I’ve been going through my photo library for the past few weeks choosing the images that are included in my new book, The Cocktail Hour Garden. As I’ve scrolled through the files that include ten years of digital images (I made the switch from slides in 2005) I came across the photos I took when I first saw the house and property at Poison Ivy Acres. This is our eight summer here, and things have grown in well…some a little too well.

Have you ever gone back through old photos and compared what your garden was like when you first started planting to how it looks now?

When we bought the house there was a huge space on the north-west corner of the yard.

When we bought the house there was a huge space on the north-west corner of the yard.

Now you can't see the cobble edging! There is an umbrella pine in the back corner, three Pinky Winky Hydrangeas, some Helianthus 'Lemon Queen' and a dappled willow....to mention just a few of the plants that are thriving here.

Now you can’t see the cobble edging! There is an umbrella pine in the back corner, three Pinky Winky Hydrangeas, Amsonia, Patrinia, a ‘Center Glow’ ninebark, some Helianthus ‘Lemon Queen’ and a dappled willow….to mention just a few of the plants that are thriving here. 

This was a shot taken as I stood with that corner behind me, looking toward the steps that go down to the lake. Although not in this photo, the deck is just to the right.

This was a shot taken as I stood with that corner behind me, looking toward the steps that go down to the lake. Although not in this photo, the deck is just to the right. The area where the swing seat is became The Fragrance Garden.

A wider angle view that shows this same area. We enlarged what was a very narrow bed along the edge of the lawn so that it now encircles the deck.

A wider angle view that shows this same area. We enlarged what was a very narrow bed along the edge of the lawn so that it now encircles the deck. The steps aren’t visible in this photo because of all the plants, but they are still there!

Standing on the path that goes up to the kitchen door, this is how the patio looked.

Standing on the path that goes up to the kitchen door, this is how the patio looked.

We added onto that patio so that the paving goes to the fragrance garden (to the right of this photo) and to the steps down to the lake. OK, OK...I know it needs weeding. That's on my to-do list for this evening when the area is shady.

We added onto that patio so that the paving goes to the fragrance garden (to the right of this photo) and to the steps down to the lake. OK, OK…I know it needs weeding. That’s on my to-do list for this evening when the area is shady. The small bed that’s near the coral hose is now filled with herbs so I can dash out the kitchen door and cut basil, parsley, chives etc.

So that’s how my garden grows. Yours?

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