I love the wild look. "A Gentle Plea for Chaos" Mirabel Osler is so good. Your garden sounds like so much fun, Melissa, along with the work.

I also think Eden is very wild. I am creating my garden following deer paths. Great idea, huh, give the deer something to munch along their routes. Although I greatly admire gardens where everything is trimmed and planned, that is not my nature. Willy-nilly with some color planning is my style. I love the idea of "rooms" in a garden and am trying to create that feeling. I like little pathways where you wander and come upon an area with a bench or chaise where you can relax in the sun and smell the roses.

Eden would be regular good rainfall every year. Not a lot to ask for, right? The rest I can adapt to. This drought thingy is not working for me.

Eden for me is yearlong blooming roses with interspersed pink, yellow and blue perinneals. Gr a vel paths and small stips of lush St Augustine.

All Bermuda grass is extinct and weeds dont exist.

Oh and a beautiful pond with pink blooming lily pads. No snakes,no frogs, no grashoppers and no thrips or black spot... sigh!!!!!

No frogs? If I had a body of water I would definitely want frogs.

Still, to return to topic, my interest is the direction you're moving your garden in, or at least trying to. What is your dream, not for the imaginary garden, the one with the spring-fed stream and the Roman temple ruins, but for the garden you actually have? What is your idea of beauty, as far as your own plot of ground is concerned? It doesn't have to be well-defined, feelings and fragments matter--a lot--but I'm curious.

Anne, I too am working on little gardens within my garden, while having some kind of overall plan.

Melissa....I've been blessed/cursed with a recent land purchase. I have lots of room for roses. When I think of Eden it is a safe, private refuge for more animals than people. With urban sprawl here it is important to me that I have a place that evokes the feeling of nature's monastery. I intend to experiment with all types of plantings. Beauty, to me, is abundance and exuberance in balance with nature. Blooms, blooms blooms....my garden area backs up to forest...old hardwoods and cedars. I want to add ornamental fruit trees and crabapples, star magnolia, philadelphus hedges. I want to have a cutting garden with annual seeds grown there. I want to have a HUGE expanse of poppies and bearded iris. Lots of vines and berries...

In the center I'm growing Mel's Heritage over a circular iron structure. There will be a fountain in the center. Surrounding it will be as many fragrant plants/herbs as I can cram. That will be in the inner circle of the sanctuary. If I had the money I would build a three sided 12 ft brick wall to surround the area of the structure leaving only the southern exposure open to my view of a creek. That would allow warmth in winter and the growing of more tender roses. A great place on a sunny winter day.

These are my dreams. I wish I had started 20 years earlier. I don't care about weeds, grass, stuff like that. Love frogs (have snakes). Also have tons of crawdads who make big holes in the ground. Evidently they are good to eat...Have some bog land too. Would like to learn about bog/wetland planting.

Just having a place that is MINE in this world, and private is Eden to me. Eventually I'd like to have a yurt and a solar shower in Eden. And a friend or too who loves it as much as I do.

Susan

I have largish suburban block on the northern outskirts of Sydney. It is within sight of the sea, which is quite a way below. I've never been to the Riviera, but had some idea that this was a little like it, despite all the gum trees! There is a large tiled terrace on the lower level, with white column balustrading (think Greek or Italian) around it, adding to that feel. So I decided, 5 years ago, when I bought it, that I would aim to have a garden of that sort of style. What I've described sounds rather grand, and when it was built it would have been. But that was 80 years ago, and it has been very neglected. Many of the columns are broken, and a lot of the paint has gone! It's either repaint (hmmm) or grow vines along to hide the damage. On this level is a formal pond with 2 waterlilies, Mangkala Ubol, which have large sunset- coloured flowers.

So my Eden is to create a somewhat formal structure, but to have a flowing abundance within that structure. And to make the house and garden as private as I can, without shutting out the view.

To this end, I have planted a lot of 'Spartan' pines. About 7 are in a row to block out the house next door. Another 30 or so form 3 sides of my 'Tea Circle', with an arch entrance to which I'm tying the pines either side, so that eventually (hopefully) you will walk through an archway in a formal hedge. The open side of the area lets in the sea-breezes.

The roses within this circle have yet to do a lot of growing, as many have been removed due to die-back or other problems, or, in the case of Ms Tillier, just clashed. Only 2 Marie van Houttes are near maturity. There is an informal 'frog' pond on this level. It sounds like several games of tennis on rainy nights.

Below this is a grass terrace, with an oval of 'lawn', with garden beds at either end, and along the sides. At one end I'm hoping to create a mass of roses - these will have to compete with the large trees and shrubs my neighbour has decided to plant on the boundary, but at least Mutabilis and Ms Tillier will give it a good shot, and hopefully, Lorraine Lee too. At the other end, under a Jacaranda, I've planted a lot of different hydrangeas, and a few roses in the sunnier bit, underplanted with perennials. This bed is backed by Spartan pines, which continues the line down that boundary. There is a birdbath here, which I'm looking forward to seeing surrounded by greenery, and I plan to get a curved stone seat for around the trunk of the tree - somewhere to have a morning cuppa, or an evening glass of wine.

I also want to encourage the native birds and animals - even though they eat and dig! So on the 2 terraces below this are fruit trees and natives, and the very bottom has large justiceas, spotted gums and other trees, and an ever growing pile of brush, to provide shelter. Apart from the striped marsh frogs, I see bush turkeys, rabbits (hmmm), evidence of bandicoots and possums, and lots of lorikeets, cockatoos, swifts and native mynahs, with the occasional visit from King parrots. I'm also planting to encourage more butterflies.

No mosquitoes in Eden

Oh Titian-- the birds! Everything sounds wonderful. And Ashrose, I'm with you on the mosquitos! Maybe a Martin colony?

Titian, that sounds like a future amazing garden. Susan, so does yours. I wish I had understood sooner what gardening means to me and started on my main project much earlier. But better late than never. I agree with both of you that animals are good to have, though I could do without the deer, and wish we had more birds. Our not having any water is a drawback. But these differences are what make our gardens different.

With the classic Italian garden before me as an example, I find that wildness and formality can be two faces of the same garden. I'm talking about Renaissance gardens like Boboli in Florence. Italian cypresses and box are equally at home lining a dirt road and growing in woods, or forming the allees and hedges of a garden. They have a wildness about them. Boboli has a lot of woods. Paths with long vistas run through them: you could expect to see a nymph peeking out from the trees. I was at Nymphenburg in Munich last summer, and its highly artificial formal gardens were flanked by acres of woods and meadows with streams running through them and dotted by follies. (Should any forum members ever get to Munich I highly recommend Nymphenburg. Also the nearby Botanical Garden is amazing.)

I'd be interested to hear what people are doing with smallish suburban and urban lots, or, what your dreams are for them. What world are you trying to create?

I live in Indianapolis Indiana on a half acre wooded lot. We are within walking distance of a very large park. Lived here 11 years and have attempted to add privacy and beauty without destroying the woodland feel. Love the birds and animals that pass through. My profile picture of an owl was taken in my backyard. So thrilling to take this standing just 3 - 4 feet away. The owl was very calm. I took the picture and backed away. It didn't even fly away. I love boxwood too Melissa and have them everywhere. I use them to direct people around the garden. We have a lot of stone edging the beds - to protect the plants. Paths are important to me. Want choices. Enjoy different routes. Create a private room. Benches in various locations. Wide variety of plants. Love formal and classic as well as rustic and natural. I am in love with gardening. My yard although not perfect is paradise to me. My beds tend to be narrow so that I can reach the plants. Don't like big circular beds where it's impossible to reach the plants. Much more enjoyable to get close. The trees have determined where the paths and plants are located. They were here long before me...and I hope long after for someone else to enjoy.

Sounds like you've created your Eden, Nicholsworth. Thanks for your lyrical post.

Yes, I would love to walk in your garden. And yours too, Melissa, for that matter!

A couple of photos from last fall. Looks bare in comparison to the summer when it's green from head to toe...can't wait

Years ago we had a back yard that was only 18 feet wide with a parking pad in the center of it. Couldn’t see mowing two strips of grass so we planted wildflowers. Talk about a garden of Eden, they were just lovely. I would come home from solving the worlds problems, sit on the back steps, and just enjoy looking at the various blooms. Knowing nothing about flowers I got a 1/4 pound of seed, tossed it along the strips, watered them in and then stood back. Note: a quarter pound of seed goes a looooong ways and I planted them in two 3 foot wide strips. Oh well, as one would die off more would come up. Had flowers all Summer long!!!

My idea of "Eden" is something I've had since I was a kid. I'd want to live somewhere that never sees snow, on 5-10 acres, but within an hour of a city where I'd likely work. My property would become my own zoo/park/garden -- a sanctuary where I can escape after a day's work, and spend many stay-cations. I'd want huge planted aviaries/enclosures built from greenhouse frames, much like those put together by Project Perry -- they also have a facebook page with many pics and videos. Another parrot rescue that inspired me is The Cockatoo Rescue and Sanctuary -- and the way they carved an attractive sanctuary out of 40 acres of Washington land is something I'd like to emulate.

I'd integrate a lot of food-bearing trees and other plants within the landscape, as well as having plots dedicated to vegetables -- so as to be able to raise at least part of the birds' feed. I'd keep roses near the house, but also drape the aviaries with climbers like Tea-Noisettes. Somehow or another, poultry would also be in the picture -- chickens, guineafowl, and peafowl. Basically, my "Eden" would be a place for sustenance -- physical and psychological. It's all something I picture in my head for "someday".

:-)

~Christopher

Yay on the aviaries! Sounds beautiful. Let's buy an island!

susan

I highly recommend going through the pics at both Cockatoo Rescue and the Project Perry's Facebook Page. The former was designed with a real eye for attractive landscaping. The latter carves space out of the woods. Either would be, for me, a dream place to live.

:-)

~Christopher

I can't help this response Chris, but sounds like you want the Hef's place... well sort of....somethings you'd want to burn. It is up for sale. The grounds are beautiful. People always talk about the grotto, but the walking paths that lead you through the property to the aviary... and areas that have/had animals are quite nice. Oh, no snow either.... and within minutes of Westwood, CA ( where U.C.L.A. is).

Lynn

Blech, that's too much of a showpiece -- and more for entertaining hordes of people, which is not my cup of tea. There's a reason I want that much land -- I don't want to see my neighbors unless I go out of my way to do so.

;-)

~Christopher

Here's a link :) 5 acres...

http://www.latimes.com/business/realestate/hot-property/la-fi-hotprop-playboy-mansion-for-sale-20160111-story.html

You'd be surprised how quaint and actually somewhat "normal" it is there. No neighbors to be seen......

All in fun of course... Some would consider this place an Eden... been there...I could definitely work with it...:) BUT as charming as he is/was... Hef would have to go....AND I would build a new house on the land plus add so many roses/garden rooms!!

Lynn

I share your sentiments, Christopher :-) Melodye

My ideal home would be far more "quaint" than anything being sold for that price. I'd need only a simple house for me and mine. It's the land and climate and proximity to a city that are more important. And I'm really an east-coast guy....so I'll probably end up near Homestead, FL.

:-)

~Christopher

Melissa, here comes a 50x30 ft. suburban lot with a 25 yr. history. When we moved here, the backyard consisted of a paver patio, a mature medium size apple tree, a large snowball tree with bark chips under it, and a small red rose bush, the rest was grass. After a year, I decided I would like some flowers for cutting, so I converted a 3x10 ft. strip of the lawn to a flower bed. I started reading books and got hooked on gardening. Mainly perennials, with some shrubs and some annuals, heavily influenced by the likes of Beth Chatto and Penelope Hobhouse. Every two years or so, I would steal another part of the lawn. I made many mistakes (our climate is not really like England ;-) ), learned from them, and around 2007 I still had a sizeable lawn, but the flower beds were winning. Like my Dutch ancestors dammed in the sea and converted it to land, so I was damming in the lawn and converting it to beds. Pictures taken from the patio, 'panning' from left to right.

In the following years it slowly became clear that my husband was suffering from Alzheimer's. My first responsibility was his care, and I had to let the garden slide, till in 2013 it looked like this:

When my husband had to go to a nursing home, I slowly took up gardening again. I had decided earlier that I wanted a garden without a lawn area, as lawn care had always been my weak point. Early this year our daughter and her husband brought in soil, and some cedar mulch for the main paths and another seating area. I built up the soil level, made the mulched areas low, and dug out an even lower area, all for drainage. Then came the time for saving what could be saved, transplanting and planting. I now have what I wanted, a garden I can enjoy year round. Winter is not my strength, as I do not particularly like evergreens, but the apple tree and the shrubs and seed heads give enough winter interest for me. As soon as the snow is gone, I have hellebores and small bulbs, and the year ends in November/December with fall bulbs and late bloomers, plus all the plants and shrubs that give fall its colour with their changing foliage. I have a place that gives me a healthy work out, I have a place that gives me peace and quiet, I have a place that makes me praise the Maker of it all. Enough of an earthly paradise.

I will post some pictures of the garden as it was this year in a separate post. I am afraid the site might refuse a too picture heavy story.

For the future I think I would like a patio that is more in keeping with the rest of the garden, and maybe small logs to mark the sides of the mulch paths. No doubt I will change up things once in a while, plants will die, I will get rid of plants, and add other plants, but I don't need more than I have. I am happy with my little paradise.

For the future I think I would like a patio that is more in keeping with the rest of the garden, and maybe small logs to mark the sides of the mulch paths. No doubt I will change up things once in a while, plants will die, I will get rid of plants, and add other plants, but I don't need more than I have. I am happy with my little paradise.

That's a finely lived garden, gdinie. Thanks for the account. Actually, thanks to everybody for all the pictures and tales.