karni - I have spoken to the neighbors, kind of a long story, we'll see if something happens. They are very very nice people but have a very very busy lifestyle. They shouldn't have such an elaborate perennial garden on such a small lot if they aren't in a position to maintain it closely. I didn't get the impression that they were willing to "give up" anything. They seemed like people who "want it all" even if they can't "take care of it all". Think I will add something else: DON'T set up an elaborate abundant garden unless you have time to maintain it or pay to have someone maintain it for you regularly (biweekly). You don't have to fill every nook and cranny of your yard. Remember landscaping the "emptiness" is important too. Need the diversity of plants AND "space" for a really beautiful garden IMO.

I watched the video and fired up the application. It looks like a nice marketing tool for the company that appears to specialize in hardscape products like pavers. The basic idea seems that people play around with the tool and then call the company to come out and do the design and installation. I only took a very quick look at the tool but I did not see much in the way of plants. - Brent

You can contact the National Agricultural Library--they may be able to help you ;-)

This is a fun thread! I wonder how many of us garden. I'm a bit fanatical. I've never really had an eat-in kitchen, just our soon-to-be-ex-kitchen's peninsula seating. Since the peninsula was our main prep area and since sitting there afforded us excellent views of all the dishes, knives, cutting boards, etc. used in prep, it was not very relaxing to sit at! And now that I think of it, I don't have a lot of seating in the garden(s) either. One 25'x75' plot at our local "community gardens" (I have to drive there) consists of 27 raised beds with paths between them. I do sit on the edges of the raised beds, but more often at one end underneath a tree, since I like to look at the whole plot and the bees, dragonflies, butterflies, flowers, veggies, etc. from that end. At home, the veggie garden is in a fenced-off area to prevent critters from getting in, though there are roses and clemati growing on the pergola gateway to it. So I guess my favorite thing is to sit on the patio and be surrounded by the beds of flowers, herbs, shrubs, and trees when at home. I do like to sit looking at the crammed-full "kitchen garden" though. I can hardly wait until we get to eat out there every night again. Neither of those really counts as "in the garden," but they're more in the garden than overlooking the garden from, say, a deck raised above them or something. The main exception is at home when the mosquitos start coming out. We're looking forward to our new sunroom where we can look out at the gardens without (my husband) being eaten alive! bean