I’d love to do a full post one of these days on garden style. Is garden style something that is particular to an individual gardener? Can a gardener have more than one “signature style”?
I’m inclined to think that most of us gardeners, while maybe enjoying the appearance of one style or another, love all plants. And though we love all plants, we know that certain plants are more suited to certain styles. For example, when you think boxwoods, you likely also think “formal garden”, and images of hollyhocks might conjure up ideas a colorful, rambling cottage garden.
photo courtesy of pixabay.com
Also, we know what is most important is that the chosen plants should (1) be suited for the climate, (2) be suited to the home and existing landscape, and (3) be (fairly) easy for the gardener to maintain.
My own thoughts are that the garden should be aligned with the style of the home and property, at least to a certain extent. Having said that, I also feel that it is important to include in most gardens some plants that are native and that attract pollinators.
A huge, formal mansion of a house usually commands a formal garden and may look “not quite right” amidst a messy, wildflowery, meadowy type of garden. When in fact, the meadowy garden might be the most environmentally sound idea of them all.
photo courtesy of pixabay.com
The place that the man and I call home, is rustic, woodsy, natural. And so that is how I’ve been mostly attempting to develop the garden areas since we’ve been here. Although, aesthetically, I love an English cottage garden best of all, if I had to absolutely choose only one.
Whew, so given all that…what is your garden style, at this point in your gardening life?
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