Walking up to this, the The Melody Garden, I couldn't help but fantasize about that tangerine house as the back-drop to my garden rather than the hideous split wall of taupe and burnt-brick that I have to look at. Oh how wonderful that would be...
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The official scoop on the garden from it's owner: "My garden was born eight years ago, when Michael Schuster of Orient Drive Landscaping transformed a bleak weed-scape into a place of year-round interest with contouring and naturalistic planting and rockwork. The front now provides screening from the street. In back there are flower beds and a fish pond, set off by the lawn. I have fun modifying and adding to my yard with on-going experiments. It is now my own little world which I enjoy sharing with other garden geeks."
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There were two features of this garden which really stood out to me.
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The first was this island in the middle of the front garden. After you climbed the steps from street level the pathway split and you were forced to go left or right around the island bed. I liked that, of course just because I liked it doesn't mean I got a great photo of it.
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The plantings were dense (a good thing) and while a few plants jumped out at me as interesting there were many that my eyes just glossed over. The Mahonia eurybracteata is particularly handsome and I wish I would have paid more attention to that gorgeous tree (Arbutus?) in the background.
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If your wondering about the wet look to the garden this tour was on June 28th and a little rain did fall that afternoon.
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I resisted the urge to snack on the pineapple guava (Acca sellowiana) flower, seems like that would be bad form...
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Another striking Mahonia, M. gracilipes...
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Okay another style question for you. How do you feel about labels on plants in private gardens? Obviously these are a step above leaving the plastic nursery tag visible but still I find them very distracting and have me feeling a bit like I'm shopping rather than appreciating a garden.
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A pond VERY close to the house. I can just hear my husband saying "that seems like a bad idea"...
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The second feature that stood out to me in this garden was the fact there were gardens on both sides of the home. So often one side is given over to the driveway and garage, but this lot was sandwiched between two streets allowing for the garage entrance to be at the back of the property, kind of like an alley but not creepy like one.
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And just like that here we are back in the front garden and looking at that center island I mentioned (as well as the fabulous house next door)...
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All material © 2009-2014 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.
The official scoop on the garden from it's owner: "My garden was born eight years ago, when Michael Schuster of Orient Drive Landscaping transformed a bleak weed-scape into a place of year-round interest with contouring and naturalistic planting and rockwork. The front now provides screening from the street. In back there are flower beds and a fish pond, set off by the lawn. I have fun modifying and adding to my yard with on-going experiments. It is now my own little world which I enjoy sharing with other garden geeks."
There were two features of this garden which really stood out to me.
The first was this island in the middle of the front garden. After you climbed the steps from street level the pathway split and you were forced to go left or right around the island bed. I liked that, of course just because I liked it doesn't mean I got a great photo of it.
The plantings were dense (a good thing) and while a few plants jumped out at me as interesting there were many that my eyes just glossed over. The Mahonia eurybracteata is particularly handsome and I wish I would have paid more attention to that gorgeous tree (Arbutus?) in the background.
If your wondering about the wet look to the garden this tour was on June 28th and a little rain did fall that afternoon.
I resisted the urge to snack on the pineapple guava (Acca sellowiana) flower, seems like that would be bad form...
Another striking Mahonia, M. gracilipes...
Okay another style question for you. How do you feel about labels on plants in private gardens? Obviously these are a step above leaving the plastic nursery tag visible but still I find them very distracting and have me feeling a bit like I'm shopping rather than appreciating a garden.
A pond VERY close to the house. I can just hear my husband saying "that seems like a bad idea"...
The second feature that stood out to me in this garden was the fact there were gardens on both sides of the home. So often one side is given over to the driveway and garage, but this lot was sandwiched between two streets allowing for the garage entrance to be at the back of the property, kind of like an alley but not creepy like one.
And just like that here we are back in the front garden and looking at that center island I mentioned (as well as the fabulous house next door)...
All material © 2009-2014 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.