Surrounded by Flowers

Extend your living space into the garden, and create a great view from indoors.

small gardens, big style

Gail and Arthur Doty's garden was no accident. As a matter of fact, you might say they put the garden before the house when they built their Jackson, Mississippi, home. "Having a garden right outside my dining room window was so important to me that it determined the succession of rooms in the house," Gail recalls.

The couple knew what they wanted because they had enjoyed a similar garden at their previous home, and they were eager to re-create it at this one. A detailed landscape plan, drawn by the late Wiley T. Jones, Jr., of Germantown, Tennessee, proved indispensable. By pushing the garage forward on the lot, Wiley created an area that had a sense of enclosure. With the addition of a fence atop a brick wall, the space became an entry courtyard. He designed the walkways, patio, and the home's facade and was even instrumental in repositioning the breakfast room for a nicer view. Wiley created a marvelous environment, but Gail brought it to life when she lovingly filled it with flowers.

Make the Most of Space

The Dotys' garden is really an extension of their home. It beckons you outdoors, and once you're there, it begs you to linger among the daylilies, spice-scented roses, and friendly daisies. For years, the area that was destined to become the patio was just a square of pine straw mulch. Though Wiley had specified a large patio, Gail also wanted to maintain as much planting area as possible. Wisely, they altered the plans to make the patio a little smaller but not too tiny, which is good for two reasons.

no-fail flowers

Try some of Gail's favorite blooms including Shasta daisies (pictured above).

Perennials: bearded iris, 'Whirling Butterflies' gaura (Gaura lindheimeri 'Whirling Butterflies'), purple coneflower, daylily, and Shasta daisy

Biennial: common foxglove (Digitalis purpurea)

Annuals: begonia, pentas, snapdragon, and torenia

1 The area is large enough to be functional. If a patio is too small to accommodate both furniture and foot traffic, it will rarely get used.

2 Impact is not lost. Everything outdoors needs to be larger than its indoor counterpart because it will seem smaller in comparison to surrounding trees and buildings.

A Work in Progress

The beauty of a compact garden is that projects seem doable. Thoughtful planning has enabled Gail to minimize chores. Now, she only has to change out the annuals along the edges of the beds, remove spent flowers, and occasionally weed.

This sanctuary holds a collection of plants, each of which has a fond story. Gail and Arthur transplanted many from their old house, while others were pass-alongs from friends and family. "I've moved everything here at least once," she says, chuckling, "and I've learned a lot. It has been so much fun, and it's a joy to be in my garden. Most of all, I love seeing the garden from the dining room, it's like looking out onto a painting."

Speaking From Experience

Here are three important lessons Gail learned along the way.

* Conquer the island. Create a backdrop in the middle of the bed. Planting along the fence was easy, but Gail struggled with the large bed in the center of her garden because it needed to look good from all sides. To solve the problem, she planted a triangle of roses in the middle of the bed. It gave needed structure without looking stiff. She arranged the rest of the plants from tall to short, radiating out from the trio.

* Check the sundial. Light can change dramatically during the day. This played a critical role in the plants selected for this south-facing garden. Areas close to the garage wall stay shaded until almost noon and then bake in the afternoon sun. Gail has found that daisies, pentas, and cannas can take the heat, while impatiens, lilies-of-the-Nile, and hostas are better suited for the other side of the garden, which gets afternoon shade.

* Make a sandwich. Layer deciduous plants between evergreen ones. To give the illusion of fullness during winter, Gail plants Stokes' aster (Stokesia laevis) at the bases of her roses. Other evergreen foliage plants such as 'Fashion' azaleas, camellias, and box-leaf euonymus (Euonymus japonicus micropbyllus) give the garden interest, even during the bleakest months. REBECCA BULL REED

make it yours

add a pot fountain

concrete or terra-cotta pot

waterproof sealer

paintbrush

drill and masonry bit (if needed)

submersible pump

duct tape

silicone sealant

3 pot feet or 2 bricks

pea gravel

bubbling fountain nozzle or ½-inch-diameter pipe

1 Select a pot that is wide in the middle and narrow at the top (it will make a better sound). Paint the inside of the pot with a waterproof sealer, and allow it to dry. Decide on a level location that's convenient to a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) outlet.

2 If needed, drill a hole in the bottom of the pot with a masonry bit. The hole should be large enough for the pumps plug to fit through. Tape the pump's cord into place, covering the hole on the bottom of the pot. Fill the hole from the inside of the pot with silicone sealant, and set the container on pot feet or bricks. Allow the silicone to dry for 24 hours. Once the silicone is dry, add several inches of water, and check for leaks. Patch with more silicone, if needed.