Dr. Seuss’ Garden
This garden is unique to say the least! We chose it to be on the garden tour for a variety of reasons, one of which was its striking composition of botanical shapes, forms, textures and colors. We affectionately refer to it as the Dr. Seuss garden. The dominant feature is the vertical evergreen spire that punctuates the landscape. The verticality is in contrast with the horizontal form and structure created by the silvery blue Weeping Blue Atlas Cedar. This juxtaposition of contrasting color, form and texture continues as your eye moves throughout the landscape.
The landscape is also an example of creating usable space in the front yard. Not clearly visible from the street, a small decomposed granite seating area provides a secluded location for enjoying the paper on a Sunday morning or a cold beverage on a sunny afternoon.
Although not every plant in the landscape is drought-tolerant (ie. Gardenia, Lilyturf, Baby Tears, etc.), when planted in an appropriate location such as under the eaves of the entry or in a shaded alcove, they can perform well with less water than typical. Nonetheless, converting square footage that typically would be water-thirsty turf to predominantly water-wise plantings and usable space with a pervious surface is worthy of ‘greener’ garden recognition.
(Sculpture – ‘Kinetic Couture’ by Kanika Marshall, www.kanikamarshall.com)
Share This!
Plant List
- Silver Carpet, Dymondia margaretae
- Unidentified Cypress
- Globe Blue Spruce, Picea pungens ‘Glauca Globosa’
- Common Rush, Juncus patens
- Weeping Blue Atlas Cedar, Cedrus atlantica ‘Glauca Pendula’
- Variegated Red Twig Dogwood, Cornus alba ‘Elegantissima’
- Japanese Barberry, Berberis thunbergii
- Dwarf Heavenly Bamboo, Nandina domestica ‘Harbour Dwarf’
- Cape Rush, Chondropetalum tectorum
- Red Weeping Japanese Maple, Acer palmatum var. dissectum ‘Crimson Queen’
- Dwarf Lily-of-the-Nile, Agapanthus africanus ‘Peter Pan’
- Baby Tears, Soleirolia soleirolii
- Golden Variegated Sweet Flag, Acorus gramineus ‘Ogon’
- Sword Fern, Nephrolepis cordifolia
- Lilyturf, Liriope muscari
- Gardenia, Gardenia jasminoides
- Japanese White Birch, Betula platyphylla japonica ‘Whitespire’
- Sasanqua Camelia, Camellia sasanqua
- Daylily, Hemerocallis species