Now when it comes to Gardens, I am often at a loss.  I feel incapable of finding direction, I literally want architectural meets rambling cottage, meets low maintenance meets child friendly grow your own vegetables meets no lawn or all lawn!  You get the idea, I have no idea.  The above is a shot of my friend Jodie's garden, it is inspired by Italian gardens.  Our dear friends the Rivards over the pond have just had their garden landscaped and too be perfectly honest, I think it may be the way we have to go.