After I posted about my landscaping adventure, several people wrote in and asked for better and larger photos.  I had some time today to take a few.  I hope you enjoy them. A shot from the driveway. In the foreground is the deciduous 'Jane' Magnolia.  It will soon have large purple flowers.   Behind it are the Ilex x 'Patriot' (hollies) which will eventually cover up the heat and air unit.  That was one of our primary goals.  You can also see in this photo the Cornus florida 'Cherokee Brave' (dogwood's) bare branches and several Nandinas both 'Gulfstream' and 'Firepower' along with Prunus laurocerasus 'Otto Luyken' (English laurels).  The laurels will have white flower spikes in the spring.  I can't wait to see all those blooms. Same garden, different angle This is another shot of the same garden from the front sidewalk.  Although she isn't a natural feature like the boulders,...

It began innocently enough.  I was out in the lower garden trying to find a spot or two to incorporate the spring vegetables.   HH offered to simply make me a new spot, but I know my limitations.  That would mean new soil, new fencing, a new raised bed.  Someday I will be old, and I won't want to take care of all this "new."  So, I was standing in the middle of one of the rectangular beds next to Rosa 'New Dawn'.  Her rampant growth looked pretty, but it had eaten the entire back fence causing it to lean.  Because of her tremendous size, she was also shading the very beds I want for my spinach, lettuce, beets, carrots, potatoes, pole beans, etc.  I took a step, and she snagged my ankle with one of her long canes making it bleed. That tore it.  I thought "Wench, you're going down."...

And, like the song goes, "to reminisce with my old friends."  When I heard about VP from Veg Plotting's meme asking for our top three to five dinner party choices, I simply had to join in. For mine, I perused my bookshelves, and I believe I've assembled an interesting list. First, I choose Russell Page.  He wrote The Education Of A Gardener (New York Review Books Classics) the year I was born, 1962, but the writing is as fresh as yesterday. We could all discuss the great country gardens he designed and all of the famous people he met over his long life. Second, how could any garden party, especially one situated in my rose garden, be complete without Graham Stuart Thomas?  Although he is best known as a rosarian, Thomas was so much more.  In my opinion, one of his best books is Colour in the winter garden, written...

Does everyone remember the straight line I had in my front garden and how much I wanted to rid myself of it?  Well, it is straight no more.  The landscaping guys came today, and they were generous and wonderful to work with.  They moved all of my beautiful deciduous shrubs to a new spot and got right to work on the gardens.  I know the photos are small, but if you hover over them and the little blue symbol, the blog will bring up a larger photo.  You can also click on them to see a larger one although it will open in the same window. After the last post, several people wondered why I hired a landscaper since I also do design work.  Sometimes, you just need to know when to ask for help.  By hiring someone who hasn't gazed upon the same two places for the last 20...