BIRTHDAY PICNIC IN THE EVENING GARDEN

He said, It's late but please come to LOLA's birthday picnic. Bring something healthy for about 15. I met LOLA last month lecturing for the Extension Service. Instant GIRL CRUSH.LOLA was growing TARA TURF before we met! Historically correct for her older home. A mix of fescue-moss-clover-what the wind blows in. Never needs water, fertilizer or chemicals. Honeybees love it.

LOLA chose the paint for her bricks and created her own interiors. How to get you the fragrance of this magnolia?

Vanishing Threshold, above, dictates views into a window are pretty in both directions. No backsides of pictures, clocks, or TV.

Do you like still life's too?

About here, above, I thought to myself, This is probably rude leaving the party to wander & take pics without asking. Ha, did I stop?

I knew LOLA wouldn't have paper plates. Or paper napkins.

Gazpacho in the pitcher, Mario Bitalli asparagus (sauteed with garlic/parsley/citrus), fruit salad, cucumber salad, field pea salad.... Wine & beer & tea were in the copper farmhouse sink cradled in ice.

Set into a slight hill the house is crowned with a hardwood canopy of oaks. Captured light, above.

Vanishing Threshold, house & garden, each a seduction of comfort.

LOLA added French doors.

The back garden has 3 terraces.

LOLA really nailed her pot clusters, above. She overdosed, with 3!

Standing at the French doors looking into the garden. A designer planned the garden; contractors put in the stone. LOLA and darling TOM are doing the plantings & maintenance. Exactly the hand-heart-eye a paid maintenance crew cannot provide. The word for it? Charm.

What is a house & garden without a Queen? CHESSIE was in control. She also sweetly gave away a personal tidbit. She's a Daddy's Girl.

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LOLA & TOM live from the center of their home to the property line. And that darlings is Vanishing Threshold.

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Stop here if you don't partake of good gossip.

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LOLA & TOM were married last year in Italy. LOLA invited her 2 best friends. And that is how darling TOM honeymooned with 3 women at a villa in Italy.

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You bet I'll keep up with this interesting crew.

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Garden & Be Well, XO Tara

FRENCH DRAINS & BEAUTIFUL WOMEN

Do you see the fabulous French drain cover in the pic, below?
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Hint: It's at the top right.
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At a wedding Saturday evening, the reception was at the Historic Gwinnett Courthouse. I've taught many gardening classes here and it seems I was working the reception. Scouting French drain covers for you. Proof, below, this lovely French drain cover is iron, it's rusting thru its new coat of paint.

At Scott Antique yesterday another French drain cover. They come in all sizes, heat vent covers from old buildings. Use one to cover the hideous plastic cover of your French drain.

Cote De Texas asked me what it meant, Covering my French drain with what? Her back garden is lovely, but marred, at the moment, by a cheap plastic French drain cover. Here it is Joni. Off to shop, find your French drain cover.

AND THE LOVELIEST WOMEN AT THE WEDDING.....

Can you believe how beautiful these women are? They sat across from me at the wedding reception. They've been friends longer than I've been alive. God meant to bring incredible women into my life, and it was done thru marrying COLLEGE BOY. His grandmother, mother, aunts and the women above. Decades ago they attended my first bridal shower.

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The life of each woman is a book. One a grandmother, the other never married. One owned a professional photography shop, the other a nurse. One speaks fluent French and has had many beloved dogs. The other has had her home burn to a crisp, killing her cats, before Christmas. More, of course, but then it would be starting a book.

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The important thing is their laughter, quickly shared, and their eyes. Giving, full of life, empathy, sparkle and youth.

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Garden & Be Well, XO Tara

GARDEN CAT, CAT-CAT, DIES

Cat-Cat was found lying dead yesterday afternoon. Cause of death, a long good life. Mostly feral, a neighbor moved away over a decade ago leaving Cat-Cat to her own devices. Cat-Cat quickly directed me & COLLEGE BOY in the proper care & feeding she required. We believe her to have been 15-18 years old. Cat-Cat was not a cat to pet, no petting this girl, nor to be ignored when her wishes were not being met.
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Until she was found dead Cat-Cat thoroughly enjoyed her domain: talking loudly, walking with purpose, jumping on her favorite table, lying in the late evening sun in her potager, eating with vigor. And keeping me company in the garden.
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The picture above is the garden now, bereft & lonely without Cat-Cat.
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Grief for a pet is really tough for me. I did take a single liberty with Cat-Cat before she was laid to rest. I stroked her back. For the first time. A delight through my tears.
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Garden & Be Well, XO Tara

LANDSCAPE COLOR & CAMERA TEST & STORIES

Do you know my camera test for the landscape?
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Take a picture of your home or patio and ask, Is this so wonderful people will want to see inside my home...Is this so wonderful people will want to see my garden? This house has me sighing, to see inside. Wondering, Is there a landscape in back?

Ooooooooh, the colors. Confident, serene, witty, intellect, passion, timelessness.

The camera test? I want to see inside this house. What books do they read? What art is on the walls? Style of furniture? Did a decorator choose the colors? Who? What types of clothes/shoes in the closets? What cookbooks do they use? Where do they vacation? Do they have other houses? What does it smell like walking in the front door? Are there fresh flowers? What kind? How old are the owners? Are there any lucky pets living here? What music is played within these walls? What type of sunglasses do the owners wear? And so it goes...

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Ridiculous?

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My mind delights upon something with instant backstory. It's an entire beach read novel. Without knowing the answers my mind has delightfully filled them in. Driving a block can be very tiring!

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What would I think of the camera test on your home & garden?

It's usually easiest to see your own home thru another person's eye.

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Pics from Topsy Turvy, wonderful.

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Garden & Be Well, XO Tara

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A NOTE TO THIS POST, ADDED JUNE 16TH, THANKS TO TOPSY TURVY.

The house belongs to Miles Redd & you can see it at, www.milesredd.com, and, www.newyorksocialdiary.com. Enjoy!!

A DESK IN THE LANDSCAPE

Can you imagine a desk outside? Susanne Hudson has several desks throughout her garden.

This one is my favorite.

Do you hear wheels with clunking gears? It's my brain. Trying to figure out where to put a desk in my garden. Oh, the lamp is a real turn on too.

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Susanne Hudson, of Douglasville, GA, you are a genius.

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The first rule of landscape design is to copy & I hope you take my crush on your idea as a compliment!!

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For the truly observant, the gravel is granite #89.
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Garden & Be Well, XO Tara

LANDSCAPE ECONOMY: ARBOR, GRILL, SINK

Landscape ideas with charm aren't always expensive. Copied from a 1920's garden book, the arbor. At least I've seen similar arbors in old garden books. Not part of the 'landscaped' garden this outdoor kitchen has loads of character for little cost.

Repeating the arbor, below. Repetition is as important as simplicity in a landscape.

Vines on a house, or espaliered shrubs, are easy. Adding lushness with little effort.

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In a perfect world my slides from Italy would be digitized by now. I've got pics of a villa, which should be posted here, using the same idea above but the style is centuries old Italian. Great style transcends genre.

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What's happening in my garden today? Pulling akebia vine from hydrangeas, camellias, azaleas, viburnum, & more. Ugh. Then a bath and off to design a backyard.

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Garden & Be Well, XO Tara

SUSANNE HUDSON'S FRONT PORCH

Framed by 2 magnolias, Susanne Hudson's front porch is a masters class of design. Susanne created the Penny McHenry Hydrangea Festival honoring 2 loves, a plant & a friend.

In her town, Douglasville, GA, Susanne is proof, Build it & they will come.

Susanne asked me to speak to her garden club last year. That venue was her wildly successful wedding & events business, Le Jardin Blanc.

This year I spoke at the Penny McHenry Hydrangea Festival. It was last Saturday.

Trams shuttled visitors to speaking venues, tented vendors & open gardens.

After speaking it became pure garden fantasy. Seeing Susanne's garden.

Her front porch took 1/2 hour.

Her home is on the historic register.

Green, brown & white are Susanne's favorite colors to use in the garden.

Oh my, the timelessness of Susanne's design.

She creates realms of calm repose. Simply.

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Garden & Be Well, XO Tara

A CHALLENGING LANDSCAPE JOB COMPLETED

I was implored, Keep us dry! My clients carriage house is several yards from their home. Arriving home in the rain meant getting wet. Now, they're dry and have a garden room.

I copied colors, dimensions, shingles, faux stone & light fixtures of their home creating a summer house & breezeway. As if it had always been there.

My clients asked for, perhaps, a canvas breezeway thru the middle of the garden space. Oh gosh, that had me stuck during the design phase.

A canvas covering over black aluminum rails to match their fence. Ouch. It wasn't working. And why solve a problem with an ugly solution? Ugly costs money too. More ouch.

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Then I asked myself, because the house is English, How would this be designed in England?

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Voila! The garden would definitely be preserved as the focal point, they would stay dry and there would be a place to sit and enjoy the garden. Yes, the English do know how to put a garden, with challenges, together.


Only a few days old in the pic, below, viewed from the upper porch.

The sunny day flagstone path thru the turf is barely visible from the summerhouse. Their beloved long-haired Jack Russell Terrier has a nice green canvas to begin his yellow splotches.

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I'll keep you posted on this project as the furnishings and garden progress.

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Can't wait to show you the faux balcony soon to arrive on the carriage house.

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FYI: I knew these people were wonderful the first time I knocked on their door. From their formal dining room window I saw kittens playing on a tall carpet covered jungle-gym. They had recently lost a much loved cat. He was replaced with 2 kittens. Every visit with this couple has us laughing at the antics of their kittens & Jack Russell. The 3 in love with each other and slip-sliding on the wood floors, behaving like cartoon characters.

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MONEY TALK: Yes, my solution cost more than the canvas & metal but not by much. However, my solution increased the value of the home immediately. They spent money to make money. How many investments can you USE while they make you money?

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Garden & Be Well, XO Tara

LANDSCAPE DESIGN TRICK

Do you see what's hiding here? It's one of my favorite landscape design tricks. Hiding an eyesore. My clients were blissfully unaware of their eyesore until I said, We've got to hide that electrical outlet.

All parts of your landscape must be considered. ALL.

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Garden & Be Well, XO Tara

BATHROOM INSPIRATION

I spent the night with PINK last week. Recently back from Russia she had stories & pics. They began with wine outside on her terrace by the pond. PINK served Greek salad and marinated, grilled chicken. Recipes she garnered in Greece. Then we lay in bed with her laptop and pictures. I may never get to Russia, I'm truly the strange person liking anothers travel pics. PINK's tiny redecorated bathroom inspired me the next morning. Why?

PINK's shower curtain fabric, found at Forsyth Fabrics. Oh my.

Can you believe these Tool Bouquets? Tools were already laying on my breakfast table, for days, playing with mental arrangements.

In PINK's bathroom, above. Great book title.

PINK's tiny bath lives big with a view of the terrace where we dined. Her boyfriend recently spent hours in her garden. Haven't met him yet but I know he cares for her greatly to have done such hard labor. Oh, and the sexy shoes he buys her. We didn't talk only of Russia. Boyfriend talk was delicious too. But another type of blog entirely.

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Today, after I walk around Stone Mountain, I'll start my Tool Bouquet, inspired by Norman Kent Johnson (landscape architect extraordinaire) & Pink's shower curtain. Then work in my garden. Life is good.

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Hope your Sunday is fabulous too.

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Garden & Be Well, XO Tara

HYDRANGEAS AT MY TOES

At the end of the day Tuesday, quilt & pillow were placed on wicker swing, the arbor ceiling fan turned on and I reclined with magazines. I felt the freedom of floating in water. With beauty at my toes. Hydrangea 'Penny Mac' from Penny herself. These were Penny's Presbyterian hydrangeas. Given when she downsized her garden. Wickedly, she embarrassed my friend, BIG BILL, who helped dig/transplant that winter day. Penny, aged 76, leaned into BIG BILL's arm and said, I bet you've got lots of women. Quickly redder than a radish, BIG BILL, a wise man, kept digging. But with a smile.

I'm a woman with a gorgeous dirty cloche, I like that literally & metaphorically. Gray Gardens is quite appealing. The monkeys are dressed for Penny's blossoms. I dallied on the swing twice last year, once the year before. Ridiculous. Will try to do it once a week.

The Lutyen's bench here too. Needing stain, to match the other teak. Can't simply bask must eyeball something to do.

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And the magazines? What a bore compared to what was at my toes.

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Garden & Be Well, XO Tara

GROW A ROOM

Why build an arbor room in the garden when all it takes is 8 trees? I would choose more comfortable furniture.
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Easy to do this with 6' trees. Perhaps fruit trees, or redbuds, from Wal-Mart when they go on sale? Sooooooo much cheaper than building a wooden structure, which will never bloom. Flagstone terrace, comfy furniture and DONE.
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Garden & Be Well, XO Tara
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Another pic I took last January while lecturing in England.