Autumn Joy in the Garden

The gardening couple in this home obviously love creating vignettes with a variety of containers and old stuff. So before we get started on this tour . . . do yourself a favor and grab a cup of coffee 'cause you're gonna be here for awhile. Enjoy!

This area is immediately to the right of the front door. I like the way they created a private seating area in the front yard. 

Here's a great idea  . . . they turned a fountain into a bromeliad planter. Brilliant!

Beneath a large Live oak in the front yard they've planted a mix of shade-loving bromeliads, holly fern and bird's nest fern as well as other drought tolerant plants. There's very little turf grass in this front yard.

Now, let's head to the side and backyards where their imaginations and creativity really get going.

Here we go . . . through the arbor . . . the view to the left.

And, a view to the right. 

I toured this garden in November and they had done a great job of adding touches of autumn to their landscape.

Pretty touches of pink in the garden. The blue ceramic containers look especially wonderful with the pink flowers.

Isn't this cute?

There are so many wonderful containers throughout their garden. 

According to the information in the tour booklet this couple attended lots of classes to learn how to create a garden suited for Florida. They subscribe to the golden rule of "right plant, right place." 

On the right side of their driveway they created privacy by planting lower plants first and then a hedge of podocarpus and crape myrtles. 

More pretty containers on the back patio. 

They've included many wonderful benches and interesting ornamental pieces scattered throughout their garden.

Another pretty seating area with colorful container plants.

There's even an adorable garden shed, all decked out for autumn in the backyard. 

Keep in mind their property is a typical sized neighborhood lot, and they've been successful in adding many different elements without having the garden look cluttered. 

More vignettes with lots of eclectic stuff . . . after all, this is Mount Dora which is an antique mecca.

I really enjoyed all the little areas that really expressed this couple's creativity. 

This old picnic bench vignette is my favorite. It's to the right of the driveway and fits in this spot perfectly. How nice to be greeted by such a colorful display every time you enter the driveway.

To the left side of the driveway is this bright and cheery collection of plants. 

Everywhere you look there's more to see. Here's another inviting seating area.

The colorful containers really standout against the green foundation plantings.  

Look closely at the container these bromeliads are planted in. Yep, it's an old rusty dust pan. So many interesting surprises in this garden. 

Sadly, this garden tour is coming to an end. I actually walked around their garden twice in order to take in all the wonderful ideas presented throughout it. It is truly wonderful! 

Hope you enjoyed touring the Hendershott's spectacular garden, and perhaps you might even have found an idea or two you could borrow for your own garden.

Permission granted by homeowner October 2013