Hi GPODers!
In case you missed yesterday’s post, we’re enjoying five fabulous gardens this week that were featured on the 2025 Secret Garden Tour in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida and today we’re continuing on to stop #2! If you missed yesterday’s post, which features the first garden and more information on the tour, check that out here: Teresa’s Serene Space. Otherwise, scroll on to see a splendid mix of vegetables, flowers, and herbs in Anne Rick’s gorgeous garden.
Anne Ricks’ garden reflects her Italian heritage, as well as her love of cooking. Just steps from her kitchen door, she can reach for herbs, two kinds of tomatoes, figs, and flowers, in beautiful raised beds. La Dolce Vita!
Edibles can just as much interest as your favorite foliage plants, with the added benefit of being able to eat what you grow. In this raised bed Anne has: ‘Bright Lights’ swiss chard (Beta vulgaris), ‘Dolce Fresca’ basil (Ocimum basilicum), Italian oregano (Origanum x majoricum, and curry plant (Helichrysum italicum).
I love seeing Anne’s combination of garden classics with some warm-climate plants that are harder to maintain in many other regions. The salmony-pink blooms of ‘Senora’ zinnia (Zinnia elegans ‘Senora’, annual) and Sombrero® ‘Adobe Orange’ coneflower (Echinacea ‘Balsomador’, Zones 4–9) would look stunning in just about any garden, a fig tree (Ficus carica and cvs., Zones 6–10) makes for a pretty delicious addition.
While Anne has some fantastic fruiting trees, this one is all about the flowers. Golden dewdrop (Duranta erecta, Zones 9–11) is often grown as a shrub, but is occasionally trained into incredible small trees like this one. The gorgeous glaze on this pot would make is beautiful on its own, but some trailing plants take the interest to the next level and play into the “dripping” design.
Another pot squeezes some fresh fruit into Anne’s garden. A lime tree (not sure of the variety—maybe a Key lime?) with Berries Hill Toscana strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa ‘Toscana’, Zones 4–10) at the base of the pot.
Not all of Anne’s plantings are potted. These tiered beds feature African lilies (Agapanthus africanus, Zones 8–10) on the lower level and flurries of orange bulbine (Bulbine frutescens, Zones 9–11) blooms on the upper two.
Onion chives (Allium schoenoprasum), dill (Anethum graveolens), lavender, lemon thyme (Thymus x citriodorus)
Roma Tomatoes (Lycopersicon lycopersicum ‘Roma’) , ‘Santo’ cilantro (Coriandrum sativum) and basil at base.
Lastly, a pot featuring one of my favorite color combinations: bright yellow and cool blue. Sunfinity® ‘Double Yellow’ sunflower (Helianthus annus ‘Double Yellow’, annual) with Silver Dollar eucalyptus (Eucalyptus cinerea, Zones 8–10) and Blue My Mind® dwarf morning glory (Evolvulus ‘USEVO1201’, Zones 8–11).
We will be in Florida for the remainder of the week, enjoying more stops on this great garden tour, but that doesn’t mean we don’t still have the time or space to see your garden on the blog this summer! Follow the directions below to submit photos via email, or send me a DM on Instagram: @agirlherdogandtheroad.
We want to see YOUR garden!
Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit!
To submit, send 5–10 photos to [email protected] along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden.
Have a mobile phone? Tag your photos on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter with #FineGardening!
Do you receive the GPOD by email yet? Sign up here
Fine Gardening Recommended Products
Bee Watering Station with Vivid Flower Design
Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.
Thoughtful Combo: You will receive a bee feeder and 30 glass marbles. This thoughtful combo can provide clean water for the bees, you just need to put the marbles into the bee watering station, add water (note: the water level should not exceed the height of the marbles) and hang them in the right place. The round, colored marbles can provide a place for the bees to stand and prevent them from falling into the water, effectively keeping the bees safe. Fine Material: This exquisite bee bath is made of high quality iron material, smooth surface, rust and weather resistant, not easy to fade, sturdy and reliable. Bee cups for garden can well meet the drinking water needs of lovely bees, and it can also provide food for bees, such as sugar water, nectar, etc., attracting more bees to your outdoor area and making your garden full of vitality. Perfect Size: The butterfly watering station has an overall height of 13.4 inches, a bowl diameter of 9.4 inches, and a weight of 0.44 pounds. The bee cup serves the needs of the bees well without plunging them into dangerously deep water or taking up unnecessary space in your garden, and this compact and efficient design makes it a practical addition to any outdoor space. Elegant Design: Our bee watering cups are designed in unique flower shapes with vibrant and realistic colours to attract lovely bees to your garden and patio, bee feeders for outside are not only functional but can also be used as a landscaping element, their vibrant floral patterns enhance the beauty of your garden. Multicolored Decoration: Colorful bee water stations look like flowers in a garden, flower bed or pot and attract bees and butterflies. They can drink or bathe in bee feeders, which are highly decorative and practical.
Niteangel Natural Wooden Insect Hotel, Garden Insect House for Ladybugs, lacewings, Butterfly, Bee, Bug
Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.
The insect nest box provide a safe environment where garden creatures can shelter, hibernate and lay their eggs, the insect house can also keep insects from entering your warm room. The insect hotel makes it easy to find and observe fascinating creatures. the butterfly, bees and ladybugs can use this product as habitat. Dry wood and Bamboo can be home to many insects such as ladybirds and lacewings which eat aphids and help keep your plants pest-free. the insect hotel improve the growth of plants in your yard by attracting beneficial insects. The iron design on the top can keep the insect house from rainwater. Let the insect house have a longer useful life and make the insects more comfortable. If you only have a balcony or yard, the hanging garden shelter is ideal as it provides a choice of suitable habitats in a small area.
Lee Valley Mini Garden Shear Set
Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.
These shears have a distinctive finger rest that not only aids grip but allows greater freedom of movement than a conventional handle design. They have a durable powder-coat finish to resist rust and wear, and a simple clasp that locks the spring-action stainless-steel blades closed. The set includes one pair of round-nose shears measuring 5 1/2″ overall with 1″ blades for cutting stems up to 3/8″ in diameter, and one pair of 6 1/2″ needle-nose shears with 2″ fine-tip blades for precise work.
GPOD Contributor
Source link