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Secret Garden of Color

Southern Living, Sep 2004 by Bender, Steve

Hidden away from both lawn and street, this enchanted space teems with great ideas.

If exploring a path meant going to jail, heck, I was willing to risk it.

I was with landscape architects Catherine Mahan and Lydia Kimball visiting the Baltimore garden they designed for Paul Fowler and Frank McNeil when we accidentally set off the burglar alarm. We were about to hightail it out of there when I glanced down a path that diverged from the lawn and was literally transfixed. Such vibrant color at the end of a long, hot summer was both unexpected and mesmerizing.

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As sirens wailed, we tiptoed down the path, entering a garden of dappled sun and shade hidden from the rest of the yard by trees and shrubs. Festooned with blooming annuals and perennials, the path ultimately led to an inviting bench tucked away amid the foliage. But the nicest touch of all rested right at our feet.

Step-by-Step

Alternating mats of three different ground covers filled the spaces between stepping-stones. 'Aurea' golden creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia 'Aurea') dazzled us with the color of ripe lemons. A step beyond, the tiny leaves of 'Minus' dwarf mother-of-thyme (Thymus praecox arcticus 'Minus') promised a hint of herbal fragrance when trod upon. One step more revealed the petite, plum-colored leaves of 'Chocolate Chip' dwarf ajuga (Ajuga reptans 'Chocolate Chip'). This pattern was repeated down the length of the path, drawing us forward.

From the artful combination of shapes and colors, I could tell a true gardener was at work. Spiky flowers of scarlet sage and yellow plume cockscombs contrasted nicely with the mounding pink and white New Guinea Hybrid impatiens, the plate-size flowers of pink perennial hibiscus, and the gaudy leaves of coleus.

I later discovered that the gardener in question was Paul. The impetus for this remarkable place was a desire for privacy. "We wanted it to be a secret garden," he explains, "where we could see out but people couldn't see in."

A Secret Formula

Paul's recipe for great, long-lasting flowers is pretty simple. Start with good, well-drained soil that contains a lot of organic matter. Sprinkle a tablespoon or so of slow-release fertilizer, such as Osmocote Vegetable & Bedding 14-14-14, around the roots of each plant as you place it in the ground. Also mix in a couple of handfuls of potting soil to improve the soil. Finally, feed each plant once a month with a water-soluble, general-purpose fertilizer, such as Miracle-Gro All Purpose Plant Food 15-30-15.

Still At Large

Despite the sirens, the police never showed. Thus, I'm writing this from my office and not a cell. Too bad. My parents were really looking forward to my appearance on America's Most Wanted. STEVE BENDER

Secret Garden of Color

Southern Living, Sep 2004 by Bender, Steve

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