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The Leo Garden
Creativity, warmth, love, sunshine, play, children, theatre and a sense of enjoyment are some of the words that come to mind when I think of the sign Leo.
Leos enjoy the dramatic, making a statement, so at one end of the scale, gardens belonging to stately homes would describe Leos liking for the grand, the spacious, and the sweeping vista.
Maybe Longleat, home to Lord Bath, near Frome in Somerset, where lions roam freely in a safari park, in the grounds of his stately home, is the ultimate Leo 'garden', providing a home and sanctuary to the king and queen of beasts that are the symbol for this sign. There are also other things to entertain there too.
Although not strictly a 'garden', sacred places that were made to align with solar and lunar placements, also come to mind. Places like Stonehenge, Avebury and my local Stanton Drew.
Quality is important to Leo. Whether it's a piece of sculpture, or an exotic plant, quality is of the essence (look how those stones mentioned above have lasted). There can be a fine line sometimes between the gaudy and tacky, and stylish flamboyance, so think about the feeling of the place, and what you're comfortable with.
Some Leos are definitely out to impress, and those of this ilk will want something in their garden that reflects their status, and wanting to make a statement. However, there is another kind of Leo, who isn't that interested in the opinions of others. For them, creativity is what feeds their spirit and brings them joy.
With this type, their garden could include anything, but it is likely to be fun and playful, and may even have a sandpit (and not just for children), so forms can be moulded and changed at a whim.
As this is a Fire sign, a fire-pit, barbecue, somewhere where there are flames to draw people in, gather round, will add warmth in temperature and emotion. Entertaining is probably a frequent event, so somewhere comfortable to eat and drink is essential. A screen on the wall for films, and a super sound system would provide hours of outdoor entertainment, or you may want to perform yourself.
Plant-wise, anything large, dramatic, and exotic would suit the Leo temperament. Palms, phormiums, crocosmias, cannas would create the 'jungle' effect, although some of these would have to be moved to a sheltered, warmer place for the winter (unless you live somewhere frost-free).
The sunflower (Helianthus annuus) is the flower I associate with Leo, which is naturally 'ruled' by the Sun. Some possibilities are 'Eversun', a deep yellow, 1.8m, 'Moonwalker' (if you'd like a Cancerian influence too), 'Sunspot', a dwarf variety, 60cm x 20cm, and 'Velvet Queen' , a tall, 1.5m, dark red.
Any plants with 'helio' (meaning sun) in the name would be great here. Colours associated with Leo are yellow, gold, orange, and maybe a dash of red, so gazanias, rudbekias, and marigolds would all add brightness.
A creative Leo garden is one full of sunshine (even if it's cloudy), with delights for the eye, children of all ages well catered for, and a place for warming the heart and the spirit.
Copyright: Sue Walker. January 2019.
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