Show #15/3602
An Empty Rectangular Backyard Transformed

Selecting Plants For Shade

Sylvia and Eric talk about the art in this garden. Eric has certainly seen many examples over the years of garden art that is over done, or not done properly and other examples where art is tastefully done. This garden is an excellent example of art done tastefully. Sylvia thanks Eric for those kind words. She likes art that is fun, something that brings a bit of whimsy to the garden. Both of the large sculptures, the giraffe and the lizard, are done by local artists and friends. She likes to have something that is man made that sort of contrasts and offsets the natural plant material. Importantly they provide focal points. And Sylvia thinks it's important for gardens to have focal points so that people have some way of making sense of what they are seeing. Eric notices that as they're walking down a long pathway there is a chartreuse bench kind of shifted over to one side, it seems to be inviting one to walk around the corner but additionally draws the eye through the garden. The sculptures create points where our eyes can rest. It all really works, this garden is beautiful.

Eric wonders if Sylvia has any sage words of advice. Since she's becoming an ancient person Sylvia thinks it important to be patient with your gardening. Some of the fun of gardening is having plants come up that you had forgotten were planted. When they come up and bloom it's wonderful, it's like a surprise at Christmas and it comes all year round. But sometimes you must be patient for 3 or 4 years for perennials or certain vines to bloom. But she thinks it worth it. She likes the fact that the garden is a process over time.