The Secret Garden: Inspiration

Recently I've become obsessed with landscaping our yard, which was left unattended for almost 10 years before we bought our historic property. We've been concentrating on the inside of the house so far, but I'm tired of looking at its lack of curb appeal...and I'm sure our neighbours are as well.

Turning an unkempt yard into something stunning is a daunting task, for sure. I've spent many days already raking, digging up weeds and moving plants around...only to realise that not much has changed. My motivation upon surveying my progress has waned time after time. But, after reading through the current issue of Martha Stewart Living...I was inspired yet again, so I thought I'd share.

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In the March 2009 issue, be sure to read about gardener, Marney Bean, who started her garden more than 20 years ago. At her New Hampshire farm, Bean made the classic mistakes of every beginning gardener {me!}...but as her passion for plants grew, her garden became a brilliant study in composition.
I was inspired by her sprawling, plant-filled yard with its rhythmic and unified plantings, tones, textures, series of paths and borders, low rock walls and sense of intimate seclusion. I'm sure you will be too.









An old cherry tree (Prunus serotina) brings a sense of history -- and plenty of shade -- to Bean's verdant perennial borders.





















This spot is where Bean first cultivated her garden more than 20 years ago. It has since grown into a sprawling, plant-filled series of paths and borders.





















The view from a far, wooded edge of the property shows off a healthy, organic lawn.



















'Miss Kim' lilac standards are beautiful even when they aren't in flower, and they add a sense of formality to Bean's herb garden.














These sinuous lines delineating the bed and the lawn were made by tracing the arcs of an outstretched garden hose and then cutting the design into the ground, a trick Bean had read about.

Excerpts and photos: Martha Stewart Living