The Garden at Westminster :: Backyard Planning
This month we are sinking deep into the couch and escaping from the fridgid cold outside. With all the rushing around from one client to another in the peak season, I rarely get a chance to catch my breath and take a break.
I am a workaholic through and through. This is the first year I have experienced "down time" over the winter months. Usually I have a bustling graphic design business that keeps me busy. This year, I have chosen to take a break and focus on creating a business plan for Sweetpea's, going to florist school, maybe taking some workshops on landscape architecture and green roofs.
Sean and I are planning the back garden this year, along with our garage. For the past year and a half the renovations inside the house have taken top priority. The backyard became a junkyard, literally. I am sure my neighbours looked over the fence and shook their heads with a disapproving look. What can I say? We had a choice, a kitchen and furnance or a beautiful backyard with raised beds, a pondless waterfall and brick garage with green roof. To me the choice was simple, but alas, Sean preferred not to cook on a hot plate in the basement for another six-eight months. Oh well, I guess we all have our own priorities.
With all the design and consultation work I do for other people, I have learned a lot about what I would like to see in my own garden. I need to put a lot of thought into creating a versitile space that will keep an avid gardener happy, without a lot of maintenance required. That is a tall order.
Being on the corner lot, across from the park, I use my side garden as a testing ground for products and techniques as well as a display hoping to entice new clients. The back garden needs to be a retreat. A space where Sean and I can sit down at the end of the day and hide from the world. We have started scratching out ideas on how to make the most from this space. We want to ensure privacy from the park, while still providing a beautiful green space for those passing by on the street. After numourous trips to city hall, the committee of adjustments and by-law offices, we have permission to move the fenceline out to the sidewalk, essentially doubling the size of the backyard. Several compromises had to be met, including fence height restrictions, providing green space facing the park and keeping the garage's final size to a minimum. Attached is our first real kick at the can. We are on a budget, so we need to plan carefully as we'll be doing most of the work ourselves.
Stay tuned over the next year to see as our dreams become a reality . . .
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