Phyllis gardened for 30 years in her last home, which was just 15 miles away from where she now lives.

Her present garden is relatively new as Phyllis and Mickey moved there in August of 1999. When they moved to this home they hired a team of men for the heavy clearing of dead trees and debris. This enabled Phyllis to have a clean palette on which to start.

The first Christmas she bought a rose bush for each person on her Christmas list and planted it in the new garden. This was the beginning of some wonderful things to come.

Phyllis usually spends a couple of hours per day and at times, all day, tending her garden. She doesn’t really count the time she enjoys amongst her flowers. She loves annuals, perennials, bulbs – anything that produces a flower is a favourite with Phyllis.

Her Mickey was the one who had the biggest interest in trees and he planted many including Oaks, Coral Trees, Silk Trees, Californian Buckeyes and the very special Magnolia that he lovingly planted for Phyllis in their first year there. This is her favourite tree and holds very special sentiments.

The property is a half-acre and Phyllis gardens every piece of soil except for where the home and the driveway stand. She doesn’t have lawns but does have various grasses along with all the flowers, shrubs, Mickey’s trees and a vegetable garden. We’ve all seen photos of some of Phyllis’s fruit and they were of the finest quality. She has 2 avocados, 1 lime, 1 Valencia orange, 1 lemon, 1 tangerine, 1 apricot and 1 apple. That’s a small orchard Phyllis.

In this garden her ideas have changed as in the past she colour co-ordinated her garden beds but not any more. Phyllis plants anything that catches her eye and she said, “as far as I’m concerned all colours in nature go together.” She has many favourite flowers and it varies according to the season, the particular day or the area of the garden she finds herself in. She does, however, have a favourite perfume and that is from the tuberose of which she has hundreds mingled throughout her garden. With a gentle breeze I imagine this fragrance must permeate right throughout the home.

Summertime is her favourite season as she enjoys the heat, birdlike and butterflies along with all the beautiful array of flowers. I will quote Phyllis here – “ I feel so in harmony with nature at this time of year and I do love to pick bunches of flowers for visiting friends.”

In her garden there are many bench areas to sit and ponder but at the end of a busy day she usually sits in her outdoor living area with a glass of wine and reflects back over the day.

I would love to sit and reflect with you Phyllis and thank you so much for letting us share your garden.