In my front garden I have a bench which sits in the “Gardenia Bed” and faces the front garden. I like to sit there on occasion to admire all the trees – the one big Shinus sp. which looks a bit like a willow tree and the trees that border my property outside the boundary wall. I sat here for a while today and contemplated the change of the season and how my front garden has developed in the last year. I thought I’d share the view from the bench and few shots of how this little area looked just 14 months ago.
This bed was planned to be a “fragrance garden” with Gardenias and Mock orange blossom (Murraya exotica). It hasn’t turned out that way. I’ve removed a few Gardenias that were taking strain in the heat and added a few less formal plants including the Mexican Petunias and Switch Grass which I love (Panicum virgatum), amongst others. I prefer the more relaxed wildness that’s going on in this bed now to the way it was originally planned.
The bench …
Here is how it looked in December 2010
[one_half]To the left of the bench in December 2010
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[one_half_last]and to the right in December 2010
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And how it looks today …
[one_half]The bench from the back
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[one_half_last]A lovely spot to sit and contemplate[/one_half_last]
And sitting on this bench you see this view. A few more shots of what I see from the bench …
[one_half]To the left: my little Rose Bed
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[one_half_last]Still left, the Lavender and bower vines
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[one_half]The Camellias and Pepper Tree
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[one_half_last]The gorgeous Gaura flowering now
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PS: The Mexican Petunias are so dead easy to propagate. I broke off a piece, stuck in a bottle of water, two weeks later = 1 new plant! Awesome.
Have a fabulous weekend
xxx
10 replies on “View from the bench”
Your garden with the bench look so neat and pretty…
Your bench has a nice view and looks well surrounded with interest.
That bench now just beckons one to sit and relax, get out a good book and look up every now and then to admire your gorgeous garden. And you have a pool where you can cool off, don’t need that here Christine.
Enjoyed visiting your blog … I will return. I am just beginning my journey into gardening … exciting times as I plan my dream borders and hopefully watch them grow up … just like the plants round your bench. Have a good summer: here in the UK we are watching the rain watering the spring bulbs.
I also love the gentle wildness of it now. It makes for a very inviting corner. When ever I visit, I am first drawn to this corner – funny, hey? The grasses make it – and the Mexican Petunia, hmmmmm….. can I snap of a twig when I’m there again? 😉
Dear Christine, I really envy your lovely bench and can just imagine sitting there and enjoying your fabulous garden. I hope you find time to sit there often! P. x
Love benches in the garden. Thanks for the inspiring post. I should try to take couple of shots as well.
I nearly always follow the same path… I like the idea of formal plantings, but in the end, I guess my heart stays true to its own vision: I always end up with the informal free for all look. The problem is that you can’t have it all, and certainly not both looks in the same space. Your space looks lovely!
What a wonderful view and how lovely the garden has grown around the bench…a fabulous view for you and us only we can’t smell the garden!!
I really like how you show the bench in 2010 and today. What a lovely place to sit. I hope you take time to sit and enjoy.