Photos: Bill Aldrich

Shiver your timbers, all those who ventured on the Men’s Garden Club of Villa Park’s garden walk over the weekend. The final garden in the brochure warned of a “nautical theme,” which doesn’t ring true with a garden aficionado. What’s the connection between the green earth and the deep blue sea?     Ah, of course, blue-dyed mulch. Then a raised planting bed in the shape of a small boat. Clematis climbs the ersatz dinghy’s sail, a pirate’s skeleton (complete with red do-rag, eye patch, large earring and a parrot on its right shoulder) rests amid ship and plants sprout as if randomly planted within the boat.     The scene is but one of the many nautical touches lent to this wonderful backyard. Collected by homeowners Robin and Jim on trips to the East Coast and Key West, the intricately connected collection has been put together/built over the last four years. An above-ground swimming pool is the focal point of the assemblage. An outdoor dining area behind the garage is overshadowed by a large pirate flag. For the gardeners among us, there was a neat vegetable garden near the back fence and some fine perennials and annuals sprinkled throughout. Pirate flags, miniature lighthouses and fish replicas along the fence line kept the garden from being, oh, just a garden. And one last touch: lobster traps on the garage roof. Ahoy indeed! —Bill Aldrich See more photos of this garden on our Facebook page.