Garden Overview
The Story of Our Gardens
Over the years, our many flower beds have evolved into themed gardens. There are the Meadow, Monet’s Petite Allee, Woodland or Bosquet, Pond and Gazebo, Insectory, Formal Fountain, Greenhouse, Japanese, and fenced Rose, Vegetable and Herb garden.
all sorts of birds make these wild areas their home.We have been members of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources’ Wild Acres program for twenty five years. To be a member you need only provide nesting areas, food and fresh water. If you would like to find out more information about this program and how you too can provide natural habitat for the wild creatures in your backyard, you may go to www.dnr.state.md.us/wildlife/wildacres.asp.Even though all of my gardens have a specific theme they are not without their whimsy. One day I was cutting the grass and noticed my husband had placed his old bowling balls, which he no longer used, around my statue of a little boy and girl huddled under an umbrella. The bowling balls looked like huge multicolored raindrops that had just rolled off the umbrella.
It is touches like this that keep gardens fresh and exciting, for you never know what you may find around the next bend.
Serendipitously placed around the gardens you will find various signs with quotations about gardens. The quotations reflect the thoughts of people who have been profoundly affected by gardens they have visited or created. Whilst you walk among the gardens, let yourself become part of the garden. You may find yourself moved to such thoughts, for gardens can be both healing and uplifting places.
When making your own gardens, they should be a reflection of who you are and how gardens make you feel. My gardens reflect a love of flowers especially daylilies, of wild life, and of those gardens we have visited on trips to the United Kingdom and US east coast. By all means take notice of the things you like about gardens you visit. Use those ideas in your gardens with your own interpretation. The most important thing is to “think outside the box”. Use those ideas from other gardens in new and different ways when creating or updating your own garden. If, while out going
to yard sales, look for odd pieces that can be used to embellish or garnish your garden. Like my husband placing his unused bowling balls in one of my gardens. Odd finds do work!!
Visiting and creating a garden should be fun, inspiring, and thought provoking, so go outside and “smell the roses”.