Details Of Simplicity

Almost 30 years ago this bench, below, was the first thing she bought for her garden.

 A classic faux bois, the details are rich.  Timeless.

Her husband said he had been pressure washing it for years, it was time to do it again.
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We turned our heads to him, in unison, "No, never again !"
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Notice the dreadful mulch?  Worst thing about college for landscape design, promoting mulch.  This garden now has dwarf sarcoccocca to spread and hold the soil.  Evergreen, shade, it blooms fragrantly in February.  It was difficult to find, and expensive when found.  A victim of the contraction of the retail/wholesale garden center industries.  Doubt I'll be putting it into plans in the future as often as in the past.
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Garden & Be Well,        XO Tara

Transition

Closer to the house the landscaping is more formal. Near the back of the property, below, the landscape transitions into natural woodland.
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Gravel drive & path drift/mingle with leaf litter mulch. No stone or brick edging, 'soldiers'. Not even tree limb edging.
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Landscapes are stories. Work the drama.
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Garden & Be Well, XO Tara
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Pic taken in Susanne Hudson's garden last month.

Brown Choices

Brown, below, is a landscape design choice. Is it on your radar?

Leaf Litter Mulch is a choice.

Leaf Litter Mulch? Love it.

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Garden & Be Well, XO Tara

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Preparing my garden for a tour, 4 years ago, I realized the standard set by local garden designers (Ryan Gainey & etc.), which I was happily copying, wasn't for me, anymore. Instead I went 180 degrees to my Mentors, all women. Each with Leaf Litter Mulch. A choice made in the afternoon. By dark, sooooooooooo tired, still working in my garden, I glanced up to see my garden and began to cry. Why? It was the missing element, Leaf Litter Mulch, I had the garden I had always wanted.

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Pics from Susanne Hudson's garden last week.