2026 PGSU Garden Story: Louise

We are delighted to welcome back a gardener from our Fall 2024 tour. We first visited Louise’s garden in the spring of that year, when it was absolutely exploding with color.

Right up front, visitors are met by a dazzling multitude of red poppies that reseed freely, spreading into every nook and cranny along a rock riverbed and stone walkway laid by Louise herself. She has to “weed” poppies where blooming perennials of all sorts compete for their share of the garden.

Attached to the house, beams of a tall pergola radiate above the front entry, protecting a lovely half-walled courtyard. Shade-loving plants fill several pots, while others are planted in a whimsical hollowed-out trunk of a large dead palm.

A grand display of naturalized day lilies and oriental lilies on one side and gorgeous tea roses on the other, lines the path to the backyard. There, visitors will find everything one could dream of in a hidden garden.

A massive tree shades a meandering brick path, also laid by Louise. It skirts a small, lush lawn that continues to shrink as new garden ideas take root. She and her husband transformed a homely shed by siding it with barn wood painted a rusty red. To complete the rustic look, they hung her father’s ancient garden tools along with kitschy metal signs. Other vintage metal implements are scattered throughout the garden.

Four large garden boxes filled with spring vegetables thrive in organic growing medium teeming with life. A dedicated organic gardener, Louise amends the soil every year and values knowing exactly where her food comes from - and that it’s safe to eat. Structures over each bed stand ready to support protective summer shade cloth.

There are several fruit trees, some of them volunteers. While working, Louise will often pause to enjoy a fresh fig picked right off a young tree.

A large planter against the fence contains an absolutely stunning display of reseeded double pink poppies with silvery-gray foliage, interspersed with tall, pale blue larkspur.

A huge, gnarly old grapevine - still faithfully pruned by Louise - rewards her with a bumper crop every year. Nearby, an old pomegranate receives an occasional trim and performs beautifully as well.

On the patio, a large Meyer lemon tree grows in a pot that Louise moves close to the house for winter protection. Most years, it produces a generous harvest. Amaryllis growing in a protected bed next to the house came from her mother’s garden in California several years ago and bloom most years.

Be sure to see Louise’s extensive plant list for the many perennials, bulbs, etc. that beautify every inch of the gardens. Also watch for a companion article outlining her thoughtful and educated approach to organic gardening. Louise is living proof of the effectiveness of this lifestyle - she eats well, stays active, and joyfully pours her energy into her garden.

Welcome to this wonderful garden, where you may find yourself feeling right at home.

See you at the Parade of Gardens; April 24th-26th, 2026.