“It looks sort of lifeless”, said my friend disconsolately, frowning at her garden. “Of course not,” I replied encouragingly, “You have color and shape everywhere.” “Well, it looks…. blah!” she persisted. I decided the time for honesty had arrived. “Well…. there isn’t much fun here, certainly.” She began to bristle. “What do you mean - fun?” “Whimsy, darling. Whimsy.”
We discussed what whimsy might mean for different people because there are many elements that are fun to some, and a horror to others. I love half-hidden doors, overshadowed by foliage… where does that lead? It might open onto a tiny area of meadow that the gardener has set aside for wildflowers, a vegetable patch, perhaps just a brick wall – or even where the compost is stored. But it lends an air of intrigue. She had been toying with the idea of planting a small meadow but was concerned about the type of grass to use; we settled the matter by choosing a small area hitherto unincorporated into the garden, threw old rocks and odd lumps of cement onto it, heaped in some soil, and planted some alpines to get it started. The whimsy came in the form of a new, but deliberately distressed picket fence, giving every indication of age, winding casually around the meadow. (We hadn’t been able to find the genuine article.) The formerly unattractive patch now had its own character and special attraction. Wildflowers are very independent and hate to be pampered, and although seeds were sewn regularly, it took a while before it became a real ‘meadow’, but it was worth waiting for.
Some friends of mine bought a number of old windows and attached them to a fence, then set an array of exuberantly planted window boxes underneath. It made an enchanting display as a background, and glimpsed here and there through the shrubs and trees. I had an old wooden American-style mailbox in the shape of a cabin and drilled several large holes in the roof through which the flowers might climb and tumble; they also cascaded out of the open door into which I had wedged a ‘gate’ of close-knit wire to hold back the soil. This was mounted on a sturdy post and looked delightful popping up out of some bushes.
Mirrors, when set at an angle, will invariably give an illusion of space by reflecting another aspect of the garden. An attractive picture is created by mounting a tall one on a wall or fence, then building a trellised arch, two or three feet deep, in front of it. It makes the archway look deeper and people will sometimes walk towards it with the idea that they can walk through.
Some years ago, I inherited a number of tiny jugs, pots and pans and, for sentimental reasons, wanted to keep them, but yet had nowhere to show them in the house. Since they were well glazed, I hung them in a favorite Acer tree where they danced in the breeze and waved to me. Their memories were always a delight, and will be found in my new garden, as well. For the same reason, I intend to drill holes in some old, cracked or stained shallow cups and saucers and mount them on slim steel poles, with the necessary screws to dismantle them for washing, and fill them with seed. I’ll have to make them squirrel-proof, of course, but I think a grouping of several might look rather fun.
If you are artistically inclined, paint a fence to resemble a road of old houses, plant some dwarf trees in front here and there. Search for interesting driftwood; I once found a piece that looked just like a crocodile; it looked quite menacing at the side of the pond. There are pots with faces, amusing scrap iron sculptures, enchanting highly decorative wind chimes and toadstools aplenty. I remember a winery in Northern California having a large group of stone toadstools wandering through a small copse of trees – simple and stunning. Pruned tree limbs make wonderful arbors, fences, or even furniture, and you’ve probably seen old chairs in gardens, their seats planted prettily.
This is the time of year when you start to plan next year’s ‘look’ as you salivate over all those bulb, seed and plant brochures with their irresistible pictures of promise. Remember to give some thought to fun, mystery and intrigue as well.
In another column, I shall suggest projects for children in the garden that will include creating habitats for wildlife.
