A Year in the Front Garden

This is the second post in my garden series to celebrate one year in the blogosphere. Today I will take you on a journey of the front garden.

In front of my house is a strip of land. It wraps around three sides of the lawn, the fourth side being the road that leads to the house. I call it the front garden, because this what I see when I walk out the front door. This is the part of our property that was almost completely destroyed by a tornado in 1990, so most of what you see has been planted since then. Once upon a time these shrubs and trees were tiny dots!

Here are seasonal photos taken across the lawn, standing on a walkway which runs between the house and the front garden:

These shots were taken from the road, viewing the front garden on the opposite side of the lawn:

Next we come to the entrance to the main part of the front garden, which is directly across the lawn from the house. This wooded area has paths meandering through that connect to the lawn in several places. There is also a path which leads to a larger trail that ultimately takes one to the lady garden. My gardens are interconnected so I can wander from area to area. I do that a lot, often with a cup of coffee in hand and, of course, my camera around my neck. So here are some images I captured of this part of the front garden over the past year.

First is the entrance to the front garden:

These photos look at the front garden from an upper corner near to the road:

From the opposite direction, here are views taken from the back side, looking towards the road:

And finally, here is the path which can take one to the lady garden:

I thank you all for your support, and I hope you have enjoyed the tour. Check back soon. There is more to come!   Deborah

You may also like:

Tornado!

A Year in the Woodlands

A Year in the Lady Garden

A Year by the Patio

A Year in the Lower Lawn and Words About Maintenance

View From My Blue Bench

It started with a hummingbird feeder, a hand blown glass orb on sale at a discount store for less than six dollars. I felt a glow of satisfaction as I paid for my bargain, then headed toward Myers Plants and Pottery. I wanted a new shepherds hook so I could hang the feeder near the patio table.

Pulling into the nursery's parking lot, I braced myself for the task at hand. Myers is to an obsessed gardener what a Ghirardelli factory is to a chocoholic, but I thought I would be okay. I knew where the shepherds hooks were, and I already had my bird feeder. I could resist temptation.

There were many new plants and garden ornaments since my last visit to Myers, and the place was a festival of colors. My heart thumped faster and my feet slowed. 

"Did you see the list of what we have on sale?" A sweet nursery worker greeted me. 

"No, no. I'm here to get a shepherds hook."

"Hostas are half price," she smiled. I'm a regular, and she knows me.

"Half price?" I gulped and my feet turned toward the hostas.

No, no! You go get that shepherds hook. You can come back another day to look at hostas.

My feet reluctantly turned in the other direction. I was going to be good. 

Then I halted in my tracks, gaping at a blue metal bench. A rush of desire obliterated all thoughts of hostas and shepherds hooks. My tongue hung out of my open mouth and my arms stretched toward the bench as its magnetic force drew me in. I stroked the cerulean colored enamel and then sat down.

"I love it!" I said aloud.

In a flash the sweet nursery worker was beside me. "It's very sturdy, and it's on sale."

"Sale?" I gasped. I was sinking, and I knew it.

No, no, no!

Somehow, I forced myself away from the blue bench. In a daze I found a shepherds hook, paid for it, and then drove home. I stumbled out of the car.

What have I done? It's the only blue one they have, and it's on sale!

"Lou," I called to my husband when I entered the house. "Myers has a blue bench, and I really, really want it!" Then I shamelessly reminded him of my upcoming birthday.

So, here is my new blue bench!I put it in the front garden, and I can imagine how beautiful it will look against the fall colors of Japanese maples and dogwoods. I can see myself in the spring time, admiring the daffodils from my blue bench, and how pleasant will be the smell of nearby dianthus and roses!

Meanwhile, it's hot August, and there's not much blooming in the front garden, except for a few pots of heat stressed annuals. The blue bench adds a splash of cool color, just when it's needed. I sat for a long time, admiring the view and snapping photos of what I see, sitting on my blue bench:

By the way, the new hummingbird feeder is hanging on the shepherds hook but so far has failed to attract any hummingbirds. They seem to prefer the gaudy plastic ones I already had.