KITCHEN COUNTER BLOCKING FENG SHUI OF LANDSCAPE

For my landscape ( & sanity) the Feng Shui of the kitchen must change. Kitchen counters form an 'L' blocking easy access to the backdoor & garden. Disliked, strongly, for years it's now unbearable. Changing the kitchen will change my life. Bold? No. Energy must flow easily, vanishing threshold.
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The stupid kitchen counter can't block me from my garden anymore. How's that for a mission statement?
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It's ridiculous what's involved removing 4.5' of kitchen counter:
* Replacing the floor
* Replacing old appliances
* New counter tops
* New sink (I like the one above)
* Reconfiguring the ceiling
* Painting
* New light fixtures
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Timeline for action is winter. I've begun getting quotes & sourcing materials.
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Garden clubs, occasionally, meet in my garden for a lecture, tour & box lunch. But I haven't sought greater numbers. Why? The ridiculous kitchen.
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It's time to live my vanishing threshold; house, garden, life.
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Sink, above, from House Beautiful magazine, I think.
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Garden & Be Well, XO Tara

SHOOTING HYDRANGEAS & LOVING LEGS

How did the hydrangeas KNOW where to grow? This is not a 'styled' picture. It's viewed thru my kitchen & bedroom windows.
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When it comes to focal points, just-let-it-touch. What bench, statue, urn, birdbath isn't improved with a hint of foliage just touching?
Shooting hydrangeas and seeing the table legs from a new angle, below. The legs have a slight curve from top to bottom, reeking of the 1950's. Aside from being a diminutive rectangular shape, perfection, I had to have those legs.

And the glass top with more hydrangea blossoms underneath. A hydrangea carpet!!!

And the blue/white ginger jar? It's a traditional Chinese wedding gift. The writing says, 'Double Happiness'. Of course I didn't know that when I bought it at the thrift store for $3.
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Notes: Square or rectangular patio tables are the best, round tables aren't as flexible in usage. A pair of square tables can be used separately or pulled together for larger gatherings. If you find an old iron patio table, as above, don't worry that it doesn't have chairs. Find comfortable chairs or benches of wood or metal and paint them all the same color. The French have been doing this for centuries. Place an arbor over your table with a ceiling fan to keep mosquitoes away. ENJOY.

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Garden & Be Well, XO Tara

LANDSCAPE DESIGN with CARL JUNG & BILL BLASS

Carl Jung said, Our lives are about getting the outside to match the inside.
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Can you describe the landscape in your imagination? Good, you've begun.
Until yesterday I wasn't aware the world offered lace shoes. Before the year is out I will picnic with girlfriends, all wearing lace shoes, upon soft meadow & moss.

The languor, and joys, of summers in Milledgeville, GA circa 60's are in my DNA. Those summers are in my landscape now.

Did you know stone & gravel mirror back the stars & moon? You can read a book of poetry without electric or candle light upon a stone terrace past midnight in your garden.

Using the toughest pass along & native plants brings birds, butterflies & honeybees. Creating gardens surviving on rainwater. And no fertilizer.

Be who you are. Oddly, you'll have to be brave to be who you are, even for your garden.

Bill Blass said, A woman with a closet full of clothes but nothing to wear doesn't know herself very well.

Soon my closet will have a tutu & lace shoes.

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Pics from Julia and aren't they fabulous?

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Garden & Be Well, XO Tara

GARDEN TOOLS**GARDEN ART

Nationally acclaimed landscape architect, Norman Kent Johnson's tool bouquet had me rethink mine. What to use, how to get it on the wall, and knowing it's floral design not landscape design. My late friend/mentor/client/artist/rancher Mary Kistner instilled her mantra well, It's what we do with what we have.

Junk, glorious garden junk. Can you believe I do get rid of things...occasionally?

Unexpectedly, delightfully, the garden bells clap in the wind. Do you think this looks like a pile of junk on the wall? That's fine. Each piece of junk has a backstory making me smile. One piece involves a police chopper, ooh-la-la. Another was found in England at Great Dixter.

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An odd thing about this assemblage? I read it like a story book of my gardening life.

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Creeping fig on the wall, above, Hydrangea 'Penny Mac' in top pic.

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Garden & Be Well, XO Tara

COOKBOOKS & LANDSCAPE DESIGN

Did you know I peek to see my clients cookbooks? Why? How you approach cooking, and eating, tell me a lot about how you approach landscaping. And life. If Jacques Pepin, Julia Child, Nigella Lawson, Lee Baily, Mario Bitali, Ina Garten, Gourmet, Cook's Illustrated.....are on a shelf, or even better, on the counter, I know a lot about what you're wanting for your landscape.
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Taste, texture, nuance, interest, pleasure, passion, piquant ideas, the lagniappe, aroma, redolence, moods of Italy-France-South America-Asia-England-India & more, templates based on history, prepared & spiced with now.
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COLLEGE BOY does the cooking, I slipped in for 2 seconds, above, with my big hair circa 80's. My job; choose dishes, silverware & linen napkins. I'm good at choosing recipes but COLLEGE BOY turns them into art.
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This seems fluffy but cookbooks really do help me plan landscapes.
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Garden & Be Well, XO Tara

LANDSCAPE DESIGN: MISSION STATEMENT

For each landscape design I ask for a mission statement. Often a single mission statement is enough, sometimes one for the front yard & another for the backyard. Ha, some of you need several. Don't think you're hiding from me.
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TRACTOR CHICK's mission statement: "Create an outdoor living space that will not be an extension of my home but where my home will be an extension of my garden!" TRACTOR CHICK chose her home for its lot. For the landscape. The backyard is incredible.

A few challenges in the front yard. Driveways & garages drawing attention away from the focal point of the front door.

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I haven't drawn this plan yet but I already know round downspouts are needed, an arbor over the double garage wrapping around the corner and Bahama shutters, below, on the bare wall between the double garage & single garage.

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Why have the arbor and Bahama shutters? Softness, depth, asymmetry and creating the illusion that living space is balanced on each side of the home.

Bahama shutter pic, above, from The Window Shutter Site, other pics taken last week.

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Garden & Be Well, XO Tara

LANDSCAPE DESIGN: DRIVEWAY

This charming driveway greeted me earlier in the week. A 1-car garage enlarged into a 2-car garage. A gravel drive edged with stones.
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Picture removed at request of contractor.
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CHARM. CHARM. CHARM.
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Picture removed at request of contractor.
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Then I discovered the driveway is where the money ran out. Notice the apron of cement leading into the drive. It's still the original single car garage apron. Then it curves gently wider.
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Instead of several thousand dollars for a new driveway, it was several hundred dollars. Yes. that much of a difference. Did you know gravel runs about $70/ton?
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And I like the gravel drive better. CHARM.
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Often, the 'more money' choice is not the right choice.
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As the saying goes, Poverty is a great preserver.
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Garden & Be Well, XO Tara
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Note 6-21-09: Though the pics were removed today the idea is still worth keeping this post up.

VLADIMIR NABOKOV & DESKS IN THE GARDEN

Colum McCann, in the NY Times yesterday, wrote "the purpose of storytelling is", "to portray ordinary objects as they will be reflected in the kindly mirrors of future times; to find in the objects around us the fragrant tenderness that only posterity will discern and appreciate in far-off times when every trifle of our plain everyday life will become exquisite and festive in its own right: the times when a man who might put on the most ordinary jacket of today will be dressed up for an elegant masquerade." Vladimir Nabokov

Landscapes have always been stories to me.

In a garden there is no waiting for the "exquisite and festive". And that "elegant masquerade"? It's there for the taking in a garden.

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Those who have found it know the key is in the 'taking' and that is the exact point where grace enters. Oh, that grace. It's a ball of energy, creativity, joy, wit, wealth, beauty, acceptance, forgiveness.

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More desks, above, in Susanne Hudson's garden. Aren't her desks exquisite, festive, elegant masquerades? She takes the fragrant tenderness of objects around her and spins gossamer magic.

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Garden & Be Well, XO Tara

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!!