Opus Gnomus II - The Plan

All this researching about garden history, lore, and methods... and I realized - we only have 2 days before we have to begin!

Time to start planning. The MN Garden Gnome project will be divided into 4 stages/4 weeks:
1. Planning & Purchasing: May 24
2. Groundwork: May 31
3. Planting
4. The Big Reveal: June 22

Obviously we should be done with planning, which we are. Kind of. Canyon and I have been drafting up schematics of the garden .. or plan views, as the technical term is called. Sunday we are purchasing the stepping stone, bricks, gravel, soil, fertilizer, rose food, herbicide, and additional plants and vegetables.

The garden is split into 7 sections:
1. Path
2. Centerpiece
3. Border
4. The Lover's Nook
5. Rose Garden
6. Vegetable Garden
7. The Lounge

I know - a bit much, but we are designers after all.
The garden is the beginning of a complete plan we have for the whole backsection of the yard. The rest of the backdrop will comprise of cypress like pines blocking the neighbors in the back, with a smattering of bushes, grasses, and and array of non flowering plants.

* The following images are samples, and not ours.*

1. The Path

The corner garden starts with a loose stepping stone pathway that introduces you into an intimate space. Behind the big-nameless-bush, I wanted pampas grass, but can't do that here - we'll have to find the equivalent of a big bushy fluffy of grass that will grow to a good 5'-6' height. Behind the orange lilies, we are planting a bed of lavender. We're still deciding what to do to the left of the big-nameless-bush. Canyon's thinking of a bush or two. I would also like to place some alyssum near the edging.


2. Centerpiece
Where it all started, the tire-garden turned grand centerpiece. Big rock, lupins, royal candles, english daisies and the garden gnome. Full of whimsy.. it should bring back childhood memories of lazy summer days.


3. Border

Along the fence, we're laying down a layer of bricks, and composting over the ground. We'll have bushes, tall grass, lavender, lilies. The color palette will be mostly greens, with touches of orange from the lilies, pink from the bush and flush of purple and white alyssum.

4. Lover's Nook
I love the romanticism of lovers taking their first stroll through a lovely garden...

From www.charlestongardens.com:"Many years ago, couples observed strict dating etiquette. The courting bench provided a means for maintaining eye contact without touching. The bench, of course, helped fuel the flames of passion."

I love it! But, we can't afford a $700 bench (not yet), and we want to snuggle... so how about this?

This will be perfect, and we'll have to find the affordable equivalent. This bench costs $1000! Behind the sitting bench we're stringing up twine against the fence to create a wall, perhaps of ivy or more creeping roses.

5. The Rose Garden

Our roses: The color palette is oranges and pinks. What I love is that the back border roses are a blend of the primary colors: white, orange, yellow, and pink, which are displayed in primary colors within the shrub roses in the front.

Along the fence, the roses are larger, and the bushes taller 4 ft-6ft tall.

Fragrant cloud:

Gorgeous larger than life single blooming hybrid tea rose. You can smell it 10 feet away. Absolute show stopping diva of a rose. If you exit the garden here it forces you to "stop and smell the roses". Its not quite red, or orange or pink.

Hot cocoa:

Classy brownish dusky pinky red bloom with delicate layers. Medium size - little to no fragrance.

Livin easy:

Nectarine tinged bloom - very easy to take care of and manage with glossy green foliage.

Sheila's perfume:

A lightly fragrant pinkish orange bloom, smells fruity.

Along the vegetable garden, all shrub roses - multiple blooms:

What a peach:

little apricot blossoms.

Miniature cupcake:

Dainty Marie Antoinette kind of roses. Explosively pink and girly. Gorgeous!

Miniature lemondrop:

Similar to the pink, but yellow.

Marie bugnet:

Classic white antique roses, smells delicious. Gives off a light perfectly balanced scent of fruit. It goes well with the Fragrant cloud in providing a border of fragrance.

And in the middle of the rose garden, tucked gently in the corner, will be the birdbath.

6. The Vegetable Garden



We'll have tomatoes, some decorative leafy greens in one box, and in the other, herbs, maybe even strawberries. By the time we get to pick them, I'm sure the frost will come, but let's see what happens.

7. The Lounge

And finally at the end of the path, after having the most explosive multi-sensory experience in your life, you will need a moment of repose so thankfully we'll have a table and chairs for those afternoon teas.