Today we’re visiting with Teresa Gordon.
We live in Zone 6, Thornbury, Ontario, Canada. We retired here almost five years ago and have been establishing a new garden. Leaving behind a house we had for almost 30 years along with an established garden was difficult. Now that we are living here and our garden is becoming mature, it makes the transition easier and very rewarding. I am the main gardener, but my husband helps a lot and is very good at the layout and hardscaping aspects of our garden. I especially like the backdrop of our old rustic garage, which adds to the garden.
The backyard in winter is made a lot more lively with the red garage. The garage was this color when we moved in, and I plan on leaving it as is since we really like the color.
This is my favorite photo from 2020. It includes Echinacea ‘Santa Fe’ (Zones 4–8), Rosa ‘Bonica’ (Zones 4–9), Rudbeckia ‘Indian Summer’ (Zones 3–7 but often performs as an annual), Veronicastrum virginicum ‘Fascination’ (Zones 3–8), summer phlox (Phlox paniculata, Zones 4–8), and dwarf grasses. The garden bird ornament was a gift from my sister, who is also a gardener and inspired me to begin gardening. It is made entirely from rebar and other rusted metals, and I have always loved it.
My favorite small tree, Cornus kousa (Zones 5–8).
Although the property extends behind the garage, I have not gardened there except for a few raised beds for cutting gardens.
This picture was taken on October 25, 2019, and is one of my favorite shots of the garden.
In this photo from later in the summer of 2019, the tall perennial at the corner of the garage is Joe Pye weed (Eutrochium purpureum, Zones 3–9), and the large, gold-colored plant is Rudbeckia triloba (Zones 4–8), which reseeds in my garden. The yellow plants in the front of the garage garden are annual marigolds (Tagetes).
These delphiniums (Delphinium × elatum, Zones 3–7) were spectacular but, sadly, were knocked down, as I did not stake them.
In this late summer shot of the garden, the long white wands are bugbane (Actaea simplex, Zones 4–8).
I enjoyed how the cones of the echinacea echoed the color of the rudbeckia.
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Comments
Just spectacular. When I am around Thornbury on my next visit I will go slowly by your property now and admire it. I live in Toronto. Your photos came at a perfect moment when despair has almost set in from the cold. I look so forward to spring. You have done marvellous work in the garden. Congratulations.
Please knock on the door or back gate and I will give you a tour. Thank you for your kind words and hang in there, milder temps are coming soon.
Thanks for sharing your garden
You are very welcome.
Two of those pics would make amazing greeting cards (do people give those anymore?). That winter snow and the fall colors are just out of this world. Thank you for sharing all of it.
Thank you.
Love the garage. Your gardens are happy gardens. Keep on digging.
Thanks you!
Kousa has been on my list forever...this is a reminder to follow through. I love the delphiniums, but sadly they do not do well with our humidity. I've resorted to pots and treating like an annual...As gardeners we learn to do what works where we are. You have brightened up my morning..thank you.
I really recommend the Kousa. A good size tree is not expensive and really adds to the yard. It has wonderful flowers, attractive foliage with fall berries and great fall colour. Yes delphiniums are a lot of trouble but so gorgeous. Mine also do not last and I am now trying to grow them from seed so to avoid replacing them every couple of years.
I can see how a move from an established garden could be wrenching but there nothing more invigorating than a blank slate to work with. That darling garage was a perfect backdrop as a focal point and you've done a great job using it. Love the color!
When viewing the house we entered through the backyard and when I saw the red garage I thought ‘what a fantastic backdrop for a garden, if the house is not a complete wreck I am sold’. Haha only a gardener would buy a house for the garden backdrop. Thank you for the kind words.
What a beautiful place you have. I live in collingwood and will add some of your choices in my own garden. My girlfriend sandy above commented on your garden too - I’ll invite her up and we will both drive by your place.
We love having Collingwood close by to visit. Please stop in and we will do a tour once the weather is better. Socially distanced of course! Saying you will add some of my choices your own garden is such a nice compliment, thank you.
Teresa. Love your garden and the red barn. I also regularly send pictures to this website. We also go to Thornbury so once in a while to stay at the Harbour inn. Even though we don’t ski any more we like to visit. So we Will try to find you when there. We were there in Feb. 2020. Just before The 1st lockdown. The last place we went to.
Please stop by on your next visit, the red garage is fairly visible behind the old BVO building. I will look up your pics.
Teresa, I love all your photos, and just can't believe you've accomplished so much in 5 years. My favorite is the one that points out the Joe Pye weed. Your garage is fab!
Thank you, I love that photo and the Joe Pye Weed also. It is a great plant. It is wonderful to start from a bare landscape and watch a new garden transform the property.
OMG your delphiniums are stunning! I'm so used to seeing my pathetic sun starved attempts at delphiniums...LOL!
Your entire garden is a dream!!!!
Even your garage is picturesque!
I love every bit of it!
Thank you for your kind comments.
Always so lovely to see a thriving Ontario garden in zones 4-6. We moved from Barrie to Ingersoll a year ago to a corner lot with nothing but a horribly butchered Norway maple and well cared for grass. The house is in great condition... so l'm working from scratch on what to put where.
Your beautiful garden inspires me with hope even if the delphiniums fell down!
Evie in Ingersoll
We put in one large border per year. Doing too much at once is just too hard to take care of as we give each new border a lot of attention the first year. It is always encouraging to watch an empty landscape transform. Best if luck with your new garden.
Love your charming garden! The colors are glorious - made me happy just scrolling through.
Thank you so much.
Inspiring to see what you have done in your new garden. I especially appreciate the photos through the different seasons, a reminder that there are gardens hiding under the slowly melting snow.
Yes cannot wait for spring at this point. Thank you for kind comment.
Your garden is total charm ! The bright and delightful garage makes a perfect backdrop for these exuberant flowers. Perfect in the Autumn especially, but you have year round interest . I love your garden !!!
Thank you, it is so great to get all of this positive feedback.
Gorgeous. I wish I could visit....I love what you've done. Beautiful photos. Thanks so much for sharing!
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Thank you so much, I am trying to improve my photography skills. So far it seems I just take hundreds of photos and eventually you end up with some good ones!
Love your photos, love your gardens and simply adore your most charming red garage and how it's so much a part of your landscape, winter or summer. Thank you for taking the time to share such a delight!
Thank you for your wonderful comments. Everyone taking the time to leave such positive comments has been very uplifting for me. It is so great to see your own garden through other people. I think we all tend to look at what can be done to improve our gardens and forget to focus on our successes.
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