Blood, Sweat & Tears: The Making of a Shade Garden

I thought I would share the project that kicked off my gardening season last March. I had been working on design plans all winter for our own property, and redoing the side yard took priority as I knew I wanted to move some mature plants early in the spring. Our side yard is actually a good size, and you can see in one of my first posts about my lovely twisted sisters that it is also rather bare with a slope of approximately three feet. The previous homeowner had used this area for a daycare and had 12 yards of sand dumped in for the kids to play on. Not so good for lawn or garden, but with perseverance and a great deal of compost I have slowly been able to improve the growing conditions.

Even though the grass now grows, this portion of our property is hardly used as it is completely visible to the neighbour who frightens the kids and the dog. Perhaps I'll enlighten you more in another post, but I'll be be charitable today and spare everyone the ongoing saga of the fight for privacy from said scary neighbour.

I planned the new shade garden to consist of two tiers to address the slope. Each tier measure 8' wide by 24' long. As our property sits perched on fractured limestone, the first order of business was to search for the ever prevalent rock that plagues my gardening enjoyment. This first find proved to be a challenge. Barely sticking out of the soil, I had no idea what I was about to get myself into...a battle with a three foot triangle of limestone that did not want to go quietly.

There is nothing like a pair of steel-toed boots to make a girl feel like superwoman! Armed with a shovel and a pry bar, and a weak knowledge of basic physics, I started off feeling rather invincible. Two hours later, exhausted, and utterly annoyed I called in back-up. My son Jo was 13 in that photo, and had sprung up to 6'2" over the course of the winter. His new found strength came in handy though he enjoyed gloating a little too much that he was finally stronger than his mother. (In my defence I do believe the rock was still wet, and therefore heavy, from the spring thaw...I can normally do this on my own.)

Triumph! With Jo's help (he's still in his pajamas!) the rock was shimmied over to take the corner position of the first tier. To finish off, stone was unearthed from this garden area and other various locations, and after four days of digging, lugging, preparing base, and levelling I was ready to start prepping the soil...and have a very long nap.

Lots of compost went into the beds as well as five yards of Gro-Max which is a fantastic product I order from my local supplier. The garden filled in with a lovely mixture of textures and my favourite vibrant hues of green from emerald to chartreuse...perennials include hostas, ferns, brunnera 'Jack Frost', heucheras, polemonium (Jacob's Ladder), Alchemilla mollis, (Lady's Mantle), hydrangea 'Annabelle'. I added two clipped yews for vertical accent and two Japanese maples which my wonderful, thrifty husband had bought for me at an end-of-year blowout sale for only $8.00 each.

Here are some photos of the finished product as it started to fill out in May and June:

Upper tier

My elegant $8 japanese maple looking pretty in the morning sun

A hedge of Annabelle hydrangea back the lower tier

Though it looks like fall this photo was taken at the beginning of July - the effect of the drought can be seen with falling leaves littering the curved pathway between the garden and the house. Two large rain barrels sit to the right of this picture which helped keep everyone alive.

I am so looking forward to seeing this garden spring back to life over the next two months. Until next time I wish you sunshine, warm days, peace and joy!

Les Quatre Vents: a beautiful legacy

 “We should be transported from our regular preoccupations. With an open heart and soul we can be receptive to the images, scents, sounds, spaces, and views that surround us, as well as to the touch of the wind and the rain, to the peace everlasting of the “genius of the place.”

 ~ Frank Cabot, "The Greater Perfection" 

I am guilty, dear readers, of overlooking what has been in my own rather large Canadian backyard. In fact I have somehow overlooked what is "considered to be one of horticultural masterpieces of the 20th century". Like many of us, my attention has been trained on the spectacular gardens of England and France and the famous designers that inspire and teach us. Granted, Canada is rather a large backyard, but I find no excuse for not knowing that such a glorious creation existed just one province away.

I first saw a picture of Les Quatre Vents (garden of The Four winds) just two short months ago as I was perched at my desk, researching the web for information on Canadian gardens...it was sheer joy when the image below from ridngthebuses.com appeared on the screen. I was completely enraptured by the unique border of ornamental rhubarb, the rill leading us to the view beyond. It was rather unusual - and daring - and brilliant. I was smitten and I have been searching for information on Frank Cabot and Les Quatre Vents ever since.

I am not going to write an in-depth piece here (I hope you don't find me lazy), but what I am going to do is provide you with some inspiring photos. I have compiled a list of links at the end of this post that will take you to articles written by authors who have actually visited the gardens and will do much more justice to this place than I could at this moment.

Situated near La Malbaie, Charlevoix County, Quebec Les Quatre Vents is the private garden of Frank Cabot and his wife Anne. A self-taught gardener and designer, Cabot spent 25 years developing, restoring and creating 20 acres of masterful garden 'rooms' that include the whimsical, the formal, the lush and so much more - all infused with Cabot's passionate eye to the "genius of the place".

Sadly, Mr. Cabot passed away in November 2011 at the age of 86. I am committed to visiting the garden this summer, even in the midst of our busiest season, but  I confess I deeply regret that I will not have the opportunity to meet this most inspiring gardener. He leaves us now his gardens as teachers and I hope you will find some inspiration from his work as I have.

Ornamental rhubarb creates a luscious border
Photo via: Riding the Buses

Frank Cabot in the garden at Les Quatre Vents
photo via: finegardening.com

A clever use of mirrors in the garden...
 creating the illusion that you could simply walk forever 
Photo via: finegardening.com

An archway in the pigeoniere beckons us to the gardens beyond
photo via: Doug Green's Blog

The Tea House at Les Quatres Vents
photo via: inthegarden.marthastewart.com

The stunning contrast of the formal within a natural setting
photo via: The Cassandra Pages

A touch of whimsy...
This is from a wonderful collection of photos:

Photo via: Riding the Buses

...and also from  Riding the Buses
a stunning vista of glorious spring colour

The Blue Moon Bridge - I am speechless
Photo via: finegardening.com

For more information on Les Quatre Vents follow the links below:


ARTICLES & PHOTOS:
http://ridingthebuses.com/2011/07/gardens-of-the-world-les-quatre-vents/
http://blog.douggreensgarden.com/more-pics-from-les-quatre-vents/
http://www.finegardening.com/item/20647/the-gardens-of-les-quatre-vents
http://www.cassandrapages.com/the_cassandra_pages/2010/07/charlevoix-iii-jardin-des-quatre-vents.html
http://inthegarden.marthastewart.com/2011/12/01/frank-cabot/


VIRTUAL TOUR:
http://www.etpanorama.com/Cabot_Garden_demo/Cabot_Garden_Intro.html


TO BUY TICKETS: 
http://cepas.qc.ca/jour-heure.php

THE DVD

Mr. Cabot has narrated a DVD about the gardens. A sample clip is available on youtube and at the link below. The charm, passion and wit is audibly apparent in the warm tones of the gardener.

http://gardenconservancy.org/about/news/135-new-quatre-vents-dvd-available




THE BOOK:

You may have a hard time finding this book, I certainly have which is making the yearning that much more intense. Available online at all the usual places like Barnes & Noble, Chapters, and Amazon 'The Great Perfection' has a rather shocking sticker price. 

I have seen used copies available from just under $200.00 to well over $2000.00. At the time of this writing, there does not seem to be any new copies on the market. I am hoping if I am successful in making my garden trek, a copy may be available at the gardens themselves. wish me luck...and send me an email if you have a copy you would like to sell for less than the prices mentioned above :)

Deciphering your garden style

Show me your garden 

and I shall tell you 

what you are.

~ Alfred Austin

My Mom was the gentlest of souls. She was quiet but creative, shy but powerful, and her touch spoke volumes.  She was a passionate gardener, though a little careful in her decisions. In her front gardens (the bit the public could see) she allowed only geraniums, begonias, dusty miller and sweet alyssum. But in our back gardens she adored a profusion of peonies, roses, tiger lilies, asters... soft pinks, punches of colour and summer fragrance. A true romantic. Often shy, my Mom was able to express herself with greater clarity and confidence in the garden.
Gardens are a reflection of who we are. For the new gardener it can all be very confusing and the biggest challenge is just trying to figure out where to begin. 
To that I would say, you must begin at the beginning. Before a shovel so much as touches the earth you have to make some decisions...many actually, but we are going to take this one step at a time.
You have to decide what makes you content, fulfilled, at peace...at one with your own universe.
A good place to start is your wardrobe. How do you like to dress: is your closet filled with simple lines, muted tones, the perfect black dress, a touch of silver, everything refined and polished. Or do you love prancing around in prairie skirts, ruffles and flip flops. Does vintage make you swoon or are you a jeans and t-shirt sort of gal (or guy). Now head out of the closet and take a look at the interior of your home - what is your style, do you like modern, classic, shabby chic? What are your favourite colours, textures, patterns?
These are all good places to look for clues that will help you blend your garden harmoniously with your house and your lifestyle. And, dear friends, that is our illustrious end goal.
Lets explore this a bit more with some pretty visuals:
If you love modern sensibilities and nothing pleases you more than simple, clean lines and a distinct lack of clutter then you might just like the modern style of gardening. This is characterized by strong geometrical shapes and straight lines in pathways, patios and gardens. The use of hard materials is used extensively and plant material is carefully selected to give maximum effect with limited selection. The planting scheme is often monochromatic. 

+







=

Modern

or maybe.....

Or maybe you are a girly-girl at heart and pinks, peaches and other pastels make you happy. Your interiors could have a touch of vintage, classical or french charm - floral patterns, sumptuous pillows and sparkling crystal bring daily joy. A bit of ruffle, a touch of cashmere, a beautiful brooch... you are a romantic. 

Romantics often find a kindred spirit in cottage, english and french garden styles. These approaches include carefully orchestrated colour palettes and colourful borders bursting with perennials and annuals. The style can range from the flamboyant to the charmingly controlled with pleached hedges, boxwood topiary and gorgeous urns to add structure and interest.

janenorman.co.uk
+

=

susancohangardens.com
English style/ Cottage style/Romantic

or maybe like this.....
If you're like me, then you feel most at home in an old pair of jeans. Your casual style might be reflected in the use of natural materials in your home...distressed oak floors mixed with leather furniture mixed with wrought iron fixtures. If you tend to have a relaxed personality, find total bliss in sunsets, hiking, and just watching the butterflies float by then the Prairie style might appeal to you. This style of gardening is very much in tune with the rhythms of nature and also goes by the names "New Perennial Movement" and "sustainable". 
Your garden would consist of the perfect blend of ornamental grasses, native species, and drought tolerant perennials. These gardens mature later in the season, looking their best from July through until early winter and careful attention has to be paid to adding some spring interest. Gardens are densely planted in large drifts...mulch is not wanted or needed here.

Gorge

+

=

Natural prairie style

This has been fun for me...and I could go on like this all day. I know its not always easy trying to figure out what you like, but it is a journey you must take. Edit the stuff out of your life that you've put up with, or inherited, or bought on sale...all the things that drive you nuts for whatever reason when you look at them. 

To find harmony, we must have honesty and bravery.

There are many official styles of gardening. We will not all fit into a box, and I am no exception. I also thank goodness for that, life would be pretty boring. Work through your collection of inspiration photos and see what is floating to the top and taking dominance...then look at what you like next and so on. 

For example, I simply adore many of the french characteristics, the peace I receive from straight lines, the shelter of perfectly spaced trees, (not to mention the little chateau in the south of France)...  I also like the gentle sway and movement of ornamental grasses and the serenity offered by a more monochromatic planting scheme. Styles can be combined, and maybe we should just all call ourselves eclectic and be done with it. There are ways to unite everything you love into a cohesive whole.

That is a lesson for another day.

Thank you so much for reading, I wish you all a very beautiful day.

Go forth and measure

It's a lovely, milder day today with temperatures just above zero. I have promised my chiropractor that I would not over-exert my shoulder so I am temporarily sidelined from working on the front porch. What a perfect opportunity to prepare a lesson plan for my students, which I am happy to share with all of you.

This is really all about the initial planning. When we're designing gardens and outdoor spaces there is a long list of questions that we need to ask in order to get things right. You'll need a measuring tape, a level, a notebook, and a camera for taking pictures. Before and after photos are not only a fun keepsake to leave for the grandchildren, but they are incredibly handy when you are working inside away from the project.

Here is a list of features that you should take note of...



The practical:

• Size of your property - enlist the help of a husband, friend or small child to help you hold the tape measure

• Property lines -VERY IMPORTANT...always plan on staying inside your property line by at least 4-6". If you have a fence or hedge directly on the line your neighbour now shares ownership and could tell you to take it all down. Very sad, but it has happened.



Designer Susan Welti, Foras Studio

• Style of your house


• Sun/shade exposure


• Exposure to winds


• Water restrictions: well or city water, rain and weather patterns


• Drainage...are you flooded every spring, does water run toward the house


• Depth and quality of existing soil


• Grade: are you level, sloped, bumpy (sudden grade changes)


• Existing features that cannot be changed: trees to keep, utility poles, fire hydrants etc.


• Borrowed views - a beautiful forest, rolling hills, a water view, or perhaps a tree in your neighbour's yard


• Views to be hidden - this is usually the next door neighbour


• Utilities ( below ground or above): hydro, gas, phone, water, septic, well...these need to clearly marked, always call before you dig so you don't accidentally blow up your neighbourhood


• Accessibility - wider pathways and raised beds can be incorporated for anyone in a wheelchair or with mobility issues


• Dogs - do you own very big dogs that like to dig, or tiny dogs that could get caught up in the barberry


• Allergies to pollen or bees (this will affect plant choices)


• And perhaps one of the hardest questions of all - how much is your budget

The Emotional:

• Use of space...an area to entertain, a play area for children, a dog run, a secret garden, a vegetable garden, a cutting garden, a pond, a pool, a fire pit, a clothesline, an area for storage, garbage bins, recycling bins, the composter...you may need just one or all of those things


• Desired building materials: natural stone, gravel, cedar... 


• Favourite plant materials


• Do you want it all done now, or can you work with a five year plan


• How much time do you want to spend in the garden - do you look forward to planting, pruning and weeding a la Martha Stewart or do you dream of low maintenance 


• Is this your dream home or are you planning to move in a few years

I know it all seems a little dry, but answering the above is so incredibly important to creating a successful final product and a very happy you that is thrilled to wander around outside, glass of wine in hand, patting yourself on the back for a job well done!

By the way - always check into your local building codes which can dictate how high a fence can be for example, or regulate the construction techniques for retaining walls.

I hope the sun is shining where you are...have a beautiful day!

Who cares what the neighbours think!

I have been thinking about fear for a few days now. Nothing dramatic has happened in my life to make me become suddenly afraid...nothing like that. I am talking about those everyday fears that keep us from being who we are really meant to be, and expressing ourselves as we would really like too. It's that little voice that whispers away "what would they (the neighbours, my boss, my kids, my parents, my best friend) think if I did that." We are afraid of messing up and standing out from the status quo.

How boring is that, how unserving to the beautiful soul that is you.

(Note: I am saying you, but I am also talking to myself here, who knows better and is need of a realty check.)

When I had my fortieth birthday four years ago, I sat out on my back step and made a few resolutions which I believe to be of the upmost importance. Turning 40 was a bit of a revelation. I could be half way through my life....was I proud of what I had accomplished, how I had lived...what would I do differently, what could I change in the next new chapter. What had I wasted my time on.

I decided that I would be happy, peaceful, accepting, loving, and authentic ALL THE TIME. No more sadness, no more regrets. What was, simply was...time to get on with life. Sounds easy enough, and in many ways it has been. The letting go of things that hold you back, thought patterns, grief, negative people etc. etc. etc. is a very freeing experience. 

You have to make the decision that you are worthy of all things peaceful, gracious, blissful, gorgeous, exhilarating and butterflies-in-the-stomach wonderful. 

I know that I have been able to find a much happier balance in my life by deciding that I would accept nothing less than sheer joy in my life... and I am cherishing simpler rules. 

But I am human, and a girl, and the sun has not been around for a week (which is my excuse at the moment for letting things get to me.)

It all started with the front porch. This is my gardening blog, and you may be wondering how fear ties into all this. Here it is:

I have mentioned my home before. By some standards it would be considered rather unremarkable and a little on the small side. But we love it. It had and has a good feeling to it, so despite all the flaws and the work which needed to be done to it, we snapped it up. We've been working slowly away at the insides for the past five years, and I have spent a great deal of time in the back, but I have been avoiding the front yard like the plague. It scares me. Which is silly. And I have had enough.

I know I am not alone. On my many excursions through the suburbs I see a lot of the same thing out front. A lawn, a tree or two, which are usually maple (especially crimson king) or birch. A small front garden which more often than not consists of some of these ingredients - burning bush, spirea, lilac, emerald cedar (because they always go on sale for $19.99 in the spring)...tulips in the spring and garden mums in the fall. I'm not being critical here, I am happy to see that a yard has some garden instead of just lawn...but it is all rather safe. If I could see into the backyards of all those boring front yards I would expect to see something quite different. 

I confess that I have been playing it safe too, by not changing what was already there - which I do not like, and which does not reflect who I am. And while I am confessing,  I admit to you all that I do put more pressure on myself because by profession I should be able to get this right. 

Go take a peek at a your front right now, even in the cold and snow. Does it make you happy? Are you filled with joy every time you pull in the driveway and walk to the front door. You should be, we should settle for nothing less.

I am ready to make a change this year and have started to make plans. My husband is happy that everything is being carefully drawn out this time, I don't always bother to treat myself like I would my clients. They are not done yet, but I will reveal when they are ready. Which brings us back to the front porch.

My winter porch project in progress.

Shortly after we moved in, it became apparent that the front porch had been painted in the wrong sort of paint. By the first spring, paint was flaking off everywhere, it was a mess. We've done a few bandaid, temporary touch ups, a little scraping here and there, but not the total overhaul. Paul and I have talked about ripping it out and replacing it with cedar, with natural stone, with interlock, with trexx, making it bigger, extending it to wrap around the house...we got lost in indecision. The fear factor took hold - everyone will see this, what should we do...

I have decided to keep most of it. The wood is sound and so I began scraping it down last weekend. I'm sure the neighbours were amused to see that "gardening girl" working on her front porch in January, but the temperatures have really not been that cold. The rails will be replaced because they aren't worth saving. I am using dry methods of paint removal here - a good, sharp scraper and a belt sander with the handy shop vac at my side to keep the mess in check. It was a first step and a commitment to finally creating a front garden that I love. which brought up some of those fears. What will the neighbours think by the time I am all done??

In writing this I will tell you (and me) that you must create what you love. Doing what you love is no excuse for bad design though...seek inspiration through the internet, through Pinterest, through books, magazine, garden shows. Start a scrapbook. Take a gardening class at your local college. Ask for help when you need it. If you love to garden, but have no idea how to go about creating that glorious front yard you can enlist the help of a designer to draw some plans for you. Many offer that service which allows you do the all the hard work putting it together with confidence. Many of us will also take you shopping and help you pick out the shrubs, trees, and perennials that will paint your lovely new canvas.

Doesn't this sound like fun?!

Be joyful in your life and let everything be a reflection of the real you...gardens, especially, included.

In doing this, the neighbours will notice...for a garden that is inspiring by being true to the soul of the caretaker is a hard thing to resist.

Have a beautiful day...here's a little inspiration to see you through:

Can you be this bold in they front - of course you can!!
"Blue Salvia forsskaolii fringes a pathway to a bench. 
 Digging Dog garden and nursery, Mendocino coast, California."

Lavender - I do believe I should be living in a charming stone estate somewhere in France...until that day
I can still love the lavender...this is also a lesson on the impact a mass planting can bring.
anthonypaullandscapedesign.com

Graceful curves accent a thoughtfully planted green entrance - notice the hues and texture that make this interesting
Andy Sturgeon Landscape and Garden Design