Gardens of paradise
A home needs a place for peace and quiet to take root
By Joanna Dehn Beresford 05/13/2010
It’s not just about pretty flowers out there in your backyard –– it’s a whole separate world. And, for some, that world is a sanctuary.
“My job is to create that refuge, that sanctuary where families can gather, by creating a beautiful landscape,” says Tom Scoble of Mother Magnolia, a residential landscape design and construction firm located in the San Gabriel Valley.
Sounds like paradise, reminiscent of the original, mythical garden in which time began. So, what are the foundations, that is, the building blocks, florid roots and geometric patterns of paradise?
Mark Meahl founded Garden View Inc., a landscaping, pool and nursery operation, in 1978. The company has won oodles of awards from the California Landscape Contractor’s Association, and Mark has spent more than 30 years building a team of professional designers, contractors and gardeners to offer a full range of services. Full range means you’ve gotta consider everything when you’re creating an outdoor living area.
Scoble, Meahl and probably lots of other landscape designers passionately agree on this issue. It’s all about integration and usage.
“The landscape and the hardscape leads, and the pool follows,” Scoble says.
Meahl describes an outdoor living area that’s not only attractive, but also serves the specific, practical needs of its residents. He didn’t necessarily have me from “hello,” but he definitely had me from the moment he mentioned the adult-themed landscape featuring an outdoor bar of some sort. Yes, I am there!
Garden View designers have also perfected the art of creating a hidden area, a private but safe place where teens can hang out in their own backyard, which I think is very cool. Adults at the bar, young teens under a hedge somewhere — what’s not to love? And if you’ve got smaller children, seasoned designers like Meahl and his colleagues focus on safety issues and longevity: how to create a risk-free environment for toddlers that can evolve into a more liberated environment as they grow older.
As far as vegetable, kitchen or flower gardens go, “Anyone can be a real gardener,” says Kristan Browne, president of Green with Ivy, another regional landscape design company. Kristan likes to spend time with her clients, walking through their yards, collaborating on dreams and plans. “I want to get people excited about spending time in their yards.”
On Sunday, the Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens will host its 36th Annual Spring Plant Sale (Huntington members may attend a preview sale on Saturday). Staff members encourage guests to “bring a wagon” in order to transport plants safely from garden to car to home. Event organizers plan to focus on the useful garden.
“Growing your own vegetables, fruits and herbs can not only stretch the food budget but make gardening more gratifying — bringing the idea of ‘locally grown’ produce right into your own backyard,” according to the Huntington Web site and promotional material.
Here’s where gardening may become most personal and meaningful. Meahl explains that Garden View often builds an area for vegetable and fruit plantings in a yard, but that the upkeep and maintenance of such a space belongs to the homeowner who enjoys a passion for it. In other words, we’ve got to tend our gardens. Whether its drought-resistant flowerbeds, vine-ripe tomatoes, twisting vines and sparkling fountains, or all of these, this is our garden, and we will grow where we are planted, and where we plant.
Contact Joanna Dehn Beresford at truewrite@yahoo.com.
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