8.06.2009

Meanwhile, Over At Chrissie's...



Stopped by the other day at gardening juggernaut Chrissie D'Esopo's for a look at what she's been up to this season, and...wow! This hillside, top, is her latest evolving project and it's going great guns. It's been a good year for establishing new areas--with all the rain there's no need to water, and boy has this area ever been catching on as a sizzling example of her typical no-holds-barred approach to color. Of course, all the rain has meant lots of slugs, fungal diseases, and other fun stuff, but Chrissie hasn't broken stride. She's an inspiration to us mere mortal gardeners! Unlike lots of her other areas, this spot is heavier on trees and shrubs than it is on annuals and tender perennials; but it's no slacker in the happy color department either. She just keeps rolling out big bold blocks of color--it looks almost as if a box of gigantic crayons overturned in her back yard.


She's got a pair of fine-looking ponds at the bottom of the hill.


Also fairly new is this cactus and succulent garden, which is really shaping up nicely. It provides a real contrast and has a totally different character from her other gardens.

Containers are everywhere. She's up to almost 750--SEVEN HUNDRED AND FIFTY!!!--pots this season. The whole area in front and to the side of her house, as well as the island bed in the foreground (near the top of the post) is all, or at least mostly, contained in a mass of pots. I am sometimes wearied by watering my paltry 150 or so pots, so I can only imagine the patience required to slake the thirst of this pot monster garden.

This bed along her driveway offers plenty of non-stop color punch.


Lastly for a bit of relief from all that eye-popping color extravagance (but just a little bit) take a gander at the is sweep of color leading to an island of tall swaying grasses. Their forms dance in the wind, offering a measure of soft green tranquility. For more on Chrissie's exuberant use of color, go here; for a look at one of her way-cool garden projects, go here.

9 comments:

Jennifer AKA keewee said...

"Stunning" is the word which describes this fabulous garden.

Anonymous said...

This garden is an inspiration for everyone. Tell the truth. She has a troop of fairies come in every night and work their magic.
Donna

Jill-O said...

All I can say is WOW!

joene said...

A gardener's dream ... absolutely stunning. Please tell us this is her full time job.

Steve Silk said...

Keewee--It's a great garden all right, even more so when you consider the efforts required to replant all those annuals every year.

Steve Silk said...

MNG--Chrissie does it all by herself, no troop of fairies here.

Steve Silk said...

Jill-O-Don't feel bad--lots of folks are speechless when they see Chrissie's handiwork. And they'd never guess the inside of her house is equally extravagantly decorated.

Steve Silk said...

Joene-Chrissie also does paint treatments as her real job. But she spends a lot of time in the garden, obviously. It's an amazing place.

Tatyana@MySecretGarden said...

I am taking off my hat...