Seven Elements of a Beautiful Garden

What makes a beautiful garden? What is it that halts our feet and makes us stand in wonder rather than walk through with a passing glance? I have made my list, based on my own observations and prejudices.

#1. Variety of color, shape and texture

Color catches our attention!This fountain, in the garden of Eddie Aldridge, is beautiful, but the color around it makes it a show-stopper.But remember, green is a color, too, and there are about fifty shades of green and innumerable variegations.One can have a green garden that is just as lovely in its own way as that of a multihued field of tulips.Hills and Dales Estate in Lagrange, Georgia, has a primarily green garden.One should also pay attention to shape and texture, particularly if one color is dominant in a garden. If all the leaves in a green garden are the same size and shape, the effect will be boring. The same is true of texture, which refers to the feel of the surface. Don't we love to reach out and stroke a furry plant like lamb's ear? Don't we admire thick, shiny leaves? That furry plant or those thick shiny leaves may be a perfect counterpoint to a plant with lacy foliage.

#2. Layers

Layering plants is another way of introducing variety into a garden.Plants are layered in my woodland garden to create interest and beauty.Gardens that are all on the same level do not have nearly as much interest as gardens that extend from the ground upward. One sees this in a woodland with its canopy of taller trees and understory of smaller trees. Beneath these are shrubs, and then closer to the ground are perennials and annuals. Ground covers provide the lowest level. One can introduce layers into a garden even if one does not have trees. An arbor can give a vine a chance to climb. A basket of flowers can hang from a tall shepherd's hook or a fern can hang from the eve of a house, drawing the eye upward. A table can raise pots of flowers off the ground. 

#3. Abundance

Gardens should have enthusiasm! A few flowers are nice, but a thousand flowers are breathtaking.I have never counted my daffodils, but there must be at least a thousand!A garden should have spirit; it should reach and drape, stretch and push boundaries.I like the exuberance of plantings in this Homewood, Alabama garden.It may even be a little messy, but I am not talking about neglect. If it looks almost out of control, it is because the gardener intends it to be so. 

#4. Movement

This means a garden pulls us in; our eyes move from place to place in the garden. One creates movement by repetition of color, form and shape. The curve of the path repeats the curve of the magnificent weeping Blue Atlas Cedar, which is echoed by the shrub below it. Note how the bench repeats the color in the tree. All these elements pull the eye forward and create movement in this section of the garden at Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina.Using the same plant in different parts of the garden is an easy way to do this, but there are other ways. The color of a swath of flowers may repeat the color in the leaves of a shrub. The curve of a garden path may repeat the arch of a tree limb or the shape of a planting bed. Paths are a wonderful way to connect different parts of the garden and will always create a feeling of movement. Here is another example of creating movement in the garden. This scene is in the Japanese Garden at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens.

#5. Focal Points

A focal point is a center of interest. I once heard a woman complaining that people did not appreciate her garden. She defended her design by saying it was full of native plants. She did not recognize that her garden lacked a focal point. A visitor's eyes wandered across the space with no place to rest. It all looked much the same. A path leading to a bench would have been a huge improvement, and a birdbath would have been a welcome addition.Imagine this scene in my front garden without the birdhouse. A focal point makes all the difference!A focal point can be almost anything. It can be an art object or a beautifully shaped pot.This pot at Jasmine Hill Gardens, near Wetumpka, Alabama, immediately caught my attention.It can be a fabulous specimen plant.This weeping redbud tree at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens is a wonderful focal point.It can be a structure such as a garden shed or an arbor. A large garden may have several focal points; but beware: if there are too many, they may all lose their focus!

#6. Enclosure

Beautiful gardens have boundaries. Enclosures may be defined by hardscape or vegetation. For example, an area may be enclosed within a picket fence or a low stone wall, or there may be rooms with screens made of hedges. Such an enclosure would be a great space to add a bench or other place to sit so one may admire the garden.This courtyard at Jasmine Hill Gardens is enclosed by a stone wall and lovely plantings.A small romantic alcove may be surrounded by roses. The edge of a large garden may be marked by a row of trees. Maybe these boundaries give us a feeling of security; or perhaps they impart a sense of mystery, because don't we all want to know what is on the other side of a wall!

#7. Wildlife

A beautiful garden is a healthy garden, and healthy gardens are filled with wildlife. As we walk through a garden, we delight in the whirr of a hummingbird or the flutter of a butterfly. We may laugh at the antics of a squirrel or smile when we hear a mockingbird. A beautiful garden is a noisy place, with all manner of chirps and calls, chatters and buzzing. There are myriads of bugs. Remember, over ninety percent of bugs are good guys. Our gardens need those bugs, so we should not be quick to nuke-em all, as is the approach of some. Wildlife is deeply interconnected with the health of the garden, and what is good for wildlife is also good for us.Creatures like these always make a stroll in my garden pleasurable.

Strategies for Dry Shade Gardening

Outside, nestled in the shade of a large Japanese maple in front of the house, are a variety of plastic pots containing ferns, hydrangeas, and native azaleas that are destined for the woodland garden. These were recent purchases at a local 50% off sale.A few of my new plants, awaiting their permanent homesIt looks like a mini-nursery, and I am waiting in anticipation of cooler weather. Lou, who has to dig the holes for me, is maybe not so eager.

Autumn will soon be here, and in the southeastern US, this is the best time for planting and transplanting perennials, shrubs and trees. Since our ground does not freeze in the winter, plants will have months to establish themselves before next year's summer stress. Unfortunately, planting in the woodland area is not a matter of just digging holes. Shade is priceless in my part of the world, but the downside of all those trees is that their roots extend throughout the garden, sucking up available moisture. I have often put my shovel into the ground, only to find dry earth and lots of roots. This condition is called "dry shade", and it is one of the greatest challenges in creating a woodland garden. New plantings must compete with preexisting trees, as well as shrubs and other plants, for available water and nutrients. 

When planting in dry shade, there are a number of strategies to give ornamental plants a good start:

1. I get rid of all weeds in the surrounding area before planting. These weeds will compete with newly planted ornamentals and if given the chance will smother them.

2. It is ok to cut through small tree roots, but never disturb major roots. If there are a lot of roots, I usually try to find another spot. Those roots will grow back quickly, and my little plant may not have a chance in the root competition game. If I must plant in that spot, sometimes I will line the hole with newspaper, forming a biodegradable barrier that will hold out competing roots until my plant's roots have had a chance to grow. Another thing I have done for perennials, if their root systems won't spread too far, is to plant inside of a large plastic pot buried in the ground. This will keep competing roots out. This also gives protection against root-eating critters such as voles. 

3. Add mulch and soil conditioners to the soil at the time of planting. I do this 100 percent of the time. I usually make about a 50/50 mix of soil conditioners and native soil. I use home-made compost as well as soil conditioners I have purchased. These amendments improve the soil structure so that it will hold moisture longer. Sometimes I also pile wet, rotting leaves and other debris from the forest floor in the bottom of my planting hole.

4. Water the hole before planting. Of course, I also water the plant well after planting. It is very important to water new plants regularly for at least three to six months after planting. Remember that plants need to be watered deeply, not just sprinkled enough to wet the top layer of soil. Sometimes I have checked after I thought I had watered well, only to discover that the soil was bone dry less than an inch from the surface! The moisture needs to extend down far enough to reach below the plant. This is another reason I like to plant in the fall, as we tend to have wet winters that will promote good root growth.

5. After planting, I put a 2 to 3 inch layer of mulch around the plant. The mulch can be shredded leaves, pine straw, wood chips or any good organic mulch. The mulch should not actually touch the plant. The mulch itself holds moisture that will be available for the plant, and it also creates a small well around the plant that allows water to reach the plant's roots, rather than running off. 

Mulch will break down, improving the soil. This also means the mulch will need to be replenished. In our climate mulch breaks down rapidly, and we replenish it once or twice a year around most of our plants. 

6. Sometimes I create elevated mounds of improved soil in which to plant. This works well for plants that should be planted high because of their need for excellent drainage, such as azaleas and hydrangeas. Sometimes I find hollow spaces between large tree roots and fill them with good soil. I like to do this for ferns, hostas and other perennials that look good at the bases of trees. However, do not mound large amounts of soil directly over tree roots, and never pile soil against tree trunks. Elevated planting beds and pots beside the woodland steps allow me to have plantings where thick magnolia tree roots would otherwise make that impossible.

7. I like to plant shade-tolerant, drought-resistant plants. Natives will often do better than exotics. Remember that even these types of plants will need plenty of water when they are newly planted. They will not become drought-tolerant until their root systems are well established.  

If you have a wooded area filled with dry earth and roots, don't despair of planting. But here is a secret: You don't always have to add new plants for a natural area to look beautiful. You can just clean the space of weeds, maybe cut some lower branches from trees to allow room to walk, add a nice layer of mulch, place a comfortable bench or swing, and hang a bird house and some wind-chimes. Voila! Instant (or almost instant) woodland garden!There is always lots to see in a woodland garden!