I have been gardening nearly all my life, several decades. I have learned from friends, classes, books, the internet, a garden club to which I belonged, and most recently a retired doctor of horticulture and master daylily hybridizer. I have yet to have actually achieved my "dream garden".
In my dream garden, there is not a lot of grass. The grass that does coexist is lush, a little long and does not harbor creeping Charlie, nor quack grass masquerading as its domesticated cousin. The grass does not have grubs actively working its roots. It does not go dormant, dry out, or think about colonizing my garden beds.
In my dream garden, all the daylilies and iris actually bloom every year. Some of my iris don't bloom any given year making it hard for someone who is constantly moving stuff about to not throw out the baby with the bath water. I also have some poorly positioned daylilies in a bit too shady of spots that do not send up scapes. Whoever decided daylilies can tolerate shade was wrong, particularly since I have seen the effect of daylilies that get everything they need to be spectacular (in the garden of Dr. Darrel Apps). Full sun, people!
I will finish my hardscape projects, like this dry stone laid path, the beginnings of which can be seen here.
And I would have some nice statuary and garden art.
My dream garden would have lots of roses, clematis and peonies. They wouldn't be sad sorts of roses, clematis, and peonies with just a bloom or two. No, they would be so over laden with blooms that the weight of spring rains bear the blooms to the ground. Overblown and lush, their millions of petals would carpet the ground.
