Today’s photos come from Donald LaGrand.

I want to share with everyone the progress on my master plan layout of the gardens here in Somerset, California. The photos are from throughout the year.

We have a little over four acres of property, and two acres are being transformed into a massive garden layout. There’s a rose garden, a California native garden, a lavender garden, a rock garden, a butterfly garden, a hummingbird garden, and half an acre of Barbera grapes that we harvest every year and sell to the local wineries.

It’s been three years since we started this undertaking by establishing the foundation plants first, like the many trees we have planted. The 44 roses were planted bare root in February of this year. They were slow getting established, but once they were, they grew to 2 feet tall and produced many blooms.

It’s a labor of love, and the design is finally starting to show its beauty as the plants begin to establish themselves and are on display as you walk through gardens in the morning with a cup of coffee in one hand and a pair of clippers in the other.

Happy gardening everyone!

Some of the trees planted early in the development of the garden display their fall color.

Creative use of old stumps, turned into planters.

Rows of grapes, with wild buttercups blooming in the grass between them.

The roses are blooming already. They’ve been planted on a wide spacing so they’ll have room to reach their full, mature size.

Close-up of a flower from one of the rosebushes.

A rose loaded down with beautiful blooms.

Grapes ready to harvest!

The grape harvest, ready to be sold to local wineries.

Another view of the garden, with the grapevines showing their autumn colors.

The beautiful orange flowers of lion’s ear (Leonotis leonurus, Zones 8–11)

 

Have a garden you’d like to share?

Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit!

To submit, send 5-10 photos to GPOD@finegardening.com along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden.

If you want to send photos in separate emails to the GPOD email box that is just fine.

Have a mobile phone? Tag your photos on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter with #FineGardening!

You don’t have to be a professional garden photographer – check out our garden photography tips!

Do you receive the GPOD by email yet? Sign up here.

Fine Gardening Recommended Products

Lee Valley Garden Obelisks

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

Sturdy yet lightweight, these obelisks provide ample support for climbing plants while being easy to install and move. The medium obelisk stands 68 1/2" high overall with a diameter of about 9 1/2", compact enough for smaller containers indoors or out. The large size stands 86 1/2" high with a diameter of 15 3/4", ideal for larger outdoor spaces and containers.

Buy at Lee Valley

The Nature of Oaks: The Rich Ecology of Our Most Essential Native Trees

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

The Nature of Oaks reveals what is going on in oak trees month by month, highlighting the seasonal cycles of life, death, and renewal. From woodpeckers who collect and store hundreds of acorns for sustenance to the beauty of jewel caterpillars, Doug Tallamy illuminates and celebrates the wonders that occur right in our own backyards. He also shares practical advice about how to plant and care for an oak, along with information about the best oak species for your area.

Buy at Amazon

The New Organic Grower, 3rd Edition: A Master's Manual of Tools and Techniques for the Home and Market Gardener, 30th Anniversary Edition

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

Since its original publication in 1989, The New Organic Grower has been one of the most important farming books available, with pioneer Eliot Coleman leading the charge in the organic movement in the United States. Now fully illustrated and updated, this 30th Anniversary Edition is a must-have for any agricultural library.

Buy at Amazon