There is nothing like visiting the garden of a friend, especially when that friend is one you don’t get to hang out with all the time. It was a thrill to finally see Rebecca Sweet’s garden a couple of weeks ago while at Garden Bloggers’ Fling in San Francisco. I’ve been traveling for two weeks, and I didn’t take my laptop with me to Fling. I decided just to use my ipad. It worked for everything except posting on the blog. I have a complicated password to the blog’s dashboard, and I’d forgotten it. Ah, life in 2013.
I’ve tried all morning to remember when Rebecca Sweet went from being an online acquaintance to a friend I’ve had coffee with, and to someone I trust when I have a question about gardening in the middle of California. When we finally met in person a couple of years ago, I felt like we’d known each other forever.
It was a joy to see her lovely home, meet her husband and check out all of her special touches throughout her back and front gardens. I so like the word garden better than yard, don’t you?
Rebecca has a small garden space within which to work, and her story of how her childhood home became her current one is fascinating. She has an office I found myself coveting. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a space where I could be alone and write? Good grief, what am I thinking? I still have two children at home full-time, along with a college student home this summer. There is nowhere I can hide.
Just kidding. Sorta.
So, here in photos is Rebecca’s garden. It was so hot in California that day it felt like a bad-ass, Oklahoma summer day. I’m not kidding. By the time we reached Rebecca’s house, I was roasted, toasted and fried from the heat. After two weeks in California–where it eventually became cool–I’m finally back in my own state where it’s now hot too. Here, hot feels summer-normal, but I wish I could go back to Rebecca’s house, sit and have a cup of coffee with her in that shady space. Here, Jeannie Hanson and Victoria Summerley share a moment in the shade.
I must say as much as I enjoyed California’s middle section and even points north, there is no place like home. Just ask Rebecca.
Just saw this! Oh, you captured this enchanting garden so well. It was my favorite garden of all. And I’m so impressed with your gorgeous photographs, despite the heat.
What a lovely garden! I’d like to know how she gets her hydrangeas to look so full and pretty. Mine are droopy.
Dee I enjoyed your take on this lovely garden. It has been too hot here and tropical…our gardens do feel like home!
I love Helen’s candor! I can’t imagine my garden without that horrid spiky stuff, but viva la difference. Wonderful post, Dee.
Wow, that office space is drool-worthy! I do have a hobby room all to myself, but it sure doesn’t look anything like that. I dearly love blue hydrangeas since my alkaline soil produces only pink. And a bush of that size? Wow, beautiful.
Sweet indeed! I surely missed a great garden this year…Thank you Dee for sharing Rebecca’s garden. Her office is delightful. gail
Love, love Rebecca’s office! I’ve been looking forward to reading some posts on this year’s Fling–sounds like you visited some amazing gardens.
Wow, Dee – and everyone – I am so, so flattered. I felt so awful that the heat was making everyone feel so ‘uncomfortable’ (understatement of the year) and am smiling ear to ear right now to hear that even so, you were still able to enjoy my little paradise. Oh, how I wish you could all come back right now and we could sit out on my patio (where its only 75 degrees with a slight breeze), sip margaritas and have a good, long chat. Hugs and kisses to everyone. And thank you again, Dee, for such a sweet post (with awsome photos, to boot!) XOXO – Rebecca
How wonderful to visit the garden of someone you met online and became friends with. I enjoy garden tours and go whenever I can. I have been going to regional daylily meetings for the last few years and they have allowed me to see a lot of different gardens. I usually come home with at least a few ideas of things I would like to try.
There’s nothing better than visiting a friend’s garden, unless it’s a friend who has exceptional taste and design sense, as Rebecca does. I loved her garden. And I’m envious that you’ve already gotten your first Fling post up. I keep trying today, but it just hasn’t happened yet.
Rebecca’s garden was a general favourite, I think. But now I want to know the fascinating story of how her childhood home became her current one! Do tell.
Beautiful garden and I love that office too. Thanks for introducing me to a new blog too. Don’t you hate passwords?
Sorry to miss the Fling again this year…too many summer-time commitments as usual. Glad to hear everyone had a great (though hot) time!
It was nice to visit a garden that did not require fabulous wealth to establish or maintain. Very family friendly and beautiful it was.
It was a lovely garden, and I really wish it had been a cooler day. I was fried too. I think we all practically lined up to get that exact same shot of the interior of her wonderful shed/office.
I’m sure we did too. Wasn’t it simply lovely? I think many of us took the same shots. The garden isn’t super large, and we were all very hot and tired. One day, I’d like to go back and spend some time really looking.~~Dee
Her garden is proof you don’t need a ton of space to create something beautiful! It sounds like you had a fantastic two weeks away!
So true Karen. So true.
I loved her garden also…it really was a beautiful spot.
Yes, just like her personality. I’m so glad we got to visit it together.
This garden is truly a respite from the outside world. It even felt cool there on that hot day. Perhaps it was the watermelon, the garden and the company which overshadowed the oppressive heat. Your words brought back a delightful memory.
It did. One of the coolest gardens we visited that day.~~Dee
Rebecca’s garden was the one I felt most at home in. I suppose it was the lawn and perennial planting and none of that horrid spiky stuff we were to see the next day.
No spikes!!!
Wow, I would never have the guts to refer to those succulents as “horrid spiky stuff”. Too scared they’ll come and poke at me with their spikes. I just tell myself I can appreciate them as long as they are not in my own garden.
I’m going to ignore these comments disparaging spikes because I like you both (Dee and Helen) and want to keep on liking you…