Can You Name This Garden?

It is obvious that a garden lover lives here. But who? Can you guess from the pictures? This past week I had the pleasure of visiting the gardens of two garden blogger friends and the garden of an American President. There will be other posts. I thought it might be fun to show pictures of this garden and have you guess who gardens here. This garden has been pictured on this gardener's blog, in magazines and even on a book cover. I have seen many pictures of this garden but I have not seen it in person before this past week. November is not an optimal time to visit a garden but this gardener showed no reluctance in sharing her (first clue) garden. It has a very small front garden on a quiet street in a cozy neighborhood. The side garden leads down a slope to the back garden but the best view of the back garden is from the deck on the house. From the deck one can look down into garden which elbows up to the woodlands. The above view has been seen by many of us but I don't remember seeing the birdhouses on the tree or, at least, noticing them. It is a climb down many steps to the lower level. When you are down in this garden it feels secluded and very private. There is a bench for contemplation which sits along a path to the woods. There are chairs at the top of the garden which look like they are actually used since the umbrella has been added for comfort during hot, sunny days. It was a rainy day but the foliage was glowing yellow, amber and copper while the evergreens provided green contrast. You can see the textures of this garden right through the fallen leaves. Textures carry a garden through the seasons and this garden is full of texture which shows the skill of this gardener. This view was a surprise to me as I don't think that I have seen this photographed.  From a distance, this looks like an underwater scene with the ivy mimicking seaweed. The watering cans might give it away upon closer inspection but this is a clever treatment for a dark, under the deck, area.  Have you guessed whose garden I visited on this day? It was the garden of the always smiling, ever energetic and daring Susan Harris. Daring because she is leaving this garden after 26 years of nurturing. I call that daring. I have known Susan for three years and while she is famous for many things,The Lawn Reform Coalition, Garden Rant, Gardener Susan and Garden Center Blogging, her commitment to gardening, the environment and her friendship are what make her famous to me. Thank you for the visit, Susan. I thoroughly enjoyed the view and can't wait to see what you do with the new garden.