Before & After: Shirley’s Country Garden

This garden in southern California, was designed by Shirley Bovshow for a client with a small budget (at lease for the size of the work needed). So, the initial vision for beautiful gazebos and country elegance with all the bells and whistles was ultimately fulfilled with budget friendly versions.

The budget of 15K (which included a 90ft stacked concrete raised garden wall, new drain system for backyard, extensive grading, new irrigation, plants, vegetable garden, and a rustic open-style patio overhang ) wouldn’t cover the replacement of the concrete block wall with something prettier, so the homeowner painted it. (Shades of blue and green tend to be safer choices for garden wall colors — they are usually more successful than riskier colors – like reds, pinks, or yellows which can clash with plantings)

Recycled material were used where-ever possible. The stacked (reclaimed) concrete wall was $40 per pallet as compared to $300- $500 per pallet for real stone — but it still has rustic country charm.

Gazebo dreams were swapped for two Cassia leptophylla “Golden Wonder” trees that will eventually form a natural shade canopy and crown the sitting area with golden yellow flowers in the summer.

For more details (including a full plant list) for this garden take a visit to Shirley’s EdenMakers Blog.

(Images: with permission ©Garden World Media EdenMakersblog.com)

(Re-edited from a post originally published 02.29.12 – NM)

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