I Need A Place
A requirement in the pursuit of happiness, for me, is a spot indoors with a good view of the garden.
There should be a comfy upholstered piece of furniture upon which to sit while gazing out.
The best situation would be with the sunshine streaming in the cold months and cool shade in the warmer times, as would be provided with a large deciduous tree on the south side of the house.
The garden would be planted out and tweaked over the years to offer structure, texture, movement and color in every season, with relatively little upkeep after getting it right.
There have been previous homes that lacked that afore described place, like the Texas house that had a fireplace and mantel in the middle of the main living area and tall but narrow windows on each side that offered only slivers of garden views. That was unacceptable.
There was another previous home that had a curved glass roof greenhouse wall addition only five feet wide but running the entire expanse of the room that offered garden views from any seating position. There were the aforementioned deciduous shade trees for coolth in summer that allowed for the sun to stream in when the tempertures dropped. It was ideal.
If and when we move again, from this home that has two very good garden viewing rooms with walls of glass sliders, the master bedroom and the addition, there needs to be a large expanse of glass in the new house. And a garden. I can take care of the last item myself.
Frances
Love this piece and wish I had such a place in this house. My previous house had a small converted porch where I placed my comfy chair and spent my time journaling and dreaming. Such a nice spot. Thanks for the memories.
Jane Carroll said this on November 26, 2012 at 5:39 am |
Your garden is lovely. A good viewing place to enjoy the garden brings me peace of mind and pleasure.
pbmgarden said this on November 26, 2012 at 7:18 am |
I giggled when I read the part about “little upkeep after getting it right”. Tee hee… Is it ever right?? I must be missing something because I am still working at getting there. Hitting that right spot. I agree though that your garden is right on. Love your viewing areas. It is perfect for now.
Lisa at Greenbow said this on November 26, 2012 at 8:18 am |
Oh, yes, a view from each room is my goal. I have my office in that curved glass greenhouse addition and it does help with the view each and every day. My move from this place will be to my final resting place. Oh, I should add that I hope that move is at least thirty years away. LOL
Layanee said this on November 26, 2012 at 8:37 am |
My dear, I know just how you feel. When we are stuck inside it’s wonderful to see the garden from a comfy chair. I’m so glad you wrote this. It helps me formulate a list of must haves for a next place~ views from a comfy chair are near the top after decent soil, no hills and more sun! Have a sweet day my friend. xoxogail
gail said this on November 26, 2012 at 8:47 am |
I think every gardener has this “gene” inside them….those of us that are or have gardened in a zone with long winter periods certainly know what its like… I have a post Im working on about this exact topic! Blogger is keeping me from uploading more photos at this point though so waiting for help.
Thanks for sharing…
Kate Maryon said this on November 26, 2012 at 9:24 am |
Wow, your garden is looking so magical now–so many colors and such beautiful light! And you’re right–a good garden-viewing spot is so important. When we lived in Atlanta we put in a special bird window and we would sit and watch the backyard birds and chipmunks for hours. We’d watch the window the way you might watch TV.
Leslie said this on November 26, 2012 at 9:26 am |
I. too, felt a gentle smile tugging at my mouth at your comment “little upkeep after getting it right”…oh wait, the key word that I didn’t include was “relatively”…ha, yes, that changes everything! It acknowledges that there will always be tweaking as long as the body is able!
I have a soul satisfying view from my kitchen table which is where I sit throughout the day (when I am indoors and doing the sitting thing) until it’s time for evening news. It means the world to me and I would feel punished without it.
michaele anderson (@meander1) said this on November 26, 2012 at 9:29 am |
I can confirm that the view from Frances’ comfy chairs is indeed stunning! But define “relatively little upkeep” … HA!
Cindy said this on November 26, 2012 at 9:41 am |
I guess by your measure I’m pretty well off, windowwise. Although my comfy chair in one direction is my office chair, making for occasional distraction from work. Now if I could only figure out that “little upkeep” trick!
Helen at Toronto Gardens said this on November 26, 2012 at 9:57 am |
Ah, Frances. As I read this post, I thought of one you wrote several years ago, wondering what would happen to your garden when you leave it. I’m in that position now, having moved due to the evilness of my late partner’s family. I’m in a new spot, a blank slate on which to create, and there are great places to sit from indoors and enjoy those gardens–once they appear, that is. In the meantime, I will draw joy and inspiration from posts like this. Thank you from the heart of the Annapolis Valley. <3 to you…
jodi DeLong said this on November 26, 2012 at 10:47 am |
Dear Frances,
It says on your blog you live in SE Tennessee….I live in Chattanooga…Are you near here? In response to your looking for an ideal place…My parents are selling our horse farm on Graysville Rd. It could work as an azamzing garden for the right person. I am a landscape designer locally. I really like your approach!
Thanks,
Scott
Scott Drucker said this on November 26, 2012 at 11:41 am |
Oh yes! What you say is so true! An outlook onto the garden is essential. One of the first things I do most mornings is look out a little window in our bedroom that gives us a view of the back garden. I need that view to wake up in the morning, almost as necessary as a cup of coffee. I have a view of the garden from the kitchen (over the sink) and from a comfy chair in the den as well. The kitchen window actually entices me to dish-washing.
Alison said this on November 26, 2012 at 12:28 pm |
Lovely musings on a room with a view.~~Dee
Dee said this on November 26, 2012 at 12:38 pm |
You are right that every house should have a viewing spot where the garden can be enjoyed in every season. And you have certainly achieved the goal of enjoyment in every season. We also are fortunate in our current house with expansive views to the south. I have also a nice view to the north when I sit in my reading chair.
commonweeder said this on November 26, 2012 at 1:29 pm |
Our back porch was falling down and when we rebuit it we put a lot of effort into making it more comfortable and ensuring it provided a good view of the garden – and the bird feeders. We have always felt that this was one of the best investments we have ever made in terms of home improvement.
gardeninacity said this on November 26, 2012 at 2:53 pm |
I too could enjoy this position. What a wonderful view.
Lola said this on November 26, 2012 at 3:03 pm |
Thanks for reminding me how fortunate I am to have a sunroom with full-length windows with garden views on three sides. I do take it for granted, and it’s probably the main reason we selected this home. You certainly have some incredible views from inside your home. Always a good idea to step back and take stock of what we have to be thankful for. I appreciate your nudge to do so. By the way, I gave you a nod in my most recent post. Thanks for the inspiration!
PlantPostings said this on November 26, 2012 at 9:45 pm |
I agree, one must have views of the garden from inside of the house. It reminds me that I heard Barbra Streisand say on a talk show that she matched the roses growing outside her dining room window with the decor in the dining room. Don’t know how that relates, but…
Carol said this on November 26, 2012 at 10:05 pm |
The inside/outside connection is important in design. You really captured the ‘why’ of it.
Garden Walk Garden Talk said this on November 27, 2012 at 12:32 am |
In my old house I had an extraordinarily large deck off the kitchen that I could see from my bedroom as well. I enjoyed the view of the container but couldn’t afford enough planters to make a larger statement but I adored what I could see. I’m sure others have had a similar experience.
Patrick said this on November 27, 2012 at 2:30 am |
Your garden view has been crafted to perfection. Colour and interest from foliage and your intriguing garden art. As we go househunting – I too will learn from our first 2 houses. Third time lucky I will deliberately plant the garden for the views from the windows.
Diana of Elephant's Eye said this on November 27, 2012 at 6:29 am |
This is one of the major complaints I have with the house we’re living in now–not enough big windows to enjoy the view. Some people may have thought it odd where I created the latest garden areas, but it was exactly for this reason–I can see them easily from my patio doors. Lovely views of your garden–it certainly deserves viewing through all the seasons.
Rose said this on November 27, 2012 at 10:22 am |