Beautiful gardens! I see alot of green thumbs here. Thanks for sharing!

Jean

[quote="huggergirl"]

Evan ,sadly that is our local tV antenna,we cant get local TV on dish without paying for it,so we have a hill billy antenna on the cherry stump...LOL...I try to camo it...

I love it even more for that! So much symbolism and the convergence of form and function. Decay/rebirth, collision of the natural and artificial, tension between rectilinear and free form, and it's has function to boot. BRAVO!

Gorgeous pics Jo Ann! You may want to consider sowing your Larkspur seeds in late summer or early fall. In October I typically see a bunch of seedlings, and they grow nicely till cold weather sets in, then just sit there dormant till spring. In spring they take right off and start blooming their hearts out in June. Otherwise I'd recommend sowing them early in spring, February or March- they germinate well under cool conditions.

There are some WONDERFUL Gardens here!
Glad I found Neal's hideaway as I am getting some very nice ideas.

My Partner Robyn and I Garden on 1/8 Acre near Cincinnati, OH.
I guess we are not Cottage Gardeners in the traditional sense.
We don't have a lot of Sun or room for lots of blooming perennials/annuals.
Ours is more a blend of Cottage (in the Sunny/Partial areas), Foliage, Aquatic, Containers and Tropical rooms that are totally crammed w/ plants.
We make heavy use of under story planting and by way of containers and vines over-planting (if that is a word).
I'm happy to say that there are more than a few plants there from Neal, acquired at the DG Ohio River Valley Roundups.

Here's a few shots taken the other day.
Sorry for the mess (and untrimmed hedge).... it's been a rough year getting started w/ all the rain we've had.

Here's our front entrance/door.



Back Yard Entrance (Redbuds need to be pruned too I see....lol!)



Both our entryways are covered in Trumpet Vine.
Campsis radicans 'Flamenco' on the front door.
C. radicans 'Flava' (though it was called Apricot when I bought it) on the rear gateway.

'Cones' in the front yard.



In the back 'The Rabbit Garden'



Geranium Table.... see we do get a 'bit' of Sun back there.



Our favorite plants for filling in the low/small spots or cracks as we call them.
Purple Oxalis and Creeping Jenny 'Aurea' both hardy here.

Welcome, Ric! Your gardens are so beautiful! Love your front door and the Rabbit garden is so special!! All so inviting....

Thanks Janice!

We just got in from sitting on the Pond Deck w/ Friends and having a few cold ones.
Nice night.
There was just enough rain today to get the Tree Frogs squawking.
Unfortunately not enough rain to help the watering issue...lol!

Boardwalk to the Pond Deck....




Here's our Gnome Ladders... to the right of the Boardwalk


Black Bamboo at the head of the Boardwalk.
Gnome Ladders are behind it.
We use a lot of Bamboo..... it makes a nice evergreen screen.




Flamingo Garden

Hi henry10 Your gardens are so whimsicle and lovely. Nice use of structures for potted plants.

Super gardens, Henry ... luv the ladder and the wabbit garden ... and all the rest of it! To me, Cottage Gardens are whimsical in many ways and yours certainly qualifies.

Is the Black Bamboo fairly well behaved? I planted some clumping Golden year before last and it has taken off this year. I like the looks of the Black. If it's hardy there, it would be hardy here.

Also luv Oxalis ... one of my personal faves. Nice job! :thumbsup:

Ric, everything is looking awesome at your place! How long has it been since you've needed a lawn mower? Your trumpet vines are stunning!

On the Bamboo, Tee we are basically the same Zone... though from the use of rock as a heat sink and fences and the Bamboo as wind breaks we routinely overwinter Zone 7 w/o protection and Zone 8 w/ heavy mulching.
Here's a bad photo but it shows our 4th Summer of Canna and Colocasia esculenta (7b)


Phyllostachys nigra (Black Bamboo) is FAR better behaved than Phyllostachys aureosulcata.
What is the species name of your Golden Bamboo? I wasn't aware of any 'clumping' 'boo that aren't Tropical.
The Yellow Groove is not a clumping habit 'boo. For the first 3 years or so you are OK... then JUMP BACK JACK!
We have the Black in 1/2 _55 gallon plastic drums. With a heavy wire mesh on the drain holes.
We do get a touch of winter die back but.... takes 3 years to get the black stalks.

Great gardens there, Ric!
Who is your avatar? We had some of those stuck in our chimney once. The ensuing saga was epic!

I am going to have to hunt up the name of the bamboo. So far, so good. There is some winter dieback with it. But two clumps border an asphalt driveway so stay warmer than the other two clumps on the opposite side of the yard. They are not growing as fast as the driveway Boo. Plus a lot of competition from old tree roots over there.

What is the height of the Phyllostachys nigra?

I overwinter zone 7 also and some things a bit higher. They argue all the time about whether our area is 6b or 7a. Whatever ... I overwinter canna, musa basjoo and Colocasia with about 6" of straw mulch on top.

Got this canna shot in the early morning dew today.


This is our second year here and second year for the new EE and shade bed. I only lost one big EE this year. It made it through the winter just fine and then rotted when the seasonal creek behind kept rising up into the yard during a very wet Spring.

A few days late looking in, but all of these gardens are welcoming and beautiful and fun. Tamara, I really like the Rudbeckias. Not yet been able to get them that large here, but then I also don't water a lot.

Ric, the wire running through the ladders? Is that to keep them closed or secure to the tree or...? Love the gnomes.

Ric, what great sanctuaries! Like taking a stroll thru the rain forest. I keep waiting to see a monkey pop it's head out and start playing with your masked bud. You know that feeling you used to get as a kid from watching those Disney forest scenes?

Great gardens & pictures of same.

Hello!
Just stopping by to admire all of your gardens! Beautiful!

2 baby wrens in this house on our deck have grown so quickly. Now they are sticking their heads out.

They are in the house on the right. looks like they are being fed by a male and female.

Neal and Jo Ann Thanks!

Structure and Whimsy..... well that's basically where we let out our Artistic side.
I've many photos of our little 'quirks'.
If a Garden isn't fun, to us, then it isn't Gardening.
We VERY much appreciate Formal Gardens and the work involved.... but that ain't us....lol!
I feel a Garden should reflect the Gardener.
As Neal knows about us we are all about having a good time.
ANY Gardening is of course a lot of hard work. But for us it's time that passes in the blink of an eye.
All the structures, except the Main House, were built by us DIY on a VERY low budget.
Most of the materials for the Garden Art we did is bought 2nd hand or scrounged, borrowed or donated.

Lawns Neal....LOL!
I grew up cutting lawns and shoveling snow for spending money.
Vowed never to do it again if I could help it.
We have no Lawn and no Sidewalks or Driveway.
You have given me an idea for a new piece of Garden Art though.... now I just need an old push type mower......

Here's a piece we're working on currently.
It hangs on the room we built over the last 3 years.
The windows we bought 5 for 20 bucks at a reclaimed shop.
The glass we will probably replace w/ stained glass.
Lower left planter...dumpster.
Hanger...Robyn's creation.


There's another I'm working on w/ the same windows called tentatively.
A Terrarium gone Horribly Wrong.......



Ric

I just had to check out all the photos and posts on this thread! What an amazing array of gardens! Beautiful every single one of them! I love the whimsy that Ric has created in his! Love that ladder and also the Terrarium gone Horribly Wrong!