What makes a Garden a Garden?

Just a few musings floating around in my head.

I don’t have a garden; I have a yard with flowerbeds. Why don’t I have a Garden? When does a yard become a Garden? When I describe or think about my property it is always as front yard, side yard, back yard. Front beds both woodland bed and raised bed, the wall, the pines, the hedges, the pond, the back corner or the boxes (both window and deck) but never do I think of it or any of the flower beds as a garden. I do have a veggie garden, even when I am not growing veggies that area is still the vegetable garden. I have a lot more flowers than I have ever had veggies so why would I think veggie garden but not flower garden? Will I have a garden when my flower beds are bigger, deeper, or more? Will I have a garden when I really think of myself as a Gardner and not just a person who “has plants” Is it just something left over in my head from my childhood or region where you have a yard with flower beds but not a garden? Gardens were places you went to see flowers that other people grew. Holly

Welcome to my “Front Yard”

Holly, I think I know what you mean. And perhaps you think of it that way, as front yard, back yard, etc. because you are constantly working on it...so it doesn't feel "finished" to you, as a "garden" is finished and for people to look at. But if your picture is any indication of the rest of your handiwork, I would say you have a beautiful garden.

and im just a plantscaper. lol

That is one gorgeous front yard!!!

I love your garden....A garden for me is my own little bit of heaven...oasis ....place of respite.....I would like others to love it too but ...it is mine and it makes me happy.You go out every morning just to see what little bud has opened...or if a new shoot has formed.
Look over there- there is the jasmine that I grew from the cutting that Emma gave me...over here this begonia grows happily from a cutting that Maria gave me.I grew that wattle from seeds that I took from my granddaughters school yard.....the daphne came from John.....time and time again each living thing represents something to me......the Boges and Mandys rescued....and saved by ME :)
It shows me the seasons and the circle of life..... it is a living thing
and it is mine and it takes my breath away ...almost every day!

I wish my garden looked as good as your yard!

Shari, I think you may have a good point. There will always be another project and more beds to add. This year we put in a canvas topped gazebo and it will be the foundation for new beds, already there is a new Crape Myrtle and butterfly bush planted near by. I am hoping to enlarge both front beds and the area around the light post.
Chrissy, You must truly be a Gardner. I feel the love you have for your plants. Your gardens must be lovely. I too venture out every morning, camera in hand to see what new blooms await me. Then after filling the bird feeders I take my morning muffin and daily newspaper to the gazebo, such a relaxing way to start the morning.
When I visit friends I always ask can I see your garden, but when they visit me I ask would you like to see my yard. Funny how the mind works.
Len, Love the plantscaper. LOL
Back corner (a work in progress) and the birdbath/fountain pond.

Chrissy, such a lovely way to describe what your gardens mean to you - you are quite eloquent and you touched my heart.

HollyAnn, that is gorgeous!

Hi Holly,

You sound like a gardener to me, with a number of beautiful gardens! The word "garden" is a very broad term. My dictionary defines it as: "a piece of ground for growing flowers, vegetables, etc."
I think it's time you give yourself a promotion. :-)

Sharon

A garden teaches us that nothing stays the same like us it is constantly changing. I love the word garden....it is the stuff of dreams and in my mind has always linked to the "garden"of Eden....the Hanging "gardens" etc.......yard does not have the same note somehow...why not give your self permission to call that beautiful place" my garden."

Chrissy - I love your description of your garden....you put my feelings into words so perfectly. I'm with Murmer - you touched my heart.

Okay Holly - repeat like a mantra - welcome to "my garden"
would you like to see "my garden"
I'm sitting in "my garden"
You deserve a beautiful word for a beautiful surrounding.

Chrissy, Such beautiful sentiments. You must be a writer/poet as well as a Gardner.
Shari, Your right; Welcome to my Garden, Welcome to my Garden, Welcome.................LOL
Thanks all it was so nice to talk to other "Gardeners" about my late night musings.
The wall in my raised bed "Garden"

I have a garden that's all....now you do too and if we convinced you to have one ...... then it has made our day!.....just imagine if daves garden were called daves yard lol.....ha ha ha .....Have a happy glorious wonderful day and every day in your garden ....a big (hug)

Chrissy :)))))

Love the picture! Is that hen and chicks I see there? How do you keep them under control? At my house in Colorado they grow EVERYWHERE! It became on of the chores I gave my grandson when he came to visit. One of them really enjoyed working in the garden with me, and when I said "pull all this up" he whooped for joy, and just dug in. Became a ritual when he was at my house anytime there wasn't snow...

Oh yes, Hens and Chicks, yellow sedum, ebony spleenwort and sensitive ferns. There are; reticulated iris, daffs, and tulips planted in front of the wall that bloom in the spring. I add a few annuals to the mix in May. I don’t have problems with the Hens and Chicks, but the sedum always has to be removed and I can only find homes for so much sedum, so a good bit of it ends up in the compost bin. The wall is about 2 ft high and 25 ft long with a raised bed behind it. I'm planing to add a second shorter wall in front of this one and expand a second lower bed out and then a third bed at ground level in front. I will have 3 levels of curved beds when it is done. But that is for another year.

Have you tried Kalanchoe instead of the Sedum? I find its not so invasive. Oh how I miss my spring bulbs! Daffs, tulips, windflowers...I just loved spring at my garden in Colorado....note "my garden"! Out here the only bulbs I grow are Crinims and Hippeastrums....and they are all year, but then so is everything else. Love it here, but do miss the seasons.

No, They are very pretty and I've seen them sold as house plants in our area but they wouldn't live in my Zone 6. When we do the next bed and wall level I will have to tear-down and rebuild this wall to get the plants out of the lower crevices. They will then be divided between both walls and the bulbs in front of the old wall will be moved forward also. This wall is one of my favorite things in my garden. (I see a change in my thinking already) LOL
It must be beautiful there. I always think Zone Envy, I want to grow more tropicals and other plants that need a warm zone and those in the warmer zones look at some of the plants that need cool weather and long for those. LOL
This was taken earlier this spring, a few of my tulips.

And a few Daffs for you as well, also from earlier this spring. This area is my Pines there are six different trees Norway Spruce, Blue Spruce, 2 White Pines, Frasier Fir, and Hemlock with a heavy bed of Vinca Minor between the trees and a few Red Buds for color then I have large clumps of different daffs around the edge of the planting as well as some hosta. There is an old split rail fence that I refuse to replace, a new one just wouldn't have the character that this one does. Although I wish the Wood peckers would stop putting such large holes in it. LOL

Oh they are lovely! Thank you for that. Love Blue Spruce, and agree with you completely about the fence. Check out Tropicman's pics of his tropical garden in Wichita! Its gorgeous!