Hi GPODers! Imagine never having to pack up and leave the lake house after summer vacation is over. Today we’re in the garden of Peter and Geri Riendeau, who made that dream a reality. However, after finally settling into their retirement dream home they built on a beautiful lake in southern Maine, they were still hard at work. They spent nearly a decade creating the dream garden to match this slice of paradise.

The following are a few pics of our garden beds. We built our retirement dream home and permanently moved to Sanford Maine on Estes Lake in July 2016. Over the last 8 years we created garden beds from a clean slate after the build. 

This is a peony that plays nice with the ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius ‘Monlo’, Zones 3–7) that is in full bloom. In the foreground is a small evergreen that stays small in a round growing habit. The yellow loosestrife (Lysimachia punctata, Zones 4–8) is peaking up between it all.

A bright red climbing rose is still just beginning to climb over this arbor, but is already adding to the dreaminess of this garden.

And another rose is lending to the romantic feel of this garden in both looks and name. Rosa Moonlight Romantica® (Zones 5–9) has incredible, double blooms to die for and a sweet, citrusy fragrance that is almost as delectable as the blooms themselves.

Geri and Peter clearly love their climbers—and for good reason! This old, wooden fence has great character and is the perfect look for a New England, lake-side home, but it looks considerably more interesting with this huge, climbing hydrangea slowly taking it over.

All next to the perfect spot to sit, swing, and enjoy this garden!

A border after my own heart—plenty of beautiful blooms, but even more sensational foliage. Particularly love the bright pink peony and ninebark that matches that planting we saw above.

Living in your dream lake house in Maine means you need to think about garden interest in more than just the high season. Flowering shrubs are a great way to ensure lots of flowers when you’re outside the most, but still plenty of interest as the season winds down. Popcorn viburnum (Viburnum plicatum f. plicatum ‘Popcorn’, Zones 4–8) is absolutely covered in these fabulous flower clusters come spring, but leaves a second show for fall when the foliage turns red to purple.

In a dream garden, a shed is much more than a structure for utility, it’s another opportunity to create something beautiful. This brown shed trimmed with green is quaint, but becomes a whole scene when paired with a choir of diverse, green plants (and a clematis, yet another climber adding vertical interest).

Another incredible seating area to kick back and enjoy the scenery that surrounds. When you can pull your eyes from the fabulous hydrangeas that line and creep onto the deck, you can catch a glimpse of the sun setting on Estes Lake in the background.

The perfect place to sit and enjoy the view. Hopefully Peter and Geri are spending more time sipping coffee and enjoying all their hard work!

With heatwaves sweeping across the country, I’d say we’re all dreaming of being lakeside in Maine all summer. Thank you for sharing your little slice of heaven with us, Geri!

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