How do you own a garden that doesn't own you? If you ask Charlie and Patricia Peay, they'll tell you it's simple--just downsize. Two years ago, they grew tired of maintaining a big garden and house and decided to move into a smaller home with a more manageable landscape. This change took a little getting used to, but the Peays love not having to devote hours to watering and pulling weeds. Now, they spend less time working and more time enjoying their new yard.
The recently constructed house was built with the yard in mind, so much of the garden was designed from the inside looking out. Getting the landscape right was critical in order to make the home's interiors work. So the Peays hired Landscape Services, Inc., of Birmingham to come up with a plan and to implement the design. Many of the plants used were dug up from their old yard and relocated to the new garden.
Rapid Rewards
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'Plum Passion' nandina has tiny white blooms and narrow-leaved foliage that help to soften the brick wall.
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In only two years, the 40- x 20-foot walled courtyard on the side of the new house became a focal point. The garden draws you outdoors to enjoy the many flowers and the tapestry of foliage. French doors open from the dining room onto a cozy brick terrace, which becomes an extension of the home. A bench and a couple of chairs make the patio a nice cozy sitting area. When they entertain, the courtyard acts as an overflow area, so guests can mingle outdoors without feeling cramped.
Plants Between the Cracks
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After a stone path was laid to divide the courtyard, a Kousa dogwood was added for shade.
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Step off the redbrick terrace onto a flagstone surface filled with fresh thyme and other nifty little plants. The flagstones create a naturally flowing walkway to the side gate. In compact gardens, you need to use every square inch, so even the small amount of soil between stones is planted. Creeping thyme (Thymus sp.), 'Nana' dwarf mondo grass (Ophiopogon japonicus 'Nana'), mazus (Mazus reptans), 'Ogon' Japanese sweet flag (Acorus gramineus 'Ogon'), and small flowering annuals are placed in planting pockets for interest. Violas bloom from September through May; then Texas sage replaces them to provide summer color.
