More of the Gardens for Connoisseurs Tour 2011

Welcome to the last--well maybe not the very last--of my posts on the

2011 Gardens for Connoisseurs Tour.

Have a look at the other posts here and here.

Those of you who know me well will probably recognize at first glance that is was my Favorite Garden on the tour.

 Pool, plantings, urns. Oh yeah.

This is the front of the house. Not pretensious. It's just a painted brick ranch with a nice entry and big windows.

Oh boy!

How about this for al fresco dining?  I think I could be friends with this gal.
Is that her Grand Baroque? That's her hand at the top for sure.  I'd have been packing heat if I'd set this table at the garden tour. 

There were a lot of cherubs in this garden. I'm not much into cherubs, but if I were...
He reminds me of my son that time--a story for another day.

As if one table weren't enough. Does this set the mood or what?  Note the pea gravel path. That crunch just adds to the sensory experience.  I love it.

Key West anyone?  So maybe we can't really grow orchids on our trees in Atlanta, but we can pretend, can't we?

Now on to the Rich and Richer.
I'm serious. This house and garden were so far over the top I almost can't even think of what to say.

All I could think was "The lawn is suitable for grazing sheep." 
Mrs. Greenthumbs aka Cassandra Danz, Mrs. Greenthumbs Plows Ahead.

The contractor/designer did win the Phillip Trammel Shultz award for Garden Design.  What do I know?

Extreme Pergola alert! This is a masterpiece.

There's a Greek Temple for a pool house.

Photo shot just before we humble Garden Tourists were expelled from the Greek Pool House.

Back to earth now with the "Bonus Garden".
How's this for an entry?
How many classical features can you spy?

The owner had a display of photos of the garden when she bought the house. There were old roses on the terraces and an overall sense of past grandeur.  Like a Grand Dame in her old age.

To bring the garden back the owner has started with the "bones"; the paths and layout.  When we look closely, we see a very formal layout with a path running straight out to the back fence and three horizonal paths intersecting it.  At the end of each path is a focal point.
The plantings are a combination of formal and informal.  I'd like to revisit this garden in a couple of years when it "fills in."

The last house was over by Piedmont Park on a teeny tiny tiny lot.  The owners really made the most of what they had. As we were going in we met a family coming out with a little boy,

"Can we go back in there again?" he said.  That's the highest Garden Praise you can get.

 Thanks for taking the tour with me.
Next is the Artful Garden Tour!!

Patti

Linking to A Southern Day Dreamer Outdoor Wednesday