Your local Botanic Gardens (in my case the Denver Botanic Gardens) are a great place to gather doable ideas and inspiration for your garden. This past Tuesday was Free Day, which I fully enjoyed, and took the opportunity to gather ideas for my own garden at home. Here are some of my favorite ideas:

A lovey all-green shade pot at the base of a tree. Who needs flowers? A nice combination of shades and textures works great, as this pretty pot proves. A good way to add interest to the otherwise kinda boring tree base. Love the large flat rocks around the tree as well.

 

L.O.V.E. this black rock path! I can’t imagine how many hours it took to create, but the undulating flowing pattern of the black river rocks turned up sideways is mesmerizing and gorgeous. I really want to try something like that in the backyard…

What a fun display! I dig the artful use of dried, cut-up things from the garden. Makes me think of all kinds of ways to make use of garden “trash” I would otherwise throw out. Love those big green lotus pots as well.

The bark of this Lacebark Pine is beautiful! Looks like a watercolor painting. I’d love to replace the plain old pine in the backyard with this.

 

I am absolutely going to steal this idea. Bromeliads attached to the limbs of a large tree with Spanish moss added. This is perfect for my wanna-be tropical backyard. The bromeliads can be wired onto the limbs easily, the wires can be covered by the moss, and the plants can be detached and overwintered inside. Perfect! I WILL have a DIY post for this in the near future…

Ceramic roofing tiles as dividers. Love this idea! Buried in the ground upright they form a nice pattern. Whoever came up with this idea is a genius.

A great easy-care and beautiful planting idea for a full-sun Denver garden, herbs and easy perennials. Notice the heights of each plant getting taller towards the back. I really like the look of the purple sage in the foreground. This garden smells incredible, too. (and of course, you can cook with it as well)

Sigh. My dream plant, the stunning (and very poisonous) Tree Datura (Angel’s Trumpet). Of course they are very difficult to grow in zone 5 Denver, loving a zone 9 and above, but they have the most spectacular blooms. If I ever get a greenhouse, this plant is mine mine mine!

This is just about the most perfect pond. The rocks are beautifully laid out. I like how the they go all the way down into the pond instead of just to the edge. Someday when funds allow, I’d love to upgrade my little pond to something like this. I do want to know how they keep it so crystal clear…

There are scores more ideas at the Botanic Gardens, so go visit yours and get inspired!

I want to know what garden projects you are doing! Tell me in the Leave a Reply section below.

(Note: All photos taken by Marie Vlasic)