RERUN ALERT:  I shared this post at the end of April but I couldn’t resist re-posting so that I could join Anita over at her beautiful blog site Castles Crowns and Cottages, where she’s inviting all of us to share our favorite destination.  England captured my heart years ago and I will share a bit about the Chelsea Flower Show.  I’ve never been but it’s a dream!  Because this post coincided with an eye to spring in the garden I am sharing additional inspiration for creating a pretty garden.  I hope you enjoy and will stop by for a visit sometime. ♥

Here we find ourselves on the last day of the month of April (where’s the time going?).  There’s been weeks of activity in the garden if you are an enthusiast and if you happen to live in a climate like my neck of the woods, Southern California.  Gardening is pretty much a year-round hobby here.

Still, there’s always interest for me to see what others are doing to their own yards and as usual, I gain the inspiration I’m seeking to create a new corner or change out a fledgling flower bed, from fellow blogging friends and international gardens posted on the internet.

{Charlotte Moss}

{Restoring our 1890 Victorian, Victoria Elizabeth Barnes}

Above, I’ve added Helebores to my wish list when they’re available.  Below, don’t you love this clever use of grass and concrete squares.  Not to mention, it would be so great to have an outdoor fireplace.

{5th and State}

Tone on Tone just published a great post on his blue garden, published in Southern Living magazine.  I’ve made a list of blue flowers for my own garden.

{Tone on Tone – Loi’s beautiful blue garden}

This year my friend, Carla, happens to be going to the Chelsea Flower Show (May 20 – 24th). With the show’s 100 year anniversary behind them (2013), I’d guess this year may be an impressive show of innovative and unique gardens.  Maybe it’s that way every year, but I like to think there’s always a wave of extra talent after a big anniversary of something as wonderful as the Chelsea Flower Show.

The first year (1913) Chelsea Flower Show was introduced there were 244 exhibitors, last year there were over 500.  The show attracts over 150,000 visitors each year.  It’s on my bucket list.  I know I’d love it

{via}

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…and for those of you who would like to have their very own folly…here is a company that will build it for you.  They entered the Chelsea Garden Show with this little gem.

{via}

Since we’re speaking of gardens in England, this past fall the Los Angeles Times travel section featured a list of gardens you can visit more than once per year in England.  The Stone House Garden in Cheltenham, Goucestershire was appealing to me for the home as much as the grounds.  Started by a garden hobbyist, Katie Lukas, she developed her garden on the 2 1/2 acres surrounding her Cotswold home.

{photo by Nan Sterman}

No surprise, Cambridge University Botanic Garden, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire offers a learning experience in addition to the wonderful gardens presented.  There’s a garden where plants are grouped by the era in which they were introduced to the British Isles.  I selected this image since I was surprised the garden features our own California Poppy!

{photo by Nan Sterman}

What would a garden tour be without a garden by a castle?  Broughton Castle, Banbury, Oxfordshire is a 700-year old castle.  There are sheep on the grounds (wouldn’t it be great to look out your window to green rolling hills, dotted with sheep?  {Maybe I’ve seen one too many period piece movies and PBS presentations?} Climbing roses, “lushly planted garden borders” and more, this one is on my list. To read more and to get ideas for your garden visit HERE.

My own garden can always use a little tweaking.  I hope to work on the area under the bottle brush tree (the red blossoming tree in this picture).  The roots are so prohibitive to digging and such.  I am currently doing some homework on finding plants that need next to nothing but will grow and thrive in spite of adverse conditions.  Any suggestions?

Have you started planning / planting  your garden?  Any new projects on the table?