Over the years I've gone from liking a structured garden to unstructured less structured and I think that runs parallel to my life generally. Being honest, I'd have to say I'm still quite structured, more than the average person probably, it's part of my nature and has helped me achieve amazing things, but I'm less so or at least am more strategic with where I apply it. So, my garden, like some of my life, is diverse and visually less structured as well.
This doesn't mean things are not planned because planning what I put in and where it goes is something I enjoy doing and haphazardness isn't something I'm overly comfortable with, but I enjoy working with nature rather than trying to control or inhibit it by being too formal. Part of that is diversity of plants and a more free-flowing layout.
One new addition is this plant in my (shit) photos today, called lady slippers here but known as Cape Primrose in its country of origin, Africa. I'm no expert on the species but my partner ran into it and we thought several of them potted would look nice lined up through the middle of our outdoor setting table for the festive season.
Do you add seasonal splashes of colour to your house or outdoor areas or change them with your mood? Do you prefer very structured garden spaces, formal straight lines, or are you more keen on free-flowing and more natural spaces? Feel free to comment on it, or anything really, if you'd like to.
Design and create your ideal life, tomorrow isn't promised - galenkp
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The Cape Primrose is lovely and will beautify your table perfectly. The look of a formal garden is stately and elegant and invites you to come into the space and wander at leisure. While I love looking at formal gardens, it brings me no peace, it is too rigid and staid. It brings to mind things that must be done, that must happen with great regularity and so that isn't me lol. Straight lines are not in my wheelhouse, I have trouble drawing one and my handwriting always has an upward slant.
I have ever been a wild child, even into my old age and so a wild garden, even one planned with great care, is one that makes me happy and intrigued. Great rafts of color, texture and scents blending one into another with no clear delineation. Where a volunteer plant pops up out of place, well...that's me, that's my life force. Unless it's a weed, then it is off with it's head.
You say it nicely and I agree.
Part of my nature leans towards discipline, organisation and straight lines and that has worked well for me but I've always had a side of me that revels against that regimented though so I've landed in the middle somewhere and think that's an acceptable compromise.
With gardening it's probably more noticable as my gardens have always had a balance of both but lean towards informality. I've been all around the world and seen some of the most amazing garden spaces from structured (controlled) garden styles like in France to more natural spaces of many of the public gardens in London and other places and just about everything in between and beyond and one thing is common, I like them all. Not weeds though, you called it!
I haven't got single flower in my garden. If I can't et it or feed it to my chucks, I don't grow it. Aesthetics be damned!
How do you sleep at night? Not even calendula? Plant one, and you will never be flower free again.
Ok. Ok, ya got me! I have Calendula and Nasturtium growing in the chicken coop, which, strictly speaking, is not the garden. We have the plants under a wire cage that we lift a few times a week to let the chucks feast.
Great idea! I wanted to do that back in the day when I had chix, but never got around to it. Why did you choose those two?
You have ZERO flowers that you planted just for enjoyment? I don't think I could live like that. You must grow medicinals for yourself, no?
Those 2 because my neighbour used to keep chucks and told me they loved them and no, to my shame no medicinals for myself. I intend to get around to it next year though along with two thousand five hundred and sixty one other projects I have in the pipeline:)
Calendula is a #1 medicinal I wouldn't live without, so you've got that already. Down one, to 560.
Have you any plans to head to Acapulco this winter?
I'm anxious to get there but what to do with the animals? I'm afraid to get pet sitters after my mad brother chased away my friend last year. It's a conundrum.
We are all different people and your pragmatism in respect of your garden is quite ok, smart in fact considering the shit show society have made of the world. As for aesthetics, I imagine you'd look around your garden and see much to admire and enjoy, your produce, so it's one and the same.
I have to say... I am honestly shocked with how much I'm into gardening and flowers and plants and trees. My entirely life I treated it as an 'old person thing' because my parents were super into gardening my entire life... and now I really enjoy the feeling of achievement and progress year to year. I don't think there is many as obvious projects in our lives where you can really see the benefit many years after you worked hard on something.
It's driven by my concern on climate-change and future food shortages, but I didn't realize I'd also really like it.
I personally prefer free-flowing and natural spaces. I'd personally get rid of lawns if I could, but I've always lived in areas where the council requires a lawn.
I know others who have felt the same way as you...and now feel the same way as you about gardening so you're in very good company.
I liked your reference to the need for food and the changing climate because I feel we are eading into a point in time when people will need to be much more self reliant. Socially things are declining rapidly and environmentally also, at an alarming rate actually. I'm not into 3D printed food or eating spaceman food from a tube so I grow things. It will also come down to having other skills to support one's own life but the ability to grow is a big one...and something humans have spent the last couple hundred years forgetting.
I'm glad you like gardening, it speaks highly of a person's character that they have space for such things. As for lawn...I have some now but less than I used to. Back in the day, (and no judgement here) I had lean with the straightest edges, all clipped with a small set of scissors, and the top was like the top of a billiard table. It was, let's say, a healthy habit...but fucken time consuming and somewhat OCD of me. Lol.
Hahahaha, I honestly really appreciate the effort that goes into a well-manicured lawn and garden, and truly, sitting on a nice lawn is such a pleasure. If rainwater/water was abundant I'd be all for it, but at this point I'd just rather the water and effort go to growing food, plants and pollinator-attracting flowers.
It's kind of ironic that humankind's ability to optimize for agricultural economies of scale might actually harm us all in the long run. Apparently 40% of post-WWII fruit and veg was from home gardens and I think it's very likely we'll end up with similar stats in the future.
You've got the right idea and I am all for it. My grass is back at my other house where I no longer live so it's not as sexy as it used to be, but still turns heads; it's getting bloody difficult to upkeep it though; time constraints. If I had 25 hours a day I'd still not get everything done that's required each day.
Your last paragraph...that's some scary shit but I'm not surprised. Progress doesn't come without cost and (unfortunately for humans) it's a cost we will all pay for a long time to come.
Your garden posts always surprise and delight me.
Partner? I don't read all your posts, but this little bit stands out. I remember your mentioning a new flame, in words that were unusually hopeful for you. I believe there was a post about lavender that went with it? I'm glad it has progressed to your planting flowers together.
My flower gardens have always sometimes looked like a mess. I meticulously plan where to put things, but of course they always take up more room than I planned for. You can imagine the result. the hardier plants survive, and the ones that will need lots of care do not. But my goal has been to create garden spaces that looks like the fairies tend them.
Love the colors on that primrose! Despite your (shit) photo. Not so (shitty) if you ask me.
I'm glad you like my gardening posts, basic though they are. Gardening has been a huge part of my life from a young age a d something that's brought great enjoyment and peace and an activity I have missed very much when not being able to do it. I'm also fortunate to have a partner (as mentioned) who enjoys the same things in this respect. It's a nice connection.
Your mention of fairies made me smile as that's sort of how I'd explain my partners strategy. We always have flowers blooming, one lot ends and the others beginning and there's lots of deep greens as well as other coloured foliage. We have brutal summers here so it's a lot of work and we are both very busy people but we work at it and work but does.
Thanks for liking my shit photos...I should have put this post in my shit photography community. 😉
haha I see the change you made here. I was thinking "did he just make a disparaging remard about weekend experiences?" I sure didn't see why. So next question: you have a shit photography community?
Yep, I posted it in the wrong community by accident. (Idiot huh?)
Yeah, I have a shit photography community where I put shit photography like in this post.
https://peakd.com/c/hive-181290/created
What a beautiful flower, its colours and shape are gorgeous! Very nice and beautiful acquisition!
I like to plan my garden, well now I have a balcony with several indoor plants and also some outside, but generally I like the spaces to be well organised especially taking into account the needs of each plant, tree or flower. And I love to take care of it!
There's nothing wrong with organisation and with a small balcony space it's probably essential.
I have it nice and well organised and now it has lights too, I like the ambience, it's perfect.
Hi Galen, I find the metaphor of the garden with life very apt. I think with age we appear to be less structured, although I think that like good musicians, the structure is internalized. So when they improvise, they do it without getting lost, with meaning.
As for plants, I don't have a garden, but I can say that there is a plant that has been with me for almost three decades, a cactus, which I take care of and in my own way it takes care of me.
Happy days off.
I think choosing to be less structured in life is a structure of sorts anyway, a process of thought, only that it is based around one's own experiences throughout life and how they have changed what we value most.
I think we are talking about the same thing, that the experience gained gives the opportunity to be more flexible.
Nature always gives a special touch to any architectural design, and how beautiful it is to be in the middle of a design that has a beautiful garden for the purpose of aesthetics and decor. I agree and always approve this for any place regardless of its purpose.
Many humans have lost their connection with nature and I don't think it's a good state to be in.
Wow this is beautiful.
Gardening doesn't just beautiful out environment. It's a means to appreciate plants even as living things. We live together!
I agree, I just wrote another comment on this post about so many people having lost their connection with nature and lack an appreciation for it so to speak. I don't think it's going well for humans or the planet. I'm one who has a deep sense of connection to nature and I feel it pays me back in kind.
I so much love plants my environment.
I know you apologised, but those flowers still look very pretty. And people who take such good care of a garden know how to take care of people as well.
Greetings, G.
They're really such nice looking flowers and the foliage looks nice too.
You saw my apology post? Lol. I figured I'd better do it in case the admin (me) muted my post. 🤣
Well, you're lucky he didn't mute you before the apology. Lol.
Oh yeah, he's pretty firm on people who don't follow the rules. No worries though, got away with it this time.
Very beautiful! We used to have a ton of flowers and stuff in our yard when we bought our house. I think the lady that owned it before had it professionally landscaped. We pulled most of it out. There are still some roses and other things kicking around here and there.
You mustn't like gardening much I guess, that's ok it's not for everyone. I work hard to find the time to do it to be honest but I enjoy it so make it a priority. I travel a lot for work so it's pretty difficult but somehow I make it work.
It's not that we don't like it, but we just aren't very good at it. We always seem to over or underwater stuff and then it just dies. We also do a lot of camping in the summer, so it's pretty rare that we are home to give the plants the care they need in the prime season.
Yeah I remember you saying that and it's probably not a good look to have a garden that looks like shit, better to keep it simple and low key. One of my biggest challenges is my garden when we both go away but I have a few friends that love gardening so rotate them on a roster or one of them stays here and house sits.
That's good that you have people like that! It would definitely be helpful. I like having a nice yard, but not at the expense of my camping trips!
Lady Slippers flowers are beautiful, it's nice to know that you love being with nature. If you don't mind, you are welcome to my blog.
Yeah, I like nature, love it really, as I grew up. Lose to it and know its importance and value.
This post with flowers was missing only the garden hose and the hand holding it in the frame, and the post could pass as a weekend experience - watering flowers in the garden.
I saw your apology in the next post, congratulations! That's the point, a man who is ready to apologize, even when he doesn't have to, but when he feels he needs to.
But imagine what kind of message you would send to the members of the community regarding the posting rules, if you mutated your own post. Unacceptable violation of community rules, at any cost 🙂