Such a pretty background of golden trees to set off the arbor.

That's going to be gorgeous next year with the roses growing around it!

Doing it in stages like this has its advantages. You will be able to see what works or doesn't and make changes along the way. Yes, the rose arbor will be gorgeous.

When you mention "lots of grass to be dug up"...ugh. Digging sod is a hard job, I've done my share of that over the years. Now I can finally relax, until I get another idea for a garden or bed that is! :)

I just love your garden setting! It looks so peaceful . Im wondering, how far apart are you from your neighbors? Thats my dream someday, to not have neighbors in my direct line of vision! I feel like now im trying to create a space that shields me from the view of them. I told my dh if we look for a house again, i want a yard that looks too big, that we wont know what to do with all the land, and then itll actually be big enough!

Instead of digging out the grass have you thought about laying cardboard down to kill the grass, and then adding some manure on top to start a new bed? I read about that here, and thats what im going to try. The cardboard attracts worms as it breaksdown and the grass will be gone by spring. And youll be fortunate to have manure on site! :)

Also, i was wondering if you planned on trying winter sowing this year? Im definatly doing it again, but my husband is not agreeing with me, because i let it get out of hand last year (whoops!) So when he goes to new york in January for work ill be holed up in the kitchen doing as much as i can! if you are thinking of trying, i have lots of seeds to share if you want to message me.

Do you plan on using roses on the new arbors or climbing veggies? I finally decided to plant goldflame honeysuckle on my arbor. I know itll grow quick and hummers love the one i already have.
As always, you have such a beautiful garden!

Thank you all for the nice comments :)

Actually, I have a Therese Bugnet rose and two Snow Pavement roses on each side of the arbor. I put the herbs in front of them, so the deer would quit eating them...and so far, it's worked! I actually planted two posts with purple clematis and two with white clematis. I'm hoping they'll grow up and provide some shade. The deer would eat the climbing roses.

Lilyfinch- I don't have any neighbors close by, but I can see one off to the left side of the garden, but they're probably about 400-500 feet away. No other neighbors on the other sides that you can see.

As for the grass, it's a mixed blessing. Seriously, while most people hate grass in the garden, this is what keeps us from sliding around in slimy clay six months of the year...and it's what feeds the horses all summer. We're so lucky to have such a good grass that grows like a weed! LOL

If we dig it out in the spring, it comes right out (but the roots go down 6"-8", so you have to put a lot of aged manure back in. Of course, this just makes great soil, but lots of weeds. Hopefully, next year, I can stay on top of weeding a little more, since the other beds are perennial and won't be rototilled, so hopefully, far less weeds.

On the arches, I'm planning to put beans and other veggies with maybe a few flowers. I try to keep everything non-poisonous, or at least not very poisonous, so climbing peas over sweet peas and lots of canary vine (which is supposed to be a type of nasturtium, I think) and purple beans. The flowers are so pretty!

I've never tried winter sowing, but I may try to start some flowers in the spring. We can't plant most things until May/June, so I guess it would be spring sowing :)

If anyone else has pictures of their fall garden, please post them. It's so much fun seeing everyone's garden!

LL, it's such a pleasure to see how your garden is evolving, it's going to be gorgeous! Thanks for the pictures.

LL, I always look forward to your pictures. Your yard is so beautiful and the way you have set the arbor/arches is such a great idea. I love the space you are creating there.

Ogrose and Thyme- Thank you for the nice comments :)

It's been a lot of fun planning and planting the gardens this year. I'll probably make some more changes (on paper) over the winter, but I'm pretty happy with how things look, for now...

The arbor area looks lovely. I'm with schooldhouse re: digging grass. This year I decided to put in a new garden at the last minute. My son laid out the design, I laid down cardboard and he shoveled on leaf mulch we got for free from the town. I immediately planted my wintersown seedlings in the leafmulch and we had an instant garden in a day. It has looked lovely all summer and is still blooming. Although the wind has done a number on it today.

LL - I repeat what others have said that your design is lovely & includes seating, which is ideal for gardening pleasure and dreaming while in the garden. Your new arches are great looking even bare. I like the width that allows for growth of plants and could allow for 2 people walking through. Thinking romance here in the garden ;o)

You said they were cheap, but how cheap? Did they include stakes for securing? Once vines are growing the wind might topple them.

I encourage you to consider Lilyfinch's suggestion about layering cardboard or newspaper on the grass with organic matter on top. Then you won't have to dig or pull weeds to plant or mid-summer. It worked wonderfully for us here & we don't have a battle with weeds anymore. It's the kind of gardening I can still do despite chronic illness. I'm going to post separately about what I've done so that others will be able to find & read about it.

I'm definitely loking forward to seeing how that garden progresses next year!

Corrine- I got the arbor and all the arches from Fred Meyer. The arbor with the roses was $299 and I got it on sale for $199. The arches are $49 and I got them on sale for $29 and $24, depending on which sale was going on, when I purchased them. They also had a single bench with arbor over it for $199, that went on sale, as well, but I didn't get that one. It's very nice, though :)

The arches are all the same and I have three in the kitchen garden and two in the fairy garden. They're pretty easy to put together and they have plenty of "foot" left to stick into the ground, as long as you push them all the way in. We have high winds and clay soil...and they never fall over. Can't say as much for my bean teepee! LOL

Woodyoak- Thank you for the kind words. I'm hoping it will work out next year...and as it fills in, start to look more like the 'picture' in my head. As the blueberries and raspberries get taller, there should be more of a border around the garden. I still think I'm going to put a little wire fence in, but I'm hoping it will eventually be covered by the plants.

Bev- I'm so glad your garden worked out so well. I have such nice soil, I hate to put cardboard over it. Since I won't be starting SO MANY garden spaces next year, I hope I can keep up with the ones I have...and really concentrate on the kitchen garden!

Corrine- In the last picture, I just propped up the arches to give an idea where they're going to be next year. Since I haven't dug out the small beds yet, the arches aren't pushed all the way into the ground...that's why they're leaning :)

My mom has the same type of arches at her house (with a lot more wind) and they've never fallen over, either.