Schoolhouse- I bet it looks wonderful! Go in and have a cool drink. Maybe we can see pictures later? :)

I'll have to mow the grass first. Nothing sets off nicely edged and mulched beds like a clipped lawn. If it doesn't get up to 90 today I'll be mowing, as all the yard needs mowed anyway.

Just cause Lass asked. Don't look at the crooked lines, it was waaaay too hot to get the spade back out or the grass shears!

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How lovely. There's nothing like a little work in the garden to pick up ones spirit. Even if it is hot. Hope ya'll have a great weekend.

BJ

Wow!
You worked your uh huh off!
Looks terrific!

Beautiful gardens. Beautiful King cat statuary standing guard, and I ain't a Lion! :)

~Annie

Thanks BJ and Annie. But every time I look at that second photo I cringe, tomorrow I MUST go back out and straighten that edge!

The weed/grass that grows along the edges is that really tough sprawling stuff, and instead of cutting I was going along pulling tuffs of it out along the line. That doesn't work if you want it to look neat, but I was in a hurry.

Suppose to be 88 tomorrow with more humidity than today. I'll try to get out early.

School House, that looks great, and it's obvious you have put a lot of work into this. What is the bush with the purple blooms in your first picture?

Down where we are, we have to use the hard edging, or the St. Augustine will be in the flower beds in about five minutes (um, well, it still gets in, but is controllable).

We got about 10 minutes of hard rain last evening, boy what a difference in the garden, even if totally dried up by today. The mulch has pretty much melted, time to get more, but not until it cools off a little!

Your gardens are beautiful! Wanna come to KY and help me with mine? Would you mind sharing the name of the pink bush in the 3rd picture? It's very pretty.

What a beautiful garden!!! I love the sweeping paths and how meandering it looks. Do you know the name of the interesting tree with the multiple trunks in the pic with the statue? Im searching for a not too shade producing tree and that looks neat!

Thanks all.

ogrose - the purple you see are Phlox,growing in front of a Bush Clover and the Phlox are actually a dark magenta and a pink. My camera is horrible about capturing true color. The purple color in the center of the photo is also a Phlox called "Blue Paradise". The blue flower to the extreme right is the annual blue Salvia planted in a crescent shaped bed bordered with boxwood.

mcr1968 - the "pink" shrub is actually a barberry called "Rosey Glow". I have three planted in a row there. They are a dark red/burgundy but the tips of the branches become a mottled pink as the season progresses.

lilyfinch - the multi-trunk tree is a very old Serviceberry Shrub. I also have two other Serviceberry shrubs pruned to tree form in this garden. They make wonderful small accent trees. I'll try to take a photo of them later. They have a white bloom in early spring and produce red berries that the birds love. In fact, I plan on planting another in tree form this Fall with the others.

Schoolhouse, that looks really great. What a lot of work. Is that an Ariadne statue in the garden? It looks very similar to one my mom has. She's very pretty. I really like all the evergreens in your garden. Something I need to work on! I'll be referencing back to your pictures frequently. Thanks for sharing!

It's raining here, too! Started around 3pm been raining hard off and on. Still muggy outside, but me and my dog went walking in the rain anyway it felt so good.

The tree form Serviceberry I spoke of are "Amelanchier x grandiflora - Autumn Brilliance". Leaves turn a bright red and orange in Fall. Slow growers.

This one is appx. 4yrs.old.
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This one was the first I purchased, probably 10yrs.ago? I planted it in not the best location - right in front of the tall privet. Naturally it wants to grow toward the light,thus limbs and branches are mostly on one side. I should prune it but keep putting it off.
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This is where I plan to plant another one this Fall, relocating the birdbath.
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I love mulch. How do you keep the weeds from growing up between the stones in that gorgeous paving? We have a stone pathway that started out like that but the grass got in and almost completely covers the stones by the end of the summer.

In early Spring, I weed the whole courtyard by hand at least once; and it's always baby shotweed first. Then use a weed killer, spraying each weed as it appears. You have to keep on top of it right up until late Fall. I'm used to doing it this way after so many years.

Those beds are so neat! I love all the work you have done and it is so organized and beautiful. And I always drool over beautiful pavers. Sigh.
kay

Wow, my gardens and beds never look that neat. Your rock pavers are wonderful. Your gardens always look serene to me. A place where one can walk or sit and contemplate life.

Thanks for sharing these pictures.

FlowerLady

I just want to say WOW! I absolutely love your beds and your crooked lines look perfect to me. Thanks for sharing.

Carol

Thank you for sharing your photos with us- you have such an enchanting garden. It's so HUGE! I don't know how you manage a garden of that size. I'm also impressed with all of the "bones" in your garden. It's so well-designed.
Renee

Thank you Renee, your compliments mean alot; but photos make it appear much larger than it is (unfortunately!).

Your garden is gorgeous! I've only seen a couple pics before. Do you live in the country? Seems very private.

Oh, your gardens are LOVELY! I really like the wide mulched edge. I think I may do the same.
And your stone paths and patio are really beautiful. Your gardens look like somewhere I'd love to wander through. Thanks for sharing the photos.