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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.
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