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MORTGAGE ARTICLES
Creating a garden hideaway
Many perfectly sensible and sociable adults will confess
that they had a secret, private hiding place in some garden of their childhood:
a hidden corner in a grandmother’s garden, a secret spot in a grove
of trees, or even a shrubby nook in a vacant lot. In the rush to ensure that
we create environments for socializing and for family activities, we can forget
the joy we found in those secret garden hideaways.
Sure, it’s great to have “together” spaces:
like a pool for the family to splash in… or a swingset and sandbox for
the youngsters. But more than one parent with a beautifully groomed yard has
listened to their child speak reverently of the “hideout” at a
friend’s place: a bank of towering, unkempt weeds where a child can
hide from the world.
Children have it figured out: the more hectic our lives,
the more we need a place for renewal and rejuvenation. Creating your own garden
hideaway need not involve major construction projects or expensive plantings.
Instead, scan your garden for the three key criteria:
1. Hidden from the world: Look for privacy, or a sense of
enclosure or hidden-ness. You’ll need space for a comfortable chair
for one. Is there a spot where you can grow a screen of morning glories…
or maybe moonflowers if you plan to enjoy your oasis in the evening? The perfect
kids’ hideout allows you to remain hidden while preserving at least
a glimpse of the outside world. Use the same principles.
2. The sounds of silence: You’re a very lucky homeowner
if birdsong and rustling leaves are your natural sound environment. For the
rest of us, we need to improvise. Wind chimes are a popular way to create
a more peaceful soundscape. But to many, the sound of water is incomparably
soothing, and you can achieve the effect with only a babbling fountain in
a large ceramic pot. Even a gurgle can help conceal or counteract the noise
of traffic or humming air conditioners.
3. Eye-level beauty: Create a focal point that you can enjoy
from your chair. Flowering vines – like the morning glory or moonflowers
– can be helpful. Or put a pot of pretty annuals on a short pillar or
stand. Consider some scented flowers to appeal to the senses. Only a fence
to keep you company? Try mounting a framed mirror that reflects a pretty area
of the garden.
From daycare to office work, our lives are overwhelmingly
communal – and solitude is a quality which easily goes missing in our
lives. Each day, try to disappear for a few minutes - with an early morning
coffee, a mid-afternoon lemonade or a late-night glass of wine. Bring a favourite
book, a summer journal, or happy thoughts… but leave your roam phone
in the house.
Kid’s Corner
Don’t forget that children still love their own little
secret spaces. It’s not too late to grow a Green Bean Hideout:
in a corner of the garden (out of the way but not too shaded)
outline a circle about 5’ ‘in diameter. Build a temporary
teepee frame with 8 or more long bamboo poles, nestled firmly
into the ground around the circle, and simply secured at the top
with twine. At the base of each pole, plant 1 or 2 seeds of Scarlet
Runner or other pole beans. Kids will love watching their secret
hideout grow to the rafters and beyond. And this hideout has a
built-in kitchen!
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