outside in the garden

astrogene image borrowed from Garden web

Friday, November 30, 2001

On the Fence

I'm still thinking about the Fence Garden.
This is similar to the interior decorating idea of putting your little home office/computer set-up in a closet; or a reading area on the stair landing. It's just taking any small space and turning it into a small thing of beauty and delight for the passer-by to notice. It also becomes a micro-biosphere where some plantings that do not match the rest of the garden in soil type or drainage or sunniness could fit.
Pam Shorey 5:29 PM

Wednesday, November 28, 2001

The Fence Garden

I've been thinking about various kinds of small gardens, that is little planted areas in small spaces. One idea that has been with me for awhile is the Fence Garden [© Pamela Shorey 2001].
There is a wooden fence along the far side of the driveway here, with some rocks and wild day lillies and a tree or two.
Every so often in the summer, sitting on the porch that faces this fence, I think about adding a series of shelves at different heights. The first time I thought of this, it was in terms of a Cat Playground. The cats would be wild for the chance to climb from shelf to shelf, and pick out one of the highest to doze in the sunshine.
Then I thought how nice it would be to place some potted plants up on those shelves. Since that area is mostly shady, it would be grand to have some color over there. I could rotate blooming plants in and out and mix in some trailing ones for contrast. Those shelves on the fence would also be a place to hang wind chimes and small garden statuary. Possibly some art work too.
I am quite entranced with this idea.

Pam Shorey 9:26 PM