This post, “A Different Perspective” was written for my WordPress blog called Always Growing by Jan in Covington, Louisiana
So often when we garden, we only see the close up view and not the big picture. I realized this one spring day about three years ago. I walked across the street to talk to one of the neighbors, and I just happened to glance back at my property. I was shocked at how great the side garden looked. The azaleas were in bloom, the arbor looked perfect, and the flower beds were looking their spring-time best. It was everything I wanted my garden to be.
I was also able to see where things were needed. How the colors of one bed needed to be extended across to another one, and how one side of the house had more plantings than the other. Another thing I had to reconsider was how some of the garden did not flow together; some of the beds were just too separate.
Since that time, whenever I step back to see how things are looking, I do not just look from 10 – 20 feet away, but now move across the street to see how things are shaping up. Now that I have a digital camera, I will be taking pictures because many times pictures make us see things differently.
Sometimes it is a good idea to see our gardens as other people see them – from a distance.
Always Growing 
Annie in Austin said,
February 4, 2008 at 10:16 am
This has happened to me, too, Jan, when you’re at a neighbor’s house and suddenly get an insight. I’m glad your experience was so pleasant!
Maybe you’ve heard this before, but I’ve read about people walking around looking at their gardens in a mirror so the reversed image makes them see the design in a different way.
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
I hadn’t heard of using a mirror, but that is a great idea. Thanks for suggesting it.
Jan