How to get the most from your garden
Most people who choose to reside in townhouse communities consider freedom from yard maintenance a major advantage. Although I’m drawn to this lifestyle and have always loved my cottage size townhome, I prefer to be hands-on and directly involved in the appearance and upkeep of its exterior surroundings.
An attractive front lawn can profoundly enhance the entrance appeal of one’s home, and the resulting increase in property value is an added bonus, as well. That patch of green, no matter its size, can become as personalized as what lies inside the front door – a “first impression” thing.
After being given permission by my Homeowners Association to personally landscape and maintain my small front yard, within their restrictions, I went into the planning phase of the project mindful of two significant and challenging factors: First, the yard was situated in a confined, limited area beside a busy parking lot, coupled with heavy foot traffic and many dog walkers. Secondly, I wanted to find ways to tastefully integrate an extensive range of gardening ideas collected over the years. The lawn was re-sodded and framed with a scalloped white picket fence reflective of the house trim and style. A curved stone bench was then placed in the center of the garden-inprogress and flanked by plants and river rock on each side. It provides a serene focal point and sparked the idea for an S-shaped mortared white flagstone border along the bed next to the house. The centerpiece bench, which I painted to match, sits atop a huge piece of the same flagstone.
Beds were configured to surround the yard in a contoured fashion, built high with deep, crisp trenches and carpeted with rich-colored bark mulch.
Irregular shaped stones form a pathway that meanders along the fence line bed and provides a “stroll garden” effect. No straight lines were used because I wanted the garden to have a natural rambling feel. A rock garden was added to a front corner of the yard and outlined in three layers of dry-set mossy stone stackers. Mortar was not used between the stackers so that plants could re-seed in the crannies and crevices. Butterflies flock to the French lavender, which releases a wonderful aromatic scent throughout the garden, especially following a rain.
The use of different varieties of stone in the design my garden has been invaluable and both functional and ornamental. I selected, washed, varnished and placed similar boulders in each of the beds for consistency to help unify my ideas. Varnishing the stone reveals the grain within and makes it shine and glisten.
Plants, shrubs and trees were chosen for the beds in variegated shades of green with different leaf shapes and sizes for a textured look. Italian Cypress trees, with their tall columnar shape and year-round greenery, add character to the garden without taking up space. Small statuettes and various forms of garden art were tucked into the shrubbery for accent.
While mixed seasonal floral color has been used on occasion, I’ve come to prefer white flowers for a one-color cool palette which seems to make the area appear larger and less busy. With the use of strategically placed solar lights, the garden takes on a new personality at night when the lights reflect off the white flower petals and lustrous stone.
Planning, designing and actually making this garden a reality has been a fascinating experience that continues to gratify me as I care for it, watch it grow and change and surprise passersby. It is evidence that “gardening magic and charm” are possible in the smallest of spaces and in the midst of obstacles.
– Jo Ann Garner
