Friday, May 11, 2012

Back in Business - Encinitas -2 - Painting the Garden

" Take thy plastic spade,
It is thy pencil; take thy seeds, thy plants,
They are thy colours."
~William Mason, The English Garden, 1782

Boulder at right front of drive anchors the scene
One dead computer, one sister recovering from her heart attacking and one Beverly Hills hair makeover by Shannon and Adrienne at José Eber's new salon and I am back. Ever more thankful for God's grace in this life.

Back to where we left off,  walking the Encinitas Garden Festival and Tour. Come, learn more of how gardeners paint their outdoor spaces with plants and negative space, one vision at a time.

Note the boulder at the front left of the driveway.  Its mass gives impact to the entrance. It adds to the perspective by providing the eye with a resting place before it journeys up to the house across the concrete divide.


Well- spaced billowing plants are both water-wise and back-friendly. Containing the water bill and less maintenance. As I ease into my senior years comfort and cost tip the scales as important values when nearing a cash register.

Balancing rock with mulch keeps the scene from being quarry-like

Attention to detail is not just in the plantings, but in what is brushed between. Note the walk-way colors repeat in the stones bordering  the driveway. Thus, mulch beyond is held back from muddying up the hardscape during a torrential downpour. Which we do get in California. Ask any one who has had both cars and the house windows washed at once.  Its an immediate cosmic reaction to keep mere humans from believing we have control. 



Not visible from the street, a generous lawn bordered by a bodacious outline drawn in paving stone  allows the house to breathe.  Ever wonder why splendid castles in France aren't hugged by shrubbery? Function first: in medieval times, lions might look upon a doorway as the opportunity for making a dinner out of those entering or exiting the safety of home.

Nowadays, notwithstanding the occasional bear or mountain lion galavanting from their hillside homes to ours, there is still plenty of wildlife we should design escape routes for or from. Snakes, rats, skunks- those sort of charmers ought to have separate, if not equal, habitat.


5 comments:

  1. Glad to know everything is alright with you and yours, once again....
    BEAUTIFUL Garden, once again, too....It is always fascinating to see what other people do with their Gardens---especially, the "experts"...!

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  2. Oh thanks Lydia for the reminder of the lovely day I had on April 21st in Encinitas. It was really gorgeous, but I doubt I will ever do that garden tour again as the walk between those many houses up and down steep hills was enough for me this past time.

    Think I might try the San Diego Art & Garden tour next year as my daughter has plans for me up in Torrance on this Mother's Day and can't go tomorrow due to a political BBQ in Santa Clarita Valley.

    Glad Gina is better!

    Judy Duvall
    Seal Beach, CA

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  3. Thank you for checking in. So many gardens- so little time.

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  4. Boy, I agree about the mulch and quarry balance. Except for the day of your tour, it would seem rocks would be too hot a mulch for Encinitas... Anyway, I'm pleased to hear your sister is better. And I did notice your lovely hair cut :-)

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  5. Thank you all for writing in.

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