A Visit to a Friend's Garden

 As I said before, I had a lot of time to kill in Des Moines the last couple days while my son was at camp.  Besides walking with my dog, I also took some time to relax and visit my friend's garden

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I absolutely love her garden.  She has a knack for decorating that I aspire to as I grow as a gardener.  Her yard is very shady though, while my yard is mostly sun.  Don't get me wrong, I LOVE my sun yard.  It is one of the major factors I looked for when we bought our house, the lack of trees.  She has tons of shade and as a result, she has MANY hostas.  Everything in her yard flows from one area to the next.  I hope someday I will have enough plants so that I can accomplish that as well.  

These pictures are of her front yard.  Her yard is certified as a wildlife habitat, which I think is cool.  That is how natural it is.  She is the queen of groundcovers...I don't know if I could count all the different kind she uses. 

This is her side yard...the pictures don't even do it justice.  When you walk around her house, you feel like you are entering this little magical garden world.  She has arbors, and screens, and fences, so even though it is a smaller yard,  it feels like there is so much to look at and all these little rooms. 

Her side yard is one of the few places she gets some direct sun.  I guess that is why she hung a tomato plant here.  I personally like her way to hang a tomato up a lot better than those upside down things.  That is torturing the tomato plant, if you ask me. 

She finds all kind of cool 'garden junk' when she goes to garage sales and in stuff that people leave on the curb.  I am envious of her cool screen doors.  I'm always on the look out though.

This is a new project of hers, a checkerboard with moss.  I really like the different colors and textures of the moss she found.  I think there will be a family wedding here eventually, so she is getting things ready for that. 

Her garden always makes me feel so peaceful.  When I was there, I took my book and stretched out in her hammock to read for a bit.  Sometimes I feel more rested in her yard, then in mine.  Probably because I don't feel the urge to pull weeds in her yard.  Do you know someone whose garden you'd love to have?  Or a restful spot you like to hang out?  Tell me about it.