The Naming of a Garden

Does your garden have a name?  The idea of naming my garden has been in the back of my mind for a while now and as I was reading a post the other day about photography muses, it occurred to me that my muse is my garden.  It deserves a name.  

I took a tour through the back garden to see where inspiration might turn up.   The shade bed has started to fill out nicely.  Columbine are blooming and the Japanese maple is stunning in the dappled light underneath the Live Oaks.   The antique shutters have recently been added to the window (a shout out to my sweet husband) and I love them!   But nothing came to mind for a name.

This is actually a view that a year ago drove me crazy.  This is what I, not so lovingly, describe as my hell strip.  It's hot, dry and unforgiving and to make matters worse, it only gets late afternoon sun. 

Catching a glimpse of the water's surface visually cools the dry corner and I finally seem to have found some plants that can handle the conditions.  The Texas betony is blooming now and the pavonia is putting on buds that will bloom when things really start to heat up.  The grasses are tough and I added a white flowering butterfly bush this spring hoping that it will bloom with only a few hours of extremely hot sun. The pot was just added in the last couple of weeks and it really helps anchor and fill some space. Again, though, no ideas came.

This bed is getting some attention this year.  It has a lot of volunteer plants that need to be moved and there is some rearranging that needs to happen.  The mirrors along the fence add some depth to our yard.  It's a small space and they visually open things up.  Not to mention, they are fun to use in photographs, always lending a bit of a unique perspective.  You have probably guessed; no ideas.

This is my favorite area of the garden.  Its full to part sun conditions allow for flowers, flowers and more flowers!  I love flowers and color and this bed has both.  There was a time when I was a bit concerned about all the different colors in this bed but it has all worked out.   There are probably professionals that would poo poo some of the plant combinations but that's the beauty of your own garden; you add what you like!  Right now the Gulf Coast penstemon and the globe mallow are stealing the show.  But, no name...

I was a little discouraged until I thought about what gets my heart racing and legs running for the camera.  And that usually involves some kind of wildlife; whether it be birds, insects, snakes, rabbits - okay, not rabbits, lizards...and the light bulb illuminated!   Lizards, I love lizards and they willingly call my garden home; lots of them and they like being photographed.  Well, maybe they don't like it, but they tolerate it, much more so than any of the other critters I've mentioned.  

Which led me to think about what makes a home.  It's the place you want to be at the end of the day.  The place where you're comfortable, where you know you can be refreshed and find all your needs met.  These sweet lizards find that in my garden...no matter where they travel throughout the day, this is the place they call home...their journey's end. 

So, here is where I'll stop.  I've found my name and I think it's perfect for the anoles and everything else that calls this garden home.   Journey's End:  destination; goal; the place one wants to go. 

So I'll ask again, does your garden have a name?