The Vignette Gardener

The 14th annual Lakes & Hills Garden Club garden tour took place in March of 2018. The first garden we toured was in the Sylvan Shores area and was very eclectic in style. The garden club's brochure states that there are 2500 plant varieties throughout the garden. That's a lot of plant varieties in an average size lot.

 The shady front yard was filled with a large number of bromeliad varieties, along with gigantic staghorn ferns dangling from the majestic live oaks. The varying hues of the sun-kissed bromeliads created a warmth of color splashed among the vibrant green turf.

One corner of the immaculately maintained grounds gave only a slight - slight, I remind you - hint of what we'd find behind the fence.

As we entered the backyard we realized it was going to be a very different experience from the calm perfection we experienced in the front yard.

Oftentimes, the front and back yards can be very different in nature. The front yard being neat, more presentable and agreeable to the neighbors, while the backyard, truly, displays the gardener's personality.

We noticed our invitation to "get lost in the garden," and that's exactly what we did!

There was so much to take in that, at first, I didn't know where to start. So, I decided to follow the path that lay ahead . . . knowing that I might need to walk through this garden several times to be able to see it all.

 His backyard is a relatively small area, but he's made it feel larger with many pathways that meet and then meander off to a different area. 

As you will notice, he is a master at creating vignettes. Self-created signs fill the garden, along with many repurposed items from garage sales or flea markets. He finds a use for everything.

There's no doubt that he can see a plant holder in just about anything, including these concrete shoes.

As well as an old light fixture. His imagination knows no limit.

Old steps, a clothing rack, dilapidated fence posts, metal washtubs - any type of discarded item will find a use in this garden.

The gardener has a great collection of cactus & succulents,

and displays them in very creative ways.

 More cactus, agave and drought resistant plants.

And what a clever way to display tiny air plants.

He definitely knows how to maximize his use of space,

 even gardening vertically on the fence that surrounds his property.

We enjoyed strolling around in his backyard enjoying the many varieties of plants, the clever repurposed items and the orchestrated displays of, well, everything - plants, containers, and vignettes!

A Peaceful Retreat

This shady garden located on Helen Street in the historical downtown district was the last home on the Lakes and Hills Garden 2015 tour. 

It is a very peaceful private retreat just blocks from the bustling downtown area. Foliage of all shapes, sizes and textures are nestled together beneath the shade of several large Live Oaks.

Varying shades of green and yellow create a calming space in which to relax or dine.

Even though the entire garden is mostly green, this gardener knows how to intermingle many foliage varieties to create an interesting garden. 

Groupings of several varieties of plants are masterly mixed together.

The back and side yards contain only foliage with a small patch of grass located only in the front yard. It's a wonderful mix of vegetation to keep one lingering along the bricked walkways.

A Repurposed Wildlife Garden

Some gardeners are good at taking everyday items and repurposing them as garden art in their yards. The 3rd home on The Lakes and Hills Garden Club tour entitled 'Secrets of the Garden" has many secrets stashed away among the butterfly plants.

It is a large yard with a very private backyard which has obviously become a sanctuary for the homeowners.

Here we come across the first of many 'repurposed' items throughout this garden.

Here's a very clever idea for those of you who love wine. If you look close, you will see that the mulch surrounding this tree consists of wine bottle corks. Great idea and it looks nice! You can see the orange tabby cat in the background wasn't bothered a bit by all the visitors to his garden.

So after seeing the corks above, you might ask - what about the wine bottles? Well, they were not simply recycled. Instead, they became a border for this bed of Lion Tail 'Leonotis leonurus' perennials.

A beautiful variety of yellow-stemmed bamboo accents a seating area in the middle of the garden.

An old porch railing finds a new life in the garden, along with other miscellaneous items.

A variety of the Dutchman's Pipe 'Aristolochia' vine with a super large blossom clambers among other vines. It is a host plant for the beautiful Pipevine Swallowtails, and it makes quite a statement in the garden.

Another butterfly favorite, Cape Honeysuckle 'Tecomaria capensis' is allowed to grow wild up the side of a back porch. This plant which was once very popular in Florida is now coming back into vogue as a cold-hardy shrub that pollinators love.

An adorable mini-pond tucked cleverly among the foliage - perhaps for frogs - is included in this wildlife garden. It goes to show that you don't need a lot of space to include a pond in any garden.

As we exit this wildlife habitat, we come across another old-timey Florida plant - Turk's Cap 'Malvaviscus drummondii' - that is seeing a resurgence in popularity because it is a favorite of hummingbirds.

Butterfly Garden at the W.T. Bland Public Library

Unbeknownst to many, there's a beautiful butterfly garden tucked in the side yard of the W.T. Bland Public Library located in Mount Dora thanks to one young man's idea and the support of the community.

This garden is the result of an Eagle Scout project created by Nicholas Ignao. The Mount Dora Library Association helped to fund this project and Boy Scout Troop 19 helped install the plants. Additional support was provided by the Lake Hills Garden Club and the Garden Club of Mount Dora. What a great community effort!

There's a nice array of native plants

and walkways to meander down.

There's lots of butterflies drifting from bloom to bloom, 

And, lots of pretty plant color combinations.

So many butterfly favorites to choose from such as this Aster.

More winding pathways with lovely mosaic stepping stones.

Nicholas did a great job creating this butterfly paradise, and it's beautifully maintained.

The bees are happy in this garden, too.

So, next time you drive by the library, take a few minutes to stop and take a stroll through this somewhat of a secret gem of a butterfly garden tucked in the side yard of the W.T. Bland Public Library.  You'll be glad you did!