Theme Gardens

Winter is the most perfect time to plan for the new growing season and expanding your spring wish list. Seed catalogs are flooding our mailboxes right now, teasing us with those picture perfect flowers that they promise will grow and flourish in our gardens. But any level headed gardener knows that is not always the case, they tempt us knowing we can’t resist. One way to battle the temptations is to play around with your space a little and think outside the box, or in this case, inside the box. I have a lot of fun with theme gardens, it allows me the freedom to try new plants and produce an eye catching flower bed that has related species to a theme. For instance, my favorite is an English garden, a little research will prove many flowers having roots to the land across the sea and once arranged properly will show you off for any tea party you may want to give. Below I will share some popular ideas and even some very serious choices for chefs to herbalists! The possibilities are endless like the choices of flowers and seeds, but don’t be shy, any theme can work. So don’t be cooped with cabin fever, plan out a theme garden or two. It will add charm to any landscape and you will be the talk of the neighborhood!

“In the garden, anyone can be an artist”

1. English garden- The Lords and Ladies of this British invadion might include some English bluebells, foxgloves, heather, hollyhocks, sweet peas and columbines.

2. Fragrance garden- Let the winds embrace your senses with the sweet smells of catnip, anise hyssop, lemon verbena, lavender, hops and pineapple sage.

3. Everlasting garden- If only they did last forever, but here in this bed they can be cut and dried to near perfection: bachelors buttons, yarrow, babies breath, stastic, cornflower and blue salvia.

4. Culinary garden- a must have for any chef that cares about home grown spices. Garlic chives, sweet basil, parsley, winter savory, oregano and rosemary all can be planted to be used fresh or dried.

5. Butterfly garden- Lure these winged beauties into your garden for hours of pleasure: zinnias, black eyed Susan, cleome, purple coneflower, sweet William and the butterfly bush.

6. Salsa garden- Planting this hot and spicy garden close to the kitchen for easy picking. Tomatoes of all kinds, onions of Spanish decent, jalapeños, habaneras and Hungarian peppers to heat things up! And don’t forget the cilantro and garlic too!

7. Tea garden- Brew up your own blends of tea from their own garden spot. Valerian and chamomile for a sleepy time tea, catnip for colds and the flu, nettle for allergies, sage for sore throats and feverfew for headaches.

8. Salve garden- Heal yourself right at home with homemade salves from your garden. Just add the herbs to a carrier oil blend in beeswax and allow to set up. Comfrey, mullein, yarrow, chickweed, plantain, St. Johns wort and calendula just to name a few depending on your ailment. (Research is needed)

9. Touch garden- In this garden, you want little hands to touch and feel the whole experience, these choices just beg to be touched: fuzzy lambs ear, the shy sensitive plant, bronze fennel, scented geraniums, mints of all scents and the lovely lavender.

10. Friendship garden- This one is the easiest and most memorable. Just collect seeds, cuttings or plants from friends and family, sharing the love of gardening and passing on the fall bounty of seeds to another. You can add a name plate with the donors name and relation too.

I hope I have encouraged you to think themes in your gardens this year, they are fun to plan and plant and there is not a better way to express yourself and likes plus give Mother Nature a smile, or a laugh or a hug!