|
COLOR
AND TEXTURE IN YOUR GARDEN
by
Eloise Helm
Color, texture, layer, and spacing have to be considered
when planting gardens. Mix ground plants with pot planted
to create a balance, especially with pot containers for
terraces, patios and steps. Containers create attractive
changes of levels and soften the appearances. Containers
form structural points of interest and are used to frame
steps or patios. Most plants can be grown in containers;
even climbers can be planted in containers next to a wall.
Containers
are available in a wide range of sizes and styles, from
wooden to ceramic pots. Water enhances your garden and brings
a special fascination to any garden with an inherent tranquility
with restful sounds and movement. A stepped waterfall adds
calmness with water bubbling over stones or rocks.
Patios
and courtyards are hard surfaced spaces with enclosed gardens
and are ideal spaces to create when you live in towns and
cities with limited space. Providing an area for sitting
and an informal eating-place on a patio can be interesting
and smoothing to the nerves. Displaying a wide range of
plants in containers, including herbs, small trees, shrubs,
flowers and fruit trees enhance your space and make good
Feng Shui for city living. Climbers in containers are useful
to soften the edge of rigid and hard elements and add character
to your home. By adding a screen or trellis with decorative
climbers, vines add privacy and protection from wind. Change
of levels is often useful in developing a compact space
and can be done with different size pots. Small lights can
be added for practical use as well as being attractive.
City living calls for low maintenance design and the weight
of the containers lighten the patio or deck load. Plastic
or fiberglass containers are preferable to those made with
terracotta or stone. If your garden is subject to strong
winds trellis and other windbreak filters provide shelter
for you and your plants. No one can appreciate the importance
of having a small patio garden, than me. After years of
city living. Now I truly appreciate the beautiful garden
that I have created from living in a ground level home.
Trees
are most often valued for their shading and framing that
provide interest with foliage, flowers, and plants and walk
ways. Flowers, with their bright colors, planted amongst
trees bring contrasts to the green lush leaves of a tree.
However, there are certain trees that have their own beauty
such as a Japanese maple and where planted in the right
location adds to the design of the garden. Plants that change
character with the seasons give a garden a lively interest.
By planting trees that flower successively such as a Judas
tree or catalpa for summer and Eucryphia nymansesis for
fall and automnalis for winter, on going interest is maintained
with the focal point altering as the seasons change. Most
evergreens provide interest all year. |
