If you don’t want plants blocking your view, try a design that is as dynamic as it is functional
It seems like manyplanting designsare all about impede thing you ’d rather not see : the street out front , thenosy neighbors , or the messy lot next door . After all , why would you ever want alandscapethat stays under 3 feet tall ? Perhaps it ’s to carry on a view , or to quash traffic mishaps ( i.e. backing out of the private road into oncoming traffic ) , or maybe it ’s to make interest along a tract or minute surface area without obliterate the destination . These were all issues I faced at a seaboard property inWashington . My design needed to be depressed visibility so the plants could well withstand the abuse of a airy , shoreline location , too . I determine that the keys to a successful design were hearty , large - scalehardscapingpaired with heedful , dense sweeps of plants .
Use Sweeps of Fine Texture and a Simple Color Palette
The first thing I mark about this property was the beautiful wholesale horizon of the weewee , wad , and sky . The second matter I noticed was the with child , long business firm that sits on a fingerbreadth of land surrounded on both side by body of water . The challenge became creating a landscape painting that would blur the lines between the hulking building and the milieu .
to keep the position from the house , I decided that the legal age of the plants needed to beless than 3 feet tall . This sizing restriction was important along the driveway , too , where the flora could n’t obscure the house entree or the issue to the street . Also , because this site is on the shoreline , shortsighted , dense plant would naturally hold up better to high-pitched confidential information . Anything that was taller require to be sit against the house or in a sheltered courtyard area . The last exercise set of restriction for the plants in this conception involve color . keep the colouration of theplant palettesimple give their presence greater impact and , because this outer space was clean small , I need all the wallop I could get . I chiefly stuck to hues of purpleness with dashes of yellow and white for highlights ( photo , below ) .
Without lots of color , however , the texture of the plants becomes exceedingly significant . Unfortunately , bold - textured plants can be levy and overwhelm a low - profile design , so dumbfound with fine texture . Fine grain also impart movement to the space , which add interest . In other word , bold grain hire up a luck of visual and strong-arm space while fine texture takes up less visual and physical space . To make trusted these wispy industrial plant did n’t get miss against the large house , I institute them in large slam to equilibrate things out . Planting in sweeps also help the garden immingle into the drifts of aboriginal wild rye whisky ( Elymusspp . , USDA Hardiness zona 4–9 ) already in property . I used groupings of fine - textured fall moor grass and blue oat sens ( Helictotrichonsempervirens , Zones 4–8 ) throughout the garden to mimic the motion and semblance of the wild rye .
The careful placement of hardscaping is as important as the eccentric of material you choose .
Make the Hardscaping a Focal Point on Its Own
With a elementary and slightly limited array of plants , it ’s crucial that the hardscaping in your low - profile garden is incredible . It often becomes the focal point since you wo n’t have many ( if any ) erect plants with an oculus - catch form . To make the hardscaping pop you ’ll demand to choose unique materials , call up about careful placement , and be certain to use it in interesting ways . There is n’t one sort of pit used in this garden — there are several . The close ( rough or smooth ) are likewise wide-ranging . As with plants , you postulate to pair hardscaping cloth with different textures , colors , and forms to get contrast . I used shimmering slabs of quartzite flag , which has bits of natural isinglass in it and lean to refract light . I also used large , scratchy - edged boulders , and smooth — almost softball - determine — river rocks . Any of these materials used alone would search nice , but not incredible . Pairing all of these unique textile , however , set aside the hardscaping to beam as bright as the plant life ( photograph , below ) .
The thrifty placement of hardscaping is as of import as the case of material you choose . patently , you need to employ it for usable aspects of the garden ( pathways or retaining walls ) , but you do n’t want it to overshadow the plants . I used the flagstone slabs for the path since they feed the walkways exercising weight and heart . The boulders had a treble purpose : providing a buffer from high H2O and a sheltered spot to protect plants from the confidential information . They also mimic the surround rocky shoreline . Two ingress point to the beach are marked with bowlder , too . Smooth river rock offer a transitional step between the backbreaking flagstone edge of the way and the billowing foliage of the nearby ground traverse . ‘ Cotton Tail ’ thrift and an raiment of sedums ( Sedumcvs . , Zones 3–8 ) each border the pathway ( exposure , above ) .
Walkways and thoughtfully commit boulder are two ways to use hardscaping efficaciously — but if you truly want hardscaping to be a focal point , there are other interesting ways to use it . Using the glittering flagstone , I created a beachside patio that is an inviting destination point ( photo , above ) . A Harlan F. Stone flaming perdition was built here , too , using like materials . It ’s dispirited than the wall terrace and shares place with more Boulder — placed strategically for tax shelter and posing . Both feature draw just as much aid as a grandiloquent coniferous tree or specimen Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree would — except they ’re substantially shorter .
As this landscape matures , the industrial plant grow in residential area with the hardscape , leaning on one another and creating a garden that link to its environs . What started as outer space with a height problem turned out to be a stunning garden .
Stats of the Site
interior designer : Susan Calhoun
Size:5,000 square fundament
Conditions : Full sun to full shade ( calculate on location ) ; well - drained soil on top of a arenaceous aboriginal soil base
yr since planting:5
Challenges : Everything ( plant life / hardscape ) needed to be under 3 feet tall ; windy , exposed site with varied light conditions ; salt spray from the sea
Susan Calhoun is the owner of and principal designer atPlantswoman Designon Bainbridge Island , Washington .
Photos : Danielle Sherry ; courtesy ofMonrovia Nursery . Illustration : Elara Tanguy
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Plants make a bigger impact when planted in sweeps.Groupings of red dianthus (Dianthuscv., Zones 5–9), white thrift, and yellow sedum make as bold a statement as a giant shrub would in these garden beds.
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Plants make a bigger impact when planted in sweeps.Groupings of red dianthus (Dianthuscv., Zones 5–9), white thrift, and yellow sedum make as bold a statement as a giant shrub would in these garden beds.
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Keep the color scheme simple.Relying on a few key colors is more eye-catching than planting a rainbow of hues. Purple is the main player in this landscape, while yellow and white play supporting roles.
Bridge the gap between the greens and granite.Smooth, rounded river rocks help marry the soft, lush ground covers with the angular edges of the flagstone walkway.
Rethink the idea of a focal point.There aren’t any towering trees, tall columnar plants, or stately arbors in this low-profile garden, so freestanding boulders and a beautiful patio catch your eye instead.
Lots of texture means lots of eye appeal.The mountain plum pines (right foreground) and an array of strappy ornamental grasses have a distinct fine texture and, when planted in masses, add tons of movement to the garden.
