Garden Inspiration: Bring it Home

Ooh and ahh! Yes, there are many palatial estates, perfectly manicured hedges and graceful Japanese bridges that we see on our travels. But, there are also ideas to translate into realities for your home gardens. Draw inspiration from shapes, plants, color schemes and function.

Get It Straight—Formal Garden Style

An herb garden in a raised bed would be an excellent choice for bringing formality, with function, to a home garden. Diagonal checkerboard squares are filled with either herbs or pretty stone.

Formal gardens aren't always made up of entirely of straight lines. Circles, such as fountains, can be accented with symmetrical plantings to play well within the straight lines of a courtyard or fenced garden.

No Imports

If you prefer to walk on the wild side, growing native plants in a meadow, bog or woodland garden may be just the thing. Native plants are lower maintenance as they do just fine with Mother Nature as the gardener.

If you live in alpine, desert, mediterranean or tropical conditions—your native plants will be different from those of us living in the eastern regions of North America. Native gardens are based upon your environment and those plants that you see growing wild in your area. Examples can often be seen in regional sections of public gardens.

Making Plants Do—and Making Do in Small Spaces

Some of us aspire to grow plants that aren't quite perfect for our regions. We create micro-climate pockets in our gardens and select plants that may require a bit of extra work, such as drip irrigation moisture for tropical plants.

Without garden space, creative gardeners grow an amazing assortment of plants, herbs and vegetables in containers for balconies, porches and patios. Container gardens can also be used to create privacy and define spaces.

Eat, Drink and Be Merry

On the very practical side, grow your own food alongside your flowers. Veggie gardens and orchards can fit into small spaces and wide open places.

Okay, you're right—we can't bring the Chianti vineyards home. But, have you ever grown grapes on your arbor?

Words and photos by Freda Cameron, Defining Your Home, Garden and Travel. All company or product or patented names mentioned are registered trademarks/copyrights/patents owned by those respective companies or persons.