The 2017 Gallery of Gardens tour ended today, just in the nick of time before the thunderstorms came. We dodged the weather this year with a successful two-day series of gardens tours through nine private gardens in Mobile, Alabama.
I had the great fortune of making it to five of these gardens (I still had to work too, so five out of nine isn't bad!) before the end. I always enjoy seeing how people interpret the space they have, and love to see what plants strike people's fancy. There were lots of oakleaf hydrangeas in this year's gardens, as well as an excellent palette of textures, and not so much heavy on the use of flowers.
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Click on the addresses for additional photos:
959 Augusta Street
Bob and Sherry Allen
Bob and Sherry have created an intimate garden in their outdoor spaces around their house. The front of the home easily flows to the backyard through the side gate lined with Boston ferns and confederate jasmine. I loved the pottery birds on the birdbaths. Great little plant vignettes, especially their combination planters that featured a Coleus with a Hosta.
261 Marine Street
Barry and Stevi Gaston
I fell in love with Stevi and Barry's backyard the more I spent time there. They have cleverly balanced the existing concrete with raised beds and planters. Each of their studios (Stevi is a painter and Barry is a potter) opens up to the garden, which features many places to sit and enjoy the many lines of sight through the garden. The koi pond features a fountain that creates the sound of running water throughout the space. They've even created an outdoor shower, so they never really need to go inside!
259 North Jackson Street
Jim Gilbert and Tim Lloyd
Agapanthus is one of my favorite perennials and I have to say, Jim and Tim did an excellent job place theirs in this intimate courtyard space. A large cast iron fountain sits in the middle surrounded by tropical plants in all size pots. They've really got a nice palette of tropicals. I especially loved the light pink oleander on the standard.
255 North Jackson Street
Pete and Renea Burns
It really amazes me how people have carves out spaces to live in the old streets of Mobile. Renea and Pete's home is cleverly disguised from the street behind a climbing fig-covered wall; once you see the door, then you go down an intimate passageway that opens up into their own private garden. A large window looks out into the garden from the home. Again, a lovely fountain (this one full of water hyacinths though!) trickles in the middle of a pond in the center. Their two friendly dogs were lounging and rolling around under two very large specimens of staghorn fern. They accomplished an incredible amount for such a small space.
255 State Street
Kelly Baker
Oh my goodness! If the stately oaks of State Street don't immediately overwhelm you, the hidden gem through the little black garden gate will. Kelly's garden ceiling is made of beautiful oaks, and she's festooned her garden with elegant statuary and lovely green and white combinations. Each little corner of the garden has something going on in it, and everyone who was with me was envious of how open her house was to this little garden. The use of mirrors and a focal art piece (actually painted by Stevi Gaston, another lady on the garden tour!) draw your eye beyond the dimension you're already in.
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And then to tie up the day, a stop at Roosters for some homemade peach habanero salsa and jerk chicken. Yum!
