Some of the best gardens in the area are The Cheekwood Botanical Gardens

I have to admit that I’ve never been a gardener, but with our new patio design, I want to get a head start on planning the surrounding flowerbeds before it’s time to plant. Nashville gardeners will tell you that it’s tricky finding plants that do well in our extreme summer heat, and many yards just opt for grass, some well placed rocks and mulch. But I want more than that for our outdoor living space, and to get it right, I’ll need some help and some ideas. Some of the best gardens in the area are The Cheekwood Botanical Gardens.

Cheekwood not only has it’s own beautiful gardens that serve as inspiration, but it’s also a great resource for both novice and seasoned gardeners. Cheekwood is also the umbrella organization for 70 different garden clubs in the region. So the first step for my patio area is a trip to Cheekwood for me and a few of my friends. Hopefully between the four of us, I won’t miss anything important since I’m starting from scratch.

My patio is east facing, so I’ll have the advantage of the morning sun without the intense afternoon heat. It’s not only great for the plants, it’s nice for us since we like to be on our patio as much as possible. We’ve got several choices for special garden lectures in the spring months, but I think the one I’m most interested in is the Native Plant sale. On this day we can learn not only about what plants will thrive in our gardens because they’re native to the area, but we’ll also be able to buy some while there.

Another interesting lecture I might take in later is the Spring Daffodil Show. It’s a contest where local gardeners bring their best daffodil specimens to share with other gardeners. I know I can learn a lot by just walking around, enjoying the entries and talking with gardeners who know their stuff.

Before our trip to Cheekwood, I want to make a basic garden plan for my patio. Then I can ask about the plants I’m interested in and if they’ll work in the space I have. I’ll need to know if I’m in the right zone for the plants I like, how many hours of sunlight the beds get and what type of soil I have. That way I can get some specific information so I’m giving the plants I choose a healthy start. I also want things that come up on their own each year so I’m not re-planting every spring. We definitely want a wisteria vine to eventually cover our pergola for shade, and I think some nice shades of green ground coverings and a few bushes will complete the job. For some color, I’ll probably use potted annuals, but I want some that can stand the heat.

I’m really looking forward to our morning at Cheekwood. If we go during the week I think I’ll treat my friends to lunch at the Pineapple Room Restaurant that overlooks the west lawn. It’s the least I can do for all their help in getting my patio garden beds up and growing.