Think design challenges are unique to the postage-stamp sized, irregularly shaped urban property? Try gardening on an oversized lot or perhaps, even, an acreage.
Many urbanites are doing just that in bedroom communities such as Oakbank, RM of Headingley, St. François Xavier, Niverville or East and West St. Paul. While some commute to their workplaces in Winnipeg, there are others who make the decision to relocate to bustling communities even further away such as Gimli or Steinbach.
All for the sake of the opportunity to expand their horticultural horizons.
If living on acreage is a new adventure to which you aspire, it's worth learning from the experience of homeowners who were born to a larger space.
To start with, a larger space to work with does not mean a distinct lack of structure. Indeed, the landscape is simply on a larger scale similar to living in a larger house: Same number of rooms, but each one is roomier.
Generally, though, a large-sized landscape evolves over time with some aspects changing as the family changes, but ideally is one that blends harmoniously with its natural setting as well as the owner's aspirations.
Gus and Hilde Labelle have lived on their five-hectare property near Kleefeld (about 30 minutes south of Winnipeg) for 41 years. Fully 1.2 hectares comprise their garden, while the rest is left in its natural beauty, with trails winding through the trees and brush.
Situated adjacent to Highway 52, visitors lose any sense of passing traffic once they sweep down the crushed-granite rock driveway, flanked on each side by manicured grass and a tall backdrop of dense trees. The Labelles' driveway opens out onto a clearing that first consists of the house, framed by one of many perennial beds and, next, a large converted barn, picture perfect with siding in kelly green paint and white framed windows, each complemented by a window box spilling with annuals.
A large patio, complete with a stone fireplace, sits just outside the back door for easy entertaining. A gorgeous screened in 16-by-16 cedar-framed gazebo was built by Gus four years ago.
With not one, but three vegetable gardens, a large pond, countless perennial beds largely grown from seed, as well as an orchard, the tasks of upkeep and maintenance are far too many to complete in one day.
"We give ourselves little assignments," explained Gus. "We call our garden 'the garden of rooms,' " added Hilde, who says it is easiest to concentrate on gardening in one "room" per day than all of them.
How do they keep the park-like setting so lush and green by relying only on seasonal precipitation? Compost supplies the beds and lawn with nutrients and they take care to not mow the grass too short.
Admittedly, with just the two of them, the vegetable gardens produce an overabundance of produce. "We are forever giving away extra apples, tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini," said Gus, adding it is the same amount of work to grow more than less.
When Eldon and Phillis Kroeker first moved to their 1.2-hectare property situated minutes from the outskirts of Steinbach, they had few neighbours. Today the population is booming as construction vehicles rumble down the tree-lined gravel roads, raising both dust and brand new houses in the rural subdivisions that are expanding further and further into the countryside.
Similar to the Labelles' property, the Kroekers' home is situated deep into the property, behind a dense thicket of trees that serve as a barrier to the sounds of passing traffic.
This is an area with rich, stony soil and it is not unusual to see rock gardens. Rocks and boulders are a hallmark of the Kroekers' landscape, defining a recently developed project opposite their deck consisting of a large rock garden with a waterfall and stream and next, a future project for a bog garden and 70-foot long dry creek bed that will meander diagonally across a low lying area directly behind their house.
Since their vegetables beds were regularly drowned by the area's naturally high water table, the Kroekers now grow their vegetables in a series of raised beds. All of the beds have an underground water supply sourced from their well.
Fallen trees, a not uncommon occurrence given the vast number of trees on the property, are ground up into coarse wood chips used to line the pathways between the raised beds.
Opposite the deck, a limestone patio includes a firepit for outdoor entertaining and sits adjacent to a nearby swing created from two massive wooden poles. A second water feature provides the sound of trickling water, but in a unique way. Together with a pump and a series of rusty elevator buckets from the old Steinbach flour mill -- which are attached to old wooden boards and secured to a weathered picket fence -- the water feature underscores the Kroekers' loving attention to detail.
The Kroekers use a three-bin compost system built from old pallets. A lid and screening keeps out any pests. "I use one bin every year for the vegetable garden and around the plants." Most of the plants are native Prairie perennials from Prairie Originals.
I thought of emulating the Kroekers' unique plant markers which have been created from concrete marker stones. Concrete was poured into molds and then letters were pressed in to spell out the plant name. Alas, the kit is no longer sold.
Travelling two hours west of Winnipeg, I visited Neepawa for the Lily Festival but mostly for the chance to visit Glenda and Joe MacPhee's heritage property framed by American elm, spruce and Manitoba maple trees. The beautiful country house, built in 1917, sits far back from the road, directly opposite a deep perennial bed that stretches fully 100 metres in length, curving towards a glimpse of Lake Irwin in the distance.
As distinctly pretty as this cottage-like garden may be with its wide clumps of old fashioned perennials such as hollyhocks, delphiniums, Maltese cross, poppies, mallow, roses and more, it is the feather soft, naturally rich, loamy soil that says you aren't in a Winnipeg garden anymore with its sticky clay soil.
With plenty of room to grow and no shortage of irrigation, which is pumped in from Lake Irwin, sun-loving perennials reach their full potential. A specimen plant, persicaria polymorpha, is a dramatic 2.5 metres tall and wide.
In addition to perennial beds, the various garden rooms include an herb garden, grassy labyrinth, orchard, rose garden, shade beds and a vegetable garden. Winding pathways of mowed grass, edged with tall grasses, lead the visitor throughout the property.
Quaint outbuildings such as a henhouse have been converted for more modern uses. A former seed shed was converted to a greenhouse and overlooks the herb garden planted with mint, calendula, lovage, feverfew, rosemary and purple-flowered winter savoury. A closely clipped cotoneaster hedge encircles the herb garden, creating a favourable microclimate.
Similar to the Kroekers and Labelles, the MacPhees must divide up their tasks. Despite the size of their landscapes, none use a riding mower, preferring to push a self-propelled mower for the exercise. In the case of the MacPhees, that means mowing a portion of the lawn two hours a day six days a week.
Other common challenges include the time spent weeding and contending with wildlife such as groundhogs, moles, woodchucks and raccoons. Browsing deer are a persistent problem, although each of these gardeners agree sharing is a part of living in a rural area.
Wind can wreak havoc on a heavily treed property, bringing down hundreds of branches in a single storm. "So quickly something can be gone," said the MacPhees. "So you have to enjoy it while you have it."
One of the singular pleasures of a large garden, besides the picturesque views and delicious harvest, is the opportunity to see many different species of birds from goldfinches and Baltimore orioles to evening grosbeaks and redheaded woodpeckers. Each of these country gardens features an abundance of different types of birdhouses, some painted, some a weathered grey.
If you are dreaming of a country garden, consider this comment by Joe MacPhee, "The work is never done. There is always another project."
And is there anywhere else any of them would rather be? Not a chance.
