Let’s gARTen!
The next few months are a wonderful opportunity to see your garden in a different way.
Consider this an invitation to take your phone, a camera or – if you really want to get artsy – a pencil and paper, and head out into your garden! With or without snow, wintertime offers us the ability to see with less distractions. We can observe the contours, heights and textures of things that we may not normally pay attention to, or which are obscured by plants, outdoor furniture and the like during other seasons.
Whether you step outside or take different vantage points from windows in your home, look at the “big picture” of your garden this season. Notice what stands out, what feels like it may need to be filled, what might need to go to make way for something else. Sketch an outline of what you see (sometimes it’s fun not to lift your pencil off the paper while you do this!) or take a photo, perhaps observing how putting a black and white filter on your image changes what you notice about your space.
Look at your garden from different angles and various heights. Where might another taller shrub offer balance in your garden? Where could some more of a particular perennial offer continuity from one area to another? Where could you add layers (such as groundcovers, shorter perennials, shrubs) to add further interest and potential wildlife habitat? Where might you add a focal point so that the eye has somewhere to rest?
Get curious about your space, have fun, and allow your creativity to grow alongside your garden.