Oh, Saucy...I love that Basil! I enjoy seeing the view from your favorite seat-that would make a fun photo thread! Lol, I guess my picture would be blue sky, though-my favorite spot is on my back in the hammock, although I hardly get to hang out there.
You guys did an excellent job on the pavers. I've always thought it would be nice to do some walkways like that, but I'm not sure the marriage would survive it. Between me being a control freak and DH's "that's good enough" attitude, I imagine there would be some..ahem...discussions!
Brenda

Those guard bees certainly look dedicated to their job and ready and capable to take on whatever threatens!

The pink brug looks like mine - mine was a no-name from the farmers' market so maybe I now have a name for it. :-)

That basil is beautiful!

Saucy, Those are great pics. The basil is beautiful. The bees are intimidating ! lol
I can't get brug to grow, let alone bloom !
The passage way between your house and garage is really neat, but I am wondering if you will be battling the Japanese Maple in the future. I have planted too many things where they obstructed my walking. :-(

What a great use of that space, Saucy! I can "see" it filled in and it will be lovely.

Your new bricks will be old before you know it.

Here's to ABB in good use!

Martie

Fantastic pics Saucy! I love them all and especially love those 'guard bees'! How fun is that???? They do look menacing. Your brug is just gorgeous! I might have to ask for a cutting of that one in the fall. It's such a lovely color. Mine have been static this week, just covered with buds and they aren't doing anything because of the overcast and chilly temps. Maybe I'll get flowers by September. LOL

Deanne

Love the pictures Saucy! The walkway is wonderful and you did a fabulous job. The basil reminds me of the cinnamon basil that I have in my potager. It looks good in arrangements too. The guard bees do look menacing ;o)

Michelle

Fantastic, Saucy! I was checking a nursery out today, and there was your African Basil, so now you've got it on my plant radar. Do you cook with this one? Those bees must think you look fairly "insectoid" yourself, with that giant glass eye you're always point at them ;)

Nice work Saucy! That basil is so big and beautiful. I have one in a pot that hasn't gotten as much size to it this year as usual. Those bees are really something aren't they? Great job on the pavers. And you're getting to be quite a container queen too I think. Thanks for sharing your gardens. It's great to see more of them this year.

Eden

Saucy,your bee pic is really beautiful, and your containers are fabu ..I have purple basil this year but I think the African is a must have..

Kathy in Napa

Marian, I have dared the Japanese Maple to outgrow that space, LOL...it's a sickly little thing. More likely is that Nick will get a new garage and my alley will disappear. The garage was supposed to be condemned when we moved in, but Nick did some strategic bracing so we could use it until we could afford a replacement.

Thanks for all your kind comments. It's so hard for me to share pictures of my work in progress, because alot of times I just don't want to look until it's filled in, LOL.

So, inspired by my upcoming purchase of the Goddesses of the Seasons, and spurred on by Sarah's illness, I've done a little planning. Please don't shun me when you see what passes for my shade garden (and I have limbs down, too):

{{gwi:172495}}

The plan is to take down the two trees (not the producers of the "shade") and use the exisiting horseshoe shape of the space to add this against the existing stacked wall:

{{gwi:172498}}

(the ladies are not to scale, LOL....and it's flat....I'm not good with perpective...)

I would then put a path in for maintence and in front of that, take the exisiting "island" bed and widen it to fill the space.

{{gwi:172499}}

To the right of this plan would be my "sunken patio" and to the left would lead you down a path to the canoe launch (woods/wetland).

This space is unseen from anywhere in the yard. It has to be visited purposefully. It is set below the grade of the rest of the yard by about 3 feet. The soil is not wet even though I'm on the wetlands, if anything I'd consider it dry shade since I don't water :) I am going to use my new Mixed Border book to come up with some plant materials to fit the bill.

I guess my concerns are: If I have a formal garden "room" do I have to have lots of other formal things? I'm pretty eclectic, I think. I like clean lines and messy plants :) I think the ladies need the green screen behind them so that they stand out....other wise, looking beyond them into my neighbor's yard would become distracting. I am choosing Schizophragma Hydrangeanoides "moonlight" to grow on the trellis'

Can you think of anything that I'm missing/forgetting. This is a big step for me. My last garden was all laid out, all I had to do was pick plants. This place requires vision from me, and then execution of "bones" and then plant material. Right now I feel like a nursery holding plants that I like until they have a proper home.....

I hope I've made some sort of sense.

I love the idea and your mock up. I'm pretty eclectic also. I have country and formal mixed. I always figure there are no rules, only what appeals to me.

Woa! Saucy, that is impressive! It will be just lovely.

Jerri

Saucy, I think the Secret Garden of the Goddesses sounds great, and stumbling into this formal spot amidst your overall landscape, formal or informal, would be very cool. Where do we sit to gaze upon the goddesses?

Thank you all for your reassurances! Denise, here's a picture that is a little to the right of center from the one above. Because the berm garden is 3' higher (and add the height of the plant material, too) it makes this a very secret place during the growing season.

{{gwi:172544}}

Clear as mud now, right?

I'm going to really work on this while the kids are gone next week :)

Saucy

The idea is amazing, Saucy, and I have no doubt that you'll pull it off.

Where's Winter, though? Came here before the other thread so forgive if you've already answered. Are you looking for her to match somewhere else?

Martie

LOL....if Winter makes it into the deal, she'll have her own little space :) She just doesn't match the others. Plus, I like the idea of working with 3....something that really bothered me in one of the gardens we visited at IU5 was a trellis that only had 2 panels...the even numbers threw me for a loop. I didn't like it.

Nick is going with me in the morning to haggle a bit and figure out how to get them home. Cross your fingers everyone! I hope I can get a couple of small goodies in the deal, too :)

The writing on the picture is hard to read....from top left over it says: remove trees, right panel of trellis will be somewhere near here, future sunk in patio made of recycled brick, for reference Zebra grass in berm garden near driveway, and on the bottom it says: pathway will begin here in a horseshoe shape.

Okay, I've gotta find something else to do now :) Enough obsessing over the Secret Garden of the Goddesses :) Thanks for the name Denise!

Saucy

PS, When I showed Nick the plan, he said, "you're gonna buy these things and stick them over there where no one can see them?" LOL....he even suggested lighting.....OH we have such different ideas of "taste".

L

Saucy, I like your plan for the Secret Garden of the Goddesses. I can really picture it in my mind. Can't wait to see it in finished. No pressure, LOL.
I also enjoyed the glimpses of the rest of your areas and plants. And yes indeed those bees do look like they are gaurding.
I think you need that huge urn for your mixed bed. giggle giggle. Norma

Saucy - I think that is going to look great! I like a contrast between formal and wild so I don't see any problem with the idea of a formal spot in the wild garden. I turned our back lawn into a formal-looking rectangle this spring. The woodland garden surrounds it. Both the lawn and the garden immediately looked much better because of the contrast.

Saucy, your plans are way cool ! Will your background trellis be painted to match your house ? Even though not seen from the house it might create a psychological connection. You have done a fantastic job with your layout and I love the design of the trellises. It's a very pleasing form to me.

Kathy in Napa

Saucy...you are on a mission this year...lol!! I love to hear your enthusiasm for your garden. You and DH have certainly been busy. The pavers look like a professional job. I am starting to wish I had bees here, at some point at the end of the season, would love to hear how much contact with the bees you have had to have. You deck is certainly filling out, looking like a very tropical retreat. I really like your African Basil, will have to look for that.

Nice set of statues you are bringing home. Good luck with the haggling. [g]

Thanks for sharing your photos!
pm2

Saucy, it's so much fun to see you so excited about the garden planning and design. I look forward to the final reveal, perhaps over a bit of grilled cedar plank salmon marinated in a bit of Soy Vay...lol.

Sue

Saucy, I envy you having the energy and ability to plan, and undertake, that! It will be a lovely secret spot! I like the plan of putting Winter in a separate location, (if you get her).

You know I am a sucker for all things formal in a garden, Saucy. That said, I don't think heavily "formal" gardens are all that practical for workin' slobs (most of us, I'd venture a guess!). So I really like your idea of indulging that bent in small area. It makes it "doable" and adds a note of fun to your "estate".

It's going to be really pretty. :)

This post may get a bit "out there" but I find it all quite fascinating. Having met Saucy and knowing a bit about her history, this whole Garden of the Goddesses seems just perfect:

In undisputed ancient religion fact, the Feminine Divine was often portrayed as a Turtle, the shell of which emphasizes the strength of the feminine soul, the innards being our soft compassion. While there are other symbols, the turtle, or terrapin, has a solid meaning throughout religious history.

One of the few remaining mainstream references to this feminine is "Mother" Earth. The connection of earth and spirit in religion broke down as men began to formulate the histories. All fact and widely accepted even amongst the most conservative religious factions.

To this day the seasons are celebrated in a "feminine" spirit. The strength of maintaining the feminine in the natural world speaks directly to its power, no matter what other beliefs one holds.

So, given that Saucy is a very strong woman, it seems quite natural that at Terrapin Station the Garden of the Goddesses will be placed. Even with Nick's view of the project one can guess that he Wants it to be seen.

Now I'm not suggesting alters or incantations, here. Even my sensibility doesn't go that far, but the placement Saucy has picked is strikingly like the placement thousands of years ago. It will be stunning!!

Hope I've not put anyone off, but I can't wait to "be there" in person and soak in the Horaes, three or four of them :-)

Martie