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misierra_gw

garden suggstions

misierra
17 years ago

Pictures of my garde. I am interested in converting my garden into a more asian inspired kind.any suggestion will be appreciated

http://photos.ivillage.com/images/photos/resize/gardenweb_Garden%20Galleries_1169967505832_348032D.jpg

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:285648}}

Comments (8)

  • margie15
    17 years ago

    It looks like you are well on your way! Nice dry river. I think you need to create enclosure. That is block the view of the other houses and your chainlink fence. Your wooden fence looks good, but needs something above it to block the view.
    Maybe some plants inside as well as outside the fence.

  • misierra
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    thanks,

    could you mention any tall plants for zone 5 that i could use for enclosing the inside and outside of the garden.any other suggestions?

  • stevega
    17 years ago

    Misierra-I like what youve done. I would study some Japanese garden pictures/books and try to review the area as a whole to make refinements now. In your dry river, I would try to alter the look to reflect the different velocities of water flow. Also, it looks like it may be flowing uphill in some sections. Larger rocks can indicate splashing of rapids while smaller rocks show placid water, especially for the lake at the end of the river. Faster water is narrower. You may want to add more boulders at abrupt turns to show why the river turned.
    A lantern to light the way over a bridge for access and a path would be good additions.

  • misierra
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    Thanks for the input stevega,i appreciate what you said,in the spring i will fix the dry river.from this picture the pond is not seem,but what you called the lake is just a narrow strip of the dry creek that connects to the pond,i amd posting more pictures so you can see what is at the bottom.in spring i will built a bridge,plant more plants around the fence and a built lower deck at the exit of my basement

    Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:1006167}}

  • stevega
    17 years ago

    Misierra- I saw the picture after I commented and it shows the ending for the river. I also think that the garden area should have a destination/a place to sit and enjoy the garden. It looks like you will have to marry this with the view from your deck which is probably where you sit to enjoy the garden most often.

    The fence blocking the street could be improved by adding Japanese style appliques/patterns. Ideas can be found on various Japanese garden web pages. You may want to highlight the gate in the same manner. The chain link fence can be hidden by a fence or dense screen of plantings. No one has suggested tall zone 5 evergreens for this, so a fence may be the way to go.

    It looks like you really enjoy the project/process. It will be a continuous refinement for many years. I would recommend that you guard against overdoing additions. Simplicity and unity are goals.

    Enjoy

  • misierra
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    Hello stevega,reflecting on your note,i recognized that i have to include some japanese patterns on the fence,are you recomemmending to build like some kind of pergola on the entrance and include some kind of japanese covering for the fence.as i wrote before i am also going to built a deck(ground level),but i have already one deck on the first floor.the deck is going to be near the pond and the shed.i might put include in my deck some seats.my other question is:what kind of plants i should planst around the chain link fence to cover it?.i am thinking more to go for tall grasses.is it a goos idea?

    Thanks,

  • stevega
    17 years ago

    Misierra-Hopefully, the link below works to give some ideas. Try to look at the garden as a whole and add the items that it may be lacking, rather than seeing a pergola that you like and saying "Cool pergola, I need to put that somewhere". (I'm not saying that you would do that, but I have in the past). I don't have much time now to answer.
    Tall grasses as a border doesn't say Japanese garden to me, unless they are bamboo.
    Do you really use the gate to the road? I assumed that it was rarely used so the gate would be always closed and viewed from "inside" the garden.
    Sorry, must go.


    http://www.the-landscape-design-site.com/gardenstyles/japanese.html

  • misierra
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    Hello Stevega:

    The door to the street i don't use it much,but only when i need to bring wood for my stove.i normally use a door that it's not seen from the pictures.If i could not use tall grasses to close the view from the chainlink fence,what should i use?.thanks,for the link,i observed a lot of things i could use to make that fence more japanese.but i still have some serious thinking to do when i comes to the chainlink fence.thanks,anyways

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