Van Bourgondien

August 2006 Winner

Patricia B. Francis of Charlottesville, VA is our August 2006 Winner!

Working in my garden is a delight and an ordeal. I have MS; so the hard physical labor is difficult, but the exercise, visual pleasure, and connection to the earth; to nature is superb compensation. My husband does the heavy digging, but I do all the planting and weeding. Each spring and fall I have major "give-aways," treating friends to bulbs and perennials as I make bi-annual changes.

I'm a graphic artist/photographer - incorporate (hopefully) artistic sensibilities into what I consider a combination cottage and Monet-type garden. Reds of all sorts dominate the garden to the left side of the path and steps; yellows and whites are to the right. The berm is covered with purple and pink wave petunias, as well as portulacca that reseed yearly and provide an array of colors. Dahlias, caryopteris, and roses are along the area to the back and above the main garden.

Bulbs - many varieties of tulips, daffodils, and iris dominate the spring garden. During the summer, perennials of every sort abound, as well as gladiolas and crocosimas (tall reds and more delicate shorter yellow-oranges). I particularly like heuchera and have many varieties of these also. Our balloon flowers differ from the traditional blue, pink, or white. Those we have are striated purple and white. I haven't mentioned the many other varieties of perennials - too many to list.

The garden is fronted by a 20' X 8' pond, dug by hand by my husband one wet summer 6 years ago, filled with very prolific goldfish. They are quite tame and come when called to be fed (we give away fish, too).

Yes, of course we are plagued by deer (the doe brings her fawns to eat at the "snack bar'), but they are beautiful and leave enough to be enjoyed. We are plagued by a Great Blue Heron - do try to discourage it, but we have lost some of the larger fish to its appetite. Skunks, raccoons, and black snakes and copperheads abound (good fodder for my camera).