...on a typical mature suburban lot, a pristine little 60-year old "half-cape" style, updated and maintained (and no, this is not for sale). Gardener and Family's been here since @1980--that's how long they've worked and re-worked this garden. Currently, about a dozen distinct "micro-climate" gardens within the whole....
...for example, this section out front has some strong hot sun and cool dry shade all in one; there's a big tree just off camera to the right. (Gardener's Guideline: big trees have big roots that take much moisture from the area, watering needed if it doesn't rain regularly....
...the brilliant asclepias are in vibrant bloom. We do native prairie plants around here, since Chicagoland is on the edge of the prairies, the plants are meant to grow here, so why fight it? Coneflowers, various yarrows, daisies, bee balm, etc are in abundance....
...another sunny areas. Perennials don't all bloom at the same time. Another Gardener's Guideline is to select plants so these's various things in bloom thru out the growing season....later in the summer other flowers, like goldenrod, etc. will contribute...
...living in the Garden in the temperate seasons. One doesn't do all this work to sit inside and watch TV; the other evening, there were 4 Little Boys 4 conducting a scavenger-hunt and running wild, and she didn't bat an eye! But they were nice little guys left only the echos of their laughter behind....
...dramatic contrast between sun and shade areas blending together. The little terre-cotta was modeled by the Son of the house, when he was a toddler...lots of other subtle ornaments around the yard, too....
...this Sun garden portion was built on the space that once held a huge old diseased pine tree 2 or 3 years ago. Looks like it's been there the whole time...Garden Guideline: you want to pack the plants in fairly close together--they help hold one another up and they crowd out weeds....
...a preview of the future entry when we tour the new, improved and expanded Faery Garden ..aka the solution to what to do with that "dead space" near the air conditioner unit....kids love Faery Gardens....
...socializing with a very well behaved and smiling Pit Bull and his young owners. A portrait for Camera Critters .
...while patrolling his vegetable garden this morning, Hubs' was able to get several spectacular shots of this Spicebush Swallowtail, b...
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