I’ve been working with my cousins Marty and Betsy getting their place ready for a big wedding party. Much of the party, from Friday night cocktails, crab, and karaoke to Sunday brunch was in their garden. THEIR dream garden.

I give them broad ideas, sketches, and suggestions and help them find great plants. But they plant, propagate, amend, fill in the details, even work with the welder, mason, and landscaper.

Here are two important lessons in making a successful garden, whether youre working all alone or with a big crew. Actually, these few words have been important in my whole life:

Be Yourself & Be Proud

A garden is an experience, a way to feed your soul, sometimes your body but always its for you and yours. Make a garden that makes you happy in the doing. Forget glamour gardens and Jardin deVille. Gardening isnt about buying things or one-uping the neighbor.

Gardening is a dream, then lots of dirty experimenting, followed by a moment. The dream was stated 20 years ago, when Betsy said, Lets make this a cool place my children will want to be married in! The dirty work ensued. The wedding date forces some long delayed projects. The moment was Friday night, watching a beautiful young couple dance on the grass and their parents toasting and toasty.

Dream Garden

Flowering for the early September Wedding were:

Roses, Duranta, Sweet Grass, Maiden Grass, Chinese Abelia, Ginger Lily, Mexican Lantern (Echianda), Rose of Sharon, Zinnia, Black-eyed Susan.

But more importantly, there was dramatic contrast in textures, foliage colors and lots of green – which makes everybody look better! One last thing, I didnt karaoke, no amount of plants would make that better, but if I could, I do Fanfare –Dont Dream It, Be It!

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