Friday, June 26, 2015

Character


"It is curious that physical courage should be so common in the world and moral courage so rare."
                                                                                                                                   Mark Twain


This carriage house leans in as if fighting against a strong prevailing wind. The roof heaves and rolls like the waves on an ocean. 

It even has a bit of an interesting story. 

When a new subdivision was added to this part of Fergus, the town planning department decided to square-off existing property lines even though it meant that the revised line would run right through the middle of this carriage house.

One neighbour owns the front half of the carriage house and the other neighbour owns the back half.


One of the two property owners is a gardener.




Here's another vignette that is effortlessly charming.


This gardener very much wanted me to take her picture.

What a great smile!


This is her garden in Guelph, Ontario.


Private Garden in Fergus, Ontario

I love the honesty of this shot down to the rake resting up against the tree trunk and the 
shirt drying on the line.

Private Garden in Fergus, Ontario

Tibetan prayer flags send prayers out on the wind.

Private garden, Fergus Ontario

I wonder what the plans are for the cobalt blue pot?

Private garden, Niagara-on-the-Lake

Is he hiding or did the Big Bad Wolf eat the third little piggy?


A lesson in how to add character.

Private Garden, Toronto Ontario.





And if you have any doubt as to which way to turn to find the garden, here's your answer.


Brain Folmer's Botanical Garden near Walkerton, ON

A pretty checkerboard garden.


"Why are you trying so hard to fit in, when you were born to stand out."
                                                                                                       Oliver James


"Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting..."
                                              from Proverbs

 Private Garden, Dartmouth, N.S.

Private garden, Georgetown, Ontario


"And he sailed back over a year 
and in and out of weeks
and through a day
and into the night of his very own room 
where he found his supper waiting for him
and it was still hot"
Maurice Sendak, Where the Wild Things Are


Have a wonderful weekend!

23 comments:

  1. I loved all of these beautiful gardens with character; they are all very charming too. I am in love with the docked boat on the little pond. What a dream. And the gardener is a doll.

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    1. I just noticed there are roosters on the little boat. That is so stinkin' cute.

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  2. Beautiful all around! :-)

    http://tinajoathome.com/

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  3. I just love the theme of this post and the gardens/photos are incredible. I just love every tiny bit of this. :o)

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  4. I want a carriage house, I want a checkerboard, and I want my own pond with a rowboat. Lovely all.

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  5. What a great collection of gardens, as well as quotes! Truly inspiring. I would love a checkerboard garden just like the one you show, not to mention the blue-green pond and little boat!

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  6. That first garden, and gardener, is fanTASTIC.

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  7. Jennifer, I love what you showed in this post and I should say that most of these pictures are not just pictures, they are images. I know you understand what I mean. Among others, I love the #6 - what a great shot! Beauty in simplicity.
    Thank you!

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  8. Hi Jennifer - I'm so far behind this week in ready my favourite blogs, but glad I found yours in the pile of unreads. What is that lovely white flower in the last shot? I know I should know what it is, but it's name is lost in my morning fogginess.

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    1. Actually this is a plant that is new to me too Heather. I don't know its name, but I admired it in a friends garden, so I will ask her and get back to you.

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    2. I have an I.D. thanks to Jamie DeWolf who grows this plant in her woodland garden. It is Valeriana officinalis. It is actually a herb with medicinal uses and has a lovely scent.

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  9. such beautiful photographs and I truly enjoyed reading some of your descriptions, particularly the one describing the old carriage house

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  10. What a lovely selection of photo's to look at, just glorious.

    I do love that cobalt blue pot, just what will be planted in it I wonder ... ?

    All the best Jan

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  11. I so enjoyed all these different garden scenes and your musings on them. I often wonder when I see a garden vignette I like, how did the gardener come up with this idea? If I would have driven past the carriage house, I would have thought it should have been torn down, but the gardener has turned it into a work of art. Love that checkerboard design, too!

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  12. Jennifer girl you have indeed captured much and many character(s) .. I am not sure that is coming out correctly ... this is going to be one of my most favorite posts from your blog .. it made me smile hugely.
    Not that your other posts haven't but this is so full of CHARACTER and I don't mean to be silly.
    I loved seeing all of the vignettes and the gardener who wanted her picture taken : )
    The quotes were perfect too .. this is one of your best post girl ... well done you !
    Take care
    Joy : )

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  13. Lovely privet gardens Jennifer, you showed really true pictures with shovels rake etc. But I especially liked the patio of tiles ad red-orange flowers.Will do the same next summer!

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  14. Each garden different and so beautiful...love the checkered stones....and the story of the carriage house is too much.

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  15. You visit so many lovely gardens Jennifer, I have to ask - is this part of your job or is something you do in your spare time? Every garden I have seen you portray here on your blog is photographed so lovely and described so well, it is a treat coming here every time :-)
    Oh, I and also want a checkerboard paving area – I am going to borrow that idea!!

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  16. I take most of the photos you see on weekends when I have access to a car. No, no one is paying me. I do have an end goal in mind for these photos, but what that is time will tell....

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  17. Lovely! I wish I had more skill at combining plants. My combinations always bloom at different times or just don't compliment each other. I do use Rosanne a lot and add more every year. They seem to compliment everything, especially yellows and oranges and they bloom from June to frost here.

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  18. I agree on that vignette, charming for sure. The botanical garden checkerboard is wonderful too. I like that Mexican container, so colorful.

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  19. Jennifer, there are sure some outstanding gardens out there. So nice to see so many in one post. I love the one of the little gardener wanting to get her picture taken. Reminds me of my gardening friend, Rita. This is me (Diane from Cottage Garden and Flickr) signing in from my new blog. I hope this works.

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  20. Thanks for leaving my first comment! xx

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