The Secret Garden

Diane Frisco's Secret Garden

On the hottest day in July, I went to visit Diane Frisco's Secret Garden. Diane is a member of the Dogwood Circle, and has created a beautiful garden in honor of her dog Abby. She told me this story.

After losing their beloved black lab, Daisy, the Frisco family went looking to rescue another black lab. Their granddaughter, Rachel, was with them the day they visited the shelter, and fell in love with a white American Bull dog. So Abby came home with the family instead of a black lab. Abby had been abused and was found roaming the streets so the family knew it would take a lot of work to gain Abby's trust.

It took about a year of Diane talking to Abby for that trust to be gained. Abby is now a quite, gentle dog that welcomes visitors to the Frisco home. Since Joe and Diane are "gardening people", they decided to create a place in their backyard for Diane to sit with Abby and to talk to her.  Diane told me she tells Abby all of her secrets, and that's the story of how the "Secret Garden" came about. Oh, Yes, Diane says, "Abby understands me when I tell her my secrets".

There is a fence around the garden and a mailbox at the entrance. Inside the garden you will see an old fashioned water pump, a table with a tea set and two chairs, a water garden in a tub, birdhouses, and mirrors. Diane's favorite item in the garden is an old chandelier that was found at a yard sale. Her husband turned it into a solar chandelier and it now hangs in a tree in the garden. You will see a yellow bird cage with a miniature rose bush growing through it, gingers, caladiums, rudbeckias, yellow lilies, and a red drift shrub rose hibiscus. Diane is a succulent lover and planted desert plants in a framed window on the side of the shed next to the garden.

It is a lovely place for a lady and her precious dog, Abby,  to relax and share secrets together early in the morning or late afternoon.


This post was written by Mandarin Garden Club member, Betty Waldrep.