Garden Gate – October 2019

54 GARDEN GATE | OCTOBER 2019 | ISSUE 149

Wʣ

hether your home is one story or several,

formal or casual, there are lots of ways to

ensure the foundation planting is helping it look its

best. If something seems lacking, the garden’s design

may be out of balance, the proportion may be off or

it may just need more variety. Check out these tips

for some easy ways to see if the planting surrounding

your home is a help rather than a hindrance. Then

see how to put it all together on the next page.

Fabulous Foundation How-To

IS IT IN BALANCE? Take

a step back (maybe even across the

street) and imagine a fulcrum at your

front door. If things look off kilter,

create better balance by adding to

or subtracting from the plantings

on either side. Homes with the front

door in the center like those below

are the easiest to check. But a house

with an off-center door like the one at

right needs more visual weight on the

smaller side to balance the look.

porch connections The foundation planting may stop

at the steps but containers keep your eye moving right on up to the

front door. Because the urns above are large and black, they supply

visual weight. This adds emphasis to that spot and lets you know right

where to go.

Even numbers work best with symmetrical designs. They’re easily

divided in half with the focal point, such as the entrance, in the center.

Odd numbers of containers have a more casual feel but can still be

balanced — find out how in “Is it in balance?” at right.

Begonia

Fern

Match the plants

to the growing

situation. Begonias

and ferns tolerate

the deeper shade

on the porch while

sun-loving plants

decorate the steps.

Botanical

Names

Begonia

Begonia rex

A group of smaller

plants has the same

visual weight as a

single larger one.

This house needs more

plantings on the left to

balance the larger trees

on the right.

Matched plantings

naturally balance

each other.

GG14952_57_Foundation.indd 54GG14952_57_Foundation.indd 54 6/26/2019 11:21:18 AM6/26/2019 11:21:18 AM

54 GARDEN GATE | OCTOBER 2019 | ISSUE 149

W

hether your home is one story or several,

formalorcasual,therearelotsofwaysto

ensurethefoundationplantingis helpingit lookits

best.If somethingseemslacking,thegarden’sdesign

maybeoutofbalance,theproportionmaybeoffor

it mayjustneedmorevariety.Checkoutthesetips

forsomeeasywaystoseeif theplantingsurrounding

yourhomeis a helpratherthana hindrance.Then

seehowtoputit alltogetheronthenextpage.

Fabulous Foundation How-To

IS IT IN BALANCE? Take

a stepback(maybeevenacrossthe

street)andimaginea fulcrumatyour

frontdoor.If thingslookoffkilter,

createbetterbalancebyaddingto

orsubtractingfromtheplantings

oneitherside.Homeswiththefront

doorinthecenterlikethosebelow

aretheeasiesttocheck.Buta house

withanoff-centerdoorliketheoneat

rightneedsmorevisualweightonthe

smallersidetobalancethelook.

porch connectionsThefoundationplantingmaystop

atthestepsbutcontainerskeepyoureyemovingrightonuptothe

frontdoor.Becausetheurnsabovearelargeandblack,theysupply

visualweight.Thisaddsemphasistothatspotandletsyouknowright

wheretogo.

Evennumbersworkbestwithsymmetricaldesigns.They’reeasily

dividedinhalfwiththefocalpoint,suchastheentrance,inthecenter.

Oddnumbersofcontainershavea morecasualfeelbutcanstillbe

balanced—findouthowin“Isit inbalance?”atright.

Begonia

Fern

Matchtheplants
tothegrowing
situation.Begonias
andfernstolerate
thedeepershade
ontheporchwhile
sun-lovingplants
decoratethesteps.

Botanical

Names

Begonia

Begonia rex

A group of smaller

plants has the same

visual weight as a

single larger one.

This house needs more

plantings on the left to

balance the larger trees

on the right.

Matched plantings

naturally balance

each other.