DESIGN

It took over 30 years to evolve into the garden it is today. In 1975 I purchased the neighboring property and removed the buildings. Soil enhancing products such as peat moss, mushroom manure and sand were brought in. I then started to collect the many species of perennial plants and shrubs.

Since a great garden is not built in isolation I planted an additional 160 trees within a one-block radius. This has improved the community’s aesthetic appeal and naturally increased the bird population. It has also added oxygen and moisture to the air and has provided a great windbreak.

For the 2006 season, a complete re-design of large parts of the garden were completed. Hundreds of perennial plants had to be dug out and temporarily replanted in another garden to make room for the heavy machinery needed to install the huge “Rocky Gold” boulders. This resulted in a spectacular planter at the back end of the house that accents the 20-foot high, Chinese slate wall. In addition, we installed rock retainer walls and hand laid 7 tons of dark grey rundle stone for pathways. We are at present working on experimenting with different plantings in between the stones.

To really experience the garden, one would have to visit it every 2-3 weeks in order to witness the ever-changing varieties of flowers. It is for this reason that in the "Gallery" section, I have separated the images by month. When I contemplate the enormous variety of colors and the superb design of the living things on this planet, I am simply in awe. A garden is not just a garden; it is a spiritual place where the creator, the greatest artist of all, shows its many miracles. All of the photographs are taken in one tiny spot on this miracle planet. I hope that you will enjoy them.

Con Boland.