Garden Rooms
I don't have enough contour of land, stands of trees or hedges to make actual "garden rooms." I have more of an open floor plan--if you will--taking advantage of the sun and shade provided, colors and texture, and specific plants. I have very few overlaps in species from 'room to room', but the color scheme has constants, and the areas flow together as you move through the landscape.
Color is always my main theme. I can admire a bed blooming in all colors, but I'm just not such a free-spirit. I love white (and green) gardens. Generally I think white pops more in shade and can look bleached-out in full sun. But combined with other colors it works; I love any single color garden with white added.
In addition to white, the colors I gravitate to are blue/purple and pink. I allow the small chartreuse flowers of Lady's Mantle to dip me toward yellow. But I never deliberately plant yellows, oranges or reds.
Variations in texture and juxtaposition play a big part in defining my spaces. Considering plant size and density, leaf shape and consistency, and bloom structure, and combining them uniquely, helps create different moods.
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My overall desire is that my garden not feel too composed and that it evolves naturally. That said, these are my garden areas and the feelings I've tried to create.
Entering my property, my love of blue and white is evident. Both sides of the driveway are lined with dogwoods, white roses and daffodils (in the spring), touches of purple/blue, and different groundcovers. Around the fountain I've continued the same theme. I created a slight berm on the left side of the driveway to separate it and hide the view of the formal garden on the other side.
My front door area is mostly shady. It's planted with lush greens and whites, with blue hydrangeas (when they perform as desired) to compliment the shutter color. I wanted it calm and quiet, softening the edges of the house.
Around to the left, lawn surrounds a reflecting pool and a large mixed border. Wide herbaceous borders are very typical in England landscaping. I consider this my formal garden and my most inclusive of plant varieties and colors. A low stone wall separates the lawn from a gravel patio--two very distinct areas.
On the gravel side of the wall, are lavender and purple geraniums, low white roses and an airy white-flowering groundcover. I used gravel here because I wanted a natural, casual outdoor entertaining area as you see all over Europe. Shade is an issue. Trees would block the view of Mt. Hood and umbrellas might blow away with our strong breezes.
The meadow--a wild mix of grasses, clover and low-growing wild flowers in the spring--encircles the gravel and extends the informal feeling. And of course, my treasured big-leaf maple defines the property.
On the east side of the house, there are two small three-walled pocket gardens that are probably my closest to 'rooms'. They have plants I enjoy seeing up close. One is shady and contains mostly hellebores. The other has prostrate-growing white camellias, lily of the valley and a feathery light green groundcover.
The south terrace has additional relaxed dining. This is a "found" area since the garage was originally supposed to be here. So I didn't have time to develop much of a landscaping plan. But I like the simplicity of the area and the views it provides. I ventured into a warmer palette with pots of Happy Chappy multicolored roses and a groundcover with pink and green leaves and tiny white summer flowers.
Below this patio I left a small stand of fir trees because they provide a canopy with dappled shade and mulchy soil. This created the "woodland" I've always wanted. It's small, with a path between the trees, planted in various greens and whites. To get to it, you can follow the curve of the meadow or walk down mossy steps toward the greenhouse.
On the other side of the driveway here is a narrow strip of evergreens--magnolias, rhododendrons and English holly. Here I break my rule of no yellow/orange/red, and have a profusion of dwarf yellow daffodils in the spring.
This leads to the cottage with its gray picket fence, twined with roses. I've planted lots of pinks here and it feels a bit frilly--as a "cottage garden" should.
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