Whimsey Among the Flowers

Aug 31, 2020All, Garden

In this post, I would like to show you more of the garden, whimsey and pathway on the side of our home. Inspiration can come from many sources: other’s gardens, garden centers, and Pinterest to name a few. In this garden all three had a role to play. Our front yard garden and our side yard garden have very different personalities. And so our visitors are never quite prepared when entering our side garden.

The first thing that they see is the bird totem pole. Of course they aren’t prepared! Who would expect that? Pinterest was the inspiration—a great idea! With the help of the grandkids and my hubby, we created our own version. The rooster and the bird houses, all very inexpensive, came from Hobby Lobby. We love the rooster but I will repaint him over the winter. He isn’t faded but looks like it next to the brightly colored bird houses. The bird houses only last a couple of years (and can easily be replaced); the birds love them. The tall perennial in the foreground of the first photo is a late summer blooming caryopteris. The variegated shrubs next to the house in the third photo are blue lacecap hydrangeas; spectacular when in bloom. The rose bush on the right side is red Drift rose.

The grandkids helped out with painting the bird houses. Great job, Kids! The bright and lively bird houses set a mood of cheerful expectation. My hubby had the hardest part of this project; he set the 6” by 6” pole in cement, and then mounted the bird houses and put the rooster on top. The pathway in the middle photo has changed, but pretty plants are still there. The roses are Drift roses; they bloom on and off all summer and are wonderfully fragrant. The peonies, shown in the third photo, contribute their share to the beauty of the flower border in the spring.

The whimsical balancing chickens are on a 4’ pole and move easily in the wind. They came from our favorite garden art shop in Sutton’s Bay, Michigan and are a reminder of the good times we have when we go “up north”. The pretty flower beneath them came from an art fair, also in Michigan. The daylilies, in the second photo, are along the path and in front of the balancing chickens. While they are both very pretty, the yellow ones really make the border pop. We planted the daylilies, in the third photo, next to the path where it turns to go around to the back garden, so their delicate beauty can be admired close-up.

One last photo of our side garden as it is now. The hydrangeas are called Strawberries and Cream, I think. They are spectacular! On the right side of the border the open space will be filled in with another caryopteris. The next photo shows white daylilies; I have forgotten their name. But I have several scattered through all my gardens; they add a calming effect. The very last photo is another one of our favorites. Don’t you just love daylilies?

Final thought: Gardens involve all of our senses. Planning, planting, caring for and just enjoying them is rewarding beyond measure. Planning is done in the winter, dreaming over garden magazines. Planting involves first, garden centers browsing among so many beautiful plants and flowers, then tucking them gently into our own gardens. Caring for involves hands on time in the garden, watching as what we’ve planned far exceeds our expectations. And enjoying and sharing the beauty of our gardens with our loved ones, who could ask for anything more?