The garden with the cool chairs (and urns)…

Let’s face it. I’m drawn to plants that are (for the most part) little iffy to overwinter even in my USDA Zone 8 garden. So traveling to Toronto, Ontario, where winter is a reality and snow happens (they’re a USDA 5-6 depending) chances are I wasn’t going to be wowed by the plant palette. I was going to have to look a little deeper…

My posts on this year’s Fling are no doubt going to be out of order and not terribly quick in coming, it takes me time to process it all! I wanted to start with this garden because it really intrigued me. It had some nice solid plants, but nothing high on the WOW meter. The design elements are what really stood out to me, starting at the front of the property.

So, in a neighborhood where this…

And this…

And this, seemed to be the norm...

This really made a statement…

Its purpose is to deter the neighborhood dogs, but wow it looks good doing it don’t you think?

Here's a small sampling of what the fence was protecting.

I had a feeling this garden was going to be interesting.

Walking up the drive towards the house I got a little peek-a-boo view.

Still not getting the entire picture...

Closer...

Simple

And just little "odd," which is how I like it! (does anyone really sit in that chair?)...

Someone sits in these chairs. In fact I took a moment to enjoy the one on the left.

Matching, but not all matching.

Besides a plethora of cool chairs there were also many cool cement/stone planters.

The ultra-modern chairs where a great compliment to the classical planters.

The must be fish in there that need protecting?

You know I do love a pop of orange.

Here's the house. I didn't get a chance to ask, but I bet the lath-like wall encloses a sleeping porch?

Actually maybe I didn't ask because I didn't want to be told that wasn't the case.

There was ample use of Hakonechloa throughout the garden, I do love that grass - and you don't see the solid, darker green, version much anymore.

This scene greets you as you enter the back garden.

And overhead - a great old street lamp...

I heard more than one person say something to the effect "I doubt they even use this space, with such a beautiful, private, space out front."...what!? Of course they use this space!

In my (overactive) imagination the doors at the top of the stairs (above) open off the kitchen and this is the perfect area to enjoy a peaceful cup of coffee in the morning. There were chairs flanking this planter (birdbath?) - but I didn't include them, instead I wanted you to focus on the details here.