Glimpses of the New Garden

Starting a garden from scratch was something I looked forward to and dreamed about since we purchased the property in 1999. It was an opportunity to plant what I love, instead of working around an existing landscape. At first, it was a bit overwhelming as I tried to decide what kind of garden I wanted. My mind would jump from one area of the yard to another as a plan began to sprout in my head.

The front yard was, of course, the first place I started. As the builder was putting the finishing touches on the inside, I was busy outside placing plants in the ground...many of which I rooted or divided from my existing garden.

This sunny little spot is between the driveway and the walkway to the front door. It's a hot area, so it needs some tough...but pretty...plants. Rosemary, sagos, Indian blanket flowers, succulents and pentas join forces with a handful of rocks, that my mother collected from other states on family vacations, to form a small rock garden.

This is a view of the same flowerbed as seen a little further up the walkway. To the right of the sagos (babies from my mother's garden) are two Knock-out roses. There are 7 in this color altogether in the frontyard. This bed is bordered with Society garlic from my sister's garden.

Because the front yard is large, I picked bold colors...reddish orange, yellow and purple. This is a picture...from this past spring...of the bed along the front of the house. The beautiful pot (a gift from my mom) of bromeliads is surrounded by Indian hawthorne and fashion azaleas. And, the piece de resistance is the gorgeous yellow tabebuia tree.

The backyard has two large Live oak trees, so lighter colors were my choice back here. The west side of the backyard is a white garden...I've always wanted a white garden. However, hard as I try, I've not been able to be a purist. Some blue...at certain times of the year...has crept into this garden, as well as Miss Muffet caladiums. I should have planted white caladiums here, but I moved Miss Muffet here from my existing garden.

This back corner section of the garden is alight in white...Acoma crape myrtle and variegated ornamental grass. Other white plants include: sombreuill...white French rose, white guara, var. castiron, soft gray English ivy, tea olive, St. Bernard's lily and var. Chinese privet. Green foliage plants with different textures include: Australian tree fern, lady palms, Elephant ears, philodendron, holly ferns, asparagus foxtail ferns, sago and River birch.

Slowly, but surely, the garden is coming together. My planting beds are huge, so I'm waiting for the philodendrons, elephant ears, castirons and lady palms to fill in, and I've got  a few more favorites I want add. :-)