Saturday, March 29, 2014

Recent Garden Tour

I was visiting a couple recently that are customers of mine that have, like most of my customers, become very good friends. Mrs. Cole is an avid gardener and has an unusual and different garden then we usually see. She has to deal with deer as well as other kinds of varmints that want what she grows. She has done a good job of keeping the varmints out and the veggies in but it has taken her and Mr. Cole some serious work to do it. Like my own gardens, she had to bring all her dirt in as there just wasn't any there.

I noticed when I drove up that she had added to my favorite bottle tree.

 The deer proof fence was made with materials on hand, cedar and lots of it.

 Beds are also made of material that was plentiful on their place meaning rocks, syrup tubs and plastic drums cut in half.

 Paths are made of wood chippings.
 Excess run off from the house runs off in a dry creek bed.
This is such a productive little garden with some thing to harvest all the time. Mrs. Cole may need help this year as Mr. Cole is under going cancer treatments and was a feeling a little punky the last time I was there. They own land on both sides of the road and the land on the side opposite the house borders the Lampasas river. They have always given me access to fish the river and it's one of the most beautiful and relaxing places to fish that I know of. I may have to go fishing a little early one day and help her with the garden. It would only be right seeing as how I will also get to fish!

12 comments:

Rock rose said...

I love the way she has used things at hand to make her garden. The bottle tree is certainly a work of art and that marvelous fence made by weaving cedar saplings. Nice garden visit, Bob.

Carole West said...

Some great ideas really like the rock raised beds. Texture is always a great thing next to the green.
-Carole

katina said...

the epitome of do what you can, with what you have. A very lovely yard.

Linda/patchwork said...

Nice garden. And, they sound like nice people.
Hope Mr. Cole is better soon.
Thanks for the tour.

Tina said...

Thanks for this tour of a lovely garden in a equally lovely setting. I also love that bottle tree. Gardeners are always the nicest people. Wishing Mr. Cole speedy recovery.

TexasDeb said...

Awww - hope Mr. Cole feels better immediately if not sooner. What an inspiring example of recycling and reusing materials on hand to create new life - figuratively and literally. Gardeners (and fishermen) are the nicest people.

Diana said...

How nice to see such a pretty garden built from the land on which it sits. I love the rock-lined beds - they just fit out there. Have fun fishing!

Linda Lehmusvirta said...

What a charming, productive and artistic garden as a sustainable example for us all.

Unknown said...

a true wabi sabi garden! Thanks for the glimpse of a truly unique and functional space with that Texas charm!

Sandra said...

Hi, this is Sandra Cole. Thank you for your compliments on this humble garden spot. The bones of the beds and perimeter are cinder blocks dressed with rocks gathered from the land and Lampasas River. The blocks have slots that I used to insert the cedar sticks, the sticks are no less than 7' tall to deter the deer. I have, since Bob took these pictures added a keyhole garden in this perimeter and a compost bin made from wood pallets. The bottle tree is made from cedar stumps gathered on our land. I am grateful that the lady that owned this land for more than 60 years never burned stumps, or anything else.

Lisa at Greenbow said...

This garden is unique in that it is made from what is there. It is very nice. No wonder the critters are interested in coming in to help themselves. It would be only right for you to help a bit in the garden. Those fish will be biting and you don't want a heavy conscious following you to the river.

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