Wednesday, December 29, 2010

BLOG SHOTS #5


GAWE - BLOG  SHOTS

Each month Gardens at Waters East (GAWE) will post two or more never before seen photos of “garden life” called - - BLOG SHOTS.  Here are the photos for today.

moments in the garden - - enjoy



Hungarian Speedwell and Chives



 Daylily "Steroid" Beauty



Evening Along -- Lake Path



Looking West



Cold Winter Morning at the Lake


Reference Note:  For a complete list of the ten (10) Principles of Design used here and throughout Gardens at Waters East, check out the archive postings for November 14 – 24, 2010.

If you wish to email a message or share photos of your garden please do that at:


Sunday, December 26, 2010

BLOG SHOTS #4


GAWE - BLOG  SHOTS

Each month Gardens at Waters East (GAWE) will post two or more never before seen photos of “garden life” called - - BLOG SHOTS.  Here are the photos for today.

moments in the garden - - enjoy


 The Rain Garden - driftwood



Ice Carnival Daylily & Poppy



Blue Bottle Sculpture & Olive Jar



South Ravine



Middle Walk - summer flowers


Reference Note:  For a complete list of the ten (10) Principles of Design used here and throughout Gardens at Waters East, check out the archive postings for November 14 – 24, 2010.

If you wish to email a message or share photos of your garden please do that at:


Wednesday, December 22, 2010

BLOG SHOTS #3


GAWE - BLOG  SHOTS

Each month Gardens at Waters East (GAWE) will post two or more never before seen photos of “garden life” called - - BLOG SHOTS.  Here are the photos for today.

moments in the garden - - enjoy


 Asian Fountain Patio



Coneflower, Phlox, and Marguerite Daisy



 Phlox, Daylily, and Ribbon Grass



Double Orange Daylily



Entry Marker to Secret Rain Garden Path


Reference Note:  For a complete list of the ten (10) Principles of Design used here and throughout Gardens at Waters East, check out the archive postings for November 14 – 24, 2010.

If you wish to email a message or share photos of your garden please do that at:


Sunday, December 19, 2010

Experiencing - Plein Air


Plein Air - -  art and artist

Open your garden to guests of all kinds.  Gardens at Waters East was fortunate to welcome a number of artists from the local area and the Chicago area for a two day Plein Art painting workshop.  It is a wonderful experience to see your garden through the eyes of others.  The artists interpretation of what lies before you feeds your soul and spirit as the they create a new understanding of the beauty living in your garden space.

Here are a couple of photos from the Plein Air workshop experience.


















Reference Note:  For a complete list of the ten (10) Principles of Design used here and throughout Gardens at Waters East, check out the archive postings for November 14 – 24, 2010.

If you wish to email a message or share photos of your garden please do that at:


Monday, December 13, 2010

BLOG SHOTS #2 - December 13. 2010 snow storm

GAWE - BLOG  SHOTS

Each month Gardens at Waters East (GAWE) will post two or more never before seen photos of “garden life” called - - BLOG SHOTS.  Here are the photos for today of the recent snow storm.

moments in the garden - - enjoy


















Reference Note:  For a complete list of the ten (10) Principles of Design used here and throughout Gardens at Waters East, check out the archive postings for November 14 – 24, 2010.

If you wish to email a message or share photos of your garden please do that at:


Friday, December 10, 2010

BLOG SHOTS #1


GAWE - BLOG  SHOTS

Each month Gardens at Waters East (GAWE) will post two or more never before seen photos of “garden life” called - - BLOG SHOTS.  Here are the photos for today.

moments in the garden - - enjoy











Reference Note:  For a complete list of the ten (10) Principles of Design used here and throughout Gardens at Waters East, check out the archive postings for November 14 – 24, 2010.

If you wish to email a message or share photos of your garden please do that at:


Sunday, December 5, 2010

Clouds & Fog

Clouds & Fog

Here is a reminder that your garden is more than just the immediate space about you and all the efforts you put into that space.  Clouds and foggy days, sunshine and rain, can bring drama and mood to the garden.  Your garden is more than your creation.  It is being created moment by moment through the air around you.  Look up now and then.  Appreciate and celebrate the sky and clouds as a part of your garden life.

Posted here are a couple of the many photos from Gardens at Waters East (GAWE) to demonstrate the endless possibilities and “character” that happens by chance with your garden.

















Reference Note:  For a complete list of the ten (10) Principles of Design used here and throughout Gardens at Waters East, check out the archive postings for November 14 – 24, 2010.

If you wish to email a message or share photos of your garden please do that at:



Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Holiday Decorating


Simplicity in Holiday Decorations

There is something attracting to many people about holiday decorations that make big productions out of the season.  The more lights, often synchronized with music, and even more lights, figures of Santa, nativities, elves, etc.,  more and more, seems to appeal to many people.  It reminds one of the Christmas movie where Chevy Chase plays Clark Griswold.  Talk about over done decorating!  The home in that movie had light running up and down the roof, the eves, the steps, the windows, etc.  Watch television news programs that have segments on holiday decorations, the homes and decorating that you see are those with the “more must be better” style.  These are the places that people drive to visit.  Many people find such over exuberance the best, and vote such places the top winners of the season.

For those who think simplicity and understatement are the way to go in decorating, here is an idea that values both.  Since the Gardens at Wasters East is located on the shores of Lake Michigan it is very fitting that the decorations accentuate the lake environment in materials used to decorate.  If you live near a lake, or view a lake, or just have an appreciation for lake and water;  here is very simple decoration that speaks your “language”.

The main entrance door to the home has a piece of driftwood which was found on the beach, decorated with white poinsettia and red berries.  Very simple yet it speaks the season.  In approaching the entrance, it is easy to tell this is the holidays without having it shouting in your face.  Simple and understated.


The entry door is simple with glass so that those approaching are not distracted.
Visitors can see right through to the lake beyond. 



The driftwood found on the beach is five feet in length.



The driftwood is attached to the door with a magnet.
Holes have been drilled into the driftwood so that the decorations can be easily attached.



The decoration is very understated:  driftwood, white poinsettia, and red berries.
This allows those approaching the entrance to "feel" the season, yet see through to the lake beyond.



closeup of the decoration



The understated simplicity of the entrance decorations.
Spotlighted in the evenings with a solar spotlight.


Such decorations have a spirit of elegance, carry the message of the season, are calming to the soul, and are remembered.  If this is your taste, try decorating in a low key style.  Use materials that are part of the “life” of your home.  Keep it simple.  The visual “words” spoken will be heard clearly.  The message recognized.  The impact deep.  The season celebrated.


(((  NOTE:  if you wish to use email  -- please do:  gardensatwaterseast@yahoo.com  )))

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Principles of Design #10


Principle #10   mix a palette of colors and textures


The posting today is the last of the series titled:
                               Principles of Design in use at Gardens at Waters East.
All ten (10) design principles are listed in an outline form which can be located on the November 14, 2010 posting.  Refer back to that date for the complete list of the guiding ideas used to develop and to bring unity throughout the many gardens.


It is interesting that a garden, even without flowers, can be very attractive indeed.  Flowers are the stars of a garden, but if you want your garden to continue to look good after the flowers have gone or before they show up on Fall bloomers, pay attention to leaf textures and forms.  For much of the Summer many of the perennials are not blooming.  Each kind of plant takes its turn in the spotlight as the days move through the Spring, Summer, and Fall, months.  Things are not blooming all the time.  Therefore pay close attention to the leaves, stems, structures of plants when choosing materials for your garden.  Use plantings that will have interest even when the flowers are not present.  You will be glad you did.

Within your garden make use of, tone on tone, variegated, smooth and rough, round and pointed, soft to hard, solid to lacy, leaves and stems.  In the Gardens at Waters East, these aspects of the plants are all present.  When the garden is not blooming here or there, the gardens still have great interest and variety which draws in the visitor and viewer.


Without any flowers yet present;   the textures of different green leaves ( Prairie Sunflower, Rattlesnake Master, Sedum, the large leaf Petasites - giganteus) and the driftwood gives interest to the Rain Garden.



Notice the many different textures and colors within this small area.



The wonderful light and airy texture of Blue Oat Grass 



Notice the many colors of the flowers,
and the very dark leaves and the red berries of Diablo Ninebark



There are a number of different variegated plants throughout the gardens.
Here is one example, the leaves of Ivory Halo Dogwood.




The pointed leaves of Siberian Iris, rounded leaves of Hosta, textured leaves of the Juniper, etc.
add much to this garden view. 



Here stone, steel, grass, give great hard and soft feel to the garden.



Colors and textures are in abundance.



The hard texture of stone and the dainty look of the daisies make a great combination.



Russian Sage gives a vertical form and texture mixed here with other garden plants.



Ligularia, Hosta, and the soft needles of the Yew against the driftwood fence,
shows many textured elements.



Flowers with colors and textures fill the area.



The gravel path, sight of water, greens, colors in flowers and bushes, textures,
all add interest here in the Gardens at Waters East.


Beyond the planting, as you have seen in previous postings, there are colors and textures in the rocks, barks, path ways, types of planters, etc.  Color and texture give the garden a real feel of importance.  The garden is more than just another flower bed.  There is substance to all that has been placed, and it showes.  The garden, your garden, becomes a work of art.



(((  NOTE:  if you wish to use email  -- please do:  gardensatwaterseast@yahoo.com  )))