Raise your hand if you knew that April is National Garden Month. Which I guess makes perfect sense as this is the time that even those of us with the brownest of thumbs come out of winter hiding and get grand ideas of what would make the perfect garden. I’m so impressed when reading our team’s weekly thread, to hear of our members that grow everything from lettuce to chocolate truffles. Okay I didn’t read about anyone growing chocolate truffles, I just zoned out in my own fantasy world there for a minute.
Me, I like to stick with flowers. I know… you can’t eat flowers but they sure are pretty. Such lovely varieties that can make even the most humble of homes pop with color and excitement. Designing a flower garden is purely subjective which means no right and wrong. However, in researching for this post I found a few basic principles of good garden design.
Order/Balance/Proportion
The basic structure of the garden. Order can be obtained through symmetry, as in a formal garden, through repetition of plants or colors or through balancing bold or bright features with a comparable weight of fine or muted features
Harmony or Unity
When the parts of the garden work together as a whole. This can be accomplished by using a limited color pallette, repetition of plants, colors or structures and a clear focal point. Themes gardens have built in unity, like: all white gardens, butterfly gardens and cottage gardens.
Flow, Transition or Rhythm
Keeping the eye moving and directing it where you want it to look Gradual changes in height and color prevent the eye from making a sudden stop. Transition can also be used to create the illusion of a larger space by creating depth.
Didn’t mean to get all technical on you, just trying to help any beginners with a place to start. Like in art, rules are meant to be broken. Whether your thing is growing string beans and tomatoes (look out for those pesky squirrels) or roses and daisies, I wish you all a bountiful and beautiful garden this year. Save some of your chocolate truffle harvest for me!
Some favorites of mine from the bbest garden.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Hey, Guess What Month It Is
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11 comments:
Every day, in every way.... you'll learn a new idea from this super Team!
Thanks, Chaunce for featuring my Pansies and what a lovely bunch of flowers from the BBEST garden!
Chauncey what a great blog.
I am always amazed at our group and how much
creativity and skill we all possess. This is lovely.
Great Chauncey!! Great write up and wonderful works from some very talented BBESTers!
Fabulous feature I had no idea that there was a National Garden Month, thanks for featuring my orchid.
Beautiful blog Chauncey!. I feel like spring :)
A wonderful feature on one of my favorite subjects by one of my favorite people!!! Doesn't get any better than that!!
Thanks for including my lilacs!!!
Great blog post, Chauncey! I love flower gardens...But I'm not good at growing things. Thank you for including one of my flowers! Kate's poppies is one of my favorites!
Yes, I think I will have a Trevor & Charlotte dedicated plot. Will keep you posted, Chaunce! :) Thanks for a beautiful, fun & informative feature. You're a peach (blossom).
I can only admire those who can grow flowers (or anything at all, for that matter), since I have a black thumb! You have selected some really lovely examples of BBEST flowers, Chauncey!
I love flowers, though my garden is less orderly than garden planners might like. I love perennials because they require less work for me. ;-) The closest I come to growing chocolate is chocolate mint.
Thanks for including my necklace in your lovely BBEST garden.
Oh, what a wonderful post. Makes me want to get out in the yard and get started cleaning out all the beds, and making sure all the perennials are coming up, and deciding what annuals to use to add color! And, the Bbest flowers are truly beautiful and awesome! Love the art you chose to go with your article!
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