You don't want my theory.
I plant roses everywhere. When I run out of room I make an excuse to remove more lawn and plant more.
My latest bed was because there are two street signs on the corner that I didn't want to mow around or trim. I made a rose bed that contains the signs.
Result is room for 12 more roses and easier to mow the lawn.

I have a vision in my head that I just can't translate to paper, every year I add a bit more to that vision, it is eventually coming to look the way I want it, it has taken me 9 years so far. No, having it on paper would not have made any difference. Sometimes I lay long electrical extention cords to shape the next bed, they are flexible and easy to work with, I will dig around them to make an outline and other times I will pile something on a bench to see if I need some extra height or spread something along the ground. I know that sounds pretty basic, well i guess it is, LOL, but it works for me. I also walk around with pots of plants to decide where I want them.

Valerie

My theory is to remove as much grass as possible! *laughing* I have my roses in a cottage-style garden around the perimeter of my yard. They are sharing space with all kinds of perennials. The look is a little chaotic - but I love it.

I'm hoping to add a kidney shaped garden next spring. (I just have to have a stump taken out...)

I redid my whole perennial garden this year and turned it into a rose garden. To begin with, I was extremely ruthless with the plants I had. I only saved my very favorities, or a few that would perform well with roses. The rest I composted, moved, or gave away.

I decided to do an "informal English" style. The first "bones" of the garden was the curving grass path through it. I had made a rough draft on paper, then used landscape spray paint and outlined the path.

Interconnecting other areas throughout are a few bluestone paths I laid "stepping-stone" style.

I did plant roses early this spring before any of the paths were complete because I didn't want to miss out on planting this year, but I had a pretty good idea where they were going to go. But now that the paths are complete, I can really see how the rest of the roses will be laid out.

I have planted some dwarf conifers at certain points, my favorite is the pencil point juniper, very narrow and upright--a good focal point and contrast to the roses. A flowering crab that will go 15' was also planted at one end.

Other perennials I have added (or kept from previous garden) are nepeta, b. irises, siberian irises in shades of blue, delphiniums, and veronica. Bulbs will go in this fall.

We scored this spring when we found an antique iron arbor on sale at an architectual salvage place, it is at the head of the grass path and ties everything together. But I can see I need another "focal point" in the sight line from under the arbor. New place for my tuteur after I move some things around.

I am not good at visualizing on paper. So it really helped me to get the paths done, then I could look at the garden and have a good idea of what goes where, space-wise. I think it is easier to start from scratch than to try to work in or add to an existing garden. You can be more free with the design you want with no restrictions.

Since I'm doing mostly English and OGR roses, I have found I need to keep the colors cool and soft. A red daylily and some bright red dahlias stood out in a bad way, the only red that's going to go in this garden is the purplish red of roses.

My ideas are constantly changing. I don't plan, I take my shovel and start skinning the turf off until the bed is a shape I find inviting. I spend little or nothing.

There are some rules by default. There cannot be a hint of formality in order for the landscape to accurately reflect the pig who designed it. No straight lines. Soft, smooth, natural and relaxing are the themes. General goal: to create a nice place to smell flowers, rest and drink beer.

{{gwi:269003}}

{{gwi:279360}}

{{gwi:243105}}

{{gwi:330998}}

{{gwi:239414}}

Nice, harryshoe-makes me want to kick up my feet in your rose garden!

My method of landscaping is similar to harry's-natural, curved lines-the only straight lines are in the terrace gardens, and that's because I've got a Pergola in mind!

Fill your garden with what pleases you and be prepared to change it, because new and better ideas can and do come along.

I brought roses from my old house to my new house 10 years ago so it was important to have a place for them ASAP. I measured a large circle in the side yard and cut bisecting paths through it which created four wedge-shaped beds. The next year I created four L-shaped beds in the backyard with a square in the center (later paved with cobbles). After using the L-shaped beds for veg a couple of years I decided to convert them to rose beds, so I filled them up. The deer were a problem so I through up a fence around the back and side yards. Chain link was the cheapest but oh so ugly! I wanted to hide it so I started buying climbing roses and clematis, as well as a passion vine and silver lace vine. The silver lace vine took off with commendable speed to block the view of the neighbors, and the white flowers are lovely with red and pink climbing roses peeking through. The passion vine almost died the first winter but a couple of years later it re-emerged and is now threatening to take over. I'm such a sucker for blue flowers I don't even care. Then around the edges there are other rose beds in every sunny spot, and a couple of free-form beds with large shrubs such as R. Roxburghii ‘Plena’, R. Eglanteria and Carefree Beauty. And anywhere else I can shoe-horn them in within the fence.

Harryshoe, you need to tell us what some of the roses are that you planted in front of your house! They are so pretty. It looks like you have a few hybrid teas there. I've been afraid to plant some hybrid teas as specimans near the house because I wasn't sure if they would look good because of the rigid growth habit, although some seem to be bushier than others.

Harry, I like your philosophy. I like your garden too!

I like to plan. To me that is half of the fun. In fact, Rob says that I plan things to death. First I DREAM and come up with a theme. Then I walk around the property visualizing beds and the like. Third I write up a garden plan and draw out the beds. Fourth, research is then conducted on just the right plants for each place within the beds. I measure and remeasure. The fifth step is hardscaping to establish the "bones" of the garden. Lastly, the plants go in. The only problem with this method is that I tend to get impatient and try to skip the fifth step. More than once I've ended up with a jungle, but when it all comes together THE SCENE (drama-Drama-DRAMA!!!) literally stops pedestrians in their tracks.

My theory:
First, plan a space for yourself,(and others) even if its just a bench.
Having your own space will draw you into the garden to enjoy it, not just to work in it.
Then plan the view,with an eye to harmonizing rose colors. After that, choose companion plants.
Luxrosa

Here's another "theory" you don't want to hear.
STEP 1- Go out and buy plants.
STEP 2- Nurse plants along in pots until you have enough to make a good sized bed.
STEP 3- Beg DH to lay out a new bed in the general area you want it.
STEP 4- Ammend soil in new bed with mulch, manure, top soil and anything else good you have around.
STEP 5- Plant pots in bed and contiune to add to it until bed is "full".
STEP 6- Start from step 1 again!
Continue until you only have pathways and a couple of benches around then sell your lawnmower! nova

Put the short plants in front of the tall plants, so that you can see both.

Stick in some plants with big, bold, leaves here and there to balance out the finer texture of the rose foliage. A very large pot or rock can do the same thing.

Get rid of the grass, except for paths. Grass paths are nice to walk on. Make the width of the paths 2, 3, or 4 passes of the mower wide so mowing is easy. Create the path by mowing, so you are sure it is easy to mow.

At any gateway, plant fragrant plants so that when you stop to open the gate, you can smell the fragrance.

Plant something to hide the base of the roses, because the base of the roses are not very attractive. Short boxwood hedges for formality, daylilys, geraniums, or ornamental grasses for a naturalistic look.

For height, build big towers for climbing roses instead of planting trees.

If you need shade, build a pergola and put some climbing roses on it, instead of using precious space for a shade casting tree (hey my garden is small).

Just about every rose should have a clematis growing with it. If the rose is not blooming, the clematis might be, and both blooming together are even better.

Pay attention to more than what your eyes can see. Fragrance and sound and even taste count too. Splashing water in a fountain or pond. Attract birds so they will sing. Make sure there's something fragrant periodically along the paths you walk. A strawberry or mint plant here and there so you can pick a berry or leaf for a splash of flavor as you wander through the garden (Keep the mint in a pot on concrete).

Foliage color is important too. Coleus, Phormium--lots of wonderful variations in color can complement the colors of rose flowers, and foliage color is always there, whether the plant is blooming or not.

That's it so far.

Sandy,
Those pictures are the back of my house. I am a little more formal in the front where we have a northern exposure. I do not favor HT's in front. I have added a few mini's this year and moved one of my Knock Outs into the front. This picture was from spring '05 when it was all azaleas, etc.

Thank you Alicia.

The front:

{{gwi:330999}}

The back:

{{gwi:322113}}

!!! HARRY !!!

You cry about my enabling and then you post a picture of the back yard with alllllllllll that grass! You've got tons of prime full sun garden space. That back yard is practically begging for more flower beds. You could easily fit in 200+ roses.

I've obviously been W-A-Y too easy on you.

Here is an example,

THE MONET GARDEN
A colorful garden inspired by the impressionist painter

The inspiration for this small garden is the famous gardens of the French Impressionist artist Claude Monet. The design truly has a Provincial air to it combining the classic cottage flowers that capture the flavor of the region.

The garden consists of a central slate stone path bordered by raised flower beds that are constructed of grey granite. Tucked in between the stepping stones is the low growing herbs Roman chamomile and Johnny jump-up violets. The first is beloved for the sweet apple fragrance of its daisy-like flowers and the second for the intense yellow/purple color of its tiny pansy-like flowers. Both tolerate foot traffic well and provide a nice contrast.

Claude Monet adored bearded irises, featuring them in his artwork and gardens. Here repeat blooming irises are found in two flower beds adjacent to the house. Rosy hued foxgloves, sunny daisies and violet-blue cranesbills harmonize nicely with the irises. Separating the beds is a restful garden bench sheltered by a Gallic rose arch. Climbing roses and marzipan scented clematis scale the vertical surfaces and are deliciously fragrant, while the second story boudoir window box planted with miniature roses and trailing sweet peas adds just the right touch of European charm.

A French style garden wouldnt be complete without the herb Lavender and there is plenty of it planted in the long, narrow flower bed on the other side of the stone path. English roses in soft shades of apricot, pink and yellow provide a veritable feast for the senses. In the middle of the flower bed, opposite the garden bench and rose arbor, is a bird feeder filled with thistle seed, which is attractive to American Goldfinches. The brightly colored songbirds happily entertain visitors and help set the cheerful garden scene.

The path continues across the back patio and up a series of stone steps to the potting shed located on the raised back yard. Terraced flower beds border the steps and are planted with sunflowers, herbs and roses. PLANT LIST

ANNUALS
Johnny jump-up (Viola tricolor)
Sunflower (Helianthus annus, var. Bashful)

BULBS
Reblooming Bearded Iris (Iridacaeae, var. Feed Back, Golden Immortal, Jennifer Rebecca)

HERBS
French Lavender (Lavandula x intermedia, var. Grosso & Provence)
Roman Chamomile (Chamaemilum nobile, var. Flore Pleno)

PERENNIALS/VINES
Clematis (C. x triternata, var. Rubromarginata; C. x aromatica)
Foxglove (Digitalis, var. Camelot series)
Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea, var. Lilliput)
Violet (Viola, var. Etain)
Sweet Pea (Lathyrus odoratus, var. Cupid Pink)

ROSES
Charles Darwin (English, antique yellow)
Clotilde Soupert (Polyantha, blush white)
Eglantyne (English, pure porcelain pink)
Evelyn (English, apricot pink blend)
Happy Child (English, bright yellow)
Heritage (English, shell pink)
Jacques Cartier (Portland, light pink)
La France (Climbing Hybrid Tea, light pink)
Molineux (English, rich yellow blend)
Perle des Jardins (Tea, light yellow)
Pink Poodle (Miniature, candy pink)
Pretty Jessica (English, rose pink)
Sharifa Asma (English, light warm pink)
Sweet Hanna (Miniature, blush yellow)
The Pilgrim (English, blush yellow)
Viking Queen (Large Flowered Climber, medium pink)

Jungle here!

I have planned and not planned. Plopped and shovel pruned and spread to some of my neighbors yards. I still have some grass, but I am at a comfortable level of plants 110 or so. If I buy anymore then it would cease to be fun anymore for this old codger.

I have recently added more tree peonies, herbacious peonies, dahlias, glads and lilies. We have a good assortment of the common perenials found in most gardens.

A garden hose also works well in working with lines. The major part of our garden is an old vineyard that I have removed several rows and planted stuff. Somewhat linear, but I still like my grape vines.

I have tried to give some height to the floor of the valley with climbers although they are a pain in Zone 5.

I have enough space so I do not have to grow any roses in the front yard. One has to venture into the back yard for the shock & awe bit.

Although it is not finished (I tell folks I am on a five year plan) it still gives me pleasure.

F.L.
NAGL

Look at as many pictures of gardens/rose gardens that you can get your hands on. Internet, books, gardening magazines (I found big stacks of used magazines at yard sales). A theme or form will start to develop in your mind, and you will find a style you want plus other elements from the pictures you would like to incorporate.

Patrick, I can't count the times I've told Harry he has too much grass. I think you need to put your efforts toward him, don't you? I mean, come ON.

Patrick, your list of companion perennials doesn't include my favorite hardy geranium, Rozanne. I have a lot of geraniums and the only one still in glorious bloom is Rozanne. Beautiful deep violet flowers that go on and on.

Good work, enabling Patrick. He needs a dose of his own medicine.

What FUN! Harry, enjoy that grass--a man's gotta have space! and I "ain't got none". An old rosarian once told me-- got grass? then you got room for more roses.

Weldon

Wow! You all have such wonderful ideas that would not have occured to me otherwise. Thank you each for your responses!

Veilchen It sounds like youve achieved the informal English look Im going for. Pretty pretty please post a picture! (or three)

Harry Your roses are spectacular, but they are right about too much grass. Or maybe you are just pacing yourself and dont want to use it all at once?

Nwroselady- I was actually thinking of doing a circular garden w/ wedge shaped beds surrounding a formal round bed w/ a nice focal point. Id love to see pics!

Nova- Lol, that is current my practice Im trying to break away from! Ive lost so many plants to the pot ghetto this year. I was collecting plants I fancied but I couldnt plant them because I knew I was buying another house at the end of the summer. Now that I have my new house on 5 acres, Ive sworn to keep suffering in the pot ghetto to a minimum.

Hoovb - I love all your advice! Especially about beginning to define the shape of your garden by mowing paths. I started rooting dwarf boxwoods for edging from a beautiful bush my late grandmother planted 50 years ago but Im not sure any took.

Molineux- Just reading the description of your famed Monet garden takes my breath away! Maybe I should attempt lavender as my edging in lieu of boxwoods....Will you post pics? Are you open to the idea of hosting a spring garden tour for those of us in the DC area?

Molineux - your garden sounds fantastic! Please, would you post some pictures? Your approach to landscape design is perfect. I wish I could see your garden, but please, please, please send us some of your garden pictures. Thank you.

Here is the only pic I have showing a partial shot of the garden coming from the arbor. This was in June, and things have really filled in since then. The 2 roses on the arbor, Constance Spry, have nearly reached the top on both sides. More perennials have been added. On the left is the trellis fence for climbers. I wish I had better pics but will take more next spring when it's "finished".

{{gwi:331000}}

Harry you have this garden and your refer to yourself as a pig???My God the rest of us will have to toss in the towell. Your garden is elegant and refined and very beautiful--you know I hate knockouts but that needn't come between us since the back yard was really put in by French aristocrats or you are pulling the collective leg. Just beautiful. I like geraniums too but mine look like these.
{{gwi:331001}}
beautiful with Compte de Chamborde and no toys in the background...
la

this is what my yard used to look like
(my son couldn't wait to hang his new light THERE!)
{{gwi:331002}}
{{gwi:331005}}

and lately
{{gwi:331006}}
{{gwi:331007}}
{{gwi:331008}}

beautiful garden Harryshoe!
jeez, there's even room for kids to...run around!
(i tell my kids that's what the park is for)
You're the one who likes to sit on the front steps,
drink beer, and sharpen your tools, aren't you?
alida

I had to plan my garden around existing features but I tried to impose my ideas as much as possible. If I could start from scratch with a blank space I would make a very different garden. My garden is half an acre so all my efforts have gone into making it seem larger.

I believe in formality near the house with gradually wilder plantings on the perimeter. I have a round boxedged garden with four quadrants divided by paths of granite setts close to the house. Each wedge shaped bed inside is planted with low floribundas in white, pink, lemon and amber, one colour in each bed, about 10 plants each. A Ham House pineapple sits in the middle. I wanted it to look like a fruit tart from the upper windows.

I don't have as many garden rooms as I would like but I have made two vistas, one oriented north-south lined with fruit trees and finishing with an arched rose walk with a bench at the end, the other east-west. This path has large OGRs on both sides and some smaller fruit trees. These straight lines make the garden look bigger and the closed rose walk creates intimacy and mystery.

One large island bed backed by yews is a feature I took from a book by Barbara Damrosch, an American writer. It has tall roses and perennials near the yew hedge, shorter varieties on the other sides. All other borders are on the sides of the garden and all are mixed informal plantings of roses, shrubs and perennials and the lines are curved. I have tried to colour coordinate them, not always successfully. I have kept all hot colours to the west of the house, my sunset garden, and this is also at its best in autumn with all the "helies", helianthemums, heleniums, helianthuses plus rudbeckias and reblooming roses in yellow and orange.

The garden is on three levels, but not very steep, so I have three paved areas for sitting out and they also form rooms with the plantings around them. Climbers are very important for creating height and I have pillars, trellises, arches and obelisks for climbing roses. I have trained some ramblers up trees.

altorama, your transformation is STUNNING!

I use a garden hose to find the right shapes.

Sometimes I plant by a plan, sometimes I don't. It seems to work better when I take time to plan ahead, but the beds I'm not thrilled with are always very fixable in terms of moving things around or adding garden accoutrements, etc. It's not a big deal.

Sometimes I plan colors, sometimes I don't. I have Pat Austin and Scepter'd Isle right next to each other. Never liked that combination (that was not planned) but because roses are intrinsically beautiful, what's, really, not to like??

It's all good. It really is. There are more important things to stress about in life. Don't get caught up in the minutia and as a result, create stress. Stress isn't a good thing. Do what you think is best, then adjust if necessary. Oftentimes you just can't know until they're grown.

I'll load a few overall garden views to the link below. Look at the bottom for them shortly.

Alida,

WOW! Great transformation.

Tivoli,

As always, you are the master of putting together plantings with "things". Beautiful garden.

I put them into the 2006 gallery instead, just did them quickly but you'll get the idea.

harry, thanks!

Harry,

You are a riot!!!!!!!!!!

I loved the soft lines. We do the same thing here; curved angles and 'environments' to go and take a quiet hour somewhere. I love that you can stroll outside and sit for fifteen minutes on a phone call, feeling like you've disengaged from the real world.

In the past few months it's become obvious that my next bed (for minis) will have to be a raised one, probably with a seat on the ledge. Right now, I'm thinking railroad ties might be the ticket, or 2x6's. Since I like to use recycled wood it will probably depend on what's available when the mood to work strikes me.

I'm supposed to DESIGN it????

Oh, look, one can go here!
1 year later: Oh, heck, that one is too big, and I'll never get it out now!

Transplanting is good exercise Diane. Thorns digging into your arms and legs is penance.

Gee, Harry, I haven't been THAT BAD!!! ;-))

I always LOVE these threads. For me seeing what other people do is inspiring.

My current planning method is:
1. I point to a part of the yard currently lawn and a tree or two and tell SO that I want to plant a hundred roses there.
2. SO whines about the trees and killing the grass and then asks me how I want it to look. Now we've done this a couple of times, so we are getting better at it - he knows the drill, I want to be able to get at the roses from two sides - room in the middle so to speak.
3. He cuts down trees, and then lays out hose and rope and so forth and messes with the shape until he is happy and then asks me what I think. I always love it!
4. He sprays Round-Up until I am SURE the grass is dead.
5. We go load up the trailer with compost and spread it about 4" over the dead grass-soon-to-be-rosebed space.
6. Then I run around with my pail of stakes and my yardstick and hammer stakes in the ground where I want roses.
7. The neighbor comes over with his skidloader and 24" auger and augers the holes.
8. In the meantime, I'm busy with my list trying to decide what goes where in the new space.
9. We start planting roses in the holes, adding amendments to each hole as we go. I use the term "we" advisedly, because at this point its mostly me. For some reason the guys feel they are finished once they've augered holes!!!
10. Eventually the roses all get planted and I spread cardboard over the entire area and mulch over the top of the cardboard.
11. MIL and I run around to all the nurseries scoping out and buy perennials and annuals to add to the roses.
12. I start the involved and sometimes lengthy process of encouraging SO to build structures for the climbers (which, of course, I always LOVE).

My garden design slowly evolved over the years. When I moved here years ago, there was a square vegetable garden in back, so it became my first perennial garden. A year later, I determined that I was not a "square" person and lopped off one corner and curved the shape a bit. Then I kept buying perennials, so I made a matching shape at the other end of the backyard. Over the next few years those two corner shapes kept growing towards each other, so I finally decided to make a big swooping crescent shape down the entire west side. That was the most "planned" thing I ever did--spent all winter laying out the green hose on the white snow until I had found the perfect outlined shape. Now, years later, that same crescent shape is still there (although the plants have changed) and is still one of the most impressive design features in the yard.

Same process occurred in other parts of the backyard. Today's shape has slowly evolved over the years as I bought more and more plants (all roses the past couple years). Like everything else in the garden, the shape has been a living, growing thing. Who knows how it will have changed ten years from now!

Kate

Kate i wasw thinking about that yesterday. the other day my
daughter and i were sitting on the bench and i suddenly
realized i could do more paving and make the seating area
bigger, and more private. don't know why i never thought
of that before. so i always wonder what it will look like
in a few years-not because the plants grow-but because i
never know what i'm gonna do.
all you guys have great pictures and gardens!
alida

I don't know if I actually planned this in advance but I have a section of the rose garden that is Hts but it is in front of shrub roses like Austins and Bonica. Then I have some floribundas off to the side. The next section of rose bed again has a section of all HTs and then it goes to a mix of rose types at the end. It just sort of happened as I redid the garden last year and saw the perfect spot for those HTs I wanted to add.

In my front yard I mostly stayed away from HTs and went with Floribundas and shrub roses.

This is a great thread. I learned a ton, printed it up, and will read and re-read.

Jerome

I have a large front bed and a smaller front bed. Plus a heart shaped bed in the front lawn and a large oval bed in the front. The oval bed came with junipers and a flowering cherry. I added a flowering pear (before I knew better) but the soil in that bed is awful, so all I usually do is add annuals.

The smaller front bed had nice Japanese Clerea (sp) that grew in nicely. I added a large yellow butterfly bush and my 'hot' roses, Teasing GA (on an umbrella trellis), Fragrant Cloud, Mr. Lincoln, Tropical Sunset, Sultry and this year, Pat Austin. I also have Golden Showers on the porch. Plus Daylillies in front of the roses.

The other bed has been the problem. There were 5 beautiful Pride of Mobile azaleas there, but due to too much sun and bad planting (by the builder) I've lost all but 2 of them. So I put in roses. At first I had the 'row' of HTs,but have branched out into Austins and OGS. The bed was totally redone this year, moving many roses and adding more. So I don't really know how it's going to look.

The heart shaped bed is destined to be a tea bed. I have 3 from Ashdown in there and more to go in. I probably should add some evergreen, but I'm not sure.

It's hard when you start with a new home and a virtual blank slate. It takes years to get it where you want it. And even then you are always tweaking. I'm still getting there.

I always think I have a plan so I sit down with my computer and make colored circles on a powerpoint document. I rearrange them a few times then finally go to the garden and start moving stuff and planting. It's never quite like I planned! The flow of the stepping stones path really dictates how things are placed in my 20 x 20 plot. Color seems to just work out. I do like to see smaller plants in and around my roses. I depend on coneflowers, cranesbills, small citronella geraniums, pentas, alyssum and small salvias. Oh yeah, foxgloves too. They seem to like the same conditions as roses.

1. Move in with Harry.

2. Thank doG there was already a sort of landscape plan at my house when I bought it.

3. Take out the stuff I hate and replace with what I like... plus

4. Lasagna out the edges of those beds to make them bigger.

There's unlandscaped stuff off to the side and that I'm going to have to really think about (Harry, wanna come out for a consult?).

nickelsmumz you are cracking me up!!

Jody....I want to see pics!! It sounds lovely!

Truth be told, fantasy-designing gardens was my hobby before I had a place to garden.

Patrick's imagery and plant list make my heart jump.

I've drawn up full garden layouts for house-plan-book homes I'll never even see! So, I have elements I'm really using now, 16 years after the sketching obssession began.

Garden design magazines gave me 1 million and one ideas... cutting out pages and organizing scapbooks by color, or hardscapes, feel, etc.

I buy every 'gardens of Provence', etc book I can afford. And books that list the design grid and plants for already-designed gardens. There is a book by Scarman on OGRs that have a few of these listed out... heaven!

Even travel magazines are fodder for my folders! If y'all really want to see my layouts and details, oh I've got them!

I'd love to see/hear more of Patrick's!

And Susan and Harry, if y'all have y'all's mapped out or listed, I'd LOVE to see that sometime. Many here have gardens I adore.

In the new section I did in the front yard I did a section with only shrub roses then there is a new daylily bed and then the floribunda bed. I figgure the daylilies will be putting on a show blooming while the roses are resting between flushes. Of course the daylilies are so new that they aren't goung to be doing anything much for awhile and most of the shrub roses are very small. They were either this spring bareroot or Heirloom bands so they have a ways to go.

Harry, I just love your garden(s). Obviously there is magic in the brown bottle. :-)

Design? That would imply intent and premeditation. I know there are people who do that, or so I hear. I just plop in plants and hope for the best. If they don't work, they can be moved. Or, most of them anyway. :-)

It's a process, not an event.

I started mine with the image of a butterfly, whose body was a path covered with arches. Somehow it never looked right. The wings were not even because they ran into obstacles like fences. IT was too formal a design for my manufactured home and I did not want to mess with boxwood edges. Last year I started rearranging it to uneven rounded shapes bysected by the large grassy path under the arbor. I find it much more pleasing now but wish some of the beds were bigger. THey are basically and loosely arranged by color(I need a much large blue section now that I am into The blue tone roses), and some roses still need to be moved to accomplish that. When I started really moving them some were flowerless sticks that were not doing well and the labels had been lost. Now I have pink Peace in the middle of the apricot bed which does rather startle the eyes in a nice way. This year I am Trying to get them all relabled and mark the ones to be moved this fall, while they are in flower. I have mixed in a lot of perennials for early and inbetween blooms...nothing formal here except the copper arches of the path...and have one more to go where the path opens out at the end. atleast I have the climbers growing for it(Abraham Darby And Polka) (2 Graham Thomas,) (Night owl and Don Juan),(Porlandia and Grace). I started with a lot of Austins and have them planted on the arches and along the driveway fence. THe others I mostly moved to a seperate English Rose Garden that is for cutting mostly. (I sell flowers) I would not be without Teasing Georgia, Graham THomas, Abraham Darby , Pat Austin and Windrush as my "High" givers however. When they bloom, my friend refers to my garden as "Obscene"! Now they are resting and I am encouraging the hybrid teas and floribundas to get on with the program!

I mix in perennials where ever I can find a spot.

My Garden theme? Generous and Blowsy! And Fragrant.

And do not ask for photos...I have not found one spot on my flat ground or low porch that can take a good photograph...but you should smell the garden on a sunny evening! I take lots of closeup shots of the individual roses.

OH yes, the back drop is Nw forest of Madrona and Douglas fir and big leaf maple.

The Central Path wanders on through the grass garden and into the raspberry patch and the orchard. EVentually part of the garden (The pink Bed) will wander into a very quiet Asian Serenity garden. which was the MOon Garden where the Moon never shone on the front of it but alway as a back light....who would have thunk it!

My theory is clumps of bold, bright colors, like red, orange and yellow, interspersed w/ restful blues,like catmint and oregano. Curves and more curves, and little hidden spots to rest in the garden. Also, never to plant roses by themselves, or any other plant either, I like variety and I don't want to hang out a sign to bugs- eat here. I dont' like roses by themselves either because when they are bare I find them unattractive. That said, all my gardens are new because this was a bare lot when I moved here 3 and a half yrs ago and I have lots and lots of work left to do. I have already put down 8 yards of mulch this spring/summer and I need lots more. One thing I want is a fountain, a disappearing one, so no worries about standing water, maybe next yr, sigh... I'm still looking for plans for a trellis for my new climbing rose. So much to do, so many plants to explore, and so little time and energy! Great thread! Brandy