GARDEN DESIGN

This past weekend I went to a Master Gardener Symposium in Concord, NH. It was excellent, as they usually are.
The Key Note Speaker, Julie Moir Messervy, showed slides and spoke about her interpretation of Garden Design. She had beautiful photographs of magnificent gardens she had designed and helped to construct. Especially at this time of year, this is the sort of thing that gets every gardener's "juices" running. I'm no exception!
She had six steps she used in creating these gardens.

1. Lay of the Land-This is essentially your "site analysis". This is where you find out what it is you need to address as either opportunities or areas needing change.
2. Big Moves-Here is where you organize your spaces and pull your vision together for the final product.
3. Comfort Zones-These would be where you surround your home with lovliness; where you make your home welcoming to visitors; the area generating privacy from the neighbors; and places to be used for outdoor activities.
4. Making it Flow-You want to be sure that there are gateways, paths, landings and seating areas that all "feed" into each other creating "flow".
5. Placing the Pieces-Your garden needs focal points, whether they are plants or assorted pieces of art.
   
6. Sensory Pleasures-Try to organize a "home outside" by bringing beauty and harmony to it through the use of water, lighting, the earth itself or just the good feeling of being outdoors in the fresh air.

It certainly was the stuff of dreams, but my meager pocketbook will have to apply some of these lessons to the abilities of my "homegrown" gardeners!