garden
outdoor living
Hand came up with several
ingenious plans that made the m ost o f
the site’s param eters— a small, sunny
entryway and narrow, shady side patio.
The garden features an array o f rocks,
containers, and carefully chosen plants
to achieve a hip, organic appeal without
the maintenance needs o f a more highly
styled garden.
A thick ground cover o f pea gravel,
which extends into the shady area
around the side o f the house, needs no
mowing or weeding. Star has positioned
many o f the “found treasures” from her
rock collection atop the gravel, along
with several striking granite obelisks
as a focal point. Nearby, a shallow rock
basin filled with water is a favourite
play place for their son Zyan and his
group o f friends.
“That bowl is actually the dinosaurs’
watering hole,” Star says, smiling. “ Kids
love to play here. W hen they walk by
our tiny yard, they are always attracted
to this hole.”
The containers are used liberally,
and many are filled with drought-
tolerant plants that thrive in the
intense sunlight, reflected by concrete
walls and steps. The plant palette
in their outdoor space is bold, with
magenta and chartreuse tones,
providing sharp contrast to the fam ily’s
olive green home, and the greens and
golds o f ornam ental grasses.
In India, all kinds o f grasses can be
lumped as ornamental grasses, as they
are favourites for their undemanding
nature and year-round interest. But you
m ust keep in mind, that their pollen
may cause bronchial problem s.
This Seattle garden has evolved a lot
since 2003, as Star’s love for gardening
has blossom ed. “At first, I felt a little
embarrassed about adding some new
plants, because I did not want to offend
Virginia, who lives across the street,”
Star says. “N ow I know, that getting
me hooked on gardening was what she
planned all along.” ■
Street-side ‘Royal Purple’ and ornamental grasses are grown for a splashy
display,
below .
Kids can’t resist this potted “jungle,” where a rock basin is a
watering hole for toy dinosaurs,
right.
Gardens com posed m ostly
of containerized plants
can easily look haphazard
or disconnected. Give
container gardens a more
cohesive look by using pot:
o f a similar style, material,
or colour throughout.
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