Mine is not so much speciality or theme, but you said unrealistic so here goes...

On our 10 acres, we have let about 6 (+/-) go back to nature. My secret desire is to convert the other 4 (or so) into a massive garden. Or maybe lots of little gardens. I've already started working on the pathways through the wooded sections, and want to add woodland plants to that, maybe meadow plants to the areas that are just wide open. Get rid of the invasives (Chinese Privet), and let the natives take over a bit (except for the sweetgum, not so fond of that one, so I'd keep just a few... keep in mind that's realitive). The old homestead burned down, so there's a lot of overturned stone and bricks everywhere, and HUGE rocks showing through here and there, so a smallish rock garden. There's a stream fed pond, so a little water gardening along the edges. And secret rooms/playhouses for my children, and a great big gazebo for the grown ups. To somehow blend the house into the landscape. A fruit orchard (started), as well as the natives that grow here (plums and muscadines so far) and veggies here there and everywhere (also started).

In three years, I've got a lot of the clearing of 6 foot voulenteer trees out of the front. Planted a half dozen or so fruit trees and berries of all kinds. Made and discarded raised beds (currently redoing them). Planted (or left) a lot of bones around the house and starting out into the big yard. Made paths through the wilderness that we're leaving. Transplanted many flowers that were once part of the homestead and got scattered here, tither, and yon. And done a lot of planning and planting of perennials that should be ready to divide when I need them....I hope.

Now for the unrealistic part..... I'd like it to be mostly self sustaining...well heck if we're fantasizing, ENTIRELY self sustaining (maybe my theme could be GA Natives!), and have something flowering every month of the year. =0)

Mil

Unrealistic, hum? I would love to create a massive garden that would become a reference world wide, LOL! It would include quite a few different parts/themes: an arboretum with trees from all over the world, a woodland garden, a coastal garden, a Mediterranean type garden with the native flora from where I garden (Arrábida), an old rose garden, butterfly garden, disabled garden, drought tolerant garden, a white garden. It would serve recreational purposes - picnic area, dog exercise area, jogging paths, hiking trails - and educational - a visitor centre where people, and especially children, could learn all about the flora and the fauna to be seen there, with a strong emphasis on conservation and respect for the environment. Stretching the minds, you know, so that they would never return to their original size.

It would have a nice café/tearoom where we could linger at leisure after a walk with a healthy drink and a nice piece of home baked cake and admire the view. A small bookshop devoted to gardening and environmental issues - books, CDs, DVDs, relaxing music. A small gallery for crafts people to display their works and for people to browse for original presents.

It would be a peaceful and vibrant place all in one. It would be run by a Foundation which was self-sustainable, and whose members would share the same ideal and purpose and be immune to the greed of developers and the temptations of politicians. It would be a legacy to be left for future generations and a source of pride for the country. I could devote my life to a place like this. We can dream, right?

Eduarda

Although it certainly does not match the style of my current house I love the look and have always been fascinated with formal English gardens. I love the symmetry, focal point fountains, dark gazing pools and all the roses. Part of my fantasy would include a gardener to help me trim all of the symmetrical boxwoods and tend to the roses! The look would also need to include an english manor and then a delightful tea cart and table at the back of the garden for fairytale tea parties.

Here is a link that might be useful:

Ok...so I've got like a gazillion acres and all of the help I could ever want, right? Or no-wait-my magick wand! Alright, I'm ready.....

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*I've got a full labryinth with a pine needle path, and the walls are some wonderful evergreen that I haven't found, yet. They don't stink, you don't have to trim them, and they go from 6 inches to 7 feet overnight!*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Next-
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*I've got an inground pool surrounded by gingers and cannas and exotic aroids that I never have to dig up! It's covered by this breezy arbor that has Thurnbergia and clematis, and a few palm trees to achor everything.~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Next-
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~**~*~*~
I've got a beautiful "hollyhock room" like the one in the book "Southern Gardens". And I'd also have a yearly tea party just like they do in the book! And you'd all be invited!~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Finally-
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Just a great Southern Cottage Garden with lots of fruit trees, magnolia trees, Catalpa and Mimosa (I know they're a mess, but I love them!), and gardenias, hydrangeas, gladiolas, roses, and all the other great southern plants I find it hard to grow here! Oh-and can I have a mature Kapok tree while I'm at it? Just put it over by the pool, please!~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Ahhhhh....just a dream.

HW

If we ever get annexed and go on city sewer, I'd install an olympic-sized lap pool & pond in my backyard, and a nice 5000 gallon pond next to it. There'd be NO grass left back there around the pool, only natural material patios, walkways, and gardens. A large wrought iron fence would surround the entire property, with a limited access gate you'd have to have the code for to get in.

Mine would be a farm outfitted like Monet's gardens.

I would have cows, chickens, goats, pigs, horses, dogs, and cats...all rescue animals.

I would open up a summer camp for disabled kids and kids who have a hard time in society.

Thats been my dream for years, someday it will come true.

Edna

Mine is along the lines of Edna's. I want a farm with animals and an orchard and nuts and fruits and.... I want it to get to a point where it needs no outside inputs other than energy. I've been reading up on permaculture tecniques. I'd want it to be a place where people could come to learn. Particulary disadvantaged city children who just don't get to see much green around their homes. I want to teach people where their food comes from.

Just tonight the neighbor boy came over. I showed him how to pick raspberries. A few minutes later he asked me "Is there any red dye in the berries, becuase I'm allergic?"

How cute is that! *lol* I think many kids miss out on what nature is all about.

"Dreams are the children of the soul" Can't remember where I read that but I liked it. I want to encourage all of you to feed and nurture your dreams as if they were your children. My dream is to transform my 11 1/2 acres into a retreat of some kind. Haven't narrowed it down yet. Of course I want the roses and the cottage garden and the farm animals and the maze and the paths through the woods and the little boy with a "red die high". That is soooooo cute.

I surely can't top any of these fantastic ideas, but as I was reading about having kids to the garden, wouldn't it also be grand to have senior citizens there to help teach them? What a win-win that would be. Someone with needs...someone who needs to be needed.
-Nan

I have four.
I've been wanting a small area for a Lady Diana garden, then another small area for a soul garden (I'm starting to work in a birdhouse for it). For the side patio I want a 50's garden and I've already got plans for that. I even have all the furniture as a friend just gave me a 50's metal dining table and 5 chairs for it, and hubs bought two bertoia chairs a few years ago for like $5 each!!
The backyard I would LOVE a futuristic mod woodland garden. Do not ask. I have NO IDEA in the world how to pull that one off. I just don't think there is enough molded plastic or fiberglass to made an large expanse of retaining wall that I need, lol :)

GGG

I would like to plant 6 gardens that are each the same but each has a different color.

Lilwormy- you're sick- SICK i tell you. How fabulous and extravagant and completely unnecessary- I love it. Now THAT, that's just so...excessive!!! INDULGENT!
Man that me laugh. ROCK ON!

You all have such Fabulous fantasies! Edna's touched me the most- Nice Edna- we're all being selfish here remember.. ?don't you know how to do that? haha.
I also have kids come over to help pick veggies or water with me from time to time- and frankly- I could use the company and they LOVE to learn about it. the little sponges.
One girl told me that I should show her mom how to plant a flower.. I said "why" and she said- " Cuz hers just DIIIEEEE!"

hahahaha- Being that her mom is a friend of mine- I busted my gut laughing. I said- "Oh well I bet that has nothing to do with you kids beheading them with your ball or running them over with your bikes...!"

I do love the satisfaction of having the kids learn things in the garden. It's quite amazing. My neighbor's girl is at a crucial age (14) and really has no one.. if she stayed home- she'd watch MTV and eat and be on the phone. When she comes here- she helps me water, she watches the hummingbirds, she collects veggies and herbs, she deadheads- whatever I want( mwwwaaa hhaaa haaa). We do projects together too.. or I ask her opinion on where something should go.. She needs her opinions validated too ofcourse. Then she helps me cook dinner. I am veg, so she learns alot about veggies and herbs and she will try anything! Great Kid.(ps- i NEVER tell her that eating meat is wrong and i always tell her it's something she will decide for herself when she is older)

She once said this quote- and I will never forget it:
"Jamie's garden is full of love....OH_ and bees and fear...but mostly Love."
( I am terrified of bees - which is difficult for a gardner isnt it!?)

Sooo anyway- sorry for rambling. i think my secret ridiculous, obsessive, extravagant, excessive,indulgent garden would be all Edward scissor-hands style animal sculpture bushes! I really want a dog lifting it's leg on my tree...!Maybe a big old dragon like in the fairy tales..
a couple of well maintained poodles- just for fun.. Maybe a couple walking a dog...What fun!

Edna- your garden for the kids will need this too I'm afraid. The good news is we have alll the experts and help we need in this fairytale garden. :)

I would absolutely love to have my backyard transformed into a secret garden. So every morning that I walk out there I am greeted by fresh smelling roses and peonies, the beautiful bird songs, and the sound of water falling gently down to a small fish pond. I would also love to get rid of all the junk and weeds from my backyard and transform it into winding paths where everywhere you turn you see something new, with cottage flowers draping over paths covered with fallen rose petals.... Oh how I would love that, but until I have enough time thats never gonna happen. But it sure was nice to dream!

Lovely dreams here. Mine would be to have a lovely cottage garden with plenty of arbors and roses, overlooking the sea.
-Becky

All I really want is for the backyard renovation to be over with and done! I want a nice flagstone patio with sedum or creeping thyme growing around the pavers, I want my vintage 40's aluminum table set painted purple or turquoise, I want to be surrounded by flowering, wonderful smelling plants, vines and trees, I want my roses full and healthy and most of all, I want my dogs to learn to pee elsewhere....lol. We've been working on this yard since last summer and I seriously want to sit outside and have it look nice. This is what we've accomplished so far.....dug out and levelled the side yard, laid a cemented and grouted flagstone pathway, removed all grass from entire yard, planted up the bed at the side of the house. DH is finishing up a flagstone faced waterfall/pond at the present time.

{{gwi:538702}}

This is a boquet of flowers from the garden earlier this spring:
{{gwi:689542}}

Lorinscott-
That flower bouquet is beautiful!!

Your Dh sounds very handy to have around too. Keep us posted with pics on progress.
Gigi

Thanks, Gigi.....I'm hoping he'll be done soon!

A specialy garden I'd like to have would be one composed entirely of thornless roses with lots of blue companions plants intermixed throughout (perennials & annuals).

Blue Vitex (Chaste) Trees
Basye's Blueberry
The Jefferson Rose
Reine des Violettes
Paul Neyron
Pink Gruss an Aachen
Valentine
Gilbert Nabonnand
Mrs. Dudley Cross
Blue balloon flowers
'Marcus' blue salvia nemorosa
Blue bearded iris
Blue pansies
Lavender/blue trailing lantana
Prairie blue eyes daylily

Randy

My teenaged son has maintained for several years now that he someday wants to do a huge cactus-and-succulent-themed amusement park . . . think Lotusland with roller coasters! :)

"I want my dogs to learn to pee elsewhere....lol. " LMAO! Too funny, Lori. : ) And that bouquet is lovely. I hope your backyard reno is over soon so you can be on to your next project . . . you know there's one just around the corner. ; )

My theme garden would be a mini railroad garden. I've always loved them. I'd build it around a pond with DS2's help. He's a model railroad buff and has already said he'd come over and dig the pond hole plus do all the techie stuff. Then I'd make all the mini buildings for it and a mini garden with a gazebo and lots of small plants. I used to be heavily into miniatures so I still have lots of supplies tucked away. Someday! : )

Edna, I'll be your first full time volunteer! : )

Diana

Oh I have a couple ideas:
First the Camelot theme garden, with various plants that have Camelot names (Delphinium Black Night, Malva Mystic Merlin, Roses (Guinevere, Lady of the Mist), etc. Hopefully with a little screen partition, and a statue of sorts). Still on the lookout for plants that fit the theme :)

I'm also planning what I call the "Artist Nook" for my mother. She's a painter and loves to sit in the garden and paint outdoors. It will have a stone bench and possibly a stone birdbath as well. "Artist" theme plants, for example the Asiatic Lily "Renoir", Echinacea "Art's Pride", Rose "Emily Carr", "Picasso", there are so many roses with artist's names to choose from.

I'm also thinking of an "Impressionist" garden area. I was inspired by the posts (and of course pictures) last summer by Molineaux on the Antique Roses forum about his Monet Garden and it looks just gorgeous. I don't know if I quite have the space to do it justice though, but I'd love to try.

And as far as secret "fantasies" go . . . I've always wanted a garden that was walled in and a little wild, like the one in that old children's book "The Secret Garden" (Frances Hodgson Burnett). I'd love to have something like that one day!

I'm with cziga on this one, The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett, is a book that was read to my class while in grade school. Our teacher Miss Beck, had the most beautiful reading voice, she transformed the classroom into a garden, hidden behind a beautiful vine covered old wall.
A place where children who's lives have had challanges found happiness, joy and peace. The garden awakened from a long sleep, and turned into a virtual paradise.
The whole time I was growing up, I dreamed of having this fantasy garden. My garden is nothing like the one I've dreamed of but the fence is 6' and is covered in places with English Ivy, Virginia Creeper, Silver Lace Vine, Honeysuckle and Clematis.
When I can look at a spot in the garden and think this is starting to look like it will fit my own Secret Garden dream, well, it makes my day. It may never look like the garden I dreamed of having as a child but it's close enough for me.

A......

aawwwwww - what wonderful dreams y'all have - all your gardens would be a delight to wander through - mine would be to have my entire acre and 1/3 in garden rooms - some in full sun but most woodland gardens with tons of hostas, flowering shrubs, hydrangeras, viburnums, azaleas - brook and waterfalls with ferns, mosses, trilliums - fountains in different places with wonderful little seating areas. The full sun areas would be the perfect cottage garden with roses spilling out all over the place, hollyhocks, clematis. In my perfect garden there would be tons of birds, hummingbirds, butterflies and beneficial insects. NO bad insects or diseases of any kind. All my time would be spent admiring, deadheading, picking armfuls of flowers for the house - moving stuff around and propagating new plants - it would only rain at night and it would be sufficient to never have to drag a garden hose around - dreams are wonderful.......

Lynne

Mine would definetly be a secret garden. Hydrangea89, wouldn't that just be heavenly to have a garden like that?! Infact one of my favorite movies is the secret garden and the part where the whole garden is is bloom. Oh I just love it!

Edna, I love your dream too. My dream outside gardening is to have a huge beautiful farm with all types of animals (mostly horses). However I would just settle for my 2 horses, 1 Jersey cow, a flock of those sheep with the black faces, chickens (soon to come true), dogs and cats. Yes, That would be nice I think.
Meghan

I'm working on mine. Kind of a 'Winghaven' meets 'Wave Hill' at the Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center.

The only thing you all have mentioned that I don't aspire to are pools and ponds. I'm not into water maintenance. Dripping fresh water baths for the wild creatures are all I am willing to keep up, except I do aspire to an outdoor shower and I have everything for that except an enclosure and duck board.

My cactus theme park consists of three big night blooming cereus and a peanut cactus that's thirteen years old. It's a start. Actually, it's enough. The peanut cactus is blooming.

If you can visualize your dream, you can build it -- if you really want it.

Nell

My, y'all have such grand dreams. I love them!

My gardening dreams are scaled back this year. I want to plant a Stargate ala the sci-fi TV show. Some gray plants for the main circle, something red for the chevrons, something blue for the center. Just for fun.

I came to this post late, but I have enjoyed each and every one of these dreams immensely.

Eduarda, your dream sounds a lot like like Huntington Gardens in San Marino, CA, right down to the tea room. It's a huge place, with art galleries, a research library, a rose garden, and themed gardens from different parts of the world. I love going there. It's not free; the admission is a bit steep, but it's well worth the visit, if you ever come this way.

Lorinscott, have you considered those doggy suppliments that take the burn out of dog urine? I have a friend who uses the pill form for her little dog, and she swears by them. Her lawn is perfectly green. I haven't tried them because my poochie already takes two prescriptions, but you could ask your vet about them. I don't think they're expensive.

cziga, I'm aiming towards the Secret Garden with my cottage/potager. It's isolated behind my garage, and I think of it as my special "hiding" place.

I ofen fantasize about owning a hobby farm/bed and breakfast combination. A place that has a homey restaurant (and pub) supplied by the gardens outside, where people could come to escape for a weekend. It would be a fantasy place, like it popped right out of the Shire. It would have acreage with hiking trails, and it would be a real working farm with animals, but it would also be quaint with a fairybook quality to it.

I know it's not practical at all, but I often think of it.

Right now I'm eaten up with old garden roses so I dream of an area in the back corner of my lot filled with roses.

I have actually started with a pergola, mine's painted white, and have planted roses all around it. The pergola has seats built into it so I can stop and smell the roses. I call it a rose room. There will be other flowers too but it will be mostly roses. The area is behind my detached garage so there's already 3 sides to it. The roses right now are very small ... I'll post pictures when there's actually something to see!

I envision something like this:

{{gwi:689543}}

bloominganne