Would you like a formal garden

Formal Gardens are the result of our desire to tame and give order to the natural garden. The look is clean and manicured. A favorite style of French and Italian style gardens the look also works well in modern landscapes.

Repetition of shapes and a mirror beds as seen here in this walkway design add to the sense of formality and order.

This garden with it's tightly pruned trees and central lawn  becomes all most sculptural in design. Formal gardens limit the diversity of plant materials, and focus more on shape. I love this look, it's clean, notice how the trees in the foreground contrast with the ones in the background.

This formal Alley leads your eye to the back of this garden, it's like a green planted tunnel.

Boxwoods are a good choice for the formal garden, but they are not the only choice. They can be easily pruned to geometric shapes. Boxwoods are are slow growing, and evergreen which aid in that manicured look. Small leaves lend themselves to that look of order. Make sure not to over water they like it on the dry side, spider mites can be a problem too.

Straight paths with mirrored plantings, and a central focal point. Though the plantings are more natural, the sense of formality and repetition are here.

Some times the formal garden relies on structures like these two houses. Even though the plantings do not reflect each other, the centered urn at the end of the path, the geometric paving stones give the feeling of formality.

Pruned plants in pots placed along a walkway, this says formality to me. Formal garden do not have to be on a grand scale.This look would work in a small city lot don't you think?  You can even achieve these look with fewer pots, just place two matching pots by your front door,we've all seen that look before.

 Here  are some other formal gardens styles.

This is just a small glance at formal gardens, it's just one of the styles of gardens that I wanted to share with you.

"Snowday"

For as long as I can remember I loved the snow. I can remember sitting at the breakfast table listening to the radio to hear what schools would be closed due to the snow. My mother bundling me up in my snowsuit with the mittens that were attached to the sleeves by tiny suspenders. The rubber boots that went over my shoes with all the metal clamps. " Snow day" I can remember how it seemed all the neighbors were all outside shoveling their driveways and walkways. Snowmen and snow angels, snow castles,and snowball wars.Rosy red cheeks and runny noses. The sound of car tires spinning from those brave enough to venture out, and the sight of strangers helping to push and dig them out. Everyone seemed to have a opinion of the snow,whether you loved it or hatted it, we all had to deal with it. 

Here in Michigan we are use to snow,as early as October, as late as May it can be expected. So what happened this past year? No snow for Thanksgiving. No snow for Christmas, at least not enough to shovel, is this what they mean by Global Warming? Who do I write to about this, I'm supposed to be complaining about snow by now, not wishing for it! and whats with these 40 degree temps while we're at it. Maybe the snow angels herd our cry for snow, or at least my cry for it

We got snow, it's not a lot, just enough to barely cover the lawns and the side walks. I do love the way it seems to clean everything up. This is the view from my front porch looking down the street.

My winter pots look great with their snow coats on, this is a look I've waited all season for. This is the look I imagined these pots would have. Though I have removed the holiday lights the evergreens and the branches still celebrate the season of winter.

This winter pot was done for one of my clients. This photo was taken after one of our first light snowfalls that melted by the afternoon. Im sure the pot looks stunning now dressed in white framed by the snow covered shrubs. This is why I do winter pots

I always leave some of my holiday lights on in the backyard, so that I can photograph them in the snow. The snow always adds something new to these arangements. Winter gardening.

 This bird house was part of my holiday decoration, I moved it from the front porch to this bench in the backyard in anticipation of snow. This is winter here in Michigan,Thank you snow angels I'm glad I waited.

Learning to Crochet

In my attempt to better myself I'm learning to Crochet. Actually I don't know how much better I will be , so lets just say I'm learning something new. Since it's winter ,and I have a couple of months before I can get back to the gardens...why not learn to Crochet.

There are a couple of reasons why I waned to learn to Crochet, the first being I saw these little crocheted wreaths on holiday gift cards and thought, "those are really nice, I wish I could make those" Now mind you I'm not going to be making Afghan's and mittens at least not for a while... if ever. I just think it would be nice to give some homemade gifts out next Christmas, in my attempt to have a more natural/homemade

Holiday.

So I went out, got some yarn, researched some websites and to my surprise I learned how to make those little wreaths. Here they are in green and in twine. I had the twin here at home and thought since I was going for that whole natural thing why not make some really rustic looking wreaths. 

 Ive decided to use my wreaths on Christmas cards. I'm going to add some ribbon to them and attach them to cards. This will show everyone " Yep, he can crochet too" maybe it will come with a scarf and a

matching hat.

Last look at our Holiday lights 2011

I know this is a funky picture...but I like it. The way the lights look almost like flames flickering in the wind. Night and lights are a slight problem for my photographic skills, these pictures were taken at dusk.

The Holiday season is one of my most favorite times of the year. I love decorating for the season...always have, since I was a small child. Though my decorating style has changed from my earlier years the thrill is still there. To me it's what the season is all about, beside the true meaning of Christmas.

 This is my final design for our house this year....a little low key I know. You don't want to scare people, I think this display says " we are enjoying the season"

Balls of lights in the boulders, since we don't have any foundation shrubs  to hold lights. Hmmmmm, could this be a trend to explore even further....I think it just might!

Even our backyard gets in on the show, this is the view from the breakfast room. Why should the back garden be ignored....I think not, especially when it's viewed from the inside.

I take lots of pictures this time of year. I wish we could decorate in such a way all year long, but we have to have something to look foward to.

My style of decorating is really just another way to decorate the garden. Lights and branches in pots are just a continuation of the whole garden season.



A look back at 2011 pt.1

First I met my soon to be Husband.

We set a date and were married in April 2011

The happy reception with lots of friends and family.

Wedding cupcakes.

We got married in Windsor.

Christopher is promoted to Manager.

Joni on the upstairs patio.

 The summer patio.

Christopher and I in Los Vegas.

The new backyard garden in July. "whew was it a hot summer"

A fall picnic on the river.

Enjoying the garden.

Snow and Ice

Snow and ice were the theme for this years Christmas tree, actually they were last years theme too. Joni makes a bed in the cotton snow under the tree.

I wanted the tree to glisten the way snow and ice does on a crisp winter day and to be all ckrystally looking if though it was covered in ice. Yep that's Joni again.

Snowballs, and snowflakes, and icicles, crisp and clean.

 If you look to the bottom left of the snow skirt you can see Joni again. Yes he is my Christmas present.

Merry Christmas to all.