Little Moments

Over the years, I have amassed such a huge archive of garden images that I often can't see the forest for the trees (pun fully intended). For today's post, I thought I would go back and show you gardens that have been missed for one reason or another. Each has a special moment that I think you'll enjoy. The ideas are largely self-explanatory and there are lots of pictures so I will keep the text to a minimum. 

The first set of images is of a home in the countryside near Guelph, Ontario. The pictures show the entrance at the side of the house and a courtyard at the back of the house.

Wishing wells are not a new idea, but I thought this one was nicely done. The star of the show is a patio Clematis (sorry I don't know the specific cultivar) that will only reach a height of five or six feet. 

The purple pom-poms are Verbena Bonariensis (an annual flower).

Salvia is the other flower at the base of the wishing well.

I thought that propping an old door against a blank wall was a rather fun idea. The horseshoes are no doubt for luck. In the foreground, there is a moss-covered stone with a jet of water that empties into a reservoir hidden under a covering of river rocks.

In the courtyard, I liked the baskets hung on the wall. On the table, there is a cute wooden box that you can see in detail in the next shot.

A nice mix of perennials and grasses. Private garden in Caledon, Ontario.

Penstemon 'Dark Towers'

The whimsy of the figure carrying the weight of the flowerbox made me smile.

  Private garden in Stratford, Ontario.

Private garden in Niagara-on-the-Lake.

Yet another bit of whimsy that repurposes antiques.

Private Garden Toronto

A little reminder that a vigorous groundcover is not always a bad thing...


Lamium maculatum 'Shell Pink' is a nice change from the more common purple variety.

Although I prefer to play it safe.

  Private garden in Stratford, Ontario.

This arbour at the side of the garage marks the entrance to the back garden. The inclusion of a bench is a nice anchor for the tall structure and elevates the duck container planting to a place where you'll notice it. 

 Private garden in Stratford, Ontario.

Private garden in Stratford, Ontario.

Not every yard or budget has room for a big gazebo. This small wooden structure is just the right size to work in the small space and still offers enough room for a few comfortable chairs.

Private Garden Mississauga, Ontario

Perhaps your taste is more contemporary– then how about this covered deck. The mix of metal and wood is very attractive.

 Private garden in Stratford, Ontario.

And how nice is this firepit area? Imagine sitting by the fire and listening to the pleasant sound of cascading water. 

To be brutally honest, this rental property didn't have the most attractive facade, but boy oh boy did the front garden ever make up for it. The whole yard was wall-to-wall flowers. If I remember correctly the landlord's daughter was a horticultural student (with an obvious gift).

Single Hollyhocks

 Daylilies, Shasta daisies and the silver-grey plant on the right is Lamb's Ears.

It's not often I am stumped by a plant these days, but I have no idea what this purple flower is. A herb perhaps? If you know it, please leave a comment below. I'd love to grow it myself.

 Double hollyhocks

Even in a middle-sized garden, you can have a series of pathways and still have room left over for a lawn.

A small pond in a private garden in Toronto.

A closeup of the Peonies.

Private garden in Toronto.

The only thing going on in this particular front garden was a big patch of bearded Iris. It just goes to show you that even a single type of plant can create a special moment.

Creating a Sense of Mystery in a Garden

Anyone who has been in a longterm relationship will tell you that holding on to a little mystery helps keeps the romance alive. Where there is mystery, there is curiosity and excitement.

Mystery has its place in a garden too. When an outdoor space is revealed in a single glance you remove the element of surprise and the delight that inevitably follows. A degree of mystery draws visitors to explore a garden with the hidden promise of what lies ahead. 

Fostering a sense of discovery may seem like an easily accomplished task when you have acres of land, with the tower of an Elizabethan castle at its core, like the world famous garden at Sissinghurst. But if you are an average gardener with a bungalow and a modest plot of land, what then? 

I do think it is possible to invite mystery into your garden no matter what size or circumstance. All you really need is a little creativity. 

The garden I am about to show you borders an average sized bungalow. The yard is generous, but not huge. 

A pathway of clipped green lawn leads you toward the backyard.  The planting on either side of the path incorporates ornamental grasses and tall perennials which impede a clear view of what will come next.

Behind the birdbath is Cup Flower, Silphium Perfoliatum. The leaves of this native plant form a "cup" around a central stem giving the plant its common name. To the delight of birds and insects, rainwater collects in this shallow leaf basin. In the fall, Goldfinches love to devour the seeds. Cup Plant likes full sun and moist soil best. Height: 120-240 cm ( up to 8'), Spread: 60-90 cm. USDA Zones: 4-8. 

The path opens into the backyard but instead of one big open space, there are doorways that lead to two separate areas of the garden. 

The plantings on either side of the doorways are just high enough to make you wonder about what must be on the other side.

It is rather amazing to think that all you need to suggest a garden "room" is a simple doorway.

The construction of this type of simple doorway would be a fairly easy DIY project.  A couple of metal fence post spikes would be enough to hold the structure in place. The uprights are just painted 4x4's. The cross beams could be made using 2x4's or 2x6's.

Now this country-rustic style might not be your cup of tea, so here are a few other ideas that might help.

A sense of mystery is heightened when a view is partially obstructed. For example, block a clear view of the garden with tall plants, a clump of ornamental grasses or a large shrub. 

In my garden, the view to the back of the yard is partially obstructed with a trellised fence. An arbor at the centre of the fence gives you a glimpse that there is something further that remains to be discovered.

Don't be afraid to break the rules. Design rules are great guiding principles, but they can also restrict creativity and make things predictable.  

Be playful! Make witty choices that will cultivate joy and laughter. 

Don't be predictable. Incorporate something personal or unexpected into your garden's design.  This could be an unusual plant, a unique feature or unusual object that comes as a complete surprise.

Spark the imagination. Add some mushrooms, a little fairy door, a toad house or anything else that feels magical.

Mason Bee House by Wildlife World available through Wayfair.ca.

Encourage visitors to rediscover that childlike delight in nature. Add a pond that will attract wildlife. Make a butterfly puddle. Install an insect hotel or mason bee house. Place a birdbath in your garden or hang feeders to attract birds.

Hide a final destination. Send visitors down a curving or winding path that disappears into the distance hiding the final destination. Place a bench or a nice garden feature like a wall fountain that will be a pleasant discovery at the end of their journey. 

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