Memories of gardens past...my Virginia shade garden

Discussion in 'Member's Gallery' started by gfreiherr, May 3, 2011.

  1. gfreiherr

    gfreiherr Young Pine

    Joined:
    Oct 12, 2009
    Messages:
    1,346
    Likes Received:
    340
    Location:
    Knoxville, Tennessee
    We have lived in Tennessee for 11 years but I still miss the shade garden I created there. It all started when we decided to build a new home. I wanted to transplant some hostas and other plants from our old house. There was a wooded areas behind the house so I cleared an area for a temporary garden until the house was finished.

    [​IMG]
    The start of my shade garden ( photo / image / picture from gfreiherr's Garden )

    Okay...this photo was taken 20+ years ago.
    If you look closely you can see the 2 bags of soil on the left side of the lst photo. That is where I started digging. I had not intention of making this a garden...just looking for a spot to keep the plants away from the construction of the house.

    I don't have a lot of photos of the early years of this garden because I wasn't really into photography.
    So jump forward 10 years and this is the end result.



    [​IMG]
    shade garden looking toward house ( photo / image / picture from gfreiherr's Garden )



    [​IMG]
    pathway into the gardens ( photo / image / picture from gfreiherr's Garden )



    [​IMG]
    View from another pathway ( photo / image / picture from gfreiherr's Garden )



    [​IMG]
    The sitting area entrance ( photo / image / picture from gfreiherr's Garden )

    I loved this garden because it was always 10 degrees cooler. A great place to sit and relax with my morning coffee or my evening wine.

    I have to thank Jewell for giving me the incentive for this post. I commented on her woodland garden posting that I really missed my VA shade garden. She asked if I had any photos...so I got out the photobooks and began reminising and decided to scan a few to share.

    Hope you all have enjoyed the tour.
     
    Sjoerd and Philip Nulty like this.
  2. Loading...


  3. Netty

    Netty Chaotic Gardener Plants Contributor

    Joined:
    Nov 4, 2006
    Messages:
    18,468
    Likes Received:
    5,588
    Location:
    Southern Ontario zone 5b
    I sure DID! You had lovely gardens there and I can see why you miss them. It was a lot of work I'm sure and it must have been hard to leave them.
     
  4. cherylad

    cherylad Countess of Cute-ification Plants Contributor

    Joined:
    May 5, 2009
    Messages:
    11,679
    Likes Received:
    3,100
    Location:
    S. Liberty County - Texas (8B)
    Totally awesome job! I'd miss something that beautiful too.
     
  5. daisybeans

    daisybeans Hardy Maple

    Joined:
    Mar 28, 2009
    Messages:
    3,695
    Likes Received:
    78
    Location:
    annapolis md
    Beautiful, and I love the before and after comparison. I can see why you miss it.
     



    Advertisement
  6. Kay

    Kay Girl with Green Thumbs

    Joined:
    Dec 30, 2009
    Messages:
    2,402
    Likes Received:
    999
    Location:
    Lincoln, Nebraska
    Your photos are simply beautiful! Love the views. Thanks for sharing.
    (I am partial to shady gardens myself)
     
  7. carolyn

    carolyn Strong Ash

    Joined:
    Apr 13, 2011
    Messages:
    9,332
    Likes Received:
    4,860
    That was a lovely tour. I'd miss that too, if I had to move.
     
  8. gfreiherr

    gfreiherr Young Pine

    Joined:
    Oct 12, 2009
    Messages:
    1,346
    Likes Received:
    340
    Location:
    Knoxville, Tennessee
    Glad you all enjoyed my garden tour, it was fun to get the old photos out and now I have them on my computer! :D Thank for all the great comments.
     
  9. Frank

    Frank GardenStew Founder Staff Member Administrator

    Joined:
    Jan 25, 2005
    Messages:
    18,125
    Likes Received:
    2,252
    Location:
    Galway, Ireland
    That is a beautiful garden Gail. I can see why it was hard to leave it. The sitting area looks perfect for some tea and reflection.
     
  10. eileen

    eileen Resident Taxonomist Staff Member Moderator Plants Contributor

    Joined:
    Feb 7, 2005
    Messages:
    29,088
    Likes Received:
    6,281
    Location:
    Scotland
    What a gorgeous garden Gail. I would have found it extremely difficult to leave all those plants behind. Did you take many with you when you moved or was that not an option?
     
  11. gfreiherr

    gfreiherr Young Pine

    Joined:
    Oct 12, 2009
    Messages:
    1,346
    Likes Received:
    340
    Location:
    Knoxville, Tennessee
    Thanks Frank, it was a wonderful place for reflection. Eileen...I did bring a lot of plants and hostas. We borrowed a van and filled it just with my plants.
     
  12. Jewell

    Jewell Incorrigible Gardener Plants Contributor

    Joined:
    Dec 17, 2008
    Messages:
    4,385
    Likes Received:
    3,638
    Location:
    Puget Sound Region of the Pacific NW,Zone7b
    Gail, What a lovely morning stroll I got to take this AM. You can really tell all the love that went into creating such a lovely park-like setting. I can't imagine how hard it would be to leave such an oasis behind. Thanks so much for sharing. It gives me hope as my woodland garden begins to mature. Thanks so much for taking the time and sharing your master piece with us.
     
  13. gfreiherr

    gfreiherr Young Pine

    Joined:
    Oct 12, 2009
    Messages:
    1,346
    Likes Received:
    340
    Location:
    Knoxville, Tennessee
    Thanks Jewell, it was a labor of love, just wish I had a wooded lot to work on.
     
  14. Philip Nulty

    Philip Nulty Strong Ash

    Joined:
    Nov 25, 2010
    Messages:
    5,430
    Likes Received:
    3,650
    Location:
    The Midlands,Ireland
    Hi Gail,
    what a beautiful garden you created!,the picture of the sitting area really catches my eye,..mmmmm nice screen saver!,i can well understand you missing that garden and what ever plants you left behind,..we become attached to plants we have nurtured,..i wonder have you ever gone back to take a peek at the old garden?.
     
  15. Danjensen

    Danjensen In Flower

    Joined:
    Dec 2, 2009
    Messages:
    440
    Likes Received:
    116
    Location:
    England
    now thats a garden to be proud of.

    thanks for posting the pics.

    of the plants you have in there what are your 3 favorites?
     
  16. Sjoerd

    Sjoerd Mighty Oak

    Joined:
    Apr 11, 2006
    Messages:
    21,142
    Likes Received:
    21,436
    Boy, I sure did, Gail!!
    That garden of yours goule be a feature in Better Homes & Gardens...or Southern Living. You have done a marvelous job there. Chapeau!

    All the fotos are lovely to see...all the aspects of your property, but you know where I'd be if I could visit you?----sitting in the black plastic chairs in that wide space in the path. Gad, that looks enviting!
     

Share This Page