If you want to make your garden more interesting, water wise and low maintenance, look no further than gravel. Here's exactly how to garden with gravel.
I was going to write about Verbena bonariensis to sing its praises in long periods of drought and then I heard something odd. I was at a talk at the Garden Museum in London and an audience member asked/stated: "What would you say to all the male designers who always plant V. bonariensis and grasses?
Anne of Green Gables, written by Lucy Maud Montgomery and published in 1908, is the charming story of red-haired orphan named Anne Shirley. The backdrop for the classic children's book is picturesque Prince Edward Island, where the author herself grew up. In the novel, the gregarious Anne Shirley is adopted by Marilla and Mathew Cuthbert, a brother and sister who share the running of a small farm named Green Gables. A review at the time proclaimed the book "radiated happiness and optimism." Movie stills from the Anne of Green Gables a film produced and directed by Kevin Sullivan in 1985 for the CBC. It is very tempting to associate an author with the story and characters he or she creates, but in the diaries she kept from an early age, Lucy Maud described her own life as one "filled with shadows." One of Lucy Maud's earliest memories was touching her small hand to the cold cheek of her mother as she lay in her coffin. After his twenty-three year old wife died of tuberculosis, Lucy Maud's grief-stricken father abandoned his two year old daughter to the care of her maternal grandparents. He moved to western Canada where he remarried and started a second family of children. Though an attempt was made to include Lucy Maud in this new household, she clashed with her father's second wife. In the end, Lucy Maud returned to Prince Edward Island and her aging grandparents. Black and white photograph of Montgomery in front of her house in Norval dated September 18, 1932 Reference Code: F1075 Archives of Ontario, I0001763 In those days, marriage or teaching were a girl's main life choices. For a time, Lucy Maud taught in village schools in Belmont and Lower Bedeque, PEI, but after the death of her grandfather, she dutifully returned home to care for her grandmother. Writing was always a great solace for Lucy Maud. She wrote in her journals, "I cannot remember a time when I was not writing, or when I did not mean to be an author. To write has always been my central purpose around which every effort and hope and ambition has grouped itself." In 1908, Anne of Green Gables was published and was an instant success. Her grandmother passed away in 1911, and Lucy Maud was finally free to marry the Reverend Ewan MacDonald, to whom she had been secretly engaged to for five years. She was then 35 years old. Sadly, marriage did not prove to be the escape from a lonely life that Lucy Maud had hoped. Shortly after taking up the ministry at the Presbyterian churches in Norval and a nearby Glen Williams, her husband Ewan began to suffer from recurring attacks of what was viewed at the time to be “religious melancholia." Convinced that he would be doomed to damnation for his mortal sins, Ewan was unable to sleep or to preach properly. He repeatedly tried to kill himself in a series of car accidents. Keeping her husband's mental illness a secret from the congregations became a constant source of anxiety for Lucy Maud. Eventually it was necessary to have Ewan committed to a sanatorium. Hoping to avoid the scrutiny of a small town life, Lucy Maud moved to Toronto and a house which she called "Journey's End". For years, it was thought that Lucy Maud Montgomery died of congestive heart failure at the age of 67. The need to maintain family secrets eased over time and in recent years Montgomery's granddaughter Kate MacDonald Butler spoke openly about the possibility that a deeply depressed Montgomery took her own life with a prescription drug overdose. Montgomery managed to keep the long shadows of her depression a secret from the world until the posthumous publication of her journals in 1985. Her loyal readers were shocked to discover the deep sadness that pervaded the private life of their beloved author. The house where Montgomery lived can still be seen in present day Norval. Yellow Rudbeckia and blue Russian Sage in the foreground. Flowers were one of the few pleasures in Montgomery's life. In Norval, she had a kitchen garden where she grew lettuces, radishes, peas, carrots and herbs. After her writing and housework were complete, she often spent spring evenings working with gloved hands in her flower garden. It seems only fitting a garden in honour of the famous children's book author has children at its heart. Located adjacent to the public school in the small village of Norval, the Garden of the Senses uses plants and other design elements to stimulate the senses of sight, smell, hearing, taste and touch. Designed by Eileen Foley, Landscape Architect, OALA CSLA, the garden features a woodland trail, log bridge, an analemmatic sundial, children's vegetable garden, butterfly and bird garden. Yellow Rudbeckia and several varieties of Echinacea. A mix of shrubs, different ornamental grasses, Rudbeckia and Echinacea. The Spiral Garden leads visitors to a sundial at the centre of a gravel pathway. Here, the tall grasses that sway in the wind and late summer flowers are meant to appeal to senses of sight and sound. A few different varieties of Echinacea and a Maidenhair Grass, Miscanthus sinensis behind. Switch grass, Panicum virgatum with Russian Sage in the distance. Rudbeckia and a white Echinacea. Yellow Rudbeckia and Northern Sea Oat Grass, Chasmanthium latifolium The limestone patio and analemmatic sundial. The surrounding plantings appeal to our sense of touch and include soft foliage like Lamb's Ears. An analemmatic sundial reveals the changing pattern made by the Sun in the sky as seen over a period of a year. Lamb's Ears, Stachys byzantina has wonderful velvety-grey foliage. Hydrangea paniculata Daylily 'Frans Hals' Hemerocallis 'Frans Hals' has golden yellow and rusty-orange flowers. Full sun. Height: 55-60 cm (21-23 inches), Spread: 60-90 cm (23-35 inches). USDA zones: 2-9. The Scent Garden features two adjoining semi-circles and incorporates fragrant plants like lavender. The bell from the town's original school. I am not sure of the exact identity of this Veronica, so I will give you reference to one that is similar: Veronica spicata 'Royal Candles' has spikes of bright blue flowers and a medium green leaves. Remove spent blooms to encourage a second round of flowers in late summer. Full sun or light shade. Height: 20-30 cm (12-18 inches), Spread: 30-45 cm (12-18 inches). USDA zones: 2-9. A large pavilion provides shelter from the elements. A pond-less waterfall is a great option for a children's garden. A Butterfly Bush Raised beds in the children's vegetable and herb garden. Rudbeckia Colorful birdhouses and a bench from which to observe the birds making nests and raising their young. The school children must have such fun in this garden. Despite her husband's illness, Lucy Maud wrote in her journal, "I never loved any place so well except Cavendish (her home in Prince Edward Island)". I think Lucy Maud Montgomery would be proud to know that she has inspired something else that children would love. More Information and Links: Visiting the garden is free to the public. Here's a link to the Garden of the Senses website.
These pics would make any Hobbit proud, that’s for sure.
Discover creative winter garden ideas to transform your outdoor space into a frosty wonderland. Embrace the season's charm with these top tips!
Jeder braucht manchmal dem Stress und der Hektik des Alltags zu entfliehen, was am besten gelingt, wenn man die Natur und Ruhe erlebt. Dabei kann man einen Auszeit-Urlaub machen, in den Wald spazieren
If you are a happy owner of a garden, you are sure to enjoy some sunshine and fresh air right now. Have a small garden and don’t know how to design it
Porch with glider
Explore C Ames' 5868 photos on Flickr!
These gorgeous gardens -- in Italy, England, Wales and more -- feel like a deep breath.
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Explore loweryjes' 5049 photos on Flickr!
Creating an outdoor patio that's both stylish and comfortable has become one of my favorite design adventures.
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Get inspired by this post on cottage garden planning as well as ideas on how you can get this beautiful cottage look yourself!
Recently we have just bought a house, an absolute pearler of a place. Big open plan living. Amazing entertaining area. The only problem, the outdoor living space was small & I mean small. No room for a BBQ, no space to have a beer out in the beautiful sunset as it sets over the Waitakere Ran
The team behind the landscape design firm shows off their own backyards—from New York to Los Angeles—and gives us pointers for our own outdoor spaces
Bathtub Porn.
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Zu schade zum Wegwerfen: Mit unseren 10 Deko-Ideen werden ausgediente Gegenstände zu individuellen Hinguckern im Garten. Lassen Sie sich inspirieren! Ausgediente Möbelstücke, nicht mehr genutztes...
In this article, I will be sharing 35 of the best Spring porch decor ideas to inspire you and help you create a welcoming and inviting atmosphere.
On Fridays and Sundays, we typically like to do movie nights as a family here at home.
Spring has sprung!
I have never toured a garden and not taken something away from it that I want to put into practice or plant in my own garden. If you ever feel like you’re in a gardening rut, it is the single most inspirational thing you can do. The garden I visited a few weeks ago was […]
Just because you live in a tiny apartment or don’t have a glut of green space doesn’t mean you need to miss out on the magic of gorgeous green finger living. Here are our favorite indoor garden ideas and how to grow plants inside.
Mark Ridsdill Smith explains how after giving up waiting for an allotment, he began growing food on his small balcony and windowsills. The happiness he found completely changed his life
Follow @sugarspicetwins and get more of the good stuff by joining Tumblr today. Dive in!
25 beautiful garden path ideas & pro landscape design tips on easy DIY backyard walkways with gravel, brick, stepping stones, wood, pavers, or even mulch!
Because we are in the full season of outdoor settings, we suggest that you follow in this article our most beautiful ideas from natural pergolas.
Creating an outdoor patio that's both stylish and comfortable has become one of my favorite design adventures.
Inspired by happy childhood memories, designer Sophie Conran is gradually transforming her Wiltshire garden into a rural idyll, where elegant ornamental borders, gloriously overstuffed beds and a bountiful kitchen garden supply the handsome Georgian house with cut flowers and fresh produce
Wenn Sie sich zum Wintergarten Selber Machen entscheiden, dann kommen Sie zu einer der größten Verbesserungen, welche man überhaupt zu Hause unternehmen kann.
Romantic Gardens invite you in, and have the sense of timelessness and weathered beauty Evocative and poignant, they look as though they have existed forever
You could go to a scenic park or trendy rooftop bar, but your balcony gives you a great opportunity to enjoy the great outdoors without leaving your home. Plus, for most of us, it’s the one place where we can bring our personal design style outside.
[Inspiration Pinterest] Romantique et champêtre, le jardin anglais est facilement identifiable. Quelques grands principes et plantes incontournables permettent en effet de l'adopter. Contrairement à son cousin français, il apprécie les formes plus floues qui laissent place au naturel. Exit donc le buis bien taillé et les allées droites, auxquels il faut préférer les "mixed-borders" et autres sentiers sinueux. Bosquets, roses odorantes et pelouses verdoyantes peuplent cet extérieur de charme aux accents oniriques. Derrière son apparence sauvage, le jardin à l'anglaise cache pourtant une organisation et des caractéristiques précises. Toujours très vert, il intègre aussi une grande palette de fleurs colorées et odorantes, avec une préférence pour les variétés anciennes. Découvrez comment faire un jardin anglais chez vous à travers 15 inspirations.
Dreamy Bohemian Garden Spaces