end of week gardenspiration

tiered vegetable garden...inspiring



via-gardendesign



Two Mothers

An amazing night.  Organic good for you food at Two Mothers restaurant.  They get all of their food from local farmers and create little waste. Why aren't more restaurants like this?  It feels good to dine out with your family and know that you are all eating clean food!!  Two amazing moms working to recreate the school lunch programs in our area. 

On the menu for tonight....portobello lasagna, sun dried tomato bruschetta, garlic hummus and red peppers, lentil soup, to die for gluten free/vegan black bean chocolate cake and last but not least my little brother rocking the place out on the guitar!

http://www.twomothersfoods.com/




http://www.jackaveryskin.com/



end of week gardenspiration

Waterperry Gardens...

via-WaterperryGardens.com





Danada

I enjoy finding those places that transport you to another time.  One that is high on my list for local must sees is the Danada Forest Preserve.  Danada is the former estate of Daniel Rice and his wife, Ada, racehorse enthusiasts who bred champion Thoroughbreds. With amazing conservation and educational programs, plus the overall history of Danada, it is hard not to fall in love with its rich character.       

www.dupageforest.com

The Danada House...where my husband and I got married...sweet memories! 

 

Some of the fall beds in the formal garden.

I know a mum is a mum, but you can't beat their scrumptious colors in the fall!

 

The back of the Danada House.



 

I was excited to bump in to some of the "residents" of the Danada Equestrian Center when I was visiting!



Such a peaceful place....

the neighborhood

As I have transitioned from working to being a stay at home mom I enjoy taking life slower.  We love our walks to the park and I look forward to gathering inspiration along the way.  I feel overjoyed to be surrounded by such avid gardeners in my neighborhood.

 

Below are some of the gardens that inspire us as we go.

                                 

Finally

Like I said before, when we moved here there was a bed in the back lined with rocks.  Through the years I have found some uses for them....give them to gardening friends, use them for a sloped rock garden, and pile the rest in the side bed waiting for inspiration to hit me in the head.   So I write this with great satisfaction that I have finally figured out what to do with them!

While finishing the dishes and staring out the window at our Douglas Fir (a corner that never sat right with me)  I finally saw it.  A line or a trail if you will in the soil between the Douglas Fir and the Viburnum.  Ah yes! A dry stream bed and a purpose for all my rocks!   





The digging begins!  In the spring I hope to purchase a load of stones for the bottom of the dry stream bed.  I will also be adding and transferring plants here from my rock garden come spring.

 

I have small to medium rocks so I plan on grouping them together to try and get the look of big rocks along both sides of the stream.

Good excuse to head to the fall plant sale at our local Arboretum!



My daughter wanted to push our plants all by herself. 
She knows her stuff! 
Japanese Forest Grass, Beautyberry, and Amsonia








I can finally start adding plants now that I know what I am doing!
Japanese Forest Grass

My sweet Beautyberry!  A  little sprig from a larger plant...can't wait for it to grow!

I have much to do!





Some lovely examples
via Google

end of week gardenspiration



Acres Wild Landscape and Garden Designs