JENNY’S GARDEN

Today I would like you to meet Jenny, a homemaker and happy gardener.  I first met her about seven years ago when she used to visit the Garden Club’s library at my home.  Her obvious enthusiasm for gardening at that time has continued, and when I saw her garden recently, I was not surprised at how lovely it was.

SPACIOUS

Jenny’s garden is not large:  The property is just 7500 square feet in area , but the house is at the  rear and all the gardening space is at the front.  Jenny has used the   triangular shape of the lot, diverging lines of hedges and well planned landscaping to make the garden seem very spacious.

THE GARDEN

Jenny’s garden begins on the roadside.  The verge has been grassed and on it stand three beautiful, topiary shaped variegated Ficus nitida in large concrete pots.

 A vision of beauty and colour greeted me as I entered the garden.

Low hedges of miniature ixoras with brilliant yellow and orange flowers lined both sides of the driveway; while tall hedges of colorful crotons along the eastern boundary and ixoras with bright red flowers on the western flared towards the house.

Approaching the house, many interesting plants caught my eye.  A milk white Breynia nivosa (Hawaiian snow bush) grabbed my attention as did a beautiful variegated clerodendron.  My attention also lingered on some well grown potted plants, including large, dark green Boston ferns (Nephrolepis), which Jenny alternates with other ferns in the front porch.

FRONT PORCH

With its lovely, lush ferns, the porch looks very much like a part of the garden;  so much so, that Jenny has resorted to draping rubber snakes over the backs of the furniture to discourage birds from perching and messing on it.

In front of the porch, framing the view of the garden are a large duranta on the left and an ancient bougainvillea on the right.  Under them, where grass cannot grow, Jenny has planted shade loving plants such as episcias, native gesneriads (Chrysothemis) and ferns.

HIGHLIGHT

We sat for a moment on a comfortable wooden bench just beyond the porch, listening to cheerful chirping of birds and enjoying the garden.  Our gaze focused on the highlight of the garden: an imposing circular bed at the far end of the lawn, about twelve feet in diameter with an ornamental birdbath at the center.  Concentric rows of purple pseudoeranthenums, miniature flame crotons, Texas sage (Leucophyllum frutescens), dwarf rhoeo discolor and ophiopogons made up this fine example of mass planting and matched mixing of different colours, shapes, sizes and textures of foliage.  Jenny’s devotion to her garden is remarkable, and if you were to pass by any day of the week and glance over the fence, chances are, you would see her hard at work in it.  She is truly a happy gardener.

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If you have any gardening news or tips you would like to share, or if you are having a problem in your garden, e-mail me at thehappygardner@tstt.net.tt

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