A work of art - San Francisco Bay area garden

Sunset, June, 1995 by Lauren Bonar Swezey

A San Francisco Bay Area artist sculpts a fanciful, joyous garden

Walking into Keeyla Meadows's garden in Albany, California, is a little like walking into a fairy tale. The imaginative riot of pinks, purples, blues, and yellows, and the cheerful-looking plants, paving, and accessories proclaim this is no ordinary garden - and no ordinary artist.

Meadows's inventive art comes alive in her garden. "I approach the landscape as I do a painting, working with colors, textures, shapes, and composition," she says. "When combining plants, I think about harmonious colors, a slight shifting of hues, and the effect of textures."

In turn, her garden inspires her art. "In the garden, I form an impressionistic look with dappled sunshine and different shades of green - lime-colored feverfew [Chrysanthemum parthenium 'Aureum'], variegated liriope, and ground ivy. In my paintings, I achieve the same kind of lacy foliage by cutting out shapes and allowing light to filter through them."

Stepping through her back door into the lush garden, you notice immediately that form is as important as function in both design and plants. Each view includes a whimsical art object or sculpture that also performs some practical purpose.

Curving raised planters give height, depth, and dimension to the small space. But Meadows didn't leave them bare; she painted the wood bright pink and trimmed it with handmade blue tiles. Blue tiles reappear in the patchwork brick-and-flagstone paving that meanders around the flower beds.

A copper arbor entices visitors to the back of the space, promising a secret garden beyond. But the arbor, with its winding stems topped by giant morning glory flowers, is far from utilitarian: it comes to life amid greenery and blossoms. Nearby are sprightly benches and handmade urns.

Lush plantings tumble in showers of color from beds and raised planters. And creeping, climbing, and blossoming plants cover every inch of ground. The wonderful jumble of foliage and vivid color reflects the joyous brushstrokes of Meadows's art.