When the garden evicted the swing set, then trampoline, the kiddos could always find a game or twenty. This little neighbor girl is now a teenager. Her photo reminds me that children in gardens make for future memories.
I have pleached a row of 4 'Lady Banksia' roses into a series of 7 garlands along the fence. The bed wall was built with the house from the garage's rock excavations and serves as a retainer against the neighbor's higher grade. The rose is an old Southern pioneer favorite that would cover the barn when left to ramble where she would. Although she blooms but once-a-year, I find her to be an excellent medium for sculpting with her wand-like growth and thornless canes.
In the days of affordable help, professional gardeners often trained fruit trees into espaliered patterns on pottagere walls, allowing more space for bedded produce. I risk life and limb to discipline our 'Bart' from shading the little herb patch that produces enough for our table and crafts.
My 'concave-convex' step design was inspired by one seen in a Victorian garden, which had been adopted from a staircase found amongst Roman ruins. Sound design travels the ages around the globe, to rightfully earn the title of a 'Classic'.
As the borders grew, the wildlife returned to what was once theirs and still they come. Every year there are new immigrant varieties joining the colonists, who have decided that we too, must belong here as they allow us privileges not often granted many human creatures.
The Long Border evolves different every year. It is my plant playground, therefore, my learning ground. Just when I achieved this satisfying design in '93, I ripped it out and started over, and have regretted it
ever since.