Van Bourgondien

August 2008 Winner

Jennifer Klepac of Harrisonville, MO is our August 2008 Winner!

I have been an avid gardener for years and have always loved the romance and charm of English cottage gardens. It was always my dream to create a landscape where flowers, vines, shrubs, and trees were plentiful with whimsical, voluminous blooms. And then it happened! I found a vacant four acre plot of land for sale. My husband, David, says it was waiting just for me because it had been up for sale for 10 years, right through the housing market boom. Immediately after we built our cottage style home, I began designing the landscape and four years later, we have over 20 perennial beds, a large vine-covered pergola and our most recent addition this summer, a charming gazebo.

Our Midwest climate makes cottage gardening a real challenge! I am continually amazed at how the daintiest of perennials will emerge in early spring after spending a harsh winter in the frozen ground. Other than taking care to plant for our climate zone, I only follow two gardening rules: 1) from spring to fall, there must be something in continuous bloom and 2) there should always be a surprise around every corner.

And of course, if you love something, don't just buy one! Fill every nook and cranny with something that blooms. In my garden, rambler roses and Russian sage spill over and through a white picket fence, clematis and grape and wisteria climb the same pergola, and out in the courtyard gooseneck loosestrife, ming toy daylilies, and tall garden phlox greet visitors on their way to the gazebo. I like to think our garden, as a whole, is a little bit of Eden here in Missouri.