DARE TO DESIGN
Post Homes looks at some of the top garden trends.
In some ways, very early spring is the most inspiring time of year for gardeners — for as soon as the cold weather gives way to the occasional mild morning and the tips of the first tulip leaves poke through the mulch, our heads begin filling with ideas and plans for the gardening season ahead, untroubled by realities like late frosts or a string of rainy days.
Whether you’re planning a wholesale overhaul of your outdoor living space, or just want to make a few tweaks or additions to the great garden you already have, here are a few ideas that the experts see as directional for 2017.
Canadiana Canada’s 150th birthday is a great excuse to focus on hardy native Canadian plants (and hybrids especially bred for our climate). There’s plenty of choice, from trees such as birch, maple, pine and spruce to native wildflower hybrids, ferns and mosses. A new rose developed just for the sesquicentennial, called
Canadian Shield,
is designed for winter hardiness in every climate zone, from temperate Victoria and St. John’s to the cooler continental climes of Winnipeg and Edmonton. For a quintessential look, arrange locally sourced rocks such as sandstone and granite to resemble natural outcroppings. ( Just be sure they’re taken from your own property, or legally purchased.) If your goal is more celebratory than naturalistic, consider plantings of red and white flowers, or introduce a bit of Canadiana to areas around the garden with mini, birchbark canoes, totem poles or Inukshuks.
Simplify Especially in modern settings, go for uncluttered minimalism, with straight, geometric lines, simple materials such as limestone blocks or pavers and wood decking, railroad ties and brick or pea gravel paths. Finish with neat plantings of low trimmed boxwood hedges, a single plant variety such as hostas or ferns, or simple cedar mulch punctured by rock outcroppings.
Wild gardens On the opposite end of the spectrum from the uncluttered, minimalist garden, wild gardens that are designed to mimic unspoiled nature (but, of course, with a little judicious revision here and there) form a counterpoint to the standard overplanted cottage garden. It’s always better to work with nature than against it; rather than spend a lot of time cutting back plants or vines that tend to overgrow their space, either dig them out, or simply let them grow and design your garden around them. Some wildflowers and “volunteers” — goldenrod, black- eyed Susan, mullein, and milkweed — are actually a valuable food source for wildlife. Weed and trim only as much as you need to in order to maintain a sense of ( some) order, and then let nature do the rest — assuming your neighbours don’t complain.
Outdoor rooms Backyard living has been part of elegant city life for some years, but now outdoor architecture is becoming as comfortable and well appointed as it is indoors. Under a pergola ( or a full roof ), outdoor kitchens now include a sink, fridge, microwave and, of course, barbecue, with island seating, wet bar, prep areas and storage. After dinner, migrate from the kitchen to a plush outdoor living room, with a big- screen TV for watching movies under the stars.
Art in the Garden Rusted metal makes an on-trend and natural-looking artistic statement in gardens, whether used as pure decorative art, a divider between areas or as a structural element — part of a water feature or as seating, for example. Hanging art displayed in a sheltered breezeway or even, if composed of materials that can take the elements, prominently placed out in the open, forms a modern alternative to oh- sotraditional marble statuary.
LED Lighting Effects Innovations with LED lighting allow you to create an ever- changing landscape of moods in the night garden. Computerized lighting control systems can be programmed to create a rainbow of changing colours, particularly effective with water features such as a fountain, cascade or in the pool; or to create artistic shadows by artfully lighting a mature tree.
“Smart” Watering Solutions Just as with indoor functions such as temperature control, entertainment, and home security, now watering systems and outdoor lighting can be controlled by smartphone. Sensors can be programmed to register exactly when and how much watering is needed in a particular area, turning off automatically when the proper level of saturation is reached ( or if it starts raining). Systems like these are not just convenient and foolproof; they save energy and conserve water, while maintaining the optimum watering schedule for your garden’s needs.
Living fences A more natural alternative to hard wood or stone fences, wire fences can be trained with ivy or other fast-growing vines to provide shelter and privacy. You can plant the vines yourself, train them along the support and wait for the fence to gradually fill in, but at least one Ontario company, Devlon sells and installs sections of fence preplanted with ivy (greenlivingfence.ca).
The Tiny Getaway Many townhouses and small city homes have postage- stamp backyards of 200 square feet or less, but very often less is more — since with a bit of planning, a small-space garden can be a huge source of relaxation and pleasure. One of the most purely appealing garden displays at Canada Blooms was a tiny garden by Green Art Landscape Design that somehow managed to tuck in flowing flower borders, a water feature, a pair of pig planters fashioned from old propane canisters, and, a pergola with a hammock strung beneath it. You could almost feel the warm summer breeze.
CANADA’S 150TH BIRTHDAY IS A GREAT EXCUSE TO FOCUS ON HARDY NATIVE CANADIAN PLANTS (AND HYBRIDS ESPECIALLY BRED FOR OUR CLIMATE). THERE’S PLENTY OF CHOICE, FROM TREES SUCH AS BIRCH, MAPLE, PINE AND SPRUCE TO NATIVE WILDFLOWER HYBRIDS, FERNS AND MOSSES.