The Weeping Willow picture at the top of my blog was planted almost eight years ago after our son Wyatt's birth. We made a garden around it in memory of Wyatt and included plants that are baby-like and remind us of him. I have lots of baby (miniature) rose plants, forget-me-nots, lamb's ear (which is soft like a baby's skin), daisies, tiger lilies, blue columbine, irises and jacob's ladder as well as some lovely lavender baby's breath. I have many solar lights to illuminate his special place at night, even spotlight solar lights which light up the whole tree. Each year for Wyatt's birthday we add a new garden ornament. We also have cement stones that we made which say Wyatt's Willow. We have carried on that tradition, to an extent, after each of our girls' births and planted a tree for each. With Eli we would love to do the same. We have yet to decide on what kind of tree Eli will receive.
Here's where my conundrum comes in - should we just incorporate Eli into Wyatt's garden or try to make a separate one? We stripped about the back third of our yard of grass and put down mulch an that area now includes a rock hill I built behind Wyatt's garden (kind of visible in my picture), Wyatt's garden, a perennial flower garden and our girls' swing set. Throughout the rest of the backyard are the girls' trees. I don't want to just lump Eli into Wyatt's garden for lack of space or vision, but I am completely uninspired at the moment. I also don't just want to create another garden for Eli which is the same as Wyatt's. I want it to be special and unique, just as each boy is and was. We live in planting zone 4, can get away with 5s sometimes, so that doesn't offer the broadest range of plants which can survive our winters either.
So, I'm asking for suggestions, ideas, inspiration or even just shared stories of what anyone else has done in their yard to create a special place for their baby(ies).
If it were my garden I would probably make a separate one for Eli. And try to make it close enough that you could maybe put a bridge between the two. A connection of sorts, and maybe show how your girls are a part of the birdge since they were born in between the boys. As far a plants and flowers, I am using a mix of flowers that attract butterflies. Butterflies are my daughter's thing, I still think of her as my butterfly. But maybe you could incorporate colors that symbolize Eli or anything else that has a special connection to him.
ReplyDeleteMary,
ReplyDeleteI really like that idea, the bridge concept is really neat! I'm going to have ponder it further to see if we can make it work. I love butterflies and that you are using plants to attract butterflies to your daughter, it is a beautiful visual. We've found that autumn seedum (I'm pretty sure that's what it's called) really attracts monarchs or at least monarch-like butterflies in late summer/early fall when it blooms.
Thanks! -Mandy
I like Mary's Idea too. Also I thought about since you want something different, maybe do a fountain with a garden around it or a goldfish pond with a fountain and a little bench to sit on while you are sitting outside. I know whatever you pick will be beautiful and perfect!!!
ReplyDeleteI like the bridge idea too! We are also working on planning my son's little area. We are going to plant a Live Oak and I want to get a memorial stone of some sort to set next to it. I like your idea of planting baby's breath and other "baby" plants too.
ReplyDeleteThanks Crystal and Molly, I tossed the ideas to my husband last night so we're working on it. Unfortunately we got at least 3 inches of snow overnight so it'll be a while before we can do anything...ugh! I like the idea of a fountain too, we've always wanted to do a waterless (pondless, not sure what it's called) fountain so that's definitely an option too. -Mandy
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