Ways to personalize your garden – by Diane Morey Sitton
Whether large or small, rural or urban, personalizing a garden is not only about expressing your personal style through color, types of plants, and hardscape, it’s about surrounding yourself with items and areas of interest that evoke memories and generate new ones, showcase your talent and creativity, and fuel your interests.
Start by including plants, bulbs and cuttings shared by family and friends. As the plants grow and multiply, you’ll think of that person every time you smell the fragrance or see the vibrant blooms. Likewise, select plants that evoke childhood memories or that trigger recollections of special places: a ring of daffodils might remind you of grandma’s yard; a bright pink bougainvillea might stir recollections of a weekend at a tropical resort.
Keep the memories flowing by showcasing garden-related items handed down from family (your mom’s motel chairs, Uncle Joe’s old wheelbarrows, your aunt’s weathervane). Display these sentimental treasures “as is” or express your style by giving them a coat of paint.
Collections, too, evoke memories and personalize gardens. Whether displayed in one place or scattered throughout the garden, vintage watering cans, sun faces, gardening angels and other much-loved “finds” help transform generic spaces into your personal showroom.
Like collections, displaying personally-crafted décor strengthens style, making your garden feel more at home than ever. Paint a birdhouse with your favorite colors. Piece together ceramic shards and crafting marbles into intricate mosaics. Use your talent to personalize stepping stones, flower pots, garden benches or birdbaths. Create hand painted signs and garden markers.
Design garden areas based on your interests. If you enjoy cooking, set aside a sunny spot where you can grow rosemary, basil, thyme and other culinary herbs. If you like to observe birds, create a bird-friendly environment that includes bird feeders, water sources, and plants that produce seeds, fruits and berries that appeal to birds. If relaxation is your thing, install a koi pond.
Personalizing a garden is about surrounding yourself with memories, mementoes and the things you cherish most.