A wife ∙ mother∙ sister ∙ friend ∙ artist ∙ yogi ∙ software developer and a
🍃 gardener, contemplating plants and renovating my perennial garden in Chapel Hill, NC.
Established 2001, this is a modest, backyard cottage-style garden. It is filled with pass-along plants that evoke memories of special people and places.
At the beginning of 2011 I began an effort to rejuvenate the plantings, enhance the structure, and create a more private, intimate setting for quiet reflection. I began writing pbmGarden at the same time to document ideas and record progress. The writing and the gardening have become complementary activities, often one inspiring the other. By photographing the garden through its various stages I try to capture and convey the spirit of this place.
The first year of the renovation project is summarized in 2011 – A Garden Review.
A highlight of my garden from 2011 is a twenty-foot diameter meditation circle with plantings that continue to evolve.
Each day in my garden is both a history of my life and a fresh beginning.
pbmGarden 
Thank you for visiting my garden blog because it helped me discover your stunning garden. I am following it now so look forward to your entries arriving in my inbox.
I agree that blogging about gardening and gardening often inspire each other 🙂 That’s why I’ve started my little garden blog too 🙂
Thank you Andrew! I’m looking forward to reading about your garden as well.
Your climate is clearly very different to ours and it is interesting to see what grows in your garden. Lovely blog!
Thanks for visiting today Cathy. I really appreciate your comments.
nice space!
David in Maine USA
I appreciate your kind words, David.
A lovely garden you have. I think we all know that working in the garden is a meditation in itself.
Thank you for your nice comment. You are so right about gardening.
I’m so delighted to discover your inspiring blog. Your stunning photographs and artful text just about take my breath away. Seeing this is a spritual practice in itself. And I’m intrigued by your to know more about regional perennials; thank you for sharing.
Corrinne, you are too kind. Thanks for taking time to look around my little garden world.
thank you for stopping by my blog and commenting. I like what I see here and will be following you!☺
Wonderful. Will look forward to exploring your garden more also. thanks.
I admire your garden goals… “Sense of place, purpose, rejuvenation and joy”…look forward to reading your blog + seeing your garden grow:-)
Thank you. Gardening is very therapeutic–I try to just enjoy my garden and not stress over it too much–and it pays big rewards.
I was thinking to write about my own garden from few days but was not sure where to start from but now I am inspired by your blog.
Thanks for writing
Thank you. So glad you’ve found encouragement here to get started with your blog.
A lovely vase which looks great from all angles. I love the Penstemon ‘Husker’s Red’. Mine hasn’t done too well over the last few years, so I think I have it in the wrong place, but it is looking a bit better this year. It looks great in your vase.
Hi Annette. There is one Husker Red that has not done much for many years–stays the same size, blooms ok but not great. But the original 3 in the meditation circle have been prolific bloomers and self-seeders, so now I have quite a lot. They seem to really like sun and don’t mind clay soil.
That is interesting. Mine is in a rather shady spot as I was trying to lighten it with white flowers. I may need to move it after this year.
Would love to know how often and for how long you water your Pink Chintz Thyme and have you ever had any brown patches? I don’t know if I’ve over or under-watered areas of mine that are brown. Any suggestions?
I never water any of the thymes. We had a very wet winter here and the drainage is not very good, but the Pink Chintz held up well. I have another type, mislabeled unfortunately, that turned brown and died out from the center, leaving part of the path in the meditation circle looking bad. I haven’t found a way to rejuvenate it. Good luck.
I’m wondering if my plants were mislabeled…? What kind were yours? Maybe I need to show it to the nursery I purchased them from. I planted 20 flats! and half are all brown! The ones around ends and middle seem fine so far.
Wouldn’t hurt to check back with the nursery. Original meditation circle thyme used around path on right-hand side was labeled Thymus x citriodorus (Silver Edge Thyme) but I think it was mislabeled–not fragrant. Over time it has died out from the center while continuing to spread. Not attractive.
Thymus serpyllum ‘Pink Chintz’ (Pink chintz thyme) was added to the center. It’s done well but also not terribly fragrant.
Have a couple miscellaneous passalongs also. Good luck.
Hey there PBMGarden! Just browsing around the blogosphere, finding some fun and interesting blogs to follow to make some new friends in 2016. If you like, hop on over to my world at http://www.thatssojacob.wordpress.com, and if you see anything you like, comment or follow! Have a great day and happy new year!
Just found your blog through another one I follow. Your flower arrangements are just superb! I am really enjoying looking through them as I sip a morning cup of tea. Thank you for posting them and making an index for each year. Elly in Australia.
Thank you Elly. I just love to practice with whatever flowers are available each week. My meditation.