The elements of design are: MASS, SCALE,
LINE, SHAPE, RHYTHM, TEXTURE, CONTRAST, and COLOR. A designer
must focus these elements toward the particular ambiance,
or mood, of each unique property. I will explain how I worked
with these for my own home and property as an example of how
they can work for yours.
When I purchased my first home my family thought I was
crazy and said as much! They said it was a "two-story
box, its dominant feature - forlorn".
Though it bordered on a river and salt marsh, the water
could not be seen except from the second floor because the
view was hidden by fifteen (15) foot Sumacs. An asphalt
driveway ran eighty (80) feet straight from the street to
the back door. The only plant on the property was a very
large Norway Maple on the west side joined to the house
by a double clothesline.
Above the back door was an enclosed jalousied sitting
area, added in the "Forties", that provided excellent
views of the driveway and garage. The south side (the water
side) boasted an enclosed porch the length of the house,
but only four (4) feet deep!
The first thing I did after moving in my four pieces of
furniture was remove the clothesline, and then, open a bottle
of wine.
Obviously, the Sumac would have to go. No point in living
on a river, or salt marsh, you can not see. Not only would
I then have a view, but the dimensions of the yard would
be visually increased dramatically. The salt marsh, with
its abundant wildlife, would then seem part of the garden
to be.
Next, the lines and shape of the house would have to change.
Something needed to be done to give it character. I decided
the look of a New England farm house would be the best style
to relate the house to its surroundings. To that end, off
came the second floor jalousied room and the four foot deep
front porch. A wrap-around porch was created on two and
one-quarter (2 1/4) sides of the house which carried the
back bedroom roof line around the house and brought the
different parts together.
This not only broke up the boxy look of the house, but
by making the porch twelve (12) feet deep on the river side,
created an outdoor living space. Also, the now widened base
of the house related better to the size of the property
and the surrounding marsh lands.
Finally, it was time to start landscaping. The driveway
was shortened by thirty (30) feet and made into a 'T' shape,
at the house end, to allow for more parking and maneuvering.
This also gave me space for a staggered bluestone walk that
slowed down both the visual, and actual, approach to the
house, and created room to plant an interesting entryway.
It also blocked the 'view' of the driveway from the house.
A Magnolia soulangiana 'Waterlily' was planted on the
left, and a Berberis 'William Penn' was used as a loose,
medium height, (4') hedge separating the 'T' portion of
the driveway from the lawn on that side of the house. The
large maple dominated the right side of the entryway. Now
I could create a foundation planting for the house, and
design the remaining garden areas. I wanted these to be
harmonious with the farm house theme while featuring a large
variety of plant material.
The perennial beds were designed to echo the meandering
lines of the salt marsh and river in order to lose the sense
of property line that so sharply define most yards. This
made the garden, and property, seem much larger than it
actually is. The planting of drifts of ornamental grasses
such as Miscanthus sinensis cultivars, also enhanced the
river and salt marsh. The 'spirit' of these grasses further
blurred the property edge. A grass pathway on the left leads
from the entryway into the perennial beds with the large
panoramic views of the river and salt marsh beyond.
Then
a pond was added on the opposite side of the perennial beds,
so it could be enjoyed from the house on the side that did
not have river views. This pond had to be large enough not
to seem out of proportion in scale. The right size seemed
to be nine hundred (900) square feet. The shape is freeform
with a meandering stream that feeds into it under an arched
stone bridge. The pond area is joined to the house with
a flagstone and granite terrace adjacent to the porch steps.
Planted with water lilies, Iris pseudocorus, and stocked
with Koi, the pond is a constant source of pleasure.
Under the large maple tree I planted more than five thousand
(5000) Pachysandra with several Rhododendron scintillation
and Rhododendron maximum. Being broadleaf evergreens they
helped add shape and texture to the garden during our five
(5) months of deciduous winter. A meandering fieldstone
pathway to the right of the bluestone entryway is a delightful
invitation to step into the woodsy, more intimate, pond
area.
The foundation planting was made large enough in depth,
and height, to balance a two-story house. On the pond and
maple tree side of the house, the foundation planting was
designed to merge with these main elements.
On the south sides, facing the river, salt marsh, and
perennial beds, the foundation planting spread out twelve
(12) to fifteen (15) feet. A mix of Ilex crenata convexa,
Rhododendron laetivirens, and Picea abies midiformus (Bird's
Nest Spruce) back up an eclectic mix of perennials with
a lovely white Rose of Sharon 'Diana' blooming in the late
summer months.
On the south side as well, four (4) Lilac and twenty (20)
roses were planted. Their timeless appeal recalling so many
houses I had seen in the country. Often, the only ornamentals
planted around a farm house.
The end result is a blend of textures, shapes, colors,
masses and lines that create what many have called one of
the most pleasing, restful, and lovely gardens they have
seen. It has been featured on many garden tours by the American
Horticultural Society, The New England Horticultural Society,
The Garden Conservancy and several local organizations.
Most important of all, it continues to give those who live
here, and visit us, endless hours of frustration (as all
gardens remain a 'work in process') and enjoyment.
— Randall Wieting
