Finally!

Alliums etc. this spring

It was a long wait but spring finally came. The past month has been filled with moving perennials, tending seedlings, sowing seeds, filling planters etc. The next few months will be filled with cutting back, deadheading, weeding and battling pests. The fun never ends! I really mean it. It is all fun. That's why I do it. 

The Joy of Gardening

Our yard would look perfectly fine with a neatly mowed lawn, some low maintenance shrubs and a couple of garden center planters on the deck. But what fun would that be? Gardening gets me outside, and keeps me moving. It fills my need to be creative. It keeps me constantly learning, reading, researching and communicating with other gardeners. The beautiful plants and produce we enjoy as a result of my efforts are just a bonus!

Produce from a previous year!

Garden Inspiration

Every garden has its practical considerations. What kind of soil do you have? How much sunlight? Size? Pests? Seasonal temperatures? The list goes on. In spite of our limitations, however, we all need to be inspired whether it's a browse through a gardening magazine, admiring a neighbour's spring display of azaleas in bloom, or following a favorite You Tube gardener. 

I couldn't wait until the first episode of this season's Gardener's World aired on BBC. For me it is an hour of awe and relaxation. In the beauty of the English gardens, naturally weeks ahead of us, I always come away with loads of inspiration. I love the natural look of the English borders and the way many gardeners do so much with even the smallest of spaces. The wildness of a cottage garden with additions of quirky structures, paths and secret sitting areas make me smile. While the complete look may not be for me, the influence remains and elements are already showing up in my garden beds.

Image from Gardener's World

Besides Monty Don and the gardeners he features on Gardener's World, I also love Claus Dalby's magnificent use of multiple containers and Linda Vater's boxwoods and topiaries. Just "Google" these names and you can view lots of wonderful inspiration or follow them on Instagram!

Clause Dalby's beautiful container display

Linda Vater and her lovely topiaries and boxwoods

Garden Beds

I love the English "look" of cramming garden beds with perennial plants that take their turn giving a star performance. However, I try to go a bit easy on the "cramming". The garden is always evolving and there is constant dividing and rearranging .... just like the furniture and accessories in your living room. That's what makes it fun!

My back flower bed. I am working on having something in flower throughout the season. As the foxgloves, dianthus and peonies fade, the astilbe, rose campion and sedum will be in full bloom. Cleome, black-eyed susans and liatris will take over later in August. (As long as the deer don't have them for supper!)

 

Containers!

While I don't come close to Clause Dalby's container displays, I've been in the habit of making little groupings of similar plants or containers. The advantage of a container is that when the plant in it fades, it can be replaced with something new and fresh. I have a habit of using perennials in containers. They may not be a showy as annuals but a variety of foliage with contrasting colour and texture can be just as interesting..... and since they're divisions of existing plants, they're free!

Topiaries and Potagers

This spring I happened upon Linda Vater's You Tube channel and have been impressed by her lovely boxwoods and topiaries. I dug up a boxwood that was hidden away beside the house for several years, and put it in a pot with plans to turn it into a topiary. I hacked away at it, trimming the center stalk with a clump of foliage left at the top. It looks pretty sad, but I'm hopeful that it will fill out ... we will see! I saved the trimmings to propagate and increase my boxwood family .... again, "we will see"! 

It looks sad, I know, but the plan is to let it fill out and keep trimming until it turns into something that resembles a topiary. LOL! 

 

I also love Linda's potager garden. "Potager" is the French word for kitchen garden and it is a garden that combines vegetables and herbs with ornamental plants and flowers using garden design principles. In other words it is supposed to be pretty as well as practical. You can find her book on Amazon and Chapters.

A small beginning potager by my back door with netting to keep out the deer.

I've been having great fun watching Linda Vater's videos. Not only does she offer great gardening ideas, but she has great tips on home decor, thrifting, and fashion. In several episodes, before she begins her talk on gardening, she describes her outfit and where she found each piece that she has on. I love her style and she always looks great! 

Linda Vater's You Tube Channel

I was excited to see these foxgloves appear and look forward to new arrivals as the summer progresses!