Saturday, July 25, 2009

SAGS: Dorothy & Dan's Victorian Cottage Garden

Oh, how good it feels to post a SAGS post this week. With all of the events lately, and the rain that has swamped Western New York, all of my Garden posts have been thwarted. Luckily, the rain stopped long enough today to get some wonderful shots of a very inspirational garden I know you're all going to enjoy. Remember this house from the Garden Walk tour I posted a week or so ago?

Beautiful isn't it. A majestic painted lady, true to the era these Victorian homes were built. Inside and Out, Dorothy and Dan, along with help from friends, neighbors, and children have really put together a beautiful and photo worthy home. (Above) The granite porch is a cozy and cool gathering spot on those warm (well usually warm) summer nights. Wrapped in a curtain of wisteria it provides a "secret society room" where our little group can meet and survey the goings on of our little community. Wicker furniture painted a deep, rich shade of burgundy and myriad of gorgeous planters provide a welcoming retreat, perfect for a few laughs with friends.

Dorothy loves all things Victorian, and you'll find quite a few Angels keeping heavenly watch over her and her loved ones. From stone to ceramic, painted to aged and patinaed, these whimsical touches fill her home and garden, and keep you smiling. (Above) An angel perched on the rail of the stone porch column along with a beautiful concrete urn filled with sweet potato vine and trailing coleus.

Just in case the Angels need to call in for reinforcement, the stone lions proudly displaying their crests guard either side of the porch steps. Pots of annuals and ornamental grasses provide beautiful, bright color through the summer season.

My favorite of all of Dorothy's plants are these. She says they're called: Dell Arte Daybreak Begonia's: perhaps that's why. Gracefully falling among the antique iron rungs of the porch, their peach and cream flower is a beautiful sight, soft, friendly - much like Dorothy.

I told you there were no shortage of Angels. Here a stone Angel sits patiently near the brilliantly blue hydrangea, waiting for a whiff of it's delicate aroma, I suppose. Behind it the ornamental grass drapes softly, creating a layering affect that so deliciously feeds the eye.

Dorothy's coneflower and black eyed susan are slow this year, just like mine, and many other gardeners of WNY. The weather has been cool, damp, and the ground hasn't had many warm nights. Still, the full collection of them here provides a Cottage look that inspired my Cottage Garden. These beauties wrap the entire front facade of Dorothy and Dan's beautiful home, and create a riot of complimentary color in the summer months.

Dorothy and Dan are lucky enough to be on a deep lot. So there are plenty of spaces to fill, and many opportunities to create new gardens. (Above) a stone birdbath, dripping water from the earlier rain helps to protect a beautiful green and aubergine king coleus from the thick rain drops we've had lately - known to destroy their delicate foliage. Coleus is a wonderful shade filler plant for gardens in the North East, and the canopy of shade Dorothy has over her home from the 100+ year old trees that line her street, coleus has become one of her favorites.

Collections in the garden are not a thing of the past, and especially not in a Cottage Garden, like Dorothy and Dan's. (Above) A gorgeous pairing of ornamental grass, tropical spikes and trailing perennials play with terracotta and the iron of an old milk can against the gorgeous stone of Dorothy's foundation.

More coleus, this time in a pot nestled among the hosta's and ferns. These vignettes are what Dorothy uses to provide a dose of color to the lush, but mostly green landscape until the summer months. Just look at that brilliant burgundy color.

A small part of the new garden Dorothy and Dan added to their side yard this year. Russian Sage, Guillardia, Sunflower, and Shasta Daisy make for beautiful perennial pairings that are sure to flourish in the coming years.



Dorothy has 3 sons, one with a truck. So when she decided to line her garden with softened river rock found along the shores of Lake Erie, she had the perfect sets of helping hands. Together, they brought back enough stone to create a natural border along all of her side and back yard flowerbeds. A gorgeous addition!

And the coveted frog. There isn't a neighbor or admirer of Dorothy's garden that hasn't threatened to take this guy in the middle of the night. An old friend of her Garden, this frog has watched the growth of so much, and seems quite happy in among the sage, yarrow, ornamental grass, and false sunflower.


Other, more interesting varieties of flowers exist here too. This smoke bush for instance, seemed to be last year's crush among the neighbors, and I can think of 2 people off hand who bought it after seeing it in Dorothy and Dan's garden. A gorgeous perennial shrub, it starts off a deep mahogany/purple, and in the summer gets a very light spray of deep lavender blooms that create a "smoking" effect.

And Dan tried his hand at vegetables this year, too! The butter leaf lettuce looks perfect for a fresh summer salad, don't you think?

Dorothy's Iris were some of the most beautiful I've ever seen, and I wish I would have thought to take a picture of them this spring. An apricot and deep purple, almost midnight blue blend, they were the joy of our walking group. Each night we'd make our final lap and venture back into Dorothy's garden to see if the Iris had bloomed. Dorothy's sister, another gardening genius gave her this beautiful (but very heavy) statue. The perfect farewell face to Dorothy and Dan's beautiful Victorian garden.
Now, you know the drill. Comment on the garden post here, and if you have a garden post of your own you'd like to share here on Share a Garden Sunday, just drop me a comment with your post link. I'll link you up in no time! I hope you all enjoyed Dorothy's gorgeous garden, and a special thank you to Dorothy who let me take all of these great pictures!
Now off you go to see the others:
ChrisC & JonJ @ The Great Wall of Lutz

29 comments:

  1. Really nice vignettes. That red potted coleus next to the lime green background hosta is wonderful.

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  2. Dorothy has a beautiful home and yard. I love all of her different varieties and I too love that frog! Thanks for sharing her garden with us today, Artie. ~ Robyn

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  3. Your neighborhood is so beautiful, Artie. Dorothy (and Dan!) have a lovely home and gorgeous gardens. Russian Sage always stops my heart, and that smoke bush?! I've never seen anything like it - so ethereal - even the color of that "smoke" ... it's just magical! I can just picture the summer evenings on her porch filled with friends and laughter, while the frog (who looks like he has a little bouquet of small white flowers in his hand!) stands in silent vigil.
    Just perfect.
    xo Isa

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  4. A beautiful garden and a beautiful home -- I can see sitting on that front porch -- a most welcoming spot!

    Thanks for sharing --

    Martha

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  5. Oh wow. Wow wow WOW! Dorothy and Dan have the most beautiful gardens, and I love their statues. You know that big frog put a huge smile on my face!
    Love that begonia. I've never seen anything like it. Same with the smoke flower. Amazing!
    This was a total joy to look at and read, Artie. Thank you so much for sharing it with us!

    Justine :o )

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  6. hi artie...you are so lucky to live in a "gardeny" neighborhood with gorgeous homes! i love, love the curtain of wisteria! i'm glad the rain has finally stopped, for now anyway. i'd like to join in sunday and have already posted. keep taking great snaps with that new camera! erin

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  7. Dorothy and Dan's garden is so beautifully laid out and well maintained. Thanks for sharing.

    Here is the link for my post. I’ve added more text and photos, since last Sunday you did not have Share a Garden Sunday up:
    http://oakrisecottage.blogspot.com/2009/07/private-botanic-garden_19.html

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  8. Hi Artie, just lovely as usual!

    I absolutely am in garden love with cone flowers!!

    Tried to share a new garden post for
    sunday but will leave my blog address instead : )

    Happy Weekend to all gardeners~*~kelley

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  9. What a lovely yard! I'd love to take a walk in your neighborhood. Glad to see you feeling better Artie. My garden post this week is

    http://jos2ndact.blogspot.com/2009/07/share-garden-sunday-off-to-see-wizard.html

    Jo

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  10. If it's Sunday, it has to be SAGS -- here is my link to my garden post this week --

    http://linesfromlinderhof.blogspot.com/2009/07/naked-ladies-and-painted-ladies.html

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  11. That is such a beautiful yard... and I loved the house... Thank you Dorothy and Artie... Have a rain free day my friend!

    (((HUGS)))
    Donna

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  12. thanks for the tour, Artie!
    you definitely are At One with that lens & shutter!

    beautiful!
    Chuck

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  13. Love,love,love that garden.And the yard art.My dad got all his rocks for our garden in NF from the Tuscarora Indian Reservation.They had friends that lived there,and they allowed him to come and 'harvest' rock.
    We're playing this week:
    http://chriscandjonj.blogspot.com/

    Thanx for letting us come home,again.

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  14. What a wonferful way you captured their garden!
    Thanks for that, so pretty to see!
    L

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  15. Beautiful! The vine growing up to the second porch is great but the lions with the lichens is Incredible! I am a huge fan of coleus also. Great tour and thanks. Now back away from the frog, it's mine!
    G in CT

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  16. Dorothy and Dan's home is a work of art in itself ~ add the lush garden and you have the perfect location. I share a love of all things 'angels' with them too. And Mr. Frog? He is so cute! Thank you so much for giving us the gift of your photos and word story today.

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  17. Artie, Please list my post. I'd like to share this garden:

    http://oakrisecottage.blogspot.com/2009/07/private-botanic-garden_19.html

    Thanks,
    Carrie - Oak Rise Cottage

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  18. Oh..Just gorgeous and you can see it just LOVED all of the rain you recently got.

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  19. Oh....That garden is so gorgeous! How do you find the time to take care of such a beautiful garden, with all those kids you have? They must have dirty cloths on and eat fish stick dinners, when it is garden season. Again it is a gorgeous home and garden.

    Lots of love,
    David

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  20. Artie, I've finally put my garden up to link. I'm sorry I'm so late. ~ Robyn

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  21. Dorothy has a beautiful garden. I love all the statuary, especially those old lions with the wonderful patina.

    I would love to join your Sunday garden posts. Here's my url:
    perennialpassion.blogspot.com
    I have garden posts almost every day.

    Thanks for sharing with us, and Ihope you get to drop by my gardens. I will go and post a link back to you right now.

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  22. Artie, Thanks so much for the lovely photographs you took of our garden you truly have made all the hard work that me and dan have done over the years worth it. Also your sweet words it is truly an honor to be featured on your blog. love you lots Dorothy

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  23. Its so beautiful! Though I did not expect anything less, each year the home looks more beautiful. Dorothy and Dan (my parents!) have had the luck of being able to share their gardening passion and have the gracious help and also, shared passion of such wonderous garden lovers, nieghbors, and friends. Its lovely!
    B

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  24. alot of love and sweat goes into the upkeep of this home and yard beautiful pics and write uo pmm

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  25. To my Aunt and Uncle, I envy your passion in making life just that more beautiful, with your love of friends and family, it makes for the perfect inspiration to such an inviting garden and home. As a child and now as a mom myself, you have always made me feel loved and welcomed and I know I can speak for many others who feel the same about you and your home. Thanks for the great memories.
    Artie, wow you definitely captured the essense of my aunt and Uncle's home. Especially from the first shot of her youngest on the front porch. Great Job!!!!

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  26. This garden is one of the finest I have seen around... and I personally can say I have spent many of my best memories roaming around in not only this house but in this garden as well. It doesn't surprise me someone as great as my Aunt and Uncle could create a beautiful oasis as this one because that is just their loving and creative nature and they will continue making things around them this amazing for years to come. To Artie, your pictures were very beautiful! You have talent and should contine taking them. To my Aunt and Uncle, Congrats on such a lovely garden!!!!! Even though I would think it were lovely even without all those fancy flowers = ) Love youuuuu!

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