Designing garden views
My back garden slopes down steeply from the house to the fence. Previous owners installed lovely rock retaining walls and beds, plus a stone stair that leads from the upper patio by the house to the mid-level patio around the pool. What I call the lower garden is really a series of enormous limestone slabs that make a natural path along the length of the garden just above the fence line.
Capitalizing on views from above gives you a reason to walk down the stairs and explore further. In spring, lavender irises in the raised bed frame the steps leading down to a rustic bench, where purple spiderwort echoes the color of the iris and orange ‘Tangerine Beauty’ crossvine draped along the fence offers contrast.
Here’s a long view from the other end of the garden (excuse the hose). The rustic bench from the first picture can be seen on the far right. If you were to walk down the steps from the upper patio and turn left to walk past the pool, here’s where you’d end up, drawn by the circular stock-tank pond and, eventually, by a picturesque garden structure (still in construction and not visible here).
The concept of garden rooms may be tiresome to some, but I still find it helpful in creating various destinations in my garden. The area surrounding the stock-tank pond is a distinct garden room, though it lacks seating; there are boxwood-marked doorways into and out of it, there is flooring, and when you stand at the pond you are surrounded by the “walls”—that is, the plantings that encircle the area.
The room is not literal; you don’t have to outfit it with an outdoor sofa and chairs or fancy outdoor kitchen. It’s hinted at with structure—plant and mineral—and you respond by wanting to enter and spend time there. At least I hope you do.
Attractions along the way: these Knock Out ‘Radsunny’ roses with their lemony fragrance.
The newer roses are butter-yellow. They fade to ivory as they age.
Heading back along the pool to the upper patio, you can’t miss the ‘Tangerine Beauty’ crossvine illuminating the back fence for a few weeks each spring.
Their orange trumpets clamor for attention.
Upon reaching the steps, those lavender irises draw you up this time and frame the view of a retro-style glider. Although these benches don’t get used all that much, they create an invitation into the garden and make a great focal point.
Speaking of focal points, Garden Designers Roundtable will be exploring their use from a designer’s perspective on April 27. I’ll be joining in this time with a post about one of my favorite design devices. If you care to join the discussion too, be thinking about focal points in your garden or in gardens you’ve visited, and visit the GDRT Facebook page to share your thoughts or pictures.
All material © 2006-2010 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.
This is so inviting. Beautiful and well thought out.
Your garden is so interesting with all its levels and focal points. I could sit by that stock tank and watch the fish mosey around the plants. I can’t wait to see what other room will be added to your outdoor home. I think it is great that there is no kitchen in this home. Just let the servants serve in this beautiful setting. 😉
You’ve woven many interesting rooms into the tapestry of your garden. I love the levels and structure in your back yard — wish I had some of that!
The long view shows what an excellent job you’ve done with movement and curves~~and the stock tank echos it wonderfully. Oh to have those limestone slabs above ground instead of underground here! The Tangerine Beauty crossvine makes the rustic fence shine…I love crossvine! gail
Hi, Pam ~ It all looks very inviting. I love the area around your stock pond! Also, the orange trumpets look beautiful on your fence and I love the color. It all looks amazing. 🙂
Pam, I love your garden rooms. It all looks so inviting back there! You are quite lucky to have so much hardscaping. It really helps define spaces beyond what plants and green grass can do. Your flowers are beautiful!
Pam, your ‘baby garden’ is growing up, fast! It has been really interesting seeing the development and all the hard work you have put in. I really like these long shots of your garden you have created some lovely views but I think the paving around your stock tank is taking centre stage. You must be ‘ticked pink’ with the progress you have made.
Best wishes Sylvia (England)
It looks lovely! I am patiently waiting for my iris to bloom like yours!
Hello Pam,
Your garden is lovely and I always enjoy it when you post some pictures of it. I do like the idea of destinations in the garden.
By the way, I did leave a post for your friend with the crabgrass problem. I hope I helped them 🙂
Thanks for that Facebook response, Noelle. —Pam
I do love the long views of your garden. It’s all coming together quite well. The hard work is paying off.
Pam, I love that rustic bench! Can you share where you found it? You have done so much with your yard..and in such a small amount of time. I really love to see pictures!
Linda, I found that bench several years ago at Barton Springs Nursery, but I’m not sure they carry that line anymore. Maybe they still have some chairs and tables. The Antique Rose Emporium in Brenham and San Antonio has also carried these benches for a number of years. You might check with them both. —Pam
Looking great, Pam. Hard to believe its a new garden. I love the two levels which always gives you a sense of destination and mystery. That fence holding the crossvine is very interestering as well.
I’ll be joining you for the focal points post, my first.
Thanks, everyone, for the kind comments about how the not-so-new-baby garden is coming along. Spring sure does help, with its poof of foliage and flower. —Pam
You garden provides many beautiful settings and places to sit and enjoy the plants. I wonder how much of that you actually do? We are so lucky to have a ready source of rocks in our garden. It certainly gives us something to play with.
I’ll sit in the summer, Jenny, dripping wet from the pool (otherwise couldn’t stand the heat). But at this time of year? Not too much—too busy. —Pam
It is really coming along, Pam, the new baby garden. Or is it now a toddler, preteen or even tween? I love how the tree trunks echo the sunrise themed design in the rustic bench. Those iris and the bignonia are always wonderful to see, getting us ready for the same plants opening here in another month. The stock tank flooring looks fabulous! 🙂
Just lovely! I sometimes struggle to understand how my garden is a garden — with so many wildflowers, the distinction can become blurry. Garden rooms really help thinking about the garden as a special space.
Hi Pam! Isn’t trumpet vine just gorgeous this year! I love your long shots…beautiful!
Such welcoming rooms, Pam. Your paths invite one in and it seems there is always a place to sit and enjoy the beauty within.
I can’t believe how far ahead of us you are. We are still experiencing frost and some of us snow. Why are we living here? Oh well, we will soon forget about all of this and enjoy the wonder of spring and new growth.
Eileen
Lovely views! And the new pond patio is a true knockout. As is the Radsunny rose. Must find a spot to add one. That color & fragrance are winners.
Hi, Pam, Wow! I love these views of your new garden! And I’m now wondering if crossvine is also found in yellow. If so, I think I have some seeds I brought up from AZ. I will google. In any case, yours is lovely. I aim for garden “rooms,” too. I call them vignettes. Each has a different feel and it’s interesting to see who is drawn to which area and why. Lovely!
There may well be a yellow crossvine, Kathryn, though I don’t know it. ‘Tangerine Beauty’ is a cultivar that does really well here, but you can also find the smaller native crossvine, which is a darker red with a bright yellow throat. I grew it in my old garden but not here. —Pam
beautiful. i love the detail of the stone walk with sand or soil between. not very common in canada. anna