Size matters. A discussion of size, though, in the example of garden space, has less to do with overall dimensions and more to do with the same design principles that apply to any garden, big or small. Unity, texture, scale, and balance are all essential to achieving the vision for a garden style that both integrates surrounding elements and complements the homeowner's lifestyle.
Inspiration is key, something Winnipeg homeowners Lorne Mack and Cindy Marie Small have had no shortage of in planning and designing their landscape. Mack, owner of Special T Shirt Co., and Small, former Royal Winnipeg Ballet dancer, both credit one another for the artistic sensibilities that are evident throughout their urban garden.
Large, two-storey homes on tiny lots are not restricted to newer neighbourhoods. Many older homes in Winnipeg are situated within spitting distance of the front curb and with no more than elbow room between neighbouring houses. It's all part of the charm.
Mack and Small's vision was never for merely a larger space but rather one that would be distinctive, functional, and have a welcoming ambience. Today the landscape that frames their royal blue house with its white trim and accents feels larger and is full of discovery.
How was this accomplished? It began with the decision to do away with the boring, straight lines of the centre concrete walkway in their front yard and to pull up most of the postage-sized squares of lawn that lay on either side. Now a serpentine walkway winds its way to the front entry. On opposite sides, adjacent to the public walkway, are two asymmetrical flower beds. One runs the length of the front yard, 91 centimetres at its narrowest point and two metres at its widest. The other, on the west side of the front yard, is approximately two metres in length and width. Another flower bed, about three metres long and one metre deep sits closer to the house. A long strip of lush green grass hugs the flower beds on the west side of the property.
The weeping habit of a mature birch tree, located on the east side of the front yard, provides both a dramatic focal point as well as privacy and shade. Three circular paving designs have been incorporated into a courtyard patio that now accommodates a bistro set. A Buddha water fountain with an accent light sits in a brick raised flower bed adjacent to the front of the house. In the evening if Mack and Small choose to relax in the front yard, the soft light and sound of gurgling water provides a pleasing backdrop.
If this were all, it would be lovely enough. Mack and Small, though, looked beyond the confines of their property to the boulevard where they could see possibilities for extending their sight line but also adding to the overall appearance of the neighbourhood.
Paving stone in a unique keyhole shape encircles the base of a stately elm tree and is filled with flowering annuals during summer. A curved walkway runs to the edge of the curb. Cobalt blue ceramic planters are used to great effect during the growing season, punctuating both the boulevard and front yard, tying together the landscape and adding colour and texture.
Mack's and Small's ingenuity in stretching the visual boundaries of a small landscape is best seen, though, when one enters their backyard. First, the majority of the surface area of the backyard (nine metres by eight metres) consists of paving stone. Yet the overall image is one of an abundance of leafy textures, vibrant, exotic colour, entertainment areas with soft intimate lighting, and fascinating decorative objects.
Intriguingly, not everything can be seen at once. A cedar pergola, three metres by three metres, commands the visitor's immediate attention. Situated at a distinct angle to the house and boundaries of the landscape, the pergola rafters atop the thick, weathered beams are completely covered with fast growing Virginia Creeper. On the interior, billows of gossamer fabric decorate the ceiling, undulating in the slightest breeze. Small selected fabric sheer enough to allow the sun's rays to glow through but durable enough to handle rain showers. A rustic chandelier filled with candles hangs above the table and chairs inside the pergola. Just outside of the pergola is a separate lounge area with a coffee table. Pots of fragrant purple-flowered heliotrope mingle with large sedums and dainty Haworthia. The scent of heliotrope, in particular, appeals to Mack.
The colour blue plays a dominant role on all sides of this secret enclave from the royal blue siding of the house to the matching royal blue cindercrete wall of the garage that forms a beautiful backdrop to the pergola. Mirrors accessorize two former windows on the garage wall that have been converted to alcoves. A golden-coloured Asian-inspired wall mounted fountain sits above a tidy work station adorned with vintage collectibles. Large Kimberley ferns in black urns soften the straight lines of the garage and pergola. On cool evenings the mood is set with the soft burning light of white pillar candles placed in a variety of eclectic holders including a three-paneled metal screen with votives.
On the east side of the backyard, Virginia Creeper completely covers the fence for a living wall. Amazingly it is planted in a narrow bed measuring only 30 cm deep. Mack trained the vines to grow across the top of the pergola by attaching three separate lengths of angle iron to the fence and rafters of the pergola. It took about three years for the Virginia Creeper which can grow up to 15 metres to cover the entire top of the pergola. Now the purplish-black berries on crimson red stems hang in clusters from the rafters, attracting birds, some of whom get a little drunk, says Mack.
An illusion of depth in front of the living wall is achieved by layering a mix of cobalt blue and terra cotta containers planted with a variety of textures and colours including cosmos, ornamental grasses, and nasturtium and trailing ivies.
On the opposite side of the garden, a slightly raised bed about 22 cm high runs the length of the fence, narrowing in width from three metres at its widest point to just one metre. Mack insists he is new to gardening but his love of the exotic has resulted in a diverse selection of plants with an emphasis on white flowered plants such as white datura or Angel's Trumpet and fragrant Nicotiana alata. White flowered Peruvian daffodil, short lived but spectacular, made a dazzling display for all of one week.
White flowers glimmer in the evening and are especially effective in an intimate space. This summer Mack and Small also grew Ballerina Purple, a wonderfully fragrant datura with large, almost ethereal silvery white blooms edged in dark purple.
Mack can't resist trying new varieties each year. This year he grew Impression Fantastico dahlia from a bulb and was blown away by its intricate bloom.
Lilies are clearly a favourite and range from pristine white Eyeliner lily to shades of pink provided by Delicate Joy, Hot Spots, and Lollipop. Lily varieties such as Cocktail Twins, Landini, Dimension, and London Hearts add deep, rich colour.
Rose coloured calla lilies with their speckled foliage complement the purplish red Ville de Lyon clematis that grows on the fence. Other vertical elements include sky blue Magic Fountain delphinium. A soft to the touch ground cover of thyme and Arctic Fire dianthus grows along stepping stones that lead into the flower bed. Look carefully and you will see a decorative Buddha statue tucked in amongst the flowers, smiling serenely.
Mack says he and Small are always looking for plants that work well together in the garden. "We try to create mini-pockets or themes," he says. "We're really just enjoying the whole learning curve of creating what we hope are beautiful spaces in our landscape."
Next summer's garden, says Mack, will hopefully include an Olympic Torch Lily Tree with its pink, upward facing blooms with yellow throats. Mack and Small will overwinter many of their containerized plants including the Kimberley ferns and begin planning which plants they will grow from seed. In the meantime, after tender bulbs have been lifted and the pergola's gossamer fabric stored away for the winter, Mack and Small look forward to a brilliant red October as their vine-covered pergola and living wall take on the colours of autumn.
colleenizacharias@gmail.com
