Part 3 ~ So Cal Garden Tour:

My friend Diane used to have the most romantic cottage garden I had ever seen.  The front garden was surrounded by a storybook white picket fence with a gated arbor covered in climbing roses.  The fragrance from lavender, roses and geraniums seemed to be perennial.  There were pathways weaving through clematis, lobelia, hydrangeas and all plants romantic.  I once got to help deadhead the garden, which was heaven to me.

 

Several years ago, realizing that the picket fence was in need of serious rehab and that the garden was not exactly native and drought friendly, she tore everything out and started anew.  The only plant she kept in the front yard, from the romantic garden, was the gorgeous, gigantic hydrangea bush.

 

Di lives in the inner city (she aptly calls it “the hood”) where there is a constant bombardment of action and noise.  After she bought her home, over half of the sweet old craftsman houses were leveled and replaced with unattractive apartment buildings, forever changing the peaceful, calm nature of her hood.

In spite of all that is peace stealing in the neighborhood, Diane and her nextdoor neighbor, Mary, have made their gardens places of refuge.

Although Diane spends time in the front garden to maintain it, the back garden is her refuge.  The kitchen and master bedroom have double french doors that open up to an upper veranda, which is used for outdoor meals and it is also where my furry girlfriend Sassy likes to hang out.

When I go to Diane’s, we hang out on two opposing gliding sofas and eat by the glow of twinkling string lights that are hung from the pergola in a v configuration overhead.  We stay out until bedtime and if it gets nippy outside, Diane grabs two matching furry blankets, one for each of us.

 

We slowly morph from sitting upright to lying on our backs or curled up in the fetal position, with our heads rested on pillows.  Sassy, a non cuddler, even gets in on the action and will snuggle up with one of us!

The pavilion in the very back of the yard has a custom made plywood table that can probably seat over 30 people comfortably!

The lower patio is framed by ethereal net curtains.  Diane likes to leave them down, so they can waft in the breeze, but they were tied back because of a windstorm.

A Drought Friendly Refuge in the Hood!

 

If you missed parts 1 and 2 of the Droughtscape Garden Tour, you can view them through the links below!

Part 1: Garden Tour ~ So Cal Droughtscape ~ The Quirk Factor

Part 2: Garden Tour ~ So Cal Droughtscape ~ It’s All in the Details