THE DESIGNING AND LAYOUT OF A SMALL HOME GARDEN

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 78, Issue 4, 15 April 1949, Page 368

THE DESIGNING AND LAYOUT OF A SMALL HOME GARDEN

A FEW decades ago a garden of an acre or more would have been considered a very modest establishment, but today it would be looked on as quite extensive. Nevertheless people today are generally becoming more garden-minded, and a greater and more lively interest is being taken in the small home garden, the designing and creation of which are given special attention in this article by M. J. Barnett, Director of Reserves to the Christchurch City Council.

THOUGH the same fundamental principles of design apply to both large and small gardens, more liberties may be taken with large gardens in more extensive grounds than with those of a few perches. With large areas there is more scope for the liberal use of trees and shrubs and for the introduction of imposing features, but with the small home garden much greater attention must be given to the principles of proportion and balance. It would be bad planning, for example, to attempt to introduce in the 30 perches, or less than quarter of an acre, which comprise the grounds of the average modern residence, trees or even large shrubs that would ultimately attain dimensions out of all proportion to their surroundings, and which would have a tendency to make the home appear more confined than it really is. In this respect a good example has been set in America by the liberal use of dwarf conifers such as the Irish yew, dwarf cypress, dwarf junipers, and others of a similar habit. Such shrubs and diminutive trees are symmetrical in habit without being too stiff and formal, are of good appearance at all seasons of the year, and are easily kept within bounds, though a few in the course of years may outgrow their surroundings.

Preparing the Plan

When designing a new garden or when reconstructing an old one, no matter how large or small, greater satisfaction will be achieved if a plan is first drawn to scale showing the position and exterior dimensions of the house and all outbuildings, the boundaries of the property, the entrances and ekits, and the main features that will compose the garden. It may be necessary to engage a competent landscape architect, but any person with a fundamental knowledge of drawing to scale can prepare a ground plan that will be a sufficient guide to which to work. It is simple enough to obtain and put down on paper the position, length, breadth, and direction of the boundaries, and it is by no means difficult to delineate the position and the outline of the foundations of the building by taking certain measurements from the boundary lines to the fixed points of the foundations. ' The buildings having been defined on the plan, the next step is to delineate the position of the pathways or the means of ingress and egress. As a general rule in a small garden the means of access should approach the entrances to the residence or the locality they are to serve by the nearest possible route. If not, there is always a tendency for the irresponsible and the obstinate to take the shorter way, even if it means crossing over a lawn or

perhaps stepping over a flower bed to the detriment of either. Such people may be deterred, however, by placing a trellis fence or a few shrubs such as roses at the point where the taking of a short cut seems natural. The curve is the line of beauty, and where possible a pathway with a gently-sweeping outline is preferable, but in small gardens the straight or formal outline may have to be adopted. If, however, the property is on a steep slope, the means of access must follow a gradient, in which case the grade of the pathway should be made as gentle as possible, even if it means a longer deviation from the shorter but steeper way. Better an easier grade than a series of steps that are always an obstacle to the perambulator, the elderly, and the halt. The use of steps is nqt condemned; well placed and properly constructed, they are things of beauty and can be used as a fitting adjunct in the garden plan, but their use in pathways that give direct

access from the street to the residence should be restricted to a minimum and if possible avoided.

With the pathways defined the next step is to consider the utilisation of the balance of the property surrounding the residence and how it may be designed and planted to the best advantage. Points to be determined in this connection are the amount of space to be devoted to lawn and where it will be best situated, the areas that will be available for the growing of flowers, what trees and shrubs will be used and where they will be planted, the amount of space, if any, that will be required for the cultivation of vegetables and fruits, the area necessary for the drying green, what amount of space children may have to themselves where they may play in safety, and what special features such as a small water garden, a fountain, a rock garden, a summer house, a bird bath, or a sundial it is intended to introduce. All should receive careful consideration, not only as separate units, but as part of the general composition. The objective should be balance and harmony between the individual features that compose the garden, which in turn should be in keeping with the architecture and size of the building. Naturally the two factors which govern the development of any plan are the cost of the project and the type of situation to be dealt with. Where steep slopes have to be converted into gardens the cost of development will be considerably more than for a similar area on flatter land. More ingenuity and more careful thought will be called for, and yet a steep slope in some respects offers greater possibilities in garden design than one on the flat. (See illustration at top of this page.) Such slopes provide ample scope for the inclusion of terraces, rock gardens, and the like, which are more difficult of achievement if natural features do not exist and if drainage is difficult to obtain. Very pertinent to the subject of garden planning is the advice of Lord Bardolph in Shakespeare’s play “Henry the Fourth.” “When we mean to build we first survey the plot, then draw the model; and when we see the figure or the house, then must we rate the cost of the erection; which if we find outweighs ability, what do we then but draw

anew the model in fewer offices, or at least desist to build at all.” If the word garden is substituted for house, this might well be adopted as the garden planner’s guide, with the exception of the last line, “or at least desist to build at all.” If the plan is too ambitious, by all means draw afresh “with fewer offices,” but it should be remembered that Rome was not built in a day, nor is it necessary to complete the work involved in designing the garden in one year. By all means complete the design on paper, but putting it into effect may take several years, when the cost spread over a period will not be such a heavy burden as it would be if it were all incurred at one time.

First prepare the plan and then persevere with the work necessary for its consummation. Temporary expedients will suffice until it is practicable to add the permanent features. With a definite objective in view it will be found ultimately that expense will be saved and dissatisfaction and disappointment avoided.

Making the Garden

The first business in putting the plan into operation is to see that every cubic foot of topsoil—the organic soil containing humus—is conserved, even if this entails double the amount of labour in shifting it. If a house is to be built, a pathway formed, or the garden to be altered in such a way that the removal of soil is necessary, the topsoil should not be buried under the clay and rock removed during excavation.

The Boundaries

If the boundary fences enclosing the garden are of palings, materials used should be the best procurable. Too frequently dilapidated fences partially broken down or

with a drunken list give an impression of neglect and lack of civic pride. The posts should be of concrete and the palings and rails, if of soft wood, should have been impregnated previously with . a preservative. Paling fences may be an eyesore, but if they are securely erected, plants such as espalier fruit trees, wistaria, clematis, or climbing roses, which require protection from keen prevalent winds, may be grown against them. A few No. 10 gauge wires stretched at intervals of about a foot apart and about 2in. out from the fence along its length will provide adequate support for tying and training, and are much to be preferred to tacking the stems of plants to the palings, which is both irksome and detrimental to the plants. Ivy provides an excellent evergreen covering for any fence. It should be trimmed well back to the main stems every year in early spring just before new growth starts.

It has been claimed that ivy assists in the decay of woodwork, but it has been the writer’s experience that it actually serves as a support. It is true that if allowed to grow unchecked, ivy will in time force its way into small crevices in masonry and hasten its disintegration.

Hedges

Hedges, which are very often used to define boundaries, provide shelter, but do not offer the advantage of an area against which to grow the more tender plants. The powerful rooting systems of some of the more vigorous hedge plants, on the other hand, impoverish the soil for some distance outward to the detriment of smaller subjects. A flourishing, well-furnished, and 'well-kept hedge is, however, a thing of beauty and a joy in any garden. Hedges are generally so easily grown that there is an inclination to treat them with indifference and not to expend on them the care they deserve. The soil of the area in which they are to be planted should be deeply cultivated—to a depth of 2ft. if possible and for a width of at least 3ft. All pernicious weeds should be scrupulously removed and, if possible, a liberal amount of manure or compost incorporated with the soil at a depth sufficient to preclude the roots of the plants coming in contact with it at the time of planting. At the end of winter or in early spring the young plants should be headed back sufficiently to induce them to stool out and develop a denser growth. Regular trimming of established hedges 'is necessary once or twice a year to encourage compact and uniform growth. Hedges should always be trimmed closer in toward the top than at the base, the object being to achieve a shape resembling an inverted V with a flat or rounded top. As a hedge naturally grows more vigorously at the top than at the base, pruning straight up instead of in toward the top eventually results in its becoming wider at the top than at the base. It then not only appears unsightly, but the base, deprived of its fair share of light and air, begins to die out, and when gaps occur a ground draught with its ill effects is created. For the same reason weeds which compete with the lower branches for light, air, and sustenance must always be kept down. Convolvulus is one of the worst weeds affecting hedges, but even it may now be removed by the new hormone weedkiller without injury to the host plant. Spraying of the weedkiller over the hedge will of course have disastrous effects on both hedge and convolvulus, but if some of the leaves and tendrils of each convolvulus shoot are dipped into the solution, only the weed will be affected. The operation may be a tedious one, but will prove effective if carried out when the convolvulus is in vigorous growth.

The Pathways

An ill-constructed pathway with an uneven and broken surface and with a ragged and ill-defined outline detracts from any garden. The finished surface of the pathway may consist of stone flags arranged in regular design or as crazy paving. If stone is not available, concrete may be used either as prefabricated sets in one or more sizes, or, as is usually the case, poured wet on the job. It may be designed in brick or in plain asphalt.

Whatever material is used, good workmanship is necessary. The ground underneath should be well consolidated first, and if it is of a clayey nature, a porous course of broken brick, small rubble, clinker, or cinders is necessary to provide a stable foundation. ’ This is particularly important where concerte is to be put down, otherwise expansion and contraction of the soil underneath or the passing of vehicles, over it may cause cracking and breaking of the surface. The edges must be regular throughout, well defined; and permanently fixed. Drainage is also important, and where heavy rains are to be expected sufficient, fall or camber should be given to dispose of surface water. >. • .

When constructing a pathway across or down a slope even greater care is necessary. On the one side it is necessary to excavate and on the other there is formed an embankment of the soil removed from the cut. If this embankment or fill is not thoroughly consolidated before permanent surfacing is done, subsidence will follow. In such cases it is also important to provide a channel for the run-off of surface water, which, if it is allowed to run or trickle over the outer edge of the pathway, will gradually erode the retaining soil of the embankment, eventually causing trouble to the surface of the path. The permanent fixing of the bank or cut on the inner side of the pathway will also require attention. The concrete wall would at first appear to be the answer, but concrete always has a harsh appearance and is particularly glaring in sunshine, though colouring materials which may be added to the cement will harmonise it with the colour of the house and surroundings.

The Stone Wall

A better method of treating banks or cuts is by facing them with stone, and the stone wall itself can be made a very attractive feature of the garden. If faithfully constructed it will serve the dual purpose of acting as a retaining wall and as a wall garden.

To obtain a solid foundation for a stone wall the soil below the surface should be excavated until a solid base is reached. The first or foundation stones should be set firmly in place with the widest and heaviest side to the bottom, but inclining inward toward the bank. When the first row is laid all spaces should be filled in with soil well mixed with rotten rock particles or similar material to keep the compost open and so permit moisture to percolate. Every care should be taken to see that all crannies and interstices are well filled with compost and that no air pockets remain. Building up of the wall should proceed in the same manner, using the stone in such a way that each piece fits in evenly with those below; they should interlock and be so firmly fixed that it is impossible to prise one piece" loose from the whole. Each piece of stone should incline inward and downward toward the bank and not outward, thus giving greater stability to the wall and preventing stones being forced out of place by the pressure behind. The inward and downward inclination of the stones conducts moisture toward the roots of any plants grown on the wall, instead of away from them, as would be the case if the stones had a slight dip toward the outside.

Planting is difficult after the wall is built and may be more effectively performed as building proceeds. At convenient intervals as the wall is built a plant is placed carefully in one of the spaces between the stones which have already been filled with compost. The roots are spread out fanwise toward the back, with the crown of the plant to the front and just clear of the stone face so that it will not be crushed. When the roots have been covered with soil building proceeds until a sufficient interval has been gained to allow another plant to be incorporated in the wall. Plants especially adapted for wall gardens include most of the alpine pinks, such as Dianthus caesius, the blue Lithospermum prostratum, the pale blue Convolvulus mauretanicus, the alpine phloxes, such as Phlox subulata Vivid, the white Campanula fragilis, and Gypsophila repens. Rock walls that also serve as retaining walls should not be built perpendicularly; it is essential to give greater stability by allowing a slope toward the back of 2in. in every foot of height. Thus the face of a wall 4ft. high would incline inward Bin. from the base to the top. To assist the builder to obtain the correct slope or “set” to the wall throughout its length a number of templates, which are easily made out of strips of timber, are usually employed. A straight stake is driven vertically into the ground at the base of the wall; a thinner strip of timber is fixed to the stake at ground level and held in position by a cross-piece from the top of the stake to the strip. Thus if the wall is to be 4ft. high, the length of the stake above the ground will also be 4ft., and the cross-piece will be fixed at right angles to bring the thinner strip Bin. out from the upright. If the bank to be walled is a high one, say of Bft., it is wiser, instead of constructing a continuous wall to the full height, to break it at half way and build it in two tiers, the second tier being set 2ft. back from the first. The 2ft. wide space at the break in the wall may be used for the growing of plants that do not take kindly to being treated as wall subjects. In designing gardens on land that has a sharp slope the use of the stone wall will prove of great advantage, especially where it is necessary to terrace the ground so that it may be conveniently cultivated and to prevent loss of soil by erosion. Trees When planting trees the following points should be considered:— The ultimate dimensions which the specimen it is desired to plant will attain. Its general habit—whether it is upright or spreading; whether it is a deciduous tree or an evergreen, and whether it has attractive foliage, attractive flowers, or both. The exact position in which it is to be planted so that it will form part of the general composition of the garden. If it is planted in the wrong place, it may, when it matures, completely upset the balance of the garden design.

Trees must be used with discretion in any planting scheme. Too frequently obsession with the idea that a few trees are necessary leads to their being planted wherever space may be found. They may grow to such a height that they obscure the view from one of the windows, or they may obscure the sunlight in winter, when it is most appreciated. Sometimes by accident rather than by design they are happily placed and ultimately become a feature of the home and the neighbourhood, but too frequently they become too large for the space allotted them and have to be pruned back periodically. A mutilated tree is rather a pitiful thing. ' Many trees, especially some of the conifers such as the deodar and the blue spruce, are particularly attractive in their juvenile form, and a gardener viewing them in a nursery or in a florist’s window is perhaps persuaded to try them, only to find in after years tnat instead of requiring a space of a few square yards, they demand almost the whole of the front garden. Or a treasured seedling wattle tree or some other rapid-growing specimen which, in the enthusiasm of its chance acquisition, is planted with commendable care, in a very few years may become a rampant tree, to the detriment of smaller but more beautiful subjects. Even in well-planned schemes certain dwarf trees may in the course, of time become too large for the position allotted them. < Fortunately the number and types of trees from which to choose are not limited. It is possible to obtain trees that will not grow more than a few feet high; tall and stately specimens; trees that will thrive in wet. and cold soils, in poor soils, in dry and in exposed situations; trees that are specially adapted to meet the requirements of almost any environment, no matter how adverse the conditions may be. Trees or large shrubs whose height will tend to dwarf the residence should not be planted in the front of the section. For instance, a few trees reaching a height of 10ft. or more in front of a building with an average height of about 15ft. will make the building appear smaller. On the other hand a tree of the right type planted to one side or at the rear of the residence will throw the lines of the building into relief and assist in relieving any impression of squatness. A large, spreading tree horizontal elm for —placed in the centre of a lawn, say 40ft. square, will in time usurp the whole of the space and make the area appear restricted.

Shrubs

With the many thousands of shrubs to choose from, the small gardener has far more opportunities for the use of shrubs than of trees. There are shrubs especially adapted for use in almost every situation; miniature shrubs such as the helianthemums for the rock garden; the little mat-like ones such as the wild thyme for the path or crazy pavement; plants such as the dwarf lavender and catmint eminently suitable for edging borders and pathways; trailing shrubs such as the prostrate rosemary for the rock wall; creeping shrubs such as the prostrate cotoneasters and junipers so useful for covering embankments and to prevent erosion; climbing and rambling shrubs such as the jasmine, clematis, and honeysuckle for covering trellis

work or for screening bare walls; shrubs that provide shelter and others like the rose, the hydrangea, the rhododendron, and the azalea that are conspicuous for the beauty of their flowers, their fruit, or their foliage. All have their uses, and points to decide when planning the garden are which ones to choose, where they will be planted, and for what purpose they will be used. No attempt should be made to grow in unfavourable situations those popular plants so often bearing the recommendation, “No garden should be without them.” Everyone loves the rose, me rhododendron, and the azalea, but effort should not be wasted in trying to induce such plants to grow m a windswept situation, or where the soil is extremely sparse, when there are such shrubs as the several kinds of cistus, cytisus, and proteas that will thrive under such adverse conditions. Pruning: Many shrubs have been ruined through ignorance of when and how to prune. Before any pruning is attempted a knowledge of the time of flowering and on what particular wood or growth the flowers are borne is necessary. If many of the best shrubs, such as forsythia, the and the philadelphus, which flower in spring and early summer, are pruned in winter when the garden is receiving its annual overhaul, much of the flowering wood is removed. Shrubs such as the holly, the rhododendron, and the camellia, which naturally form shapely bushes, require little if any pruning; if any is necessary to improve the shape or to keep them within bounds, they should be pruned when winter is over and just before new growth commences. The main principles in pruning are: Prune to induce shapeliness, the main object being to endeavour to retain the natural poise and character of the subject. (An exception is made where examples of topiary work are required.) Prune to remove all dead, dying, decayed, and diseased wood, and all weak and superfluous growths. Prune to induce new and vigorous growths necessary for the rejuvenation of the subject. Prune to encourage the production of flowers or fruit; fruit is dependent on the production of flowers.

The Lawn

The lawn is an essential part of every garden plan, and no matter how small the area or how difficult to design, some portion of it should be devoted to lawn space. (Full information on the establishment of a lawn was contained in an article by F. Sydenham on page 295 of the March, 1948, issue of the “Journal,” which is also available in bulletin form (No. 309) from any office of the Department of Agriculture.)

The Flower Garden

Though in the small garden it is almost impossible to set aside an area especially for the display of herbaceous flowering plants, and bedding and border plants are usually accommodated wherever it is convenient, planning is again necessary. As most popular herbaceaous plants demand the best of treatment, good soil, and at least reasonable protection from boisterous winds, the better parts of the garden should be reserved for them. The stately delphinium requires a deep, rich soil and adequate protection; the perennial phloxes will not tolerate any dryness at the roots, but succeed better when protected from the burning rays of the sun and will thrive in a partially-shaded position better than many others; the chrysanthemum is a sun-lover; the carnation, too, requires a well-drained and friable soil and an open situation; the hellebore, on the other hand, prefers a heavy soil and thrives in secluded spots between bushes of rhododendron or the like; lilies require good drainage, a deep rooting medium, and complete protection from cold and parching winds; the heucheras, on the other hand, will tolerate an exposed position and will succeed even in a relatively-poor soil; the perennial scabious relishes lime, but lime added to the soil will encourage the spread of disease in bearded irises. Do not overlook the use of the small bulbous plants such as the snowdrops, the chionodoxas, the scillas, the autumn-, winter-, and spring-flowering crocuses, the muscari, etc., that are so easily placed in odd corners, between stones, or underneath deciduous shrubs and which add charm, interest, and beauty wherever they are planted.