What inspires you about your garden?
Do you have a favourite nook on a patio or deck that speaks to you?
Have you designed or decorated an outdoor space that makes your heart sing?
Whether a tranquil grotto or a vibrant garden bed filled with colour, we’d love to share your inspiration with the rest of our customers!
Send us your digital photo(s) of your garden or special outdoor living space before August 31st. Please include a few words describing why the space is meaningful to you and/or how it makes you feel. We will post submissions to the website throughout the month of August, so be sure to check in and see what other members in the community are doing.
If your photo is picked as the winner, you’ll receive the Meritage Cheese and Wine Picnic Tote. This unique, triangular tote is insulated with wine and cheese service for two. Holds two bottles. Made
of polyester canvas, in green and white stripes.
Contains:
2 wine glasses, 1 hardwood cutting board, 1 stainless steel cheese
knife with wooden handle, 1 stainless waiter-style corkscrew, 1 ornate nickel-
plated bottle stopper, 2 cotton napkins.
Value of $85.50
Available at The Gardening Circle.
Contest Rules
You can enter as many images in as many categories as you like. The Gardening Circle reserves the right to choose the image(s) that will be featured on the website and newsletter.
You must be the sole author of each entry, and it must be your original work.
The submitted work must be of a residential garden (no public gardens, etc. please). If the photograph(s) are not taken on your own property, you must have received permission from the owner(s) of property included in submitted images.
Image files should be emailed as jpegs, at least 500 pixels wide.
Please email all entries to contest@thegardeningcircle.com. Please be sure to include your full name, address and phone number with your entry.
A panel of judges will assess all images.
Here’s to outdoor living and the inspiration within…
Inspired Spaces Contest 2008
I built the 'chapel' in the cool shade of surrounding katsura, maple, oak, cottonwood and alder trees, as a studio for writing and painting, a place where I could find peace and creative inspiration.
The back wall, almost entirely glass, affords a view of soaring trees and a steep ravine, with the Fraser River and mountains forming the background.
The chapel's exterior walls were salvaged from cedar offcuts from telephone-poles; its hand-sawn shakes were made from a large cedar tree which fell on my property several years ago following a big wind-storm. The picture is taken from the 'back' side of a rockery alongside the pergola, which is filled with various kinds of hostas, overlooking lawns broken up with curving raised flowerbeds, affording pleasant walkways around the .9 acre property.
The rocks forming the terracing were all brought by hand from the neighbouring ravines. Altogether, a place for refreshment of the spirit!
I live in Fort Langley. Eight years ago our backyard was a flat sandpit. With four teenagers in the house, I planted a huge vegetable garden to "feed the troops". Now that they are grown up and on their own, I have been trying to transform it into an English perennial garden. This is the third summer of my transformed garden. My most favourite activity is puttering in the garden, either watering, weeding or strolling with coffee cup in hand to admire the flowers!
In order to transform the area, we had a little help from our friend at Otto Nurseries who took an orange spray can to define the grass area. My husband and I built up the perimeter with approximately 20 yards of good bedding soil. We added an arbour for a grape vine and every year I
add more plants and trade with friends. It is definitely a "work in progress" as I learn more about perennials and what works and what doesn't.
Gardening is my PASSION! Whether I am knee-deep in poppies or relaxing with a good book on my garden bench, I am in heaven.
"Peaceful" sums it all up for me.
Here are a few snaps of our garden. Spot "The Garden Circle" items, LOL. I love being outside on the weekends, just being here to enjoy the peace in the country and escape from my busy work week. Our space at home makes the heart feel great and totally relaxed.
This is my sister’s house in VictoriaI love the way I feel when I’m there surrounded by her four little children, tucked behind a fence with cute peek-a-boo cut outs for looking in from the sidewalk. It’s the giggles and squeals that draws the passerby to look within. There’s a tranquility and warmth in gardens, but most especially when shared with family and friends. Love makes it all grow!
