Here comes the bride - the construction phase of a garden for weddings

Linda, a dear friend, has dreams of a bride and groom getting married under the pergola in her garden some day.  Not only a site for weddings, the garden just east of Kansas City will be a place for social and church gatherings and be open, from time to time, for garden tours.

But, first, the construction phase.

A pile of sand and a cement mixer are signs that there is some serious construction going on here.  

The bricks are being made on site using this form.  Because a specific color is desired for some of the bricks, this time consuming process is preferred over buying ones at a local brickyard.  

Lines and stacks of bricks are ready to be installed in one of the remaining paths being constructed in the garden.  The design of the garden was modified when Linda discovered that the planned pathways don't work for some of the shortcuts she takes. 

Paths and gates are designed to be wide enough for wheelchairs.

Right now this fountain is a favorite swimming hole of the two resident dogs.  Built with ledges to hold water garden plants, next year this water feature will be full of plants.  The dogs will have to be content with swimming in another water garden constructed just for them on the edge of the garden.  

Here's a place where Linda can sit and watch the dogs swim, read a book, reflect on the day, pray, and plan out the next phase of the garden.  


With some plants in place and many more to come, Linda's plan is to mainly use native shrubs and perennials in the garden.  It's a tough site that is wide open to the elements.  There is pasture on the south and east sides of the garden and her earth contact home is on the north.  The large windows of the house overlook the garden.  She has found that many plants that grow successfully in most parts of Kansas City have a tough time here.  


What would you plant in this garden?