Fine Gardening

By: Rachel Keith

Gardening in and of itself is an art form. And the art of fine gardening is just that, an art. Fine gardening may mean various things to sundry people, but to me fine gardening means more than just a garden. It encompasses everything that’s artistic and aesthetic in gardening and combines them to achieve one garden that is the compendium of all your dreams.

My delight of fine gardening comes not only from the completed garden but from the unlimited hours that I dedicate to designing and blueprinting the for real garden, from the second I first have the germ of an abstract thought, to the moment I seat the last sapling, and plant the last flower. All I want, all that I can be, ought show through when first a individual steps into this acreage of fine gardening, a spot of peace and quiet where a individual can ponder on the better things in life.

Accordingly, a water feature, at best one that will make a continuously calming gurgle, with a delicate stepping-type of waterfall-cum-pond, arranged on lovely slabs of flat rock with a suggestion of moss growing on it. A nice water lily or european lotus to give off a contrasting colour, and maybe a fish or two. A few ferns and leafy rain-forest type plants arranged all round the pond, and I’m concluded with this phase of my fine gardening.

At best I would love a big tree to stand in a alcove of the garden, with a delightful velvety dark brown trunk that I can pretty near span with my arms, abounding with brisk green leaves spilling onto the ground in aloof abandon. Inasmuch as I might not constantly get what I want, I’ll comply instead for a few saplings that will one day accomplish my wish.

Forasmuch as green is my aim for the moment, I’d likewise see about laying a beautiful shady lawn that you can drop your bare feet into when taking a turn all round your garden.

I love the notion of a Zen garden, but aim at colours and lots of plants, so I would blend this feature into my fine gardening efforts by placing a footpath, authentically made out of rough hewn stone, zigzagging in a gentle course all through the garden.

And to finish it all off I’d have a miniature alcove, behind the scenes from afar, that afforded the inquisitive visitor a wide-angled glimpse of the entire garden, with a sun shade, and a low-lying bench with an occasional puffy cushions strewn nonchalantly about, and all of it circumscribed by an abundance of hospitable flowers.

In the background I would set about placing a occasional boulders, agreeable in stature and colour to the eye, encompassed possibly by a few flowers.

And among all this fine grandeur I would walk amongst my devoted efforts of fine gardening and sigh in contentment and peace. For what else is there to gardening, than the art of fine gardening.