“Live in the sunshine. Swim in the sea. Drink in the wild air.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson.
“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life.” – Steve Jobs.
“August is the border between summer and autumn; it is the most beautiful month I know.” – Tove Jansson.
“August is the Sunday of summer.” – MaK Cov.
“The first week of August hangs at the very top of summer, the top of the live-long year, like the highest seat of a Ferris wheel when it pauses in its turning…” – Natalie Babbitt.
“This morning, the sun endures past dawn. I realise that it is August: the summer’s last stand.” – Sara Baume.
“Remember to be gentle with yourself and others. We are all children of chance, and none can say why some fields will blossom while others lay brown beneath the August sun.” – Kent Nerburn.
If you’re not sure that maximalism is for you, try it out this summer with annuals. Pick your favorite flowers and foliage and go wild! Fill dozens of hanging baskets and containers with pretty petunias, angelonia, and zinnias, then echo those container plantings with the same annuals in landscape beds. By choosing just a few varieties of plants in beautiful, bold colors—and planting them everywhere in the garden—you’ll make a gorgeous impact that’s sure to turn heads.
If you adore garden maximalism after a trial run with annuals, begin incorporating perennials, bulbs, and shrubs for your future garden design. Maximalism is not just a summer fling. When creating a maximalist garden plan, consider garden interest throughout the seasons. While it may seem easier to create a bold, dazzling summer garden, gardens should be interesting and attractive all year.
Choose your favorite early-blooming spring bulbs—and plant them by the hundreds. Select reblooming azaleas that provide spring and fall color—and create dramatic swaths of color throughout the garden. Sow hundreds of sunflower seeds for late summer and fall blooms. Choose plants with fall foliage interest. By planning an ongoing show in the garden, you’ll spend more time enjoying your outdoor space throughout the year.
Make it personal and add your unique touch to a maximalism garden. Along with over-the-top plants, maximalism embraces your personality. Add your favorite fabrics and embellishments throughout the garden space. Mix colorful cushions in varying patterns to adorn your outdoor furniture. Add arbors, trellises, garden art, bird baths…whatever accents give you pleasure. Paint your shed a bold color. Design a mural for your fence. Hang a chandelier from a strong branch. Curate your favorite collection of garden gnomes for a delightful, whimsical display.
Browse your local art shows, garden expos, and antique shops to look for unique garden accents that speak to you. You don’t need to spend a fortune on fancy garden art to embellish your maximalist garden-just pick interesting items that you love!
Still maximalism isn’t about creating a high-maintenance garden. The design should provide joy and delight, not an abundance of ongoing work. After all, the purpose of creating an over-the-top garden space is to relish the garden as you relax or entertain friends, not spend hours every weekend keeping it pristine.
Remember a densely planted maximalist garden might make you think it requires a lot of maintenance, but you’ll find that picking the right plants makes your life easier. Choose low-maintenance—but big impact—plants with bold blooms and vibrant colors. Select plants with similar needs: full sun or shade, moist soil or dry, and make sure they’re suitable to your climate.
Planting densely helps minimize weeds, as does adding a layer of mulch to the landscape. Consider drip irrigation to make your life easy—and your plants happy. Then kick back, and relax with an over-the-top fruity umbrella drink, while savoring the joy of your maximalist garden.
[King David went in and sat before the Lord, and he said:] “How great You are, O Sovereign Lord! There is no one like You, and there is no God but You, as we have heard with our own ears.” 2 Samuel 7:22. “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God — through Jesus Christ our Lord!” Romans 7:24-25. “Do not bring a detestable thing into your house or you, like it, will be set apart for destruction. Utterly abhor and detest it, for it is set apart for destruction.” Deuteronomy 7:26. “When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at His teaching, because He taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.” Matthew 7:28-29. “Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days, keep your tongue from evil and your lips from telling lies.” Psalm 34:12-13.