Xeriscape Gardening at Keppel Croft
Xeriscaping is a method of gardening which makes excellent use of plants that do well with little or no watering throughout the season. Mulching and careful choice of plants are essential for success. Our xeriscape garden is an on-going project. Plants are selected on their ability to withstand long periods without rain. Those plants which do not prosper are given no special treatment and are removed if they do not thrive under this systen of benign neglect--if they haven't already frizzled up and died. We have no extra water or energy to lavish on this garden and rather enjoy just seeing what happens as Nature takes her course.
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We used this area near the barn as a sheep pasture for quite a few years. Once we began working here we discovered that the concrete floor of the old pig barn was underneath layers of earth and grasses in the northwest corner of the field. There are even the remains of the pig trough on the south side of the concrete which we plan to plant up in sempervivums this year.
Bill decided to create a small zen garden here. He built a raised bed in the centre of the concrete flooring, filled it with coarse gravel with fine gravel as the top layer. Several rocks were added to the bed including one very handsome "waterfall" rock found out near the barn. A simple planting of small sedum was put at the bases of the island rocks. This spring we are trimming the sedeum back as it now covers a larger area than we had planned. The concrete flooring is covered with a layer of purchased washed river stone. It's very easy to weed and maintain. Space between posts around the perimeter of the garden is lined with bamboo stakes lashed to a top railing. A small hedge of cedars transplanted from the farm is slowly taking form. The shady viewing seat is an excellent place to sit and contemplate the garden.
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In the north east corner of the field we dug a small corner garden with great difficulty. This must have been the place where all the broken tools and unwanted metal were thrown many years before. The interesting items dug out of this small bed adorn the rail fence and the small gate to the field. Visitors enjoy identifying the various bits and pieces.
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Xeriscape gardens can look lush and full. This perennial border on the north edge of the garden was photographed in early summer. Self seeding poppies (Papaver rupifragum), centranthus rubra and lowcatnip fill the border generously. Late tulips grow towards the back of the garden. The use of mulches help retain moisture. The rail fence provides some shelter from the cold north winds off the Georgian Bay.
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Mulches help retain the soil moisture. A shelter belt of trees protects the gardens from the south westerly winds. A rail fence offers protection on the north side. Our main problem with these gardens has been the invasion of guineafowl, peafowl and chickens from the barnyard. They love to make dustbaths in the gardens, scattering mulch and plants!
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Running parallel to the barn fence and its border garden there is a checkerboard path under construction. Bill made a frame which allows him to pour concrete to make a quadruple row of pavers at one time. Recycled carpet covers the area under this path. The path area consists of pavers and spaces filled with washed river stone. The outer edge of the path has pavers alternating with spaces filled with broken red brick or low growing sedums and thyme plants. We used black plastic pot trays to protect the newly planted squares from maurauding chickens and guineahens. Protecting the plants allows them to get established securely before they are exposed to possible attentions of the barnyard crew. A "hedge" of Wormwood runs the full length of the chequerboard path. Eventually at the south end of the path there will be a seating area under a large shady Chinese elm.
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Under a Japanese walnut tree we have used sawdust as a heavy mulch over old newspapers. On top of the mulch is a "koru" motif of granite cobbles encircling the tree. Each spring a new sprinking of sawdust freshens up the look of the mulch after the fallen leaves are removed. Woolly thyme is slowly encroaching on the koru.
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Beyond the Japanese Walnut a stone pathway leads visitors to the thyme and lavender garden. Except for the use of some cut stone scraps from a local quarry on this path all of the stones here were dug out of the ground when we developed this area. There are thick layers of newspaper under all the stones and gravel to discourage the growth of weeds. A slit through the newspaper makes it possible for plants to grow in the soil underneath. This heavy mulch helps retain moisture in the soil.
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Bill used flat stones collected from the site to construct two semi-circular dry stone walls, which shelter a seating area and a planting of various thymes and lavenders. Collected egg shaped stones are displayed on a stone wall which forms the back of the seat. We discovered this area was once the floor of the original pioneer log barn for this farm.
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Looking north into the thyme and lavender garden towards the seat gives a view of the zen garden to the left and the pit green house in the distance. The decorative concrete disk in the pathway has a recycled cigarette ashtray as its centre point. The two pots of French lavender are watered occasionally through the driest part of the summer. These pots are stored in the pit green house for the winter for this lavender is frost tender.
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The Thyme to Pause bench is a warm sheltered sunny position in which to sit and enjoy the fragrance of this garden. The top of the wall has a collection of metal candle holders adapted to hold some of the stones dug up here. In recent years visitors have started to balance lucky pennies on these stones. We collect the coins and put them towards buying more plants for this area. Many seedlings have taken root in the gravel showing us that they appreciate this area too!
When the lavender and thyme are in bloom this garden is a really special fragrant place and one of our favourite places to sit in the evening. Click here for a xeriscape plant listing and a view of the lavender garden in full bloom.
Text and images copyright © 2008