Monday, July 12, 2010

How fun for me, an invitation to meet another gardener and her garden! Pat has been creating this garden in McKinley Park for the last 15 years. The first thing I notice is the generous flagstone path. Wide paths have a way of making you feel welcome, don't you think?





dry-laid flagstone path




Her sun border has some great perennials, like this Bee Balm. Hummingbirds love it!




Monarda didyma




Ferns in containers are a great way to garden under a large shade tree, especially one with gnarly surface roots like a Magnolia!




shade plants under the Magnolia grandiflora




More perennials ... this one looks to me to be the tall spiky Liatris, with another hummingbird favorite, California Fuchsia,




Liatris spicata and Zauschneria californica




and a Black and Blue Salvia. Salvias attrack hummingbirds, bees and butterflies. Do we see a trend here?




Salvia guaranitica, Black and Blue




Away to the back yard for more horticultural bounty! Here we have a nice mix of tomatoes and other veg in containers,




veggies in the backyard




and, some member of the squash family with a variety of annuals and perennials.

(Rosalind Creasy would be proud!)




veggies mix with annuals and perennials




Did I mention the bamboo? Of course there's bamboo! I love the sophistication of these colors and and the variety of shapes.




bamboo




The bamboo grove extends to 5 neighboring yards and was here before Pat bought the house. She's created a pathway so she can get in there and control it.




backyard bamboo grove




What's a garden without some funky homemade art projects? Boring!




grapevine wreath with tin cans filled with portulaca




... a closer look. I love rusty tin things, and this would be a project any of us could do!




close up of grapevine wreath with portulaca




My visit is over. Thanks to Chris, a Facebook fan, for inviting me over to see her mom's garden. I really enjoyed it.




Pat & Chris










Whether you need garden design, coaching, seasonal maintenance or planting, Geno's Garden can help! Call me at (916) 764-5243, or email hansonja@aol.com.