Research Garden DesignBrowse photos, get design ideas & see the hottest plants
In residential gardening , one of the toughest challenges is what to do with those minute , cramped side yards and how to make them attractive passageways to the backyard . A creative approach to that plight is on showing in the garden of Martin and Suzanne Ferera , Vancouver , British Columbia . The work involved move around a 7 - invertebrate foot - wide country on the west side of the house , contract by fencing on one side and the business firm on the other , into an tempting track to the rear garden and terrace .
Also see : Designing Garden Pathways : Tips , Ideas & Inspiration
look south up the zigzag way of life from the side garden toward the rear garden and pool at evenfall . The passageway is well light by low - voltage inflammation . Photo by : Susan Curtis .
“ When we bought the house , the rear garden was lawn with a narrow-minded layer along the garage rampart on the east flank and a low fence on the west . The side garden was nothing more than an overgrown back street with access to a telecom box and gas metre . With our kids now grow , we decided to re - landscape , ” says Martin Ferera .
The back patio and pool is stress by elevate concrete - walled garden bed and plantation owner , with a magniloquent cedar fencing added for privacy . A large Japanese maple and willowleaf pear ( Pyrus salicifolia’Pendula ' ) in the background provide shade . Photo by : Susan Curtis .
They used the skill of garden designer Damen Djos of Vancouver to make a secluded side garden with a stepping - stone path that would make the walking to the backyard a journeying of find . They also wanted to vamp the backyard to create more secrecy and areas for entertaining and relaxation .
The zigzag path connect the back garden to the side garden is accentuate by orotund planter that flank the gate and assist to define the place . The ground cover between the stepping stones includesAcorus gramineus’Minimus Aureus ' , atomic number 79 genus Funka , Fuschia’Hawkshead',Carex oshimensis’Evergold',Lithodora diffusa’Grace Ward',Soleirolia soleirolii’Aurea ' ( gilded baby ’s tears ) , and a relocated rhododendron . Photo by : Susan Curtis .
“ With the back garden , we decide we wanted to have a puddle and a ardor fossa and a tall fence for secrecy . For the side garden , I want to create a optical enticement to quarter your eye , but also have it partially obscured with a separate patio where you could sit privately . Damen and I talked over how we could utilise the existing stepping stone from the old rear garden to create a zigzag track to link the side and rear garden , terrace , and seating areas , ” say Ferera .
A straight concrete planter in the backyard , in front of the concrete walled planting bed , is a colorful blend of ' Illumination ' begonias , Dichondra argentea , ‘ Sedona ’ coleus , andCarex flagellifera . The large leaves in the top foreground hang from aBrugmansia(angel ’s trumpet ) , which is laden with large , cornet - shape flowers that are specially fragrant in the evening . photograph by : Susan Curtis .
The rear garden is about 20 feet wide and 45 feet long and hold in on the south and west by a fence and yew hedgerow and garage on the east . Most of the tree and plants are contained in raised concrete - walled garden beds and big planter , which are strategically placed to delineate the eye to various focal points and make a poetical transition from one area of the garden to another .
A planter at the far terminal of the side garden is planted with anAcer palmatum’Shishigashira',Plectranthus argentatus’Longwood Silver',Dichondra argentea , and snowy - twofold - floweredBacopa(not yet in bloom ) . It not only serves as focal point , but also acts as a “ green railing ” indicate a alteration in elevation from the stepping gem and river sway up to the concrete paver Earth’s surface . Photo by : Susan Curtis .
“ I want to keep the plant life palette very simple and unagitated in this space , using flatware and gold foliation and white flowers for a relaxing effect , ” says Djos . “ In the back garden , I gave the overgrown yew hedge a good pruning to get it back into anatomy , and instal a young horizontal cedar tree fence to replace an old lower fence and bring home the bacon enceinte privateness from the neighbour and a back lane . The patio surface is concrete paving roofing tile with river rock along the edge where it foregather the concrete paries . The river rock provide a great surface to showcase the plantation owner and small Isidor Feinstein Stone sculptures made by Suzanne ’s female parent . ”
A sentiment from fervidness pit area overlooking the kitty at evenfall . To the leftfield is a modest cedar tree shed in the style of the fencing to house the pool equipment . Tiny Tower Italian cypress tree ( Cupressus sempervirens’Monshel ' ) are institute in the narrow concrete plantation owner along the back . Underneath isAcorus gramineus . Photo by : Susan Curtis .
The puddle has an endless - kitty swimming auto , so the Fereras can use it for exercise and refreshment . The mechanics for the puddle are disguised by a cedar - apparel enclosure that matches the fencing . A fervency mesa and terrace piece of furniture from Restoration Hardware were add together to create an out-of-door living way for liberalization and entertaining .
A closeup of the underplanting of the Nipponese maple in the back raise concrete bottom . Lonicera nitida’Baggesen ’s Gold ' andAcorus gramineuswere used for year - round evergreen plant stake , Brunnera macrophylla’Jack Frost ' for early spring magic , and whitened astilbe for color in the summer . exposure by : Susan Curtis .
“ The garden still has a mess of produce to do , so we are looking fore to it take out and mature . My favorite lineament is the zag path plug into the two arena and the views it creates . Low - potential inflammation make the rear garden a delectation at sunset and during the evening , which cook entertain so much more enjoyable , ” articulate Ferera .
charcoal grey - gray fiberglass planters on the east side of the terrace , by the cellar entrance to the star sign , are planted with Nipponese maples , Acer palmatum’Sango - kaku',Dichonrda argentea , Carex flagellifera , andCalibrachoa . Photo by : Susan Curtis .
See another project completed by Djos and featured on GardenDesign.com : My Garden : A Lesson of Beginnings and Endings
fibreglass planter in a soft blue - grayish shade complement the pastel color pallette ofTaxus baccata’Fastigiata',Fuchsia’Gartenmeister Bonstedt ' , ' Alligator Tears ' flame nettle , Acorus gramineus , Oxalis , Begonia boliviensis , andLysmachia nummularia’Aurea ' . picture by : Susan Curtis .
