Last year my husband built an arbor on which Nellie Moser Clematis are growing. The arbor acts as the entrance to the garden path. It was a joy creating little vignettes in the garden. It is simply another way to decorate which happens to be a passion of mine as well. I've found lots of old unique items to set in the garden. Nothing is too old or rusty to find a special place in the garden. Sometimes when I need an uplift, I take a stroll on the garden path taking in the flowers that are blooming, pull a weed or two along the way and before I know it I am revived and ready to move on to my next project.

Since the garden in so shaded by the woods and only gets a couple of hours of the morning sun, it has been a challenge to find the best perennials to plant. Also the deer, squirrels and chipmunks play havoc on the garden plants. But what a haven on a hot afternoon when the chores are done just to sit on the old porch swing that hangs between two large oak trees and sip a cool lemonade, pina colada or margarita relaxing and taking in the calming beauty of the garden path with its vignettes. My husband even sits for a while taking a break from mowing our 4-acre yard to have a drink and cool down in the shade.

At night when it gets cooler we sit by the fire and wait for the landscape lights to come on. I enhance the ambiance with lighting the many candles that are placed throughout my Garden Haven - - It doesn't get any more perfect than this!!!