Jewel box gems

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 26/08/2023 (1140 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

When Ken Dunsmore and Cathy Shearer decided to downsize and sell their home which had a large garden filled with hundreds of plants, they knew this would free up more time to do what they love to do — spend more time at their cottage. Ken and Cathy purchased a smaller home in south Winnipeg which has a very small backyard with a depth of 25 feet or 7.62 metres from their raised deck to the fence which borders the back lane. Their property is narrow as well — 45 feet or 13 metres wide, however, a garage fills much of that space.

Ken and Cathy embraced the challenge of designing and planting the small open space, a mere 18 feet or 5.48 metres, between their garage and the fence they share with their neighbour. The result is a jewel box courtyard garden full of compact plant varieties, colours, and textures. One of the things I found so inspiring on my recent visit to Ken and Cathy’s garden is that they began the makeover of their backyard only two years ago. It is a beautiful example of what garden making can accomplish in only a short space of time as well as a template for how you can transform a small, irregularly shaped space with an imaginative tapestry of plants in a wide colour range. Let’s start at the beginning.

Ken and Cathy are graduates of the University of Manitoba Faculty of Agriculture. While their career choices diverged at times, they both retired on the same day four years ago from the Agriculture Canada Research Station at the University of Manitoba campus. “We lived near the university and had an extra-large perennial garden which we had cultivated for over 20 years,” said Cathy. “Now we have the polar opposite — a very tiny yard which we are happy to look after and meets our needs.”

Cathy, who likes mid-century modern style, wanted a simple, contemporary design with straight lines for her new garden. “There isn’t the room to get really creative with curves – I wanted a rectilinear shape.” To prepare the site, Cathy and Ken began by removing an existing patch of grass in the backyard and discovered that beneath the grass was a two-inch (5 cm) layer of soil on top of 10 inches (25 cm) of gravel. After digging out the gravel, they set about establishing the layout of the garden by dividing it into two separate areas. A small bed, six feet (1.8 m) by eight feet (2.4m) was created next to the outer wall of their garage which faces into the garden. Opposite, a longer bed was created along the length of the fence they share with their neighbour. It also incorporates an existing Evans Cherry tree.

With the framework of the garden beds completed, Ken and Cathy built a paving stone walkway between the two beds which leads to a small patio area at the back of their yard and forms an accessible extension between the garden and the raised deck attached to their house.

To add structure and year-round interest to their garden, Ken and Cathy planted a Hot Wings Tatarian Maple tree in the bed that also has the existing Evans Cherry tree. To enhance privacy and create more shade at the back of the yard, they planted a Starlite Flowering Crabapple tree. Ken plans to limb up the trees as they mature. Pruning the lower limbs of trees gradually over time is a useful technique which allows more space and light for underplanting in a small garden.

The garden space is in full view from the raised deck. Cathy and Ken wanted to create a visual delight, but the size of the space was a major consideration for choosing the types of plants. “We didn’t draw a landscape plan before we started arranging plants,” said Ken. “We knew from experience how big some plants grow. We wanted taller plants at the back of the beds and shorter plants at the front. But we also wanted to try some new plants that we had not grown before.”

Cathy’s priority was to incorporate plenty of texture. “Without texture and different colours, I don’t think the garden would have much interest, especially with such a tiny space.” By selecting groundcovers and compact plants with different types of colour combinations and pairings, they succeeded in creating a jewel of a garden.

An evergreen yew shrub anchors the far corner of the small square-shaped garden next to the garage. Next to the yew, they planted Ligularia przewalski – yes, it’s an impossible name but the deeply dissected foliage on purple-black stems is gorgeous. In summer, this stunning perennial sends up tall, golden-yellow flower spikes. Soft, lacy texture is also provided by Athyrium filix-femina, the lady fern, and by the fern-like foliage of astilbe. Heuchera Grape Expectations coral bells provides contrasting texture and vibrant colour. The bed also includes Hosta June and Hosta Rainforest Sunrise and there is the intriguing addition of Epimedium Bishop’s Hat, an underused specimen perennial that is also known as barrenwort. Epimedium is a woodland carpet perennial with the daintiest of star-shaped flowers in spring and heart-shaped foliage that deepens in colour in fall’s cooler temperatures. In the centre of this small garden a bubbler fountain provides height and the soothing sound of water. A splash of chartreuse-coloured Scotch moss edges the pathway.

The longer bed on the opposite side of the pathway offers more planting opportunities as well as different light conditions. In one corner, beneath the shade of the Evans Cherry tree, is a magnificent Jack-in-the-pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum). Tucked beneath the handsome, dark green foliage is a cluster of hooded, creamy white spathes. I have grown Jack-in-the-pulpit in my garden for several years but its size is nothing like Ken and Cathy’s. This beautiful specimen plant was a wedding present from close friends. Bergenia and Mukgenia Nova Flame, both shade-loving plants with glossy leaves, are planted nearby.

A delightful “river” of bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi Massachusetts) weaves its way through the garden. Bearberry, a trailing ground cover which is also known as kinnikinnick, has small leathery evergreen, spoon-shaped leaves reminiscent of boxwood, one of Ken and Cathy’s favourite shrubs. They grow two varieties, Calgary and Green Ice. The compact plants at the front of the border include ground covers such as Sedum album Althoum, Woolly Thyme, Sweet Woodruff, Delosperma Ice Plant, and Antennaria Pussytoes. Ajuga reptans Carpet Bugleweed provides a bold carpet of deep purple and green foliage. Heuchera Forever Red coral bells is a standout with ruffled, burgundy-red foliage. Euphorbia Bonfire Cushion Spurge and Persicaria affinis Border Jewel (how appropriate) provide vivid colour at the border’s edge.

The centre of the garden has been planted with taller plants such as monkshood, Itoh peony, Asclepias Orange Tuberosa milkweed, Monarda Marshall’s Delight bee balm, lilies, and Potentilla Pink Beauty. To offset the cost of creating a new garden, Ken and Cathy used plant divisions from their previous garden as well as from their garden at the lake.

Their lovely garden is proof that there are few limits to creating an imaginative garden in the smallest of spaces.

colleenizacharias@gmail.com