Monday, June 13, 2016

Garden Design: How Little Can You Have?

How little can you have in your garden, and it still holds together?
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Garden Design, below, would hold together at a mid-century Ranchburger.  (Perhaps a new title, Garden Design for Bad Architecture, split-levels need extra thought too.  Of course I spent 30 years in my cluster home, I named a Guppy House because garage/drive predominate at front of house.)   In addition to how little you can have in your garden, how to  have a Garden Design, raising property value while raising pleasure/use.  Never to leave a penny on the table, Garden Design to reduce HVAC & maintenance expense.  Ironic, I find the more demanding you are from a Garden Design, it's easier to create, and a better Garden Design.
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Pic, above, here.
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Just back from a week working in mom's garden on Galveston Bay, TX .  Dad had asked for a hedge planting at the back fence over 2 decades ago.  Fence is straggly naked with 2 remaining misshapen hideous RED TIPS.  What was my suggestion he brazenly ignored?  Camellia sasanqua.  Yes, I still look at that fence imagining sasanquas.  Plant choices matter, in addition to Garden Design choices.
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Garden & Be Well,  XOT

5 comments:

Karen said...

Oh how I wish I knew more about garden design. I have a suburban (70s) rectangular back yard with a hideous wood deck (can't wait to rip it off and have a few steps down to a patio so I can have a vanishing threshold. But past that, what? I don't know. I have lots of books, but I guess I'm dim and just don't know where to begin. Everything you post is so intriguing and yet, I'm still stumped. Sigh.

Unknown said...

Lovely - just lovely! I'm very interested in the least I can do, while still getting a lot of bang for my buck.

Red Tips: we have a hideous hedge at the street; very tall and hideous. Good news? They are on the decline! Hip, hip, hooray!

:)

bungalow said...

Yes, Garden Design for Bad Architecture!! Would you consider periodically posting some garden design ideas for modest houses i.e. low cost 1000-1300 sq. ft. ranches and capes? The kind that have NOT been redone completely and now look nothing like the original.

Rather, 1950s-1980s houses with vinyl siding, asphalt driveway, thermopane windows, and plastic shutters. Houses that are close together and near noisy streets. I don't want any of these things, but that is what is available in my budget right now. I'd love ideas on how to bring out the best in a home through landscaping.

La Contessa said...

ALWAYS LEARNING FROM YOU!!!
XX

SALLY said...


Karen,

I"m not a professional but have received several compliments on my garden. The main thing people notice is so simple. I've planted fig ivy across my three fences so people see a solid green backdrop. It takes quite a while for fig ivy to cover a fence but I imagine there is a faster growing ivy you can plant.