The Small Garden with the Blue Twig Sculpture

When it comes to design, this is a garden that gets it right in so many ways. 

It's all the little touches that make this front entrance so welcoming. There is even a pretty wreath on the door.

The yews and most of objects on either side of the front door are balanced symmetrical (the two black sconces, the two rectangular planter boxes filled with annuals), but there is just enough asymmetry to keep things interesting (the concrete fruit basket on a stand and large final on the porch).  

It's natural to want to dispense with the bother of mowing a lawn when your front yard is as small as this one. The challenge in replacing the grass is to make the plantings looks just as tidy and presentable as a lawn. 

Over the years I have seen as many unfortunate attempts at replacing a front lawn with a garden as I have seen success stories. It's hard to get it right. (I must see if I can do a post on the subject!) 

In this instance, the plantings have been keep somewhat formal. In the foreground, a box hedge frames a low expanse of pachysandra. Shading the pachysandra are a row (only one is visible in this photograph) of Ivory Silk Tree Lilac, Syringa reticulata 'Ivory Silk'. This is a fairly compact tree that has fragrant, creamy-white flowers in late spring or early summer. (Height: 20 ft, Spread: 14 ft. USDA zones:3-7).

To the right of the door is a novel sculpture that was created with can of blue spray paint.

Before we head into the backyard, let's stop to admire these pretty container plantings.

1. Pink Begonias 2. Impatiens 3. Purple Heart, Setcrsea purpurea (tender perennial or houseplant) 4. Coleus 5. Lobelia

The shady area at the side of the house has been kept low maintenance with a simple concrete walkway and a neat row of shade lovers that include hosta, Bleeding Heart (Dicentra), Solomon Seal (Polygonatum), Japanese Ferns (Anthyrium) and Ostrich Ferns (Matteuccia).

As you move down the walkway and get closer to the backyard, growing conditions get a bit sunnier allowing for plants like the clematis that you see in the next images.

If you have a small garden, be on the lookout this spring for some of these newer varieties of clematis that reach a height of just four to six feet.

At the back of the house, a pergola shades the stone patio from the hot afternoon sun.

The homeowner has a gift for composing perfect little vignettes.

In the backyard, the fence has been stained charcoal, which sets off the fresh 

green of the plantings very nicely. 

1. Boxwood frames the flowerbed 2. Two fragrant lavender plants 3. A round boxwood 4. Making its way up the fence is a Climbing Hydrangea 5. Columnar Copper Beech

Hosta are planted right behind the birdbath.

Columnar Copper Beech

In a small garden, a columnar tree is a great way to add privacy over and above the separation that a simple fence provides. The growth of a columnar tree is narrow and upright, so you have privacy without the shade that a tree with a wider canopy would generate. 

Container plantings throughout the space add nice hits of color.

Plants here include: Japanese Maple, Hosta, a Hydrangea, Alliums, Solomon Seal 

Columnar Copper Beech and Climbing Hydrangea

In my humble opinion, there is no such thing as a low maintenance garden– just to water the containers in this garden each day would take a couple of hours, but with proper attention in the spring, I think most people would find the workload here very manageable. 

Spring Chores: Certainly you'd want to add a top dressing of leaf mold or compost each spring to keep the plants happy and healthy. The planting is fairly dense, so any weeds would have lots of competition. A generous covering of mulch would reduce the need to do any weeding even further. Other chores might include regular pruning, a bit of deadheading and of course you'd have to water when the garden gets really dry. All and all, the upkeep on a garden like this could be easily managed.

A pebble courtyard gives the garden a European feel. Blue fabric cushions and large blue pots make the garden feel fresh even on a hot day.

 Wouldn't this be the perfect place to spend a summer's afternoon?

Which do you prefer: Symmetry or Asymmetry?

Who knows why we like the things we do! What is it that makes a certain color our favourite? And what is it about a shape or texture that attracts or repels us? Preferences are a mystery, but we definitely seemed wired to be more attracted to some things and than others.

Though you may not have given it much thought, when it comes to symmetry or asymmetry, I bet you have a natural tendency to choose one over the other. 

In the entry way above, a pair of black urns filled with ivy and pink hydrangeas flank either side of the door. The symmetry continues in the plantings along the pathway. Clumps of Japanese Forest Grass and the pink impatiens are repeated on either side of the walkway. Even the boxwood hedges are meticulously clipped to the same height.

Here is how the dictionary defines symmetry:

Symmetry: the quality of something that has two sides or halves that are the same or very close in size, shape, and position: the quality of having symmetrical parts.

The human body is symmetrical: two eyes, two ears, two arms and two legs. Perhaps that is why symmetry feels so comfortable.

Symmetrical container plantings seems like a popular choice for the front of a house. I think it's because there is something soothing about the perfect balance of like things.

White Alyssum, pansies and white daffodils fill the two urns.

In this garden the symmetry continues all the way to the front door, where a pair of urns are filled with white pansies, daffodils, ruffled ranunculus and branches of pussy willow.

Here is another example of classic symmetry, this time in a back garden. Everything is perfectly balanced on either side of the bench: the lattice work, the evergreen shrubs and the two urns filled with peach flowers.

So here's a little test. 

When you look at this front porch, do you feel like something is amiss? If this were your house, would you feel the urge to plant up a matching pot of pink geraniums and place it somewhere on the opposite side of the door?

If so, chances are you are a person who loves symmetry.

Before you decide which you like best, lets take a quick look at asymmetry. If symmetry is classic, asymmetry feels modern. There is something more sophisticated and edgy in the makeup of this form of balance. Here is how the dictionary defines asymmetry:

Asymmetry: lack of equality or equivalence between parts or aspects of something; lack of symmetry.

In my opening example, there are still two similar urns, but they aren't directly opposite one another. One is at the top of the staircase, and the other is at some distance at the bottom.

Here's a second more traditional example, where the containers are similar, 

but they aren't the same size. 

One is dramatically larger and taller than the other.

The balance of symmetry tends to feel formal and restrained. 

Asymmetry seems to a better job of transcending styles. My first example was contemporary arts & crafts, the second was quite traditional, and the look here may best be described as casual country.

As well as containers, plantings can employ asymmetry. The box balls are symmetrical, but the dominant evergreen tree has no mirror on either side of the gate, so the balance of the whole feels asymmetrical.

At the bottom of this stone staircase, the planting is completely different on either side.

So what do you think? Which pleases you the most? 

Symmetry or asymmetry?

A Little Inspiration

Private Garden in Forest Hill, Ontario

It is always nice to incorporate a spot in your garden where you can sip a drink or eat a meal. Here is a little inspiration to help you get started in creating that perfect place to sit and relax.

Private Garden in Mississauga, Ontario

Not everybody has a large yard, so here and in the next shot are two smaller gardens.

Private Garden in Forest Hill, Ontario

1. Raised flowerbeds surround this bistro-style table and chairs and frame 

the courtyard patio beautifully.

Private Garden in Forest Hill, Ontario

Glass is a table option that does not block to the view of the surrounding flowerbeds.

Private Garden in Rosedale, ON

2. A found object, in this case an old church steeple, gives this space a romantic feel. 

You probably won't want to go this grand, but even on a smaller scale a unique object or garden ornament can really help to set the mood.

Private Garden in Mississauga, Ontario

3. If you are thinking about adding a water feature this spring, why not place it right off the deck area where you will be sitting? 

That way you can watch the fish darting around and listen to the symphony of water noises, frogs and insects.

Private Garden in Mississauga, Ontario

4. If your backyard gets lots of sun, it might be an idea to incorporate a little manmade shade cover.

Private Garden in Forest Hill, Ontario

5. In this and the next shot we have a modern take on a courtyard seating area. A dining table and pair of casual chairs means this area does double duty.

Private Garden in Forest Hill, Ontario

Private Garden in Rosedale, ON

This more formal space also has a clean, contemporary feel to it.

Private Garden in Rosedale, ON

6. If you are lucky enough to have a large garden, you may want to create several different zones for a myriad of possible purposes: entertaining, outdoor meals or perhaps just sitting and reading the newspaper.

In this traditional garden a gravel pathway leads around the house to a raised terrace.

In the same garden, there is a second seating area overlooking a ravine.

Private Garden in Rosedale, ON

And at the front of the house, there is a set of chairs right outside a set of french doors.

A pond opposite the chairs adds some water music.

Private Garden in Forest Hill, Ontario

7. Wouldn't this fireplace be nice on a chilly evening?

This is my own very casual spot to unwind. 

8. A place to de-stress need not be fancy. 

All it needs to be is a space that makes you feel comfortable and at ease.