IN THE GARDEN

By Caroline Collins

I recently attended a lecture by Ron Rule, a well-known landscape architect in Vancouver, B.C. and was pleased to receive a list of his ten secrets for artful small gardens. I’ve summarized Mr. Rule’s secrets, and I hope they’ll help others bring a little magic to their outdoor spaces.

Create a sense of entry to entice visitors. Be especially mindful of pedestrian entry, which is more inviting than just a big driveway and looming garage door.

Extend the residence into the garden to encourage “indoor/outdoor living.” You can link indoors and out by using similar materials, such as paving, and exchange of items, such as potted plants inside, and dining furniture outside.

Use trees! Young trees do look forlorn in their pots at the nursery, but planted and given a few years to reach a decent size, they help to give a more intimate character to your garden. Be careful not to buy something whose final size will be too large for your yard. Pruning is not intended to limit a tree’s final size, just its shape. Trees that have been topped (had their tops cut off to keep them small) often become dangerous because new, compensatory limb growth is not securely attached to the tree trunk.

Try a water feature. It can be as simple as an urn overflowing into a concealed reservoir, where a pump is placed to return water to the urn. As long as the water keeps moving it won’t provide a haven for mosquitoes.

Elevational change is important. If you can get a backhoe over to push some dirt around, you can create interest at less expense than you might have thought. Even a grade change of as little as ten inches can give your garden structure. If you don’t have any spare dirt, ask around.

Create at least one intimate space outdoors. Find an area that you can section off with plantings or walls, and use that to add mystery and romance to your overall scheme. (Do not use it as a place to store a refrigerator you are going to fix one day.)

Paths. Adding walkways, whose destinations are perhaps unclear, is a good way to improve circulation around your garden and contribute to a sense of wonder and exploration. If one of them ends up at the compost heap, that’s okay. At least your guests will know why you pressed rotten vegetables into their hands before sending them off to wander.

Mask boundaries and extend views. When dealing with the perimeter of your garden, soften the edges with plantings. Create openings to highlight the “borrowed landscape” that a view of nature or your neighbor’s garden may afford.

Light and Dark. Create light and dark areas with plantings and hardscaping so that there are a variety of environments to pass through, and microclimates to grow shade- and sun-loving plants.

Continuity. Find elements to repeat in the front and back of your garden.

This beautiful fall weather signals that it is time to plant. Now is a fantastic time to purchase a tree you like (C.G. Bloomer’s on Benson Road has a few) and find a spot for it. You’ll be amply rewarded in spring when it leafs out, and in years to come. It’s a good first step toward a more artful garden.

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