Sunday, June 23, 2013

The Gardens of October... Can You Name Private Gardens?

Can you name a private garden?  Seems somewhat haughty....I think I am just giving it a theme.  Some people have ranch's that they name....so why not a garden? One day I want to name mine to be called "The Gardens of October.  I mentioned that in a previous post.  Someone said you could, absolutely....

Why, the Gardens of October?  Because I love October to be honest.  My gardens were never prettier.
Here are some pictures of last year.






I have good elements for it.
  • A creek


  • A cemetery next door

  • Spanish Moss


  • A swamp (I don't have a picture)
  • Bats (it's hard to take pictures of bats)...I call them all Milo though.  I always seem them at dusk. Would like bat houses.
  • A love for "spooky" things.  I lived in Louisiana for at least a quarter of my childhood.
  • Oh and did I mention I love October.
So if that is what I will call them one day, then I will gear toward blooms for that month.  Although, wouldn't it be neat to have beds for each specific month? Next year, I am doing the huge peacock topiary but the area is approx 2 to 3 acres, with three spigots and of course the creek runs the whole property.  That is something to consider.


5 comments:

Jean Campbell said...

People do name their gardens. I just name the areas: Upper Garden, Fiesta Border, Red Bed, Farm Shop Rose Bed, Ruins Beds.

Some areas/beds do look better some months than others. Azaleas are a good example. Most of the year they are just evergreen background. For 3 weeks in early Spring they are Fairyland.

It takes careful planning to make sure each major area has something to draw the eye in different seasons. For me, the hardest part is discipline to not stick in something just because there is an empty space and courage to take out things that were a mistake.

Cerberus German shepherds said...

Nell, do you do areas in respect to blooming time? In other words do you group spring bloomers, and summer bloomers...or do you make beds with both? As the garden expands, I know that I am only one person. So a great deal of it, will be ornamentals..such as crepe myrtles, camellias, etc. I would love 15 acres of roses but I would need 20 gardeners for that.

HolleyGarden said...

Love the name The Gardens of October. Definitely name your garden! And October would be a great month for your garden to shine. The roses will be on their fall flush. You could also do some fall blooming plants, or have plants with beautiful fall foliage. I've always loved fall, too. Have fun planning it!

Jean Campbell said...

You need a plan, Janie.

My goals are fragrance, blooms and color in every season. You know how Tara writes about having an axis? Have something at the end of where you are looking, worth seeing, in every season.

I was thinking today about the guy in Louisiana who advocated circles for laying out a garden. I have many circles, so I can look a little to the right or to the left depending on the season. Example: right now from my side door the view is of a huge pink crape myrtle in bloom. In the fall, I'll look a little farther to the left toward a white Camellia sasanqua. After Christmas I'll be looking a little more to the right to see a Camellia japonica in bloom. In early spring, it was a Loropetalum that is just behind the Crape Myrtle whose sculptural limbs are bare then. None of this was a conscious plan on my part except the last two.

Just look at what you have and add to it -- in some cases, subtract. Don't plan for more than you can take care of.

Cerberus German shepherds said...

Agreed, Nell. The back had a plan, sort of...that is why I am more cautious with some areas (i.e. front field). When the irrigation system goes in, life will be soo much easier. This garden kinda ran away with me. I set a deadline for August 1 it being completed (completed as in screen, mulched, automatically irrigated.) After this weekend it will seem to be a reality. It was the closing nursery (and the opportunity) that kind of made things go in a different direction. Next year, I have only one thing on the agenda (as of now)....the peacock. One perfect, huge, magnificent topiary