Tribute gardens in full bloom

When we started landscaping our new home in earnest, maybe five years ago, we incorporated two areas specifically dedicated to honoring our moms. A "Pat garden" and a "Nelly garden." Our moms were pretty different women, yet similar in interesting ways. For instance, Nelly was born on May 1st and Pat's birthday was May 2nd. Both loved a good social gathering, but while Nelly's social world was more family, friends, tennis, bridge and party centered, Pat's was family, Art League, Girl Scouts, the family church and its school of fine arts. It has been fun to interpret each of these vibrant women in our choices of plants and colors.

This is an azalea right under the window. The coral color was one of Nelly's favorites in her wardrobe and in her home. 

The Nelly Garden is out our kitchen window, gets a lot of sun, and has more fancy flowers in it - lilies, azaleas, gladiolus, and a large, lovely lavendar pentstemon, 'Catherine de la Mer'. Nelly was a Southern California woman, had an impeccable sense of style, color and fashion, was an absolute social queen, and loved beauty.

Nelly Garden from the kitchen window, back in June.

And just today, as things progress.

Lilies and pentstemon.

The Pat Garden is on the northeast corner of the landscaping and much of it is shaded some part of the day by either a large walnut tree or that side of the house. As she was devoted to native wild flowers, we have incorporated many of those in this area - trillium, wild iris, violets, Oregon grape, and her favorite, foxgloves.

Columbines in the June sun.

A view from the east side with yarrow, lamb's ear and the foxgloves in the rear.

More Pat garden.