Backyard Pond

by George
(Toronto)

The Main Bed in my Yard

by Linda
(Florence, SC)

There are plantings for butterflies and hummers in my garden. Herbs take up one corner and my fennel always attracts the Black Swallowtail.

Patio Hillside Garden

by Diane
(Verona, PA)

This sloped garden behind the house sits above a retaining wall off a brick patio. The garden was started in 2001, after a large, diseased cherry tree had to be removed.

Every summer, I put the lion statue on the cherry tree stump. Over the years I have terraced the slope with narrow wood chip paths, rock steps and small flower beds.

Except for a large peony and some boxwood, I do annuals in this garden because I haven't decided yet how I want it to "stay."

This photo was taken in 2004 when I planted dahlias.

Early on I planted skyrocket junipers on the crest of the hill for vertical accents, and there are two 4x6' raised vegetable beds and a pair of blueberry bushes on the flat area behind the trees. I love the junipers because they remind me of the cypress trees in Tuscany.

To the right are wooden steps from the patio to the hilltop, and more garden on the other side of the steps. When the cherry tree was cut down, it opened up vistas of woods behind the neighborhood which make a lovely backdrop for the garden.

The patio is my favorite place to sit and sip a cool drink on warm summer evening!

The basics

by Maryann U.
(Illinois)

A garden needs a good shape or "bones". When it has them, it looks good no matter the season.

Winnipeg garden

by Susan
(Winnipeg, MB, Canada)

My husband and I don't always see eye to eye when we garden, but it's something we both love. We have a crazy garden, a little bit of everything.

Early Risers

by Sharon Douglas
(Markdale, ON, Canada)

Before I had my current garden at the place I now live, these tulips lined the walk to my apartment. They brightened my as they are my favourite spring flowers of all.

Container Gardening

by Cheryl
(Edmonds, WA )

I loved your article on container gardening. I have no question as you do such a wonderful job on your website - I just want to share my picture of hanging basket I have at my vacation trailer. Eastern Washington. They are such a joy to look at. Thank you for your site. I look through it every week.
Cheryl from Washinton State.

The new triangle bed... an ongoing project

by Patricia
(Toronto,ON )

Last fall I decided to create a new large flower bed in the backyard. I chose a triangular shape so that I could utilize shrubs that I had planted in the back half of the yard as the anchors for the design. In the fall last year I transplanted a peony and was fortunate to find a Rose of Sharon clearance at a nursery and so obtained one for $5.00. Added a few spring bulbs and then left it until spring.

Spring arrived and realized that I wanted to further expand the bed so set to work. Then I started dividing perennials from other beds and added some day lilies and border plants as well as gladiolas. To fill in gaps I seeded cosmos and four o'clocks in the bed as well.

Since the bed is being expanded incrementally I will be shifting the peony back in the bed as it is crowding the Rose of Sharon and I must admit that I forgot how tall four o'clocks and cosmos get.

I am now in the process of expanding the base (front) of the triangle. With a park behind us weeding flower beds is much less work than weeding grass.

SPRINGTIME COLOR

by JOHN
(Upland Calif. USA)

Sringtime is a wonderful time for Cyclamen, Azalea, and Cineraria flowers.

Garden of Eden

by Pam Westbye
(Peterborough, Ontario)

It is breathtaking. A picture does not do my mother's garden justice. She has daffodils, tulips, lilacs, clamatis, oriental & day lilies, roses, iris, sweet williams, poppies, jack in the pulpit, ferns, jacob's ladder, peonies, flowering shrubs, cardinal flowers, fruit trees and a variety of annuals. I may be a little prejudice but feel free to come and see for yourself!

Doug says - looks pretty good to me too. :-)

containers that I planted

by Noella
(Val Caron Ontario Canada)

The containers are thriving on my deck