I was not in there to do the laundry but to sort through the seeds on the counter beneath the window.
From the hallway on my way to the living room.
From the living room.
The kitchen.
The dining room
When we were designing the gardens our idea was that the outside should be an extension of the rooms of our house. To that end the gardens should be visible from every window and accessible from each room. We had no idea what the design should be but each space revealed its needs as we went. That is the advantage of time. Time to discover that we wanted a seating area in each garden that would provide us with a place to sit through every season. That we didn't want to have to mow grass- although sometimes I think that having no grass is more work than having grass. One day D joked that our gardens were rather like the circus act of the man with all the plates spinning on sticks-running back to stop the first plate from falling.
A few have fallen recently but we'll just pick them up and start again.
I think your design is stunning. I haven't spent time inside your house, but I can see how each garden space relates to a room of your house. You may not know that Annie in Austin has named her garden Cercis Circus, but it sounds like you have a similar idea in mind with your spinning plates!
ReplyDeleteI didn't know that nor have I heard it named that way. Thanks for letting me know. I think many gardeners must feel the same. I haven't been to the circus in 50 years!
ReplyDeletejenny
love your outdoor furniture---saw your comment on another post regarding melons. i have had limited success in the past but hope this year is different. check out the gardens please....www.mysisterdalesgarden.com and my blog www.mysisterdalesgarden.blogspot.com see you there
ReplyDeleteThat may be the most beautiful shot outside of a laundry room that I've ever seen! I only wish I had such a view. I'd even settle for a laundry room without a view!
ReplyDeleteEven with the window I hardly spend any time in there. Last evening I finally got round to sorting out the seeds but ignored the laundry. Hey, we gardeners have priorities.
ReplyDeleteJenny
I've always loved the indoor/outdoor house concept. It was quite popular where I grew up (on the west coast). I think a lot of mid-20th century design was heavily influenced by Japanese design, which I also love.
ReplyDeleteJust like a gardener to be sorting seeds in the laundry room.
There's somewhere beautiful to be no matter where you are, Jenny - very impressive! In Illinois the older houses had porches which made the transition between inside and outside and the newer ones had decks, but with gloomier views there seemed to be less emphasis on vignettes outside windows.
ReplyDeleteI named my garden Circus~Cercis as a kind of horticultural joke, since Cercis is the botanical name for Redbud trees, and we planted 3 different kinds in 3 years.
My entire yard might fit into one of your garden sections so if you're also a circus you get to be Ringling Brothers ;-]
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
Annie- I had no idea it was going to be a 3 ring circus. I have to admit that I now hanker after something a little smaller and that will be on the cards in the not too distant future. I love it some days and am overwhelmed the others. Reading stories on blogs has really helped me to accept what happens out there; the good and the bad.
ReplyDeleteWe have friends who plant their deck with a profusion of planters and window boxes. The effect is quite stunning.
Jenny
I love the design of your house and how you made the outdoor spaces part of the inside. Your garden is beautiful!
ReplyDeleteOur 1950's house is sort of like that (minus the beautiful garden). We have a courtyard with huge sliding doors that make you feel like you are outside while in the dining room/kitchen. Now I just need to start landscaping!
aub. We can attest to the fact that half the battle is getting started. Then you can't stop.
ReplyDeletejenny