Friday, March 28, 2014

Get Your Layers of Design Right

Every home needs a desk, every barn needs a desk, every garden needs a desk.


Every design project has its layers.  Completed layers, above.  Beginning layers, below.


I will always have a job.  Always.  Why?  It's DNA to put the wrong layers in first, in a garden.
.
What are the wrong first layers of a garden design?  Pretty flowers.  All roses.  Mostly perennials.  Tons of hosta.  Yes, that list will keep me in a job, forever (forevah).  So, Tara, what's wrong with roses, perennials...., easy, no evergreen structure, zero relationship with the house & you've begun with high maintenance.
.
Desk, above, is already years in the making.  Why?  We've been creating paths, drives, focal points on axis with the interiors, planting evergreen hedges, then flowering shrubs......
.
Ironically, nurseries conspire to keep me working hard.  How?  They push annuals, lawns with needy chemicals-watering-mowing, blah blah blah & blah (are we even in the same industry?  Passed a nursery sign last week, "Kill your weeds now."  Yes, I will always have a job.)
.
What is the first layer of a Garden Design to consider?  Views, main axis, from inside your home into the garden.
.
Garden & Be Well,   XO Tara
.
Top pic Susanne Hudson's garden, bottom pic at a client garden last weekend.
.
If you want a beautiful garden & home filling you with joy, and causes you to tap the brake pedal, as you look in the rear view mirror heading out, become my client, local or on-line.
.
Award winning speaker, hire me to speak to your group, local or out-of-state.
                                                                                 .
Garden books by Tara Dillard, Amazon

3 comments:

  1. T...this is a GREAT post. Easy for me to say as I sit at my desk with three different garden views (4 if you count the mirrored reflection across the room) supplied to me by one of our area's greats 20 years ago. Yes, I am constantly working in it, adding, taking away, but the foundation is there. We have been plugging St. Augustine for the last several years (crazy terriers need to run) so no more chemicals. There's still tons of work, but I don't look at it that way. I love being in my garden rooms.....k

    ReplyDelete
  2. Love this post! The first plant I bought when I moved into my house....a rose bush! I put it in the ground and instantly knew I'd made a mistake. I needed greenery not flowers first! Rose bush looked very sad all alone. Now I know better. But oh....I wish I had your help. I just started a new job and am hoping it will lead me to be able to refine my landscape.

    ReplyDelete