That pathway is breathtaking! I have a large curved area similar to that in my backyard bordered with Oaks and Maples and I love walking there early morning when it's heavily shaded.

The black fencing really compliments your garden, especially the trellis gate. I'm jealous!

Do you have fish in your pond? This may sound silly but I've always wondered what happens to fish in the dead of winter. lol

Holleygarden- Wonderful garden spaces! You have such great garden accessories...the birdbath, the urn, the statues, the bench...all such nice accents to your beautiful flowers :)

Beautiful gardens! Curious about the fencing too. Looks like the stuff we got at Lowe's for the veggie garden. Started rusting from the inside out less than 6 months after installation. Hoping to replace with aluminum next year or the year after.

Natal- Mom got that fencing at Lowe's and it's held up fine...but we don't have much humidity. They've been great in the snow, though.

Holleygarden- I commented earlier on all of your beautiful garden accessories...but where do you find them all? Do you go to estate sales? I'd love to find a couple of urns or a sundial for my 1920s garden :)

Gorgeous! The pond area is so tranquil.

Beautiful garden. I too love urns and statuary, the "front statue" is my favorite.

I used to have a source for quality concrete garden pieces, but over the past five years or so the economy forced them to use inferior material. The older pieces I collected have held up well and have a nice aged look. Newer ones just crumble. At least they are affordable.

Beautiful gardens. I think you have achieved a perfect mix between informal and formal.

Love the pool and the statuary.

Holleygarden, your garden is wonderful! I like the use of boxwood too as an edger.

Love your fence and gate, if you don't mind, where did you get it, and how long have you had it?

Mom got that fencing at Lowe's and it's held up fine.

Lavender, you're one of the few who can say that.

Here is a link that might be useful: click on reviews

-holleygarden, your garden is wonderful!
Lol! You don't have to worry about stepping on any toes here, you didn't say anything in the least bit offending ;-)

First of all, I love the style of your house!
I love that fourth veiw of your garden. I'm lusting after that bird bath! What is that stunning vine in your first and second picture? Campis, or something else? And what's the name of that adorable peach colored rose?

What a lot of work you put into your pond! Great place to sit and meditate or just relax ;-)
Thanks for the pics- wonderful inspiration. I think I may do something similar to your 'corner' garden. The sunny side of the front garden is looking ratty and may benifit from a few formal boxwood.
CMK

This is not a picture of my garden, but I love this style. It's a formal layout, but by using the cottage style flowers, it feels less formal, at least to me.

I guess I love the contrast. My curved gardens are full of roses and lavender and my formal style garden is for fruit, vegetables, herbs and flowers :)

Here is a link that might be useful: Formal design with cottage flowers

Thanks, everyone!

Oakleyok - Yes, we have goldfish. Had some koi, but they didn't do well in our heat. You have to dig the bottom of the middle of the pond deep enough so it doesn't freeze (only about 3-1/2' deep here in the South). My pond never freezes all the way across, either, so that's not a problem. I guess those in the North would have to dig deeper (5' maybe?) and make sure the pond doesn't freeze completely over (they make little pond warmers for that). I really love having the fish - they are just like any other pet for me.

natal - the fence IS from Lowe's. I have not had a problem, either. Only one panel is rusting. I thought I had done something to it. Now I know it's a manufacturing problem. All the other panels are o.k. for now, and it has been up for about 3 years. Unfortunately, it seems we all take a risk now whether something will hold up or not.

LL - I get the ornaments all different places. Some are presents, some are purchased online (the statue is from Design Tuscano), some are found at junk stores here and there.

schoolhouse - you and LL have more of a problem with ornaments than I since you have a lot of ice/freeze/thaw issues that we don't down here. The concrete ones here hold up forever. I'm wondering how long the front statue will hold up, as it's a resin. I had to replace the sundial as the neighbor's cows got out and leaned against the original one, ruining it!

lydiasmom and gldno1 - thanks. The pond is the area right outside my bedroom windows, so this is what I see first thing every morning. I purposefully used evergreens and no color so it would be a peaceful and restful area year round.

ogrose - I also got the gate at Lowe's. This year. Now I'm hoping it will hold up! Yep, DH is right - I go to Lowe's way too often! lol

CMK - it's hard to see, but the birdbath has two swans with their necks twining around the base. A present from DH. :) The vine is crossvine (bignonia capreolata). Not sure it will grow in your zone. It blooms like that early spring, and sporadically all summer. It's said when it blooms, the hummingbirds are migrating north, so that's when I know to put out the feeders. The peach rose is 'Carnival Glass', a mini, and a prolific bloomer.

LL- I love that style, too. Abundance behind a formal edge. You're right, it gives the formality an inviting touch, IMHO. I also love that there is still a winter interest, whether it is evergreen edgings, or statuary, the 'bones' are there, and it comes alive in the spring/summer.

What a beautiful variety of gardens and accessories. Good to see a lawn path, which I am going to use as I expand my gardens. Beautiful, easy to care for, easy to traverse.
What are the plants around the statue? Looks like lavender in the front, but what about others?
Also love the view through the iron garden gate/trellis
Thanks so much for sharing.

Holleygarden, thanks so much for posting these!

A boxwood question - how far apart did you plant your edging boxwoods? Will they grow together into a small hedge that you will shear more formally, or will they stay separate? It's such a pretty look.

I looove statues in general and yours are great! Would love to have some really big ones like that. They are so 'old world.'

Hollygarden, your garden is fantastic! Thank you so much for posting these pictures. I was also going to ask what the vine was in your 2nd photo. Alas, that may be yet another plant CMK and I will have to have zone envy over! It is beautiful.

I love your statue. I surmised it was from Toscano. They have a really nice selection and the one you have is truly one of my favorites. Seeing it in your garden on the plinth (was that from Toscano too?) made me decide that this is the statue I will get when I am ready for another area of my yard. She is just lovely.

Can you possibly give some longer shots of your yard? I'm trying to get a feel for where the fence is in relation to your house/whole yard. Does your yard extend well beyond the fenced area? Is the fence in the backyard only? In your 3rd photo it looks like there is a metal structure beyond your fence. Is that also part of your yard? I'd love to see MORE!!! Thanks!

Holleygarden - very nice space. But it doesn't strike me as formal. Certainly there are formal elements in it - especially the pool and statues - but overall it doesn't feel formal to me. I think 'formal' is one of those words that mean different things to different people. And it's a label a lot of people seem to have an aversion to/be afraid of. Personally, I think some formality in layout adds a lot to the garden. Your mind craves order as well as variety - and 'formal' seems to provide the necessary order. So I aim for a balance of some formal geometries and elements with looser, informal-looking plantings that also have an underlying organization that may be not obvious at first glance but is there if you look for it. We've been working at it for 10 years now - we started with an informal layout and found that introducing formal elements enhanced things a lot, so kept adding them. Boxwood is one thing associated with 'formal' that you will not find here - too much maintenance!

I think your garden is lovely, your beds have such a nice flow to them leaving one wanting to see what else is just around the corner and, I love your fence arch and gate, they frame your garden beautifully.
There are no hard and fast rules to a cottage garden, I'm quite sure if we could have a tour of cottage gardens of years gone by we've see some formal elements in a lot of them, depending on what was available and what they had to work with. When it comes down to it design formal, semiformal or may I add rambunctious, lacking restraint or discipline like mine it's all a matter of personal taste.

Annette

the fence IS from Lowe's. I have not had a problem, either. Only one panel is rusting. I thought I had done something to it. Now I know it's a manufacturing problem. All the other panels are o.k. for now, and it has been up for about 3 years.

We put mine up in February '09. Out of 16 panels only six are rust-free or have minimal rust ... the rest look like crap. I hope you have much better luck!

lily51 - I like the grass path, too. I had originally thought to put flagstones through it, but am glad I didn't. It's easy to run a mower down it every week, and soft on the feet. That is lavender, and roses behind it. Guess it would have made a better picture if the roses had been in bloom, I was just excited the lavender did so well. I was surprised to find that the lavender (Provence) is evergreen here. I hadn't grown it before I planted this.

lceh - eventually I hope the boxwoods grow together to form a hedge. I didn't get the fast growing kind because I didn't want to have to shear them more than once or twice a year. These actually only grow to 3-4' tall/wide, and they are planted about 2-3' apart. I'm hoping they grow together within the next couple of years.

scully - I have found that if you don't have a big statue, just put in on a big pedestal and it becomes the 'right' size. ;)

thyme - thanks for the correct spelling of Toscano. I think I had misspelled it earlier. Anyway, I chose her because it is always windy here and thought she'd look quite realistic with her wind-blown look! And, yes, the column is from there, too.

Yes, in the pathway picture, just to the right of the tree, you can see the top of the gazebo. That is where the rose garden is. The pathway garden runs along the back of the house, and there are steps going down to the gazebo/rose garden before you get to the pond area.

My roses are small, so not a lot of garden pictures of the rose garden, but here is one underneath the gazebo. I have since planted companion plantings, and am waiting for the roses to get large.

The pathway garden is just our 'backyard'. The house is on a small grade and below the fence is a retaining wall. Thus, the steps that go down to the gazebo. The rest (for now) is quite wild. We have about 30 acres total, so beyond in all directions is just trees, briars, poison ivy, etc. lol

Woodyoak - perhaps 'formal' is not the right word. Orderly is not exactly right. Enclosed may be more like it. Perhaps classic or traditional would have been better words to describe it, though I'm not sure that's right, either. I love the mix of 'formal' elements with wild, loose plantings. And I love boxwood. I love the look of a sheared hedge, especially paired with loose overflowing plantings or vines. I planted slow growing boxwoods, so they are not very hard to keep maintained. I thought about planting fast growing ones, but after reading the book "Garden Home" by P. Allen Smith, I decided against that!

Annette - you are right, everything is just a matter of taste. Isn't it great that we're all different? I admire everyone's garden for the beauty it brings. I love modern gardens, old french gardens, and wildflower meadows. They all have beauty in them.

natal - Sorry you are having problems, and thanks for the heads-up that I may have problems in the future. The one panel that is rusting has been doing so since about 6 months after we put it up. I've thought about spray painting Rust-o-leum on it. If it all starts rusting, I will just have to plant vines to cover it up.

That is a beautiful garden! Not too formal, in my opinion. Love all you have done, the statues, etc.

Also you have brought back a childhood memory for me. There was an older couple who lived down the road from my parents. A lovely old couple. She had taught music at our elementary school - years before I attended. We were close enough to walk to school and they insisted we cut through their backyard to the school. They had a pond like yours, only very old and we LOVED to stop on our way to school and *see the fish*. It was built very, very similar to your pond. The house is a beautiful cottage. It's since been built onto and a pool added, still retaining some of the original charm, but I do wonder what happened to the old fish pond.

Thanks for sharing your lovely garden ~

tina

Is there any type guarantee or any recourse with Lowes (re the fencing)?

tina

Holleygarden- I LOVE your gazebo! Do you have any other pictures of it? I didn't even notice it in the third picture, until you pointed it out. What a wonderful place to sit and enjoy your roses.

If I lived close by, I would so be hinting for an invitation to visit your beautiful garden! (LOL) For now, pictures will have to do :)

What kind of roses do you have around the gazebo...and what companion plants did you use with them?

Tina, no guarantee. Powder-coated steel will eventually rust, but no way should that start to happen within a few months. Live and learn.

I noticed what I thought was a wrought iron gazebo in that third photo, but the image was very fuzzy. Was going to ask about it, so glad you posted a better photo. Lovely.

Holley, your garden is truly lovely and very inspirational. I hope to someday have a garden like yours!

tina - isn't it great to have garden memories? I think gardens can evoke more memories because it encompasses the senses of sight, touch, sound, and smell.

LL - I wish you could come see my garden in person! That would be so fun! In that bed, I grow most of my roses - a mixture of HT's, moderns, minis, OGRs, and climbers. Since I didn't know much about companion plantings, I just bought a package from Bluestone and planted in between the roses. I think my favorite are the asters and the catmint. I have iris from an old abandoned garden (there was a house there years ago). I love the spiky foliage and the thought those iris survived through so much neglect.

schoolhouse - it's not a secret garden like yours, but since it's in the back and away from the house a little bit, it does have a secluded feel to it. I'm also trying to get some vines to grow up the gazebo so the feeling will be even more enhanced.

floweryearth - that is one of the sweetest compliments I've ever received. Thanks!

Hollygarden, Your gardens are amazing!!! Magazine worthy without question. I didn't see one single thing that I didn't care for. Picture perfect! Thank you so much for sharing we the rest of us.

Carrie

I just wanted to add my thanks to you for sharing your lovely garden. I love boxwood and use it a great deal in my garden.

Sue

Your gardens are lovely, and your statuary wonderful elements in them.

FlowerLady

Carrie - 'magazine worthy'??!! Gosh.....thanks. :)

Sue - I think boxwoods are so easy to use. I'm thinking of propagating some. Have you ever tried this? I think they are supposed to be easy to get going, I'm just wondering how long it takes for them to get large enough to use.

Thanks, flowerlady.