Monday, March 22, 2010

A NEW GARDEN ROOM: ROSE TERRACE

ROSE TERRACE, unfinished & already a dowager, hosted me Saturday. Shirt sleeves, wine, book.

Incomplete, ha, the charms of ROSE TERRACE are prodigeous.

ROSE TERRACE is under the crape myrtles, below, and my office window.

ROSE TERRACE, below, last month. Delightful, the potency of shirt sleeves Saturday.


Of course, below, I was in the chaise, circa 1930, taking pic of the teak adirondack with fallen camellia blossoms, C. 'White By The Gate'.


Antique roses weave into crape myrtles shading house & ROSE TERRACE. That idea came in Claude Monet's garden, circa 1990. Couldn't get home fast enough to order the roses. Today's era? Order via cell phone from Claude's garden. "Claude', one of the dead men I have a THING for.
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Prior to being the ROSE TERRACE this was a hydrangea patch.
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Prior to being a hydrangea patch this was an herbaceous border.
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Prior to being an herbaceous border this was ---can't believe I'm admitting to this --- otto luyken laurels I planted before I knew a thing about gardening.

Hydrangeas repurposed, below, at the border of ROSE TERRACE. Shot pea gravel, 3" deep -- no landscape fabric, with stone & brick for edging.
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New Camellias, Tea Olives & Gardenias are espaliered against the wall of ROSE TERRACE.
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Lanterns + Candles await to be hung from the Crape Myrtles.
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Terra cotta pots await my luncheon appointment with a topiary wholesale nursery next week. Honestly, it would be impossible to make this stuff up. AND it's work. My career.
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(Of course no one wants my job when it's hot/humid & blood is trickling down my neck from mosquito bites or I'm picking up dog s---t in a client's garden so they'll only see my contractor's beautiful installation of my design. Oh, lest I forget, falling off the second story of my home before a winter open garden & getting up and working more while it's still dark outside so the 10am start time is EFFORTLESS. Ha!!!!!!!!!)


Dowager? Incomplete, ROSE TERRACE is already gorgeous & functioning.
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NOTE: Adirondack on flagstones, prevents irratic sinking. For proper photography & when guests are present hide flagstones under shot pea gravel.
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Inspiration? Enjoying wine/canapes at a girlfriend's, realizing I didn't have a similar spot.
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Can't wait for warmer days ahead, girlfriends & ROSE TERRACE.
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Garden & Be Well, XO Tara

4 comments:

Barbara Wells Sarudy said...

"Claude', one of the dead men I have a THING for."

Oh my, I have a thing for dead men, too, mostly artists. So much easier to understand, when we have only their work to deal with.

Christine B. said...

My, you suffer for your art! Falling off a second story and continuing work in the garden? You are like some kind of horticultural Wonder Woman. Hope the garden tour went well after all that work/pain.

Christine in Alaska

Unknown said...

So much information in one short post, and I could read on and on and on! But I'll limit my comments to Claude (you can't have him- he's MINE!) and the falling from the second story then getting back up to work more.....it takes true talent to make what you do- as beautifully as you do it- look effortless. You are one amazing lady!

Tara Dillard said...

Hmm, ladies please. MY dead men are MINE. Gregory Peck, George Washington, Robert Mitchum, Thomas Jefferson, darling Claude Monet of course....

XO T