Thursday, May 21, 2015

breaking down the garden....garden room/shady stroll garden

When I garden I break down spaces into pocket gardens.  There are so many spaces that exist within the whole which in turn helps me stay focused as I work in the garden.  The shot below is an upper view of our back garden.  The dry stream bed is not in this photo but I feel this gives you an idea of the back yard and what we are working with toys and all.



Moving on to the front garden, these shots don't show my island bed or the other side of the driveway but again it gives you an overview of the main sweeping bed.



Our garden room is essentially our side yard.  Garden room sounds prettier to me and as many gardeners do, I'm in the process of naming the different pocket gardens that exist within our space.  Our garden room was once just an ally between our home and our neighbors' home.


We added a fence and and arbor to create the garden room.  Plantings are still a work in progress in this space but we do enjoy the privacy this addition gives us as our city plots are small.


I created the path out of brick and after laying garden fabric the pea gravel was added.


Along the left side of the fence we get full shade.  In time I hope that my climbing hydrangea will cover that whole fence.  Hydrangeas, hostas, solomon's seal, Japanese forest grass, ferns, lungwort, and hellebores fill the space.





As we move further into the space more of the shade garden comes into play.  Here is what it looked like when we moved in.


As soon as I added the path the beans took to it.  And the shady stroll garden was born!  They skip through this space now and ring the chimes that hang from the tree.  This bed consists of bleeding hearts, foam flowers, hostas, astilbes, lamium, annuals (impatiens and begonias)  wild ginger, ligularia, beauty berry, grasses, goat's beard, weigela, creeping jenny, knotweed, snow on the mountain, golden Japanese spikenard and coral bells.







It's fun to see how far different areas have come over time.  My goal is to make my way around our whole garden as the months go on.

source~cagedcanarynz.blogspot

See you in the garden!  


55 comments:

  1. Hi Nicole, your garden is beautiful! I know allot of hard work has gone into achieving this, I love the garden rooms, each with its own theme and plants to suit that area. love the hostas and all the shady plants. I bet that's a lovely place to retreat to when the sun gets too hot. Happy gardening days to you :) you're doing a wonderful job!

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  2. How lovely your garden is, especially that shady room. I do so love green shady areas. The hosta outside your front door is stunning as well. And those pots are the perfect finishing touch under the arbor, honestly it's a gorgeous space, you've put it together beautifully. CJ xx

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  3. Oh, your garden is so gorgeous; I love all the different 'rooms' that you have created. The garden room that used to be the alley is stunning - I love the arbor and the large urn (amphora?) and your hostas are amazing - not a snail hole in sight! You are so inspiring, weather permitting, I'll be off outside today. Have fun. xx

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  4. What a lovely stroll around your lovely garden my friend xxx

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  5. Oh gosh!!!!!! Your garden looks stunning!!!!! So many wonderful plants growing so well! That front garden, well, what can I say! Your neighbours must love walking past and seeing such a beautiful sight! Stunning!!! Really!!!! I love it!!!! Oh that I could come and see it person!!! Just wonderful! You definitely have two green thumbs!!!! xx

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  6. The transformation you've created in your garden from when you first moved is immense! I can imagine how much work you've put in....but it must be so rewarding...because your garden looks so beautiful and refreshing:) Thank you for sharing what you've done...it serves as inspiration for other gardeners:)

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  7. Everything is looking so lovely and lush! Your little beans are so lucky to have such a beautiful garden in which to grow.

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  8. Hi Nicole, You have done a fantastic job. I love seeing the different areas of your yard and reading about your choice of plants. The arbor is really beautiful. Your children are fortunate to learn about gardening from you. I was influenced by my maternal grandma as a child to love and cherish flowers. Gardening has given me a lifetime of joy. Wishing you guys a great weekend. xoxo

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  9. I love a pretty shade garden - such a cool and inviting place. You've done a beautiful job with yours and I'm taking notes! I have a semi-shaded back garden that gets a lot of midday sun which has proved to be difficult. Too much sun for some plants, not enough for others. It's taking me a while to work it out. Thanks for the lovely tour!

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  10. Love the idea of breaking the garden down into rooms. I may just have to do that with ours. There's so much I'd like to do... but slowly... slowly we are making progress. Love to see pictures of your garden.

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  11. Will you come to Canada and rework my garden lass? Lovely lovely. Cheers, Beckie

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  12. What a transformation. It's all coming along so beautifully and you certainly have an eye for creating spaces with detail and interest. Your garden is becoming a wonderful retreat!!

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  13. I love getting this behind the scenes peek at your garden design. You're obviously very good at what you do as there seems to be something lovely going on everywhere you turn in the space. And it will only get lovelier as the weather warms up. Your family is very lucky to have a such wonderful space to make happy memories in :) Have a marvelous long weekend Nicole!

    Rowena @ rolala loves

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  14. I love to see the before and afters and I'm all for fancy garden names and spaces because these really are special places in our day to day lives. Your photos really give me a lot of hope for my empty garden spaces and all of its potential. You have a lot of time and patience in this place.

    I hope you have a great holiday weekend with your family. I'm sure it will be special!

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  15. Have Mercy!!!! Absolutely gorgeous! Again....impeccable style...I'm quite jealous how green everything is. I need to work on my "garden room" as well. I had it set...then we had our main water pipeline burst and the entire side had to be dug up. One day I'll clean it up and get back to it. You are my inspiration, you know! :) xoxo Jen

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  16. Your gardens are looking lovely, Nicole! You have made wonderful progress over the years in transforming your property into a green paradise. I really like that big urn and all the chartreuse colored plants that brighten up the shady parts of your garden.
    Wishing you a wonderful weekend!
    Christina

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  17. There are so many great photos here! Your backyard space reminds me of ours. I WISH our front was flat like yours! And your side yard is so wide!!! I'm gonna have to go back through and pin when I'm not distracted by kids. :)

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  18. Thanks for sharing your garden. I love the variety of plants you have. It is so rewarding when you see your ideas come to fruition in the garden after all the hard work beforehand.
    Have a great weekend.

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  19. You've made tremendous progress on your garden room! Excellent selection of plants and I love the big containers, the arbor, and the fence!

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  20. The image of the children and the chimes brings a smile. :)
    Your garden feels way bigger with all the separate areas. Even with the thriving vegetation it's so tidy.
    You know, I like the whimsical idea of naming parts of the garden. Once I tackle our poisonous ivy, I might feel as romantic too, lol. :D

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  21. hey friend!! your garden tour is Great!! love your green grass ( we have problem with insects here in our grass that makes it yellow) hostas are beautiful and every parts in the garden are well done!!
    love it.
    Miss, xx

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  22. Nicole, I am amazed at what you can do with plants and soil. You are amazing. Loved the garden shots.
    Meredith

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  23. Holy Cow!!! Your garden is gorgeous!!! I love all the different garden spaces/rooms you are creating. I have the same thoughts for my garden because it is so huge it is the only way I can figure to make it somewhat cohesive! It just takes so much time because of course I want it all to be magically done so I can go out and gaze at it and then start making plans to change it around a bit here and there, lol! A garden is never "done"! I really love that shed you have tucked away in the back corner too! I would like a shed but not before I get my chicken coop and chickens, er, humm but not until I figure out just what I need to know ... you know, like the small things of what to fee them! LOL! Seriously though, your garden is inspiring my dear friend!!! I love it all!!!
    Hugs and enjoy the weekend,
    Beth

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  24. Gorgeous garden Nicole, I enjoyed seeing the different parts to it x

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  25. Nicole: Your gardens are so beautiful and create such a peaceful environment. Your love of gardening shows in every inch. Love it!

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  26. Nicole these are fabulous gardens...I love the garden room with the new fence...stunning what you have done there

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  27. I love Your garden ! Very nice !

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  28. Since I started to follow you, your garden has grown wonderful. Your frontgarden looks dignified, the change of the alley in a garden room is great and your shade garden so beautiful. Glad there is enough space in the backyard for the beans, we also have toys all over the place but for our dog......(haha).
    Nicole, I wish you lovely long weekend and happy gardening!

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  29. Oh my, this is beautiful. I love the shady garden with the woodland planting. You have such a good eye for design. I've only just discovered your blog but I'm signed up to read more. Thank you for sharing your inspirational garden. Sarah

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  30. Oh my, this is beautiful. I love the shady garden and the woodland planting and your front garden is just stunning. I've just discovered your blog but I've signed up to read more. Thank you for sharing your truly inspirational garden. Sarah

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  31. Wowser! Very lovely to see your garden and how it's evolving. Thank you so much for showing us. Gorgeous hostas and great ideas for shady areas (I am taking notes!). Have a super-duper weekend/week Nicole. Sam xx

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  32. Lovely Garden Nicole I like the idea too of a Garden room, it sounds lovely.. Happy Sunday my dear have a wonderful day..with love Janice

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  33. Beautiful! I love that your kids feel so at home in the garden and that it's not one of those "look but don't touch" places. Love the urn. :o)

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  34. Great to see the fuller picture of your garden - it is hard to get a sense of how big or small a garden is from blog posts. You do have some lovely spaces which have been carefully thought out - it has been a joy to wander round with you.

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  35. It is growing so beautifully! I admire you talent and skill Nicole!

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  36. Your gardens are so beautiful, Nicole. Breathtakingly so! Any where the eye goes, there is something wonderful to behold. I love the shady and arbored room garden. It looks so peaceful and serene. How do you find the time and energy to do all this, continuing education, a landscape design job and still manage to raise an obviously thriving household and family? As I said before, you amaze me!

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  37. Nicole it really is so beautiful. You should be so proud of yourselves :) I would spend all day out here! How do all the plants go in your winter? Do you need to replant any or do they cope with the cold OK?

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  38. Your gardens are so beautiful, Nicole, and so well thought out! I love all of your 'garden rooms' and pretty walkways. I am especially loving your shaded areas and how you still manage to grow such lovely flowers, even there. Your fencing is very pretty and I love the mature trees that filter the sunlight. A wonderful paradise for your sweet family. xo Karen

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  39. looks like a paradise to me! I just can only dream:)

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  40. What a beautiful garden, so much joy in seeing plants grow indeed!

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  41. Dang, I wish you were my neighbor! So lush and beautiful. I want more little seats or benches along the way, maybe a swing or two?? I can imagine sitting and swinging with a glass of ice tea this summer, sitting and knitting while the kids play, yes, I more seats please!! I am going to buy a new swing for the back of my concrete jungle....UGH! But, at least I have a beutiful pool of water to break it all up! Nice work Nicole, your thumbs are soooooo green!

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  42. Nicole, I too find it easier to work with pockets of my garden at a time, it seems less daunting! I love the sound of the garden room, I might have to name one pocket of my garden that too! Your garden looks amazing by the way, I know I've said it before but I just had to say it again!

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  43. Love everything, Nicole. Those paving stones are such a good idea in your veggie garden!

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  44. Your yard is gorgeous and dreamy! I like the idea of 'pocket gardens." I always find it much easier to break large spaces/tasks into smaller ones. They feel more manageable. I think that's why I like our raised vegetable beds much better than our huge vegetable garden.

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  45. Love your garden room! Everything is beautiful, and I really like your arbor :)

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  46. Your garden is so inspiring... I am slowly getting into mine but am trying not to be daunted byt he amount of what appears to be wild roses that have sprouted up everywhere! Very ouchies on feet and unseeing hands! Love your space!

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  47. Nicole!! Your garden is amazing!!! It is so green and lush and calming and pretty all in one. What a lovely backyard for your beans to grow and thrive in, there's something for everyone in your family in your garden. It's great to see a before and after picture. I love pocket gardens and garden rooms, it just adds another dimension to your space. I bet your neighbours are thrilled you and your family moved into your home. I am super behind on everything but I sure enjoyed the pictures of the Girls Room. You did an amazing transformation!! I love it!! It's so cool how you combined old with new and repurposed. It's amazing what a coat of paint can do on older furniture. Works like magic!! You are such an inspiration to all of us!!!

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  48. I'm jealous of your garden and how spacious it is!
    You got me motivated in growing plants, flowers
    and vegetables c:Xx

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  49. What a charming garden, I am am huge fan of Hydrangeas too. I love seeing the benefits of having a garden, watching what you've planted bloom and grow over time is such a pleasure. <3
    FASHION TALES

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  50. Lovely, Lovely, my friend!! Your garden rooms are so beautiful and peaceful. It's hard to believe you live in the city as you've done well to create a lot of privacy. I know those beans love to spend much of their time here.

    Sorry I'm late checking in. MIL and I went to Penn. to get Favorite Son settled in his new place. He's doing an internship there this summer. Hope you're having a great week!!

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  51. Oh it's lovely, Nicole, how you've made the most of those shady areas is fab! Don't kids just love following pathways, doesn't matter where they go! xx

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  52. Love seeing everything in context! My favorite shot is the one of the backyard....what a great, beautiful space for everyone in the family :)

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  53. Oh Nicole, I just loved having a stroll through your gardens! You have such talent with getting things up and running ... I can't believe the changes you have accomplished from your 'before' photos! It's fun to see familiar flower faces in both our gardens. I have my mom's Solomon's Seal, and wasn't sure where to plant it, so I put a small group in full sun and a small group in shade. The full sun group has about tripled in size, and the shade group hasn't done as well, and actually leans out towards the sunshine. I found it interesting because the info I got from the web said shade, and you too have it in shade. Anyway ... I really enjoyed this post and thanks for sharing your progress, you are such an inspiration!!
    Wendy

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  54. What a difference you've made Nicole! The before and after shade garden pictures certainly tells a tale of lots of hard work. The backyard balances family life and gardening beautifully and the front garden really sets of the house. Job well done!

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