Nicki, your garden is an inspiration, as always. I love your "excessive horticultural overgrowth."

Wow nicki that is absolutely AWESOME! I love that you added bits of whimsy and interest.Truly awesome.My only quetion about such a garden would be the weeding. How do you do it?
Lately mine are taking over .

Thanks Amber and goldenpond! Goldenpond, I have weeds right now in one section of the garden that need pulling. Not looking forward to it... but it's got to get done. But it's really not that bad. I enjoy it (when it's cooler). I really try to do most of the "work" in the spring. I do a thorough weeding around April or May, then I collect all the oak leaves I can and add a thick layer of that to the garden. The leaves, and the fact that I plant everything so close together, keeps the weeds down. I really only do a thorough weeding about 4 times a year. I'm not all that obsessed with it. But then again, I'm a laid back type of person. A few weeds isn't going to really bother me. Until, of course, they get completely out of hand, and it becomes a major chore... sigh. ;-)

Nicki - as always, your garden is a magical place.

Beautiful! I love your garden, Nicki. I'm glad you're posting pictures again. I hope Ill and I can come down and see it first hand sometime. I need inspiration because I'm seriously thinking of pulling out a lot of my meadow. I love it when the meadow looks good--but it doesn't look good so much of the year--and that's a real drawback since I dont' have much space--so I'm thinking of going more cottagy, with lots of layers.

That talinum (sp?) you gave me is awesome, by the way. I put it in the ground and it's really filling out, with pretty pink blooms in the morning. I even eat a leaf now and then. And I did dig up the struggling rudbeckia and put them in pots and they perked right up.

Enjoyed looking at your photos as always.

Bill

Nicki, can I come sit with you and Kitty and sip frozen daquiri's and thumb my nose at your HOA Nazi's? You are truly a free gardeninf spirit and so inspirational. Keep it going, dear!

Beautiful, Nikki! Just absolutely beautiful! I have a goal now and will save your photos for inspiration! nova

Excessive horticultural growth. Is that actually a phrase? It sounds like being abnormally beautiful.

Nikki...your garden is gorgeous...I want excessive overgrowth too :-)

More overgrowth = less weeding, because, as Bill's wonderful neighbor, Miss Mary, said..."If you have weeds, you have too few plants!"

It's true, wherever that weed was growing, there is obviously sun and soil enough for something desirable.

Nicki that is a true master piece. Thanks for sharing it with us.

Amber: I like that quote "If you have weeds you have too few plants!" I'll use it if I can remember it (I have crs disease you know=hehe)

It has certainly been my justification for many a midnight on-line shopping spree.

Thanks, Kate - your garden has been an inspiration to me ever since I saw it at your plant trade a few years ago. We have very similar tastes - in plants and whimsey!

Thanks, Bill! I would love for you and Ill to come visit my neck of the woods. Leesburg's a cute little town. I'll send you home with plants, you can be certain of that! ;-) You're always threatening to do something drastic to that meadow of yours... those poor plants must live in fear! From what I saw, I love it. I love how you use grasses and wildflowers together - it's very clever, and pretty. But I know how you feel - some months, I love my garden, some months I want to just rip it all out and start over. I've struggled with the West side of my garden for years... the question of whether or not to dig out a huge once-blooming rambling rose that was really completely out of scale in favor of a more colorful, curb-pleasing planting - or keep the rose... it was back and forth, back and forth... Finally, I was so inspired by a trip to Ireland last September - their small door yard gardens were so colorful and pleasing. I wanted that effect, so that trip convinced me to dig out the beast. I put in a hedge of tall red pentas and opted for smaller roses behind that. It's like I gained a completely new garden. It looks so much better. I've got to find a magazine clipping of a garden that blew my mind. I think it might be what you're looking for. The garden was a mix of grasses, salivias, rudbeckias and purple and white coneflowers. It looked so natural and full... I promise, I'll do my best to find that magazine clipping.

Cindee - come on over! I've got the daquiri's chilling and a special place on the porch for you to relax and kick up your feet. You are guaranteed a cat for your lap.

Thanks, Nova - I couldn't believe how much you've done in your garden in such a short time. In one more year, your rose garden is going to be huge! And you're really pretty close to me. Any time you want to come over to see if I have any plants you'd like cuttings or divisions of, just let me know.

Barbcoleus and nytrinigemini - yep, "excessive horticultural overgrowth" was the code violation I was cited for. I thought, "You're darn tootin'! Excess is exactly the look I'm going for!" Ha!

Thanks Laura - I'm glad you like my small garden. It has it's moments... but it's definitely a work in progress.

That's right Amber. I get into serious trouble when I find myself at Logee's website. Oh sweet heavens... all those begonias and thunbergias and passifloras... there's always room for just one more plant.

oh wow, stunning! I wish I could have a garden like this *sigh*, but at least I can have excessive horticultural overgrowth in the backyard behind the fence. I just have to go once a week and cut off all the leaves that peek through the fence boards.

All pictures look great, I just surfed your photobucket album, too.

Nicki, is your yard wildlife certified and in the Florida yards and neighborhood program? And is that the reason why the city leaves you in peace now? I am trying to find a way to be able to have a yard like this with the garden nazis not being able to drag me before court.

Evelyn

PS: Say, would you be willing to share some seeds from your seashore mallow?

Hi Evelyn - thanks for the nice compliments. My garden is wildlife certified. I've got the sign - I just need to post it in the garden. I think once I get that posted, I probably shouldn't have any more complaints by the City. Anyway, I don't think they're going to bother me anymore regardless. A friend of mine knew the City Manager and spoke to him about it. He said he'd "take care of it". I haven't heard anything since. You should go ahead and certify your garden. I think it might help if you ever get "in trouble". It shows that you intend your property to be a garden. Like, you'd think that should be obvious...

I have seeds right now that I need to collect from the Seashore Mallow. I started mine from seed I got from a gardener here on gardenweb, and it's taken about 3 years for it to get to a decent blooming size. It's about 3 feet tall right now, and it blooms in the spring. It seems to be done blooming. I'm not sure if it'll have a second bloom in the fall or not. Would you like me to mail the seeds to you?

Nicki-with your talents, You should paint a sign or rock in your garden with the weed saying. That's priceless!

Nicki, I have my yard certified with the Natl. Wildlife Federation and the HSUS Urban Wildlife Sanctuary Program. But I am worried if I attach the signs to the fence the HOA will get a hissyfit.
Shucks, I wish I had a shot of 'Vitamin C' ( C = connections) in the right places.....

and yes, I would love some seeds, if you like to email me we can exchange addresses: abendwolke at cfl.rr.com

Evelyn

Lovely garden, and cute "wildlife" too. I wish I could convince my mom to make her suburban place look that nice. I know her cats would love it, but I'm sure the HOA wouldn't agree.

Beautiful garden, Nicki. You are indeed an artist!

Thanks, Cindee - I really like that saying about the weeds - maybe I will make a little sign out of that. I've been wanting to add cute little garden signs. I've started collecting quotes and sayings. I really like these, too:
The ornament of a house is the friends who frequent it.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803 - 1882)

Think of all the beauty still left around you and be happy.
Anne Frank (1929 - 1945)

"...in the end it's not the years in a life, it's the life in the years."
Abraham Lincoln

Despite the gardener's best intentions, Nature will improvise. ~Michael P. Garafalo

Evelyn, I know what you mean about the "connections". Leesburg's still a small enough town that chances are someone you know is going to know "someone". I just happened to luck into my neighbor knowing the City Manager from his Rotary meetings. I'm very grateful he put in a good word for me. You might be able to put the signs on a small post and keep them up near your house - kind of like the anti-theft signs I've seen. Do you think they could complain about that? I'd love to see pictures of your garden!

Yukichan, my "wildlife" does indeed love the garden. I have a few neighborhood cats that I've taken in, over the years, and I still let them run amuck in the mornings. They enjoy their morning strolls through the garden. Then they snooze out in a shady spot. But I do get lots of birds, hummingbirds, butterflies, bees, snakes, skinks, toads... there's even bats living in the light pole near my garden. I've seen them come out of our chimney, too. I wish I cue them up for Halloween!

Thanks, jardinerafloridana - that's a really nice compliment. I'm a graphic artist, and a fine artist, and gardening is another creative outlet for me. I enjoy it more than painting!

Things are pretty droopy in the garden right now... hope it rains today.

Happy gardening!

Nicki, the small stake idea is great, I will try it.

You are welcome to visit anytime, just let me know ;-)
If you come for Kate's swap in October, I live just a subdivision away from hers. So really, if anyone wants to stop by before the her swap starts, just let me know and I email directions.

Evelyn

Nicki,

That's really beautiful. Thanks for posting the pictures.

Nicki as always your pictures are beautiful! I have to put some of that tithonia in my yard.

Beautiful - the kind of garden I like and am trying to achieve :)
Olya

Awesome Where I come from we call it a COTTAGE GARDEN ...well done.

Nicki, there is something almost mystical about cats and gardens. Every Old Master's Painting of gardens always seemed to have a cat in it. I swear, my cats actually 'smell, touch and sense' my plants and flowers. They never seem to disturb them, it's like they appreciate and respect them. I will have to pull down some of my Father's old poetry books, Nicki. He loved poetry, especially anything about nature and plants. I may be able to find some savory sayings for you to add to your collection.

Nicki, as always, you have the cottagiest cottage garden EVER! It's so charmingly exuberant! I just love your yard so much, and seeing new pictures has just made my morning! It was a happy day when you stood your ground against the PTB (Powers That Be) and refused to go whacking down all your plants. Excessive horticultural overgrowth, indeed!
*snort, snort* The only excessive overgrowth around THAT day was the MOSS growing between that inspector's ears!

Can't wait to get together again, honeychile. I've got some San Diego rose pictures to die for!

Marcia

Evelyn, that's a great idea - I'll check in with you when it gets closer to Kate's swap. I love looking at gardens. It's the main reason I go to swaps! I sure don't need more plants... ;)

Thanks, lynn, lady and olya! The tithonias are great. They've been non-stop color since they started blooming.

Smittee, I call it a cottage garden, too. It's funny, my neighbors have never heard the term!

Cindee, you're right - cats and gardens go together. I'm glad the ones I've taken in are the lazy types that just snoop around, sniff stuff, then snooze the day away. No real wildlife deaths because of them. Sometimes there's a squirrel without a head laying around... but it's not often. ;-)

Marcia - thanks for the compliments! It started out all mild-mannered this spring, now I can't get through the paths. Just the way I like it! Ha!

Nicki ~ What a fantastic view from your studio. I always love seeing pictures of your Florida cottage gardens. They inspire me to keep working at mine. I want to say thank you for the cat's whiskers and the crepuscule rose cuttings. They have both taken off and I love them. The cat's whiskers is so cottagey looking. I am so glad the city got off your case.

FlowerLady

Nicki, I love your garden. Slowly I am taking out the grass the builder told me I had to have.