Today we’re in Memphis, Tennessee, visiting Renee’s garden.
My name is Renee, and I’ve been gardening about 11 years. We’ve been at our current property six years. I did all of the design and a majority of the work myself. I also do most of the upkeep myself. When people ask me who I am, I tell them I’m a mother/wife, a physician, and a gardener. In the past year with the pandemic, my gardening has been especially important as a means to cope with the stress of my work. I have two kids, one with special needs. He likes to garden with me, and it has been therapeutic for him as well. Being in the garden together has become a family affair. Before I became a physician I was a visual artist, and I believe that gardening has become my artistic outlet. There are several different areas of my garden: the back garden, the rose garden, the patio garden, the front shade garden, and the front sun garden.
A beautiful view of the garden, with spires of foxglove (Digitalis purpurea, Zones 4–9).
Intensely deep blue hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla, Zones 5–9) blossoms. Clearly Renee has given these plants the acidic soil that allows them to produce the bluest blooms.
A peony (Paeonia hybrid, Zones 3–8) in delicate shades of pink.
Detail of a gorgeous David Austin hybrid rose, ‘The Ancient Mariner’ (Zones 5–10), with layer after layer of fragrant pink petals.
A dreamy mass of ‘The Ancient Mariner’ in full bloom. How good must this smell!
More gorgeous roses growing along the fence.
What a beautiful view. I love the winding grass path and the clouds of pink dogwoods (Cornus florida, Zones 5–9) hanging overhead.
How magical would it be to sit back in that chair and soak up this garden scene? I can imagine Renee needing this space to deal with the stress of working as a physician during the pandemic.
One last view of this dreamy garden. Thank you for sharing, Renee! If you want to see more of this garden, check out Renee’s instagram: @thepsychgarden
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