Jay Sifford, My Garden, My Teacher

The first part is a photographic tour of my garden and the reasoning behind it. The second part deals with both the design lessons and the life lessons that my garden has taught me.

A good garden is a metaphor for life and, if we listen, can affect the direction and the quality of our lives. I do tend to approach garden design from these perspectives: art, philosophy, psychology, spirituality, story-telling, magic and horticulture.

BIO: Jay Sifford is a garden designer based in Charlotte, NC. He describes himself as an artist, a magician, a story-teller and a horticulturist. He believes that everyone can have a great garden and that a great garden is much more than just a collection of plants. Jay uses philosophical, psychological and spiritual principles to design magical and immersive gardens that create a perfect retreat for reflection and regeneration.

Jay wrote weekly articles for Houzz for three years. His work has been published in Southern Living, Country Gardens, Fine Gardening, and Garden Design. Jay’s personal garden will be featured in an upcoming book by Karen Chapman called “Deer-Resistant Design”.