Question:
What Are The Five Must-Haves
For Your Own Secret Garden?
Paprika t
he Garden Cat Says: "A secret garden is a quiet place to be still and thoughtful with your hopes and dreams; it's a beautiful place to spend time with your special siblings-- daughters and sons of Mother Earth, just like you and me and Sunny Sam.."
In the last post we found out that Annika's must-haves for her secret garden are: tulips, a wise owl, ginger garden cats, a tiny green beetle, and the perfume of the flowers on the wind.
In my own secret garden my must-haves are peppers, tomatoes, basil, busy bees, and a garden fairy...
What are your five must-haves? Tell us in the comments section of this post and you will be entered to win one of three prizes. Three names will be drawn at random and will receive their choice of a brand new Secret Garden print or pendant (includes chain) from my Etsy shop ($16-18 value, plus includes shipping to anywhere worldwide).
My inkjet prints are printed on high quality matte photo paper with Epson Durabrite Ultra inks. The print will be signed by me. Matting and frame are not included. The print may be placed directly into an 8 x 10" frame, or matted in an 11 x 14 matting that has an 8 x 10 opening. Now available in my Etsy shop!
A mini print of my whimsical artwork has been preserved under crystal-clear glass, then hand-crafted into a sparkling pendant. The glass tile features a silvertone bail. Now available in my Etsy shop!
Giveaway ends on Sunday, August 28, at 8 p.m. Pacific Time.
Entries will also be accepted in an identical post over at The Hive.
Thanks for participating!
My secret garden would include a wild rose arbor, a water fall, a shade tree filled with birdsong, a lovely garden swing, and two or three beautiful black cats. That would be heaven.
ReplyDeleteMy secret garden would have a screened in porch (so the kitties are safe & so are the birds), Lilac bushes full of hummingbirds, a birdbath, a water fountain & thousands of daisies.
ReplyDeleteMy secret garden would have - a blackberry bush, a big walnut tree, a bird house, a little bench and wild flowers
ReplyDeletex
Margit
creativetail@gmail.com
creativetail.blogspot.com
I can imagine...Poppies- wildly growing, an arch of wisteria- fragrantly scented, vegetables planted with wild abandon, a bench to relax and admire, a water feature to attract birds and insects.
ReplyDeleteMy secret garden would have a big old oak tree with a swing hanging from one of the branches. There would be a faerie garden with a little brown toad keeping watch over the wildflowers and giant sunflowers under which a garden of pumpkins would be growing. A tiny saw whet owl would would make her home in the big oak and a family of feral cats would feel safe enough in the garden to call it home.
ReplyDeletemy secret garden would have a hammock,a wind chime, a birdbath, & an abundance of flora (flowers, herbs, trees, vegetables, vines, etc) & fauna (bees, butterflies, birds, kitties, doggies, chickens, etc), all living in perfect harmony :)
ReplyDeleteowlape@aol.com
Anything goes in my secret garden, doesn't it? Well then... In my secret garden there would be a hedge labyrinth with a comfortable bench in the middle, the magic apple tree from "Garden Spells," lots of birds and butterflies, millions of flowers in every color, and, of course, a handsome gardener who helps me keeping the garden perfect and secret.
ReplyDeleteOh what a wonderful thought to have my own secret garden! :) It would have a very old but sturdy bench for reading, a bird bath to watch the birds play, a small pond with fish, LOTS of Stock and other fragrant flowers and a moss covered stone path to lead in and out. Ummmm....I wanna go there now!
ReplyDeleteMy secret garden would have a hammock to start and lots of fresh veggies growing. A few bird baths, lilies and roses :).
ReplyDeleteHalochanel at gmail dot com
Oh brilliant idea! My secret garden would have wild flowers (english garden style) a hamock for me to read in, a huge tree for shade, lots of butterflys, a Wee Folk home somewhere in the flowers :)
ReplyDeletetracyschultz@yahoo.com
My 5 secret garden staples would be:
ReplyDeletelilies of the valley, a bench, a pebbled path, shade, and an open area with a table and chairs for lunching/dining/snacking with friends and family.
windowfog [at] gmail [dot] com
My secret garden will have a waterfall, porch, lots of sunflowers, trellis of beautiful flowers, and a tree.
ReplyDeleteBtw, I have a blog party called Market Your Biz and Giveaways. I'll be honored if you'll come and join us here :)
I love the idea of a garden fairy for a secret garden. But since that is taken, my secret garden will have: a bubbling spring, lots of chirpy sparrows, two happy playful puppies, wildflowers, a comfortable swing hanging from a huge mango tree.
ReplyDeletePS: I love everyone's secret garden.
lukathewriter (at) gmail (dot) com
My secret garden would have shasta daisies, foxgloves, my cat of course, lavender, and my old raccoon statue. I've had this raccoon for 20 plus years in our front yard. I've tried to "retire" him to the backyard and neighbors complained!
ReplyDeletejhbalvin at gmail dot com
my secret garden has tulips, daffodils, lavendar, and angel statue and my cat (he's an indoor cat, but I would love for him to be able to run around with me in the garden)
ReplyDeleterobinlscott4 at hotmail dot com
* Fountain
ReplyDelete* Bird bath
* Daisies
* Pebblestones
* Willow tree
Thanks for the lovely giveaway.
yumihamano@gmail.com
My Cat
ReplyDeleteBig tree with lots of shade
Flowers with beautiful scents
Fountain
A Hammock
avanr@optusnet.com.au
My ideal secret garden would include: pansies and poppies, a wind chime, a rustic-looking fountain, a Robin singing its pretty song, and of course a kitty sleeping in the sun!
ReplyDeleteLova your prints!
ReplyDeleteMy secret garden would have poppies, lavender, orange tree, ginger and a little lamb.
I LOVE the kitties and owls! My garden would have avocados, tomatoes, basil, adopted kitties, and lots and lots of flowers!
ReplyDeleteThe five must haves for my own secret garden would be roses, lots of roses! I would love walls covered in ivy (like in the book and movie the Secret Garden), a swing, growing herbs and a bench in the middle! :)
ReplyDeletethecountryblossom at hotmail dot com
My secret garden would have thousand of colorful flowers, a quiet, still pond, lush green grass good for laying down and watching the clouds, a gazebo for picnics and last of all a huge tree for shade...
ReplyDeleteAm i there yet?
r_rok64@hotmail.com
My secret garden....zinnias, ivy, a bench, and two kitties to keep each other company when I'm not there. :)
ReplyDeleteKelly
In my own secret garden my must-haves are peppers, tomatoes, cherry, raspberry, gladioli
ReplyDeletelusizova at gmail.com
Umm lets see... free of biting ants and other biting insects (i live in SC, its a concern hahaha), big old tress about to provide shade, a closed in gazebo to relax in and so I can sit in and watch storms, sweet smelling flowers and herbs to provide a treat to the senses, and.... a bigger pond with a couple duckies to feed and watch. :) Hahaha thanks for this! amazing_alex.0818[at]yahoo[dot]com
ReplyDeleteMy secret garden would have blue butterflies, a red fox, tulips, a fountain, and a lounge chair.
ReplyDeletekiddomsg at gmail dot com
my secret garden would include
ReplyDeletea cherry blossom tree
lily of the valley flower
wisteria
a koi fish pond
a little bridge
uk7ss At yahoo.com
My secret garden would include flowers of every color, birds, cats, a picnic table and a waterfall.
ReplyDeleteMy secret garden would have waves from the sea, my wonderfull Chanel, white and blue point hymalayen who past away 6 years ago and her new sister Miss Plume who is white and grey point ordinary cat whit her so intelligent way to be and me sitting between them looking over the sea to watch my dolphins coming...to say hello !
ReplyDeleteMarie, Québec, Canada
My secret garden must have climbing roses, scattered seashells, a wind chime, a hammock and lots of butterflies!
ReplyDeleteMy secret garden of wonderful splendor would include a trellis of roses, a small rock waterfall and a magical pond, a family of hummingbirds, wooden gnomes, faeries and pixies, and a delicious mango tree. : )
ReplyDeleteThanks so very much for this wonderful give~away! : )
leahita[at]gmail[dot]com
My garden would have roses for a great smell, and tomatoes because I love to eat them!
ReplyDeletelmr3683 at hotmail dot com
My secret garden will have a small house with a willow nearby, a lazy cat, who knows all my secrets, a wide blue water lake and lots of tulips)))
ReplyDeleteelen.rabkina(at)gmail(dot)com
What a great giveaway! I've been an admirer of your art for some time now actually. And I'm an avid gardener, and huge fan of the movie secret garden, and been planning my secret garden since I saw that movie when I was maybe 8.
ReplyDeleteI would have to have:
-A pond with water lilies, frogs, and koi fish. Including statues of mermaids alongside.
-A section with only cacti and succulents.
-A lady bug garden filled with ladybug attracting plants + plus a house for the little gals.
-A gazebo with ornate trellises filled with jasmine. And a Chaise longue perfect for reading or knitting.
-A swing with black eyed susan vines growing up around it either on supports or a wall of some kind.
My secret garden would have roses, gardenias, jasmine, birds flying freely around, butterflies, a little pond and a cosy, shady corner for me and my loved one(s)!!
ReplyDeleteDESPINA
deb_oro@yahoo.gr
Must have's:
ReplyDeletean ancient sundial
old fashioned climbing roses
a very comfortable reading bench or swing
bending, lazy hollyhocks
a formal hedge arrangement
elizabethglassturner (at) gmail (dot) com
My secret garben would include catnip and catgrass and of course alot of cats!
ReplyDeleteMy secret garden would have to have my mum in it, she is the best gardener I know! A lot of lady birds and butterflies and flowers of evry shade and hue and flowering trees so there is always a carpet of flowers to walk on and lots of suprises around every corner, and fruit trees so that there is a sumptuous tantalising treat ready to eat.
ReplyDeleteMy secret garden would have a hammock, shade trees, flowers, books, and my husband.
ReplyDeletemrs.marcus2 at yahoo dot com
My secret garden would have a tree that offered lots of shade with a hammock to rest on, a water feature include koi pond, one avocado tree, one lemon tree, & a kumquat tree!
ReplyDeletefastkat at gmail dot com
In my secret garden are my 4 cats intermittently chasing shadows and lazing in the sun, their fur dappled by the shade of the old weeping willow tree as the breeze teases its leaves.
ReplyDeleteChinese red poppies and wild daisies are scattered among the un-mowed grass.
I follow the a meandering path where dragonflies perform spectacular feats of aviation toward the arbor covered with purple clematis and fragrant sweet pea.
I continue further down that path and take a deep breath, smelling salt air, knowing that the beach awaits my toes.
>^^< peace
My Secret Garden would first of all need a big privacy fence, that is one thing that is so mystical about a "Secret" place, I remember as a kid my neighbor had a beautiful garden in her yard but a privacy fence around it, it was so cool to us kids to be able to find one crack between the boards so that we could see in but could never see all of it, it was a real mystery to us but yet very intriguing, that always stuck in my mind and made me want a Secret Garden. Second thing it would need would be big trees that branch out over the area to give it that privacy look, then I'd want some walkways out of stone leading to a fountain, must have a fountain! :) Next flowers that attract many butterflies while I sit on my garden bench and enjoy them :)
ReplyDelete1. Privacy Fence
2. Tree tops covering the area
3. Walkways of stone
4. Flowers that attract hummingbirds and butterflies.
5. A large Fountain
Jean Buchanan Williams
my secret garden would have a big magnolia tree with a swing, lots of scented flowers and herbs, a fountain, a kitty or two, and bird feeders for my feathered friends.
ReplyDeleteI love gardens, but I hate gardening, so my first "must have" is a gardener. He can be young or old, handsome or not, but he must know when I want to stay silent and when to chat about interesting things.
ReplyDeleteThen I would like a never ending supply of a magical wine that doesn't make me at all squiffy. Always chilled, always delicious. With a never ending supply of calorie-free tortilla chips and guacamole to eat. (is that 1, 2 or 3 things?!)
Then some beautiful fragrant plants: lavender, fuschias, evening scented nicotenia (?), roses and so on. A pond would be lovely...but in my perfect garden I would definitely need to have my dear beloved cat Pumpkin, who died September 2009 and who I still miss so very much (despite having three lovely cats now.)
I may have over run my 5 things, but I hope you'll forgive me!
My perfect tropical secret garden would have passion flower vines for butterflies to lay their eggs, heliconia, ginger and plumeria trees. Hibiscus too. And plenty of giant bird of paradise and banana plants. Those plants are for the hummingbirds and orioles. A nice water feature, not too large. The meandering path would be of small, smooth beach pebbles mixed with sand. And there would be a small fire pit for the goddess Pele. For lounging - a hammock. Can you tell? I LOVE Hawaii! Actually, most of that stuff will grow in SoCal, but it takes way too much water!
ReplyDeleteMore realistic would be a casual English cottage garden. I love that too! As long as my hummingbirds are happy, I'm happy!
My secret garden would be in a green, lush valley...where the fragrant wind with a breeze of fragrant flowers bloom.
ReplyDeleteThere would be lilies of the valley, and pink cherry blossoms.. everywhere a delight for the senses. And at the entance the most beautiful iron gate to walk through. Wendy Love Schuppan
many cats, a pomegranate tree, a water source, a very gree lawn and many many flowers..
ReplyDeletethank you for the opportunity, vary cute giveaway..i love your creations!
http://manusalegambette.blogspot.com
manuelasinigaglia@gmail.com
I love the idea of a secret garden. My secret garden would have: a birdbath and feeder, a wonderful garden swing to lay and read in, tons of herbs, roses and a dogwood tree
ReplyDeleteMine would have a variety of flowers, must have sun flowers and be animal friendly. Would love to have a pond and a gazebo (closed in) so my three kitties could enjoy with me.
ReplyDeleteTerri
tiofurbean@fuse.net
My secret garden would have a fountain, ladybugs, a fairy, lots of hibiscus and all the stray cats around so they could enjoy it!!!
ReplyDeletecatmint, oregano, basil, kale and carrots :D
ReplyDeleteMy secret garden would include-roses,hummingbirds,butterflies,a chair swing and a tiny bridge.cardshark42(at)hotmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteAny garden, secret or otherwise, must have birds and bird houses, a lovely pergoda covered with wisteria, and lots of butterflies on the huge bed of daisies. A calico cat sleeping under a soft pink hydrangea bush completes the perfect hideaway.
ReplyDeleteMy secret garden would have a hammock, a water fall, a big wooden door with a secret path and lots of birds and wild flowers.
ReplyDeletePrivacy provided by a tall hedge, native plants to appeal to birds and butterflies, a waterfall, and a garden bench under a white oak tree.
ReplyDeletemy secret garden would have a cozy cottage, a koi pond, a little bridge, waterfall/stream to the pond, and roses!
ReplyDeletebrianaduda at gmail dot com
My secret garden would include a large hammock under a beautiful large oak tree, my cats (who wouldn't run away) and a pond with Koi fish. Cute giveaway!
ReplyDeleteMy secret garden would include lots of blackberry bushes, a comfortable place to lounge on the grass, a big tree, a hammock, and lots of small flowers.
ReplyDeletemorgspen@msn.com
hanging fuscia baskets, lavender, catnip, butterfly bush, butterfliesm dragonflies, green grass, pond
ReplyDeleteI would like Lemon Balm,Thyme,Rosemary,Ginger and edible mushrooms:)
ReplyDeleteFun giveaway,thanks!!
cyclona66 at aol dot com
I am so excited about winning one of your beautiful creations. I would love to have your beautiful print of the little girl holding her flowers.
ReplyDeleteSandy Prenzi
1517 Bamburgh Drive
Plano, TX 75075