A Snowy Monster and Other Things in My Garden

When I woke up yesterday morning, this is the scene that greeted me outside the front windows:

It was a perfect snow for several reasons:

1. I was off work, so I could stay home to enjoy it.

2. There was enough snow to be beautiful but not enough to block roads; so those who had to get about could do so safely, as long as they drove carefully.

3. It will all be gone soon, as spring-like weather is forecast for this weekend.

I quickly pulled on warm clothes and got my camera. I spent the next hour or so wandering around, snapping photos. I was euphoric over the snow which outlined the tree branches:

The old oak tree behind our house is a survivor. It was once a magnificent, perfectly formed tree, but its top was ripped away by the tornado that came through, exactly twenty-one years ago. I thought it would die, but it has surprised me!

I headed for the front garden, and for a moment a snowy monster gave me pause. Then I recognized an old rubber lizard, who has lived in my garden for about fifteen years. He's rather large, and the older he grows, the more life-like he becomes! Below the lizard are various garden ornaments.

Here's a scene from the lady garden. The snow brings out the lady's true nature: rampant and unruly!

And some views of the woodland garden:The tree with the birdhouse is a trident maple. Winter highlights its lovely peeling bark.

I was feeling artsy with my new camera, so I enjoyed taking shots featuring snowy patterns:

Despite the snow, I saw signs of spring, as well as the last remnants of last year's dried seeds and blossoms:After traipsing around in the snow taking all these photos, my hands were freezing! But no problem. Another nice thing about the snow is that it inspired Lou to build a fire, so this is what was waiting for me when I finally went inside:

Stay warm, and may all your monsters be made of rubber!

The Lady Garden Takes Shape

Three years ago we finally gave away the playground equipment that spread over a clearing in the woods down from the patio. There were a lot of good memories attached to those swings and slides and climbing towers, and I was sad to see them go. But now I had space for another garden, and so, like a person that gets a puppy when the old beloved pet passes away, I turned my energy and affections toward this new project.

I envisioned a formal space, or at least the best attempt at order that my topography and woodland setting would allow. I bought a large urn for the center of the clearing. That was the beginning. Then I laid flagstones on one end of the area and hired a carpenter to build an arbor over them. I put a path around the urn, and we hung a swing from the arbor. Nearby I placed a birdbath. And I added a beautiful lady head pot, which gave the garden its name. It was a great spot for relaxing amidst the trees.

Last year I bought some rocks and outlined planting areas on the four corners of the garden. I placed shrubs and perennials with the idea of creating an outdoor room. On one side I put in boxwoods, and the end opposite the arbor I outlined with tea olives. Sigh! A limited budget meant the plants had to be small. Right now the "hedges" are dots that will eventually grow together to provide a sense of enclosure.

Here are some photos of the Lady Garden, taken earlier this year:

This past week I worked to add more structure to the Lady Garden. The single row of rocks around the planting areas needed more impact, so I added additional rocks to create low walls. I extended the rocks to form another border in front of the tea olives. This rectangular bed connects the two corner planting spaces on that end of the garden.

This is what the space looks like with the new rocks and planting area:

The Lady Garden has a long way to go before it meets my vision, but the best part of a vision is the creative effort required to capture it. I am looking forward to next year and the changes it will bring.

You may also enjoy Rocking Along in the Lady Garden, A Crisis in the Lady Garden, and The Good Snake.