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atwotsthPlan
Mary Mary quite contrary...
How does your garden grow? With silver bells, and cockle shells,
And pret y maids all in a row.
Despite the rather sinister interpretation of this whimsical Mother Goose rhyme, this innocent rhyme
has always been the epitome of an enchanting country garden on a lazy summer's day with bountiful
flowerbeds, but erflies and bees.
The charm of a country garden lies in the romantic sway of an abundant layered planting pallet, with
waves of colour that entices the eye to look and look again and then pause on a bench or a birdbath
beforeitramblesagainalongacoblestonepathinanat empttoabsorbthelushnes oftheunfolding
landscape.
A country garden may appear haphazardly flung together as if nature itself had scattered the seeds.
Personally, I find it the most daunting garden to design! The intricate tapestries of colour require
careful planning to maintain its voluptuous appearance and bursts ofcolour year round. Theinformal
feel of a country garden may deceive one into believing that this is a low maintenance choice. But
this is by no means true!
The charm of this style garden is achieved by generously sized beds that create the depth needed to
accommodate variation in height and contrast in texture. To create a country garden, the main focus
wil be on the plant material. Undoubtedly, a clas ic pallet wil not be complete without Foxglove,
lavender, delphiniums and roses, daisies and irises. I love the contemporary twist on country gardens
where ornamental gras es and native plants are combined in mixed planting to conjure up an
ambiance of lambs frolicking through a meadow or butterflies fluttering by over a grass veld with
studded with wildflowers.
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Mackayabella
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