Here is a view of the steps that lead into the garden from the North side..the entire top of this wall will have ornate iron fencing that runs along the top...
My new garden or Stone Henge?
Now, I know John is a hard worker and has dedicated every spare moment to this project..but don't think I've been slackin either..LOL..here is some pics of my container gardens..starting with the patio...
Another view of the patio from the other side looking back at the house..
This is the patio looking from the upper level near the barn down onto the patio. Closest is my Dahlias in pots garden. LOL
And my brugs in the stone watering trough..
and my anchor bed..the slates you see between the plants are there to discourage my darling kitty, Stella, who was using my flowerbed for a litter box and killed 25 of my zinnias.
reverse view of the anchorbed looking up toward the front yard..
These are the steps that lead from the back patio level up to the front yard...
and this is my shade garden on the opposite side of the house. To the left of the picture is the new garden..to the right is the patio..
This is my "Canna Alley" LOL. got 17 of them growing in pots. That willow wood teepee trellis you see has some black-eyed susan vine beginning to climb it - will be nice when they cover it...
Lastly for now...after I came inside to start dinner - I snapped this view out my kitchen window that overlooks the new garden. If you look carefully you can see John who was still out there working....
I'll update again in a month or so when there is more to see..
Diane
all I can say is breath taking
Wow, Diane. it's just so beautiful. I can't wait to see it finished
Diane,
John's work is jawdropping! I continue to be amazed and awestruck and always look forward to more updates. :-)
Terrie
Diane, almost unbelievable! Such beautiful work both of you are doing. John is a man on a mission. I just can't imagine how much work he has put into doing all of this. And such a great job too! Very nice....please keep us posted with pics....this is a great story!
Reeally fantastic. I can't wait till it is all done. Your husband is such a talent. And so are you! You complement each other so well.
Awesome! I have been wondering how your "Stonehenge" has been coming along. Thanks so much for showing us the progress. You have an incredible collection of plants. What fun it must be, to wander while you water, and watch your man create a dream for you. I look forward to seeing more.
Cheers,
Carol
WOW, this is unbelievable. What a work of love.
This creation is almost unbelievable, your husband is so talented and dedicated, WOW!!!
Stunning - I think I want to come and live in your yard.... house is great, but I'd be happy in the yard - after the past few weeks at work, I even LOOK like a garden gargoyle, so a bit of varnish and I'm there!
This is beyond inspiring - it's humbling. Let us know when copy of XXX Gardening magazine you're on the cover of.
Cheers,
Sandra
Thanks for updating us. Such dedication and artistic ability is to be admired. I love seeing all that you have done Diane and the amazing work of your DH.
Please post some of this over in the Garden Art Forum. There are great and inspiring projects that are going on over there and probably some that you would be interested in seeing. I know many of those folks would love to see the artistic ability that you and hubby have.
Dianne, you two are amazing. John is a National Treasure.
The way thats shaping up we'll probably see an article in one of the mainstream gardening mags one day. :)
Tell me, does he ever rest? I get tired even looking at all he does. :) Again, it's a true work of art. I'm glued to computer every single time you post a update. Your plantings are beautiful as well.
p.s. I'm still looking into husband napping so he can help us with our pool deck. Of course it would be SO much more fun if you came too so we could do a lot of plant shopping.
I cannot add anymore than everyone else has Diane...except, please don't forget to take the time to enjoy all you have and each other!!
You and your DH truely have a heaven on earth!
Margie
I don't know what I could say that hasn't already been said. Totally awesome. I love the updates....keep them coming, please.
Once again, thanks so much for sharing your life with us ..............
Good Lord!!!!! Boy He has blessed you in so many ways in both talent and in the husband department, and I, too, can not wait to see your garden when completed,...it already looks good without the flowers LOL! I can only imagine what the flowers will do. I am guessing you'll take each section and put the same type of plant but a variety of the same in it??? Tell us what to expect LOL....I'm dying to know how you'll do it, it's going to be Great and I'm so proud of both you and your DH :-)
absolutely gorgeous! How breathtaking!
Thanks all -
Brugnanny - I would be happy to share with the folks in the GardenArt Forum - I get so tied up in the 7 or 8 forums I monitor regularly that I forget there are many more available here. I will probably post a link back to this thread - Dave probably wouldn't like my taking up the bandwith to post the pics over again over there.
Balvenie - not sure about the "national treasure" part, but he is definitely treasured by me (I thank God every day for him). He sure is a rare gem with very unusual gifts.
Kristi - LOL Yeah..he rests - every night from 10:00pm-5:00am - that's it - then he's off to his day job doing electronic machine programing and phone work (he often tells me after a day off that he can't wait to go back to work so he can rest! LOL) I told John that day I posted in your thread about my offer to bring him over and have him "whip up a wall" for you. He just rolled his eyes and said, "yeah..if it were only that easy,,,"
BrugAddict- yes, we are designing the garden to be a series of garden rooms. We are not firm on any of this yet but we know we want one area to be a rose garden, one to be a shade garden with ferns and shade loving plants; another area will house bee boxes (we may order some honey bees to live in them and in that area Bee Balm (of course!) and other sun loving stuff. Of course an area for my brugs -- but I will also intermix many containers of plants in between areas, on the walls, etc. John will build a large pagola structure in the center of the garden (maybe 15' long with tall carved columns holding up some sort of lattice top that we plan to cover in vines. Under the pagola will be a seating area with table and chairs. sigh...it really should be lovely when done.
Diane
It sounds wonderful, Diane. What are you two going to take on once it is finished? :-)
A water system?? lol or applications for some hired garden helpers?
LOl..yeah..BrugAddict - we will be installing a drip irrigation system - sure wish I knew more about them I'll have to do some research on what we need. We did dig a new well just for the garden, but I don't know the best way to plan, purchase and install such a system.
Kristi - by the time we are done we will probably both have to schedule a few hospital visits to replace worn out body parts. You should hear us when we get through with a full days work outside and we have to get up off the couch or bed for some reason. All you hear is "ow, my back" or "oww my feet hurt" or "ouch..my elbows hurt" or "hon, can you untie my shoe - I can't bend over my hip hurts to much". LOL..yep..our plans after this will be to limp on out to the garden and just sit there all day every day.
Diane
Totally awesome!!! I think you have gargoyles or fairies helping you with your creation. It's unbelievable!!! You can hire me to be one of your gardeners.
:) Donna
All I can say is WOW! And, when is Country Living coming out to do a photo shoot? I am SO jealous!!!!
Totally awesome! It will certainly be a site to see when it is finished. It already is even without any plants.
I have been following this incredible thread with such awe, and feeling so fortunate you are sharing it with us.
Your renderings are a CT treasure, and soon you will have much interest from appreciative visitors and designers in all your artistic fields.
Wanted to share with you a wonderful artist friend of forty years who has created a life and a home right out of the landscape over in Woodstock. He does big, 12 ft sculptures or huge doors etc in copper, bronze, and other combinations, You must go see him and visa versa. Bruce Paul Fink Web:www.artmetal.com/bpfink
You all have so much to share.
Please continue sharing with us!
This message was edited Jun 23, 2005 1:45 PM
WOW Pollygardening - thank you! I just popped over to Bruce Paul's website - cool! John will love seeing that. I just couldn't help wondering if he knows the Harvard Professor who was John's mentor - William Reiman. I think I posted about him earlier in this long thread.
If you think he would be interested, I could email him a link to this thread where he can see all the pictures. I think non-members can view a thread if you copy the url to them - they just can't post or go anywhere else on Daves without a membership.
I'd like to tell him who sent me ..so um..(blush)...what's your name - Polly?
Diane Krny
Wow Diane everything looks so great. Wish I could get my DH to help me like your does.
Dianne,
I have not chimed in much on this thread, but it is in my "Watched" threads and I, like everyone else, am in awe of what you guys are doing. It will surely be there for posterity, long after you both are gone. Maybe someone will turn it into a Natural Arts Museum. Have you bequeathed it to anyony with that in mind? Like in a Will? Do you have family? Kids?
Partly I am chiming in because of Polly's posting. I wish I could dig up my mom's old post cards! I know there are some from this place in Florida that an old man from Latvia--(my land of birth) who did an unbelievable, Stonehenge-type of monolithic rocks and boulders Garden. He, single handedly, moved all those boulders weighing hundreds of tons and made tables and chairs and doors that moved with the touch of a hand. Supposedly, no one ever found out his secret of how he accomplished it, and he took it to his grave.
I wish i could remember the name of this place!!!! Hey, anyone in Florida reading this---help me out here! Then people could look it up in Google and see his unbelievable achievements.
I will keep looking for those post cards..... Gitagal