant choices are beautiful. I have to disagree about the stones and waterfalls looking natural. I think they are beautiful works of art; beautiful stones, carefully placed, carefully chosen. Not contrived-but evidence of the creator's care and artistic eye! I am so jealous! Thanks for sharing!

  8. janetsfolly 06/14/2012

    Wow again! Talk about lemons to lemonade...I have so many 'uneven areas' to mow and this is an outstanding solution! And that something so simple as reseeding impatiens could be so achingly lovely...yes, I am jealous! Michaele, you and your husband are truly inspired. Thank you!

  9. sheilaschultz 06/14/2012

    Oh Michaele... apparently you are surrounded by all the beauty you so deserve. The placement of every plant has obviously been done with the eye of an artist, and your waterfall is sheer perfection. Thanks for giving us a peek into your world.

  10. soilgoil 06/14/2012

    Michaele, your garden is as beautiful as your writing! Annek said it all for me in her post, and Michelle, I had no idea that Michaele is "our own" Meander1. I'd love to see more of your fabulous garden, Michaele, as well as your sweet-looking dog. Thanks so much for sharing.

  11. Tomboy1950 06/14/2012

    I would like to echo everyone's positive comments about Michaele's garden. It is beautiful. I love the butterfly tree and hope to incorporate something like that in my back yard. Thanks for the inspiration!

  12. dadeo1 06/14/2012

    amazing dittos.
    yes, the pond looks soo natural. one of the best out there. it should be on your local garden tour. more pics please.

  13. solana1234 06/14/2012

    Yes under the circumstances (Michaele's garden/waterfall is so beautiful to behold) that pictures do not do it justice may we beg for a video tour please?

  14. User avater
    meander_michaele 06/14/2012

    Hello, Garden Photo of the Day friends, I feel so touched by the warmth of your comments....group hug for all! Ironically, I've just come in from facing a chore of failure... I must be the only person on earth who has terrible looking Knockout roses. I cut them all back pretty severely and gave them a drink of a fertilizer/disease product and have hopes that a second flush of blooms will come my way. Anyway, it meant a lot to read such generously expressed compliments and I'll make sure my husband knows his efforts are well appreciated. Thank you all so much.
    We moved around a good bit during much of his career so when we settled here in Friendsville for what would become retirement, we put down roots in a very literal way. When some women say they want a "rock" for Christmas, they mean a diamond...as you have seen from the pictures, I am happy as can be for a chunk of mountain stone! I have very much appreciated Mother Nature's helping hand...all the volunteer impatience and, come to think of it, many of the oakleaf hydrangeas are also unexpected but welcome guests. Some of them are growing between rock crevices where I would never have thought to plant them. I love the surprises of
    gardening regardless of the size of the garden.

  15. olympic_mtn_gardener 06/14/2012

    Wow. Amazing. I wish I had your gift with words, because I am completely at a loss when it comes to composing a comment that does justice to what you have created. (I love reading your comments every day almost as much as I enjoy the GPOD photos). You are a very talented lady!

  16. thegardencatkeeper 06/14/2012

    I must have been under the same rock as I didn't make the connection either. Your gardens are beautiful, and they are only two hours away.

  17. cwheat000 06/15/2012

    I never realized this was meander1's garden either. I thought you would have a nice garden, but this garden is more than nice, it rocks! I checked out your past pictures too. It looks like you have a large space to garden, which I think is more of a challange. You have met that challange exquisitely. The ponds/waterfall is the best private example I have seen; amazing. What a perfect name for the town, of such a wonderful person, to live in. P.S.- your dog is adorable too!

  18. MizScarlet 06/15/2012

    It must have been a huge rock that we were all under when we didn't make the connection between Meander1 and Michaele Anderson. Looking back, the comments submitted by Meander1 told us each time that we were looking at her pictures. Some detectives we all are! From now on, I'll read the comments more carefully. Thanks, Michaele, for your usual daily comments full of beautiful prose and for your beautiful pictures. Please keep them coming.

  19. perenniallycrazy 06/15/2012

    OMG Michaele! A truly magnificent garden I must say! Not only do you have the gift of garden (and a very talented and conscientious hubby to boot) but also the gift of gab. GPOD will not be the same without your daily comments as well as these contributions. Wish I could visit in person some day.

    Hi and happy gardening to all the regulars too.

  20. pattyspencer 06/15/2012

    You truly have a beautiful garden and your waterfall is stunning!!! I agree with what everyone has said as well. You and your garden are one and the same - beautiful!

  21. EyeLean 06/15/2012

    Ooooo! What a fantastic pond/waterfall area!! Seriously, I agree with everyone who says it looks very natural, which is a huge compliment when you can copy nature...a true artist at work in this garden!
    And the butterfly tree has inspired me to do it myself with a lone birch tree stump in my own garden. I've tried several things to incorporate it the garden..mainly to avoid digging that HUGE sucker out...but nothing looks natural enough to me. But now, VOILA`! I'm stealing that brilliant idea and gathering my own butterfly flock to 'land' on it. Thanks for sharing!
    and by the way....it makes perfect sense that Michaele has a beautiful place AND is super nice! I've never yet met a grumpy or unfriendly gardener and I thinks its due to being constantly surrounded by beauty and wonder that it would be hard to avoid rubbing onto yourself a little too. :)

  22. cotow98243 12/30/2021

    Little changes can affect those https://dltutuapp.com/tutuapp-download/ around you positively, so choose wisely.

  23. cotow98243 12/30/2021

    Little changes can affect those https://showbox.run/ around you positively, so choose wisely.

Log in or create an account to post a comment.

Related Articles

The Latest