You DO have the talent! Your garden is stunning, and I particularly love the seating. What an absolutely welcoming place. You have chosen such beautiful plants and placed them so well!

I hope that you don't mind...I enjoyed your entire album! You are very gifted for both garden design, and also the interior. Have you considered doing a website? When I am looking for a professional, I often Google it first, then look in the phone book, etc. You could list your site on your cards, also....your work "shows" so well that I would bet you would have people wanting you to help with decorating, and also with their garden design. Bill Eubanks (in Memphis) is often consulted for both. I will post his site on the Conversations forum, in our "Decorator" thread.

Thank you so much for posting your lovely album---you are truly such an inspiration to me!

~Andrea

Great photos Liz! I love gardening too, so I really enjoyed your garden pictures.

Kathy

Okay, I got a few together. It has my daughter and husband from prom last year, and a couple of others from prom to show a little bit of my yard. She decided all her friends were coming to my house for pictures, and of course, all their parents were there to.

I relabeled them so you'll know what rooms they are.

Let me know if the link doesn't work. I marked it "public" so it should be okay.

Kathy

Here is a link that might be useful: Kathy's Home & Garden

Honey, your home is just lovely! What a beautiful garden! You must have worked many years on it...it looks so established, and professional!

Your home is so very pretty, and quite welcoming. I loved the colors you chose, and especially love the fabric in your kitchen, and the saying in your den (perfect!). You have done such a good job, and should be very proud!

You also have a beautiful family! I love seeing the family pictures!

Thanks so much for sharing your home and family with us.

~Andrea.

Kathy,
I just took another look at your lovely photos (replied previously in the other thread.)

Love the screened porch. Just noticed that was 'Dad' in the photo. Thought it was the boyfriend. Very cute.

Could you share what color is in the Living room and kitchen? Nice and warm looking. The bay window treatment - did you have those custom made?
Thanks...
Liz

Liz,

You should be so proud of the level of design and maintenance you have achieved. Please tell me you have two full-time gardeners on staff so I won't feel so inferior.

Both of you, what great gardens! I wish I had that kind of a green thumb! Both of you should be proud of the care you've taken to create homes that reflect your personal style.

Thank you both for the kind words. My husband and I are self-employed so that helps give us more time to "putz" around and take advantage of good weather. Plus I hate gyms so it's a good substitute for a "work-out".

Actually, perennials once established are relatively easy to care for, and the nice thing is you can divide them to create new planting areas for free.

Beautiful gardens! Do you suppose I could copy those pics, have them enlarged and laminate to plywood? Then I would just place them around my house --- ta da ---- instant garden. lol

Thanks Karen..What a coincidence...I just read your post on the other thread and replied to it and here you are posting to me at the same time. Karma or what?

I'm flattered...I would love it if you copied them and the pictures brought you joy.

Its not that hard to create your own small planting area. I had never worked with perennials before this house and its pretty easy to do. Once they are established they come up year after year. They have a way of creeping into your soul and I find the connection with nature to be very spiritual. I know it might sound funny, but I am really 'attached' to my plants.

I have found that same thing....the spirituality of gardening, and the cyclical nature of the seasons. There is something therapeutic about getting your hands dirty, and letting your mind wander. I went through some rough times during the past years, and I found comfort in knowing that no matter what happened, the forsythia would bloom in February here, the azaleas in April, the daylillies in late May/early June. The cycle would continue, and somehow that meant to me that I would "make it through."

I didn't mean to butt in...I was just touched by your statement.

~Andrea

Andrea,
You are the reason this whole thread started...of course you're not butting in :-) we are all one big happy family here

I know just what you mean about the cycles of the seasons. It is very therapeutic and I think we need to be connected with nature as we used to be. I'm glad it helped you through tough times.

In fact in one of my decorating courses, "Elements and Principles of Design", it talks about things like line, form, color, texture, pattern, light and space. These all exist in nature and that decorating is a way of surrounding ourselves with imitations of objects and things we learned from the natural world. We now find comfort in them and hence want to "bring the outdoors in" too. Its an interesting concept that really made sense to me when I read it.

What a treat to see some of your talents showcased on the web!
I love all the different shades of green perennials, especially the 'Sum and Substance' hosta! :)

I should disclose that I am Liz's son, we bought that hosta many years ago, and I am glad to see it come back year after year under her competent care. Hopefully I can get a cutting for our home someday! :)

I am also glad for these forums and the encouragement and new ideas that they bring!

Anyway, I'm off to the Tool Shed forum :) Bye for now.

Well, I should think that after that compliment to your Mom - she should give you more than just "a cutting"!

Seems like Liz did a good job with more than just her hostas! : )

Kathy

It is so nice to *meet* you!...we adore your mother, and you seem like a great son! I agree that she is very talented, and she's also a very sweet and supportive lady.

I would have to agree with Kathy about Liz's propogating abilities...she is obviously a woman of many talents! ;)

Andrea

Jason,
Awww...thank you. That really means a lot to me and I'm glad you stopped by and took a peek :-) We will definitely help you adopt some hosta babies this spring! We have to keep them in the family!
PS. I didn't even know there was a Tool Shed here...

Kathy and Andrea...
I'm touched. You are both so sweet. At the risk of sounding like a proud 'mama', I must admit he is a real gem. But I can't take all the credit. There really was a village....

So beautiful and welcoming! I wanted to sit and have a sip of lemonade.

thanks mona...I wish we could have a big garden party and invite everyone from Gardenweb. It'd be nice to meet in person. And instead of a food dish, we all have to bring one decorating tip to share!

Beautiful LizH ...I think paying as much attention to the outside of the home is as important as the inside. You did a wonderful job of making your outside warm and inviting. A lovely place to come home too.

Joann

Thanks joann,

I totally agree with you, bringing the indoors and outdoors together is so rewarding, and you are the voice of experience. You're gardens are beautiful! I have always enjoyed pictures of your talents for creating spaces, both inside and out.

Hello Liz.
WE have the same taste in gardens. I am hopeing that you can give me some pointers. First have you found that the ferns have a tendency to drown out other plants, I made the mistake of planting before the ferns came up one year and they over grew the plants and killed them. Keeping it looking natural looking has been my goal. Also I have a problem with it sometimes flooding in the back, so the swing is in a low area that the water drains from the right into a pipe that goes around the pond into a hole with a pump that pumps out the excess water.We have added many truck loads of dirt to bring up the level of the yard so I do not have a pond in the back yard when we have many rains. The soil next to the fence is higher then in the front.
I cannot do my border as you have done due to the roots of the tree in the pic with the bird bath. Any sujestions on that. Please take a look at my pics and tell me if you see anything I can add. The garden with the cement bench is my new one this year, so it is still in the not so full stage, oh and tree with the big black spot, the tree removers did that last year when they took down two big pine tress in front of there.I know I need a wall that hides all of hubbys junk behind the big garage shop he has...lol Oh and what kind of grass do you grow there, I am struggling with that every year.

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Hi TinyLady,

What a beautiful yard you have! You're right - we do have very similar tastes and we've used a lot of the same plantings. I love how you've incorporated a lot of different seating and the little bridge is so nice :-)

Let's see if I can answer some of your questions.

TL: "First have you found that the ferns have a tendency to drown out other plants, I made the mistake of planting before the ferns came up one year and they over grew the plants and killed them."

Liz: I find the Ostrich Ferns do spread quickly by runners and tend to crowd out other plants but you can dig many of them up and move to other locations. Also ferns are good for give aways or perennial exchanges. We do have to thin them out regularly but they are shallow and easy to dig up and move.

Other ferns don't go as wild. We have a wood fern that stays contained and a Japanese fern that doesn't spread. I am also going to look into Maidenhair fern. So it depends on the variety as to whether they are invasive or not.

Also I like to plant the Ostrich ferns with Large hostas and other plants rather than just group them together en masse. Just my own preference but I like them better mixed in with other low lying round or spreading things. Then the fern gives the vertical lines to the design.

TL: "Keeping it looking natural looking has been my goal. Also I have a problem with it sometimes flooding in the back, so the swing is in a low area that the water drains from the right into a pipe that goes around the pond into a hole with a pump that pumps out the excess water.We have added many truck loads of dirt to bring up the level of the yard so I do not have a pond in the back yard when we have many rains. The soil next to the fence is higher then in the front."

Liz: As far as the flooding,sorry but I'm not that familiar with it since our yard is very sandy and tends to be on the dry side. Maybe someone over in the Landscape Design area with low lying terrain experience would have some suggestions.
TL: "I cannot do my border as you have done due to the roots of the tree in the pic with the bird bath. Any suggestions on that."

Liz: We have tons of tree roots too. I know my husband used a small roto tiller to cultivate the beds prior to any planting. I think that allowed him to put the edging there. We did this all ourselves to save money. We are currently digging up a lot areas since the grass won't grow and he is roto tilling again. This really helps deal with the roots. You can get rid of quite a few little roots and it won't hurt the tree. Your border looks quite nice though as it is. Very natural.

TL: "Please take a look at my pics and tell me if you see anything I can add."

"I know I need a wall that hides all of hubbys junk behind the big garage shop he has..."

Liz: I really like the fence you have now. It looks very natural and a good backdrop for plants. You could put another small fencing area like it to screen the garage or some type of lattice fencing. Since there is a lot of open space there,I would plant some flowering shrubs in front as a decorative backdrop... I like PJM Rhododendron, Deciduous azalea (yours is very pretty), or viburnum. They grow well in woodland settings.

TL: "Oh and what kind of grass do you grow there, I am struggling with that every year."

Liz: Yes like I mentioned above, we have given up on grass in certain areas. My DH seeds every year and then it just turns bare and scraggly and gets muddy so this year we dug out big areas of grass and are expanding the beds. I'll post new pics when we're done.

I really like what you have done so far. My only suggestion would be to do the same thing...if the grass won't grow you can't fight Mother Nature :-). Just roto till the grass areas and expand the plantings. The perennials are so much easier to grow than grass. I love how you can just split everything without having to buy new.

I really like the blue hostas I added. I like the color especially when I mix with the blue & gold striped variety. These aren't in my pics, they are in another area but I like some blue in addition to all the green. Some plants in addition to hostas and ferns, that do really well in our yard are bleeding heart, coral bells and astilbe. The astilbe love moisture and would look outstanding in your yard. I couldn't tell if you already had them,but if not, try them. I am also experimenting Lamium to see how it does.

Oh and hyacinths, daffodils and tulips, I love these. If you don't have any you should definitely plant some. They look great in the woodland and the nice thing is the hostas and pernennials hide all the ugly brown leaves when the tulips, etc. start to die off. They are great! Try Brecks online for ordering.

I think your yard is wonderful and you must really enjoy it. Nice chatting with you. Do post more pics as the garden grows!

Thank you so much Liz. I will post more as I go. I was on a slump for a while and did not feel like planting anything.( I think I wore myself out...lol) I had to get inspired again. I am thinking of more beds again. Oh yes I do have bleeding hearts. Last year was my first year trying them and I was tickled pink when I saw them come up this year, so I am adding more.Also I am finding that columbine does well. I will post some pics of that soon.
Keep in touch, I would love to see more pics.

Marie

Nice stuff. From one shade gardener to another. Here in the East, my hostas are just emerging, thus have not taken any pics just yet,......but there's enough shade garden shots to keep this thread "in line"

http:/tk154.photosite.com

The gardens (it was all grass) are but 7 years old when we first bought the place and this small lot (1/2 acre) had many oaks in the 80' class.

Paradise Waits

Birdsong,
Your photos are gorgeous! I just went through the one album but I kept thinking you must be a landscape designer or something. Plus I love how the flowers are all 'framed' on the photo site.

Like I mentioned to tinylady, we're doing some more beds, so I'll have to go and study your other albums in detail.

Thanks for sharing!

My new pics of my gardens in full growth, are posted under, I am new to this site, from gloucester county.

Beautiful garden photos. We are a little behind in our gardening this year but catching up nicely. As a matter of fact it it warms up a little more this afternoon, I may take some new photos.
Birdsong I read your page, we are long time backyard birders, and maintain a certified backyard wildlife habitat. Our red headed woody's call to us each morning to fill the feeders. I make a mix of feed they love.
Liz, I hope you don't mind me hyjacking your gardening thread, birding is a passion of ours.
Are any of the gardeners into container gardening?
A couple of years ago we started growing Lotus in containers (that we buried ground level) and it was wonderful. It does take some effort to keep the containers filled with water, but well worth it.
Joann

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Bad Hair Day!
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American Goldfinches, The singing birds.

Joann,
Of course I don't mind, I love seeing all the photos and hearing about what everyone is doing with the yard.

Those bird pictures are wonderful. I can see why they love coming to visit you!

I LOVE your garden especially the seating areas you have around the yard, they are so inviting!

Here are some of my favorite spots in our garden. My husband built all of the arbors and fences and brick walks and I do the gardening. It's so much fun, and we've gotten so much inspiration from the garden forums.

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karenforroses, thank you for posting your beautiful garden pics. They brought a tear to my eye. :) My grandfather's garden had much the same look; he built swings and obelisks for his rose garden, and it was like a storybook setting in which to play as a child. Your pictures brought back many memories for me (and gave me inspiration for today!).

Thanks, Southernheart. I'm so glad our garden brought you those wonderful memories. We take care of our 2 little granddaughters 3 days a week and often, when I'm in the garden with them, I think about how we are making memories. My husband made most of the fences, arbors and obelisks, but my father, who is gone now, made all the bird houses, so his spirit lives on in the garden too.

Karen, I love that there is so much "family" in your garden. I can tell that it is very special to you and your talented husband, and it is definitely something that your lucky granddaughters will carry with them...and to me, that is what is really is about.