Early Fall Garden: Opening Vista, Carving Pathways & Terracing Slopes
by
Adele Kurtz
2 Materials
11 Hours
Medium
It's mid September in my mountain paradise.
Last year I showed you how I needed to get knee deep in the muck to maintain my pond.
This year I'll show you how I tame the slopes to enhance Vista Appreciation.
Everyone admires my "natural habitat" tells me how "lucky" I am to live in such a special place. I smile, nod and say "Thanks...."
But if you check out these posts, you know the true story. Follow me to get the inside scoop. Your property may not be as large as mine, but I have landscaping issues and artistic solutions you may be able to integrate to get a similar natural, peaceful flow in your space.
It's HARD WORK ... but well worth the effort.
Here's what I was able to accomplish in one weekend on my property.
Fellow Hometalkers raved about my post on how I built this waterfall with my son -- Thank You! Now a few years have gone by and it's gotten OVERGROWN. I took this pic after I started THINNING it out this weekend in mid Sept, thinking you might want to see an update on how we have grown. The oaks made a solid hedge across the top, which I trimmed back as you can see -- to expose some sky at the top and let you see the tall pines behind. Good start. I'll do more. The junipers will get a trim after cold settles in, while they're sleeping.THINK: Foreground, middle ground, background -- just like composing a painting -- to give your landscaping extra dimension and flow.
I needed to do plenty of CLEARING first. This weed and twig pile is now 3' high and over12' wide. I had to wrestle out hundreds of roots of a handsome but vicious vine from the slope that was twisting up my irises and bushes, making it's way to the trees.
With all the raking and digging necessary to get at those roots, I decided to contour extra terraces and pathways -- the full 36' width of the slope as I progressed.
While clearing, digging and raking, I created extra pathways to the top of the falls thinning back the woods, cutting back oaks, and laying footholds of rock and logs which will also discourage the oaks from taking over again too quickly.
creating pathways, room to breathe & walk
I needed to cut dozens of scrub oaks along the sides to give breathing room and add dimension --- contouring twisting vistas to engage your eye onward & upward.
Third pathway up and around oaks & pines
I've uncovered mangled irises and lilies to be thinned later & staggered up the slope edging the waterfall.
You can see here how I twist and curve my meandering courses -- never work in straight lines. My mother used this tip in her city garden and it made ALL THE DIFFERENCE in the WORLD,
Here's a detail tidied up
Another detail of a sunnier area around the bend. Now that the area's been cleared, I will gather and cast seeds from around the property at the bases of rock grouping to create these sweet surprises.
Here's a view of this slope overlooking the pond
Here's a view of today's work looking toward the house
Here's the view looking from my bedroom window toward the pond.You can see why I want to make this window into a balcony next spring!That way you'll be able to see the waterfall clearing I just did -- which will be to the left, blending naturally into this ever-changing and expanding feature.
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2 of 4 comments
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All I can say is WOW!!
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Wow! You have a beautiful property and all of your hard work shows!
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