There was a spot in my front yard where grass never grew. For a while I had raised beds there … then the deer found them and most of my vegetables were gone. Seems like what the deer didn’t take the squirrels were happy to nibble on.
Not too long after removing the raised beds I got tired of mowing weeds and dust (again) and decided I needed to bury the spot where grass wouldn’t grow. I followed my normal project development path …. wait until a picture comes to mind, draw the picture, work out the details, then make the picture.
The container garden (gravel area) covers the spot. Johnny Jump-ups grow randomly within and are starting to fill in the boxes that border the area. The entrance arbor has hops (a fast-growing vine with fragrant flowers) on it, the stairs from the driveway are flanked by lavender. The sundial is from my Dad’s garden, and he got it from his Mom. Just in front of the hanging baskets is a 4×8 foot zen garden with a selection of rocks and a rake.
The area under mulch is the flower garden that has plants to attract butterflies and hummingbirds, flowers for cutting, and berry-bearing bushes to feed the birds in winter. There’s also a nook near the street that gets great PM sunlight … a warm, quiet spot for late afternoon reading. The walls of the nook are covered by a fragrant clematis. The view of the house from the nook is a favorite … you look over Sweet William, Day Lily, Yarrow, Columbine, Aster to see the house with a weeping cherry on one side, lilacs on the other. Maples surround the house with color each fall.
I might tuck in one or two more plants, but the project is done. It was mostly wheelbarrow, rake and shovel work …. I only used power tools in the shop making the chairs, tables, arbor … and the project took two years to complete. While working I thought of lessons from photography … balance in composition, contrasting and complimentary colors, leading lines and repetitive elements … and tried to incorporate those ideas into the project. I’m not sure I succeeded in all points, and it’s certainly not a work of art like Church’s gardens at Olana, but I do like the results. How about you? There's a comment box below ... What do you think?
Be well and stay safe.
Gordon.
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