Hi all! Last month I was involved in a [url=https://helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=48914]discussion[/url] in the Landscape Forum about my idea to create a Nautical/Coastal garden in my Western Pennsylvania yard, but have not gotten a response in a while, so wanted to shift to this forum, as it might be more appropriate for my questions, anyway.
I have posted photos of my yard and the general area in which this garden will be designed, although the space currently is occupied by an overgrown, crowded, unattractive garden planted sporadically by the home's previous owner. Basically, it's a 35'-40' x 20' space (can be adjusted as needed) that sits along a 4' fence. I have the option of shifting it 20' feet so that it sits in a corner area where the fence meets my garage, which could give me an opportunity to utilize the side of the garage for some elements.
My goal is to continue THE theme used within my house to my yard. Inside my wife and I have decorated with driftwood frames, lighthouse photos, nautical decor, etc. We recently built a deck that features buoys, dock cleats and nautical line, fish netting, etc. And now we're looking to continue that out into the landscape/gardens.
We have some ideas, but where we are having problems is in the design/implementation phase. So, here are a few of our ideas and a few questions:
- The focal point will be two prefabricated ponds connected by a waterfall. They're elsewhere in our landscape and will be moved here. Should these literally be the center?
- An old, wooden, blue rowboat will be placed somewhere. But how do we utilize this? Maybe tipped on its side with some plants flowing out?
- Dock pilings with nautical line. Two thoughts I had: a) use the pilings (posts) and line (rope) to create a border around the entire garden or maybe just around the ponds, and b) create a series of 3 posts in staggering heights and wrap them in the rope. Thoughts?
- Possibly a boardwalk -- though I don't know if this would be too much for our garden space, which probably will be about 35-40 feet long by 20 feet wide. I also am unsure how I can include this and make it have a semi-"natural" feel. It seems odd to just have it start on the edge and go the whole way through to the other edge. And boardwalks generally are straight lines, so I don't want it weaving all around, either. Any suggestions?
- In terms of plants, I hope to include a cold-hardy palm (windmill palm, for example), as well as a cold-hardy banana or two. Any other plant ideas that have that "beachy" feel? I also plan to include some smaller grasses, but don't have a feel for flowering plants and/or perennials that would be the best fit. Help?
Ultimately, what I am looking for is someone to give me some guidance on garden shape/location/size and general design, as I am a relative-novice to something with this many elements. Any help would be much appreciated! Thanks in advance!
I am also a garden novice so I might not be much help, but I read through your original thread and thought the suggestions were quite inspiring.
Someone mentioned using layers of wave inspired plants and flowers to mimic the sea. Blue fescue grass immediately came to my mind. It has that sea foam green/blue hue. Since it isn't a tall grass, you could use it towards the front.
I would suggest using curves in your garden... think waves coming in and leaving those curved patterns in the sand. Maybe instead of actually creating a boardwalk, something like [url=https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pEgcAqFlvck/UDNMUttfQnI/AAAAAAAAXB0/mVgFxiEhBhg/s1600/14-pallet+wood+garden+walkway+Funky+Junk+Interiors-2-16.jpg]this[/url] could work to incorporate that concept without being quite literally a boardwalk. The curves of this path look more natural and almost have a washed ashore feel. You could use the oyster shell idea around and in between the pallets.
I LOVE the idea of having flowers spilling out of the weathered boat. You could stick with blues and whites there as well to give the illusion of water.
Just some brainstorming!
Someone mentioned using layers of wave inspired plants and flowers to mimic the sea. Blue fescue grass immediately came to my mind. It has that sea foam green/blue hue. Since it isn't a tall grass, you could use it towards the front.
I would suggest using curves in your garden... think waves coming in and leaving those curved patterns in the sand. Maybe instead of actually creating a boardwalk, something like [url=https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pEgcAqFlvck/UDNMUttfQnI/AAAAAAAAXB0/mVgFxiEhBhg/s1600/14-pallet+wood+garden+walkway+Funky+Junk+Interiors-2-16.jpg]this[/url] could work to incorporate that concept without being quite literally a boardwalk. The curves of this path look more natural and almost have a washed ashore feel. You could use the oyster shell idea around and in between the pallets.
I LOVE the idea of having flowers spilling out of the weathered boat. You could stick with blues and whites there as well to give the illusion of water.
Just some brainstorming!
I'm not looking for expert help, just ideas! I absolutely love the "funky board" photo you showed me, which actually plays into my idea. I have recycled wood from on old deck I'll be ripping out in the spring, and I want to have it so the top of the boards are level with the ground, as opposed to a boardwalk that sits above ground level. I like the scattered look of those boards -- it gives them a more aged, rustic feel, which is something my wife and I love.pinksand wrote:I am also a garden novice so I might not be much help, but I read through your original thread and thought the suggestions were quite inspiring.
Someone mentioned using layers of wave inspired plants and flowers to mimic the sea. Blue fescue grass immediately came to my mind. It has that sea foam green/blue hue. Since it isn't a tall grass, you could use it towards the front.
I would suggest using curves in your garden... think waves coming in and leaving those curved patterns in the sand. Maybe instead of actually creating a boardwalk, something like this could work to incorporate that concept without being quite literally a boardwalk. https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pEgcAqFlvck/UDNMUttfQnI/AAAAAAAAXB0/mVgFxiEhBhg/s1600/14-pallet+wood+garden+walkway+Funky+Junk+Interiors-2-16.jpg The curves of this path look more natural and almost have a washed ashore feel. You could use the oyster shell idea around and in between the pallets.
I LOVE the idea of having flowers spilling out of the weathered boat. You could stick with blues and whites there as well to give the illusion of water.
Just some brainstorming!
I really like the looks of blue fescue and wonder what I would use as the white cap plant to kind of tie in with the blue/green water? Any ideas?
How about ideas for the ponds? Would you use them literally in the center? Maybe place them in the center, but toward the back? Or maybe on one end or the other?
Thanks so much for your response!
A curved garden like [url=https://pastaandpeonies.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/screen-shot-2011-05-23-at-10-03-33-pm.png]this[/url] is what I had in mind (focusing on the shape, not the specific plants/colors). The line where the mulch meets the grass reminds me of where the waves meet the sand on shore. The silver of the lambs ear could work as well... the soft texture makes me think foam. The boat could be a feature towards the middle, with shorter plants in front of it, and the taller grasses or banana plant you mentioned in the backdrop.
Sorry, you posted as I was writing! I came across that curved garden and had to throw in a second response 
I'm glad you liked the staggered walkway! I came across that the other day and when I read "boardwalk" I had to go back and find that photo because it seemed so fitting! As far as the water feature goes, what scale are we talking about exactly? I wouldn't necessarily put it in the center. The way the ocean moves things about and is always changing the landscape, I feel like an asymmetrical garden layout would work well with the theme.
I'm glad you liked the staggered walkway! I came across that the other day and when I read "boardwalk" I had to go back and find that photo because it seemed so fitting! As far as the water feature goes, what scale are we talking about exactly? I wouldn't necessarily put it in the center. The way the ocean moves things about and is always changing the landscape, I feel like an asymmetrical garden layout would work well with the theme.
You have some really good ideas. Thanks so much for offering your input and sharing them with me. Do you think it would make more sense to put this garden up against the garage and the fence, giving me a corner space, or do you think it would be better to go middle of the fence line (where my current garden is), which would give me only the fence as a backdrop, with grass on three sides?pinksand wrote:Sorry, you posted as I was writing! I came across that curved garden and had to throw in a second response
I'm glad you liked the staggered walkway! I came across that the other day and when I read "boardwalk" I had to go back and find that photo because it seemed so fitting! As far as the water feature goes, what scale are we talking about exactly? I wouldn't necessarily put it in the center. The way the ocean moves things about and is always changing the landscape, I feel like an asymmetrical garden layout would work well with the theme.
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rainbowgardener
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Hm, is there anything currently in the space you mentioned against the garage and fence, I couldn't tell in the photos? If not that might be a good place to start with a blank slate. That way, down the road you could always spill the theme into that current garden space and take your time with it. The ponds you mentioned could go in the corner garden space. Then, in time, you could take out some of the bushes and put the aged boat in that space to continue the theme. You have such a fun space to work with in the current garden too though!Defence21 wrote:Do you think it would make more sense to put this garden up against the garage and the fence, giving me a corner space, or do you think it would be better to go middle of the fence line (where my current garden is), which would give me only the fence as a backdrop, with grass on three sides?
I did some online searching and came across this https://www.hgtv.com/landscaping/an-inspiring-coastal-themed-garden/pictures/index.html I particularly liked the first three photos. The first and second one takes the theme in a fun direction, sea floor inspired plants! The pincushion flowers look very aquatic along with the dusty miller and ferns. The hens and chicks in the first photo are great too! The gravel and stone of course really help set the scene in these. The oyster shells may be a cheaper alternative. It's just another direction you could go in. I feel like there are a lot of fun "aquatic" looking plants that could help you really successfully pull off your theme.
Last edited by pinksand on Tue Nov 13, 2012 10:54 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Green Mantis
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pinksand....
You have some great ideas, congrats.
Maybe to get the white gravel/stones they need, plus weathered boards etc. they should go on a site the has free ads, to look for items that would work for them?
I'm sure there has to be lots of people out there changing their yards too.
They could even advertise their lawns, to be dug up and sold as turf?
The finished project should be very interesting..
You have some great ideas, congrats.
Maybe to get the white gravel/stones they need, plus weathered boards etc. they should go on a site the has free ads, to look for items that would work for them?
I'm sure there has to be lots of people out there changing their yards too.
They could even advertise their lawns, to be dug up and sold as turf?
The finished project should be very interesting..
Thanks so much for all the responses! You're all helping me to stockpile some creative ideas, some of which will definitely be implemented.
I'm not quite sure exactly where I'll be going with this, but I'll be sure to post some pictures as progress is made. Hopefully I'll be able to utilize my extended Thanksgiving weekend to get started with the ponds -- but that will depend on the unpredictable weather.
I'm not quite sure exactly where I'll be going with this, but I'll be sure to post some pictures as progress is made. Hopefully I'll be able to utilize my extended Thanksgiving weekend to get started with the ponds -- but that will depend on the unpredictable weather.
I hope you get to have some fun with this project! Best of luck!Happy Thanksgiving to all! I hope your day is filled with the three 'f's -- food, family, and football!
Anyway, I thought I'd update on my progress. With the day off of work yesterday and temperatures near 60 degrees, I took advantage of an opportunity to begin digging for my two ponds. With that came some good news and bad news.
First, the good. I planned to put the first pond exactly where an old tree used to be, and I thought the stump removal would be a pain in the butt. With a little elbow grease, I had the stump out and a hole about 2.5' deep and about 4.5' in diameter. That's all in about 3 hours of solo work. I'm quite encouraged by the quality of soil in this area and the ease of digging in comparison to other areas of my yard.
Now, the bad. The hole I was digging was to be for the smaller of the two ponds, which would sit higher and flow into the larger pond. When I got the hole to the point I felt was close to the size of the small pond, I went to remove the small pond from its previous location. After removing the border rocks, I found that the one hole that was causing me problems was just the beginning. Essentially, this preformed PVC pond is beyond repair and can't be used, so I'll be left with one pond, albeit a very large one. I figure I can still have a waterfall, but it just won't come from a second pond.
Overall, I'm very happy with the progress so far!
Anyway, I thought I'd update on my progress. With the day off of work yesterday and temperatures near 60 degrees, I took advantage of an opportunity to begin digging for my two ponds. With that came some good news and bad news.
First, the good. I planned to put the first pond exactly where an old tree used to be, and I thought the stump removal would be a pain in the butt. With a little elbow grease, I had the stump out and a hole about 2.5' deep and about 4.5' in diameter. That's all in about 3 hours of solo work. I'm quite encouraged by the quality of soil in this area and the ease of digging in comparison to other areas of my yard.
Now, the bad. The hole I was digging was to be for the smaller of the two ponds, which would sit higher and flow into the larger pond. When I got the hole to the point I felt was close to the size of the small pond, I went to remove the small pond from its previous location. After removing the border rocks, I found that the one hole that was causing me problems was just the beginning. Essentially, this preformed PVC pond is beyond repair and can't be used, so I'll be left with one pond, albeit a very large one. I figure I can still have a waterfall, but it just won't come from a second pond.
Overall, I'm very happy with the progress so far!