I've been gorging on garden info all week and I think some things have cleared up for me: I can move plants if they're not working for me (obvious, I know, but I hadn't thought that through), working on the bones like we are and then filling in as we know better what we like and what will work seems like a good strategy, I need more flowering shrubs and trees (especially a red bud or a japanese maple), I want to get fewer things and have them repeat over and over and... I can be patient as long as there's a plan.
After pouring through sites and books I'm figuring out better what I prefer. I like japanese gardens. I love ferns. I like contemporary gardens, although they are always dependent on some amazing bamboo deck or a maze of stone planters. In the majority of these types of gardens the design is in the stuff not the plants. I have a weird thing for formal garden elements, especially round things. And I like a predominantly green or pretty limited color scheme. I'm not as fond of cottage gardens, romantic gardens, wildflower gardens, grasses or vintage knick knackery in the yard. It's hard to determine where one's garden tastes lie because really, all flowers are pretty and everything in the gardening books is gorgeous but when you get practical and look at it for the front of your own house and what you want to deal with and what you want to see when you drive up it becomes clearer. I can see my need for tidy is going to spill out into the yard for sure. I'm working on a garden inspiration folder. Here are some of the things I've collected so far...
exception to the not-so-keen on grasses thing, Piet Oudolf. sigh..
Ahh.. dream gardening. Just as fun as dream decorating. Although it'll probably look nothing like I imagine it will, I'm excited to get working on planting the things we've picked for our shade garden. Maybe I'll have some pretty garden show & tell pics later this week.
