Talk & Tour: Creating a Sensory Garden | Front Yard Garden Design

Hello everyone, I'm in the garden of Susan Cooling tonight in Vancouver, British Columbia. Hello, Susan. Hi, Jack. And that's Cassie. That's Cassie. Hey, Cassie. This isn't the first time Garden Gate has been in your garden. I would like to welcome Garden Gate back to my garden after almost 20 years. Yes, that's amazing. I saw the magazine from 2007. Yes. We visited you and had a big feature in the magazine. Yes, it did. And in 2006, twice, and in 2007, they were mostly the early spring garden, where we had a lot of the epimidiums out and the hellebores were out. And they are right now, too. They are still hanging in there. They knew you were coming. Trillium. That's right. The trilliums are in their glory. Yeah. So yes, there was a major renovation that was covered in one of those magazines. Well, what has changed? You mentioned the things that are the same a lot of for this time of year. But what else has changed in the garden? Because when I look at the photographs, it seems like it's more of a curated palette now. Maybe not as many plants are densely planted. Is that true? Yes. I think over time, once I had the hardscape of the basalt rock, of the concrete, of the wrought iron gates, it allowed me to explore more planting that was more ephemeral. And it could show off the dark and the light and the colours and the chartreuses against a background that was not going to disintegrate or, not that I mind disintegration, that's all right, because that adds to the charm of a garden. I believe that. So, and of course, then we also had to deal with the real hard features of the potting shed, which I asked for at the time, which allowed me much storage, as I'm sure you can barely walk in there. And also the beautiful pond into which the frog spits and gives the addition of sound to the garden. So, those are kind of the highlights for me, for my husband. I know one of the big highlights is the swing. When he comes home from work, pillows are ready. I've just taken them out, the weather has finally cooperated. So, those kinds of things that go on. And the plantings, I'm much more approaching it more in a sensory of the five senses. And that permanent structure allows me to do that. The foliage has so much different texture, but also there's shades of green in the foliage. There is colour, but I see all those peonies about ready to bloom. I mean, a few of them are, but like in a week or two weeks, it'll be a burst of colour. But still, there's so much going on with your textures and your colours and your subtleties in your plantings. It's really nice. And when I have my garden tours, which I have had a few and enjoyed very much welcoming people to my garden, that is one thing they say about the feeling in the garden. It's more than just having... Mind you, don't get me wrong. I do love to go to the nurseries. That is not a problem. But I'm making more of my choices based on how it will smell, what colour it is. Does it have a movement in where I place my plant? Do you find a place in your garden that you want a new plant and then pick that plant out? Or do you wait till you get to the nursery and say, oh, that would go good there? Or get them home and say, where should I put this? Mostly it's where should I put this? But that's half the fun of it. That's why I do it. Let's take a chance. And surprisingly, it often works out. Yes, I think I've been doing it now for long enough. You definitely know what you're doing. Yes. So another thing that's changed, I'm sure, is the size of the trees. And one thing, I mean, I wasn't here 18 years ago, but one thing I noticed about your trees is, again, the bark is just amazing. And there's texture and colour in the bark, but also how you trim them up, prune them up and limb them up. And so it creates space underneath the trees. That's right. And that allows not only in the trees, but especially in the trees, the wonderfulness of what we call chiaroscuro. It's the play. Of light and dark. Yeah. And it gives you that just the strength because you get to see the trunks of the tree. Yeah. And then the light wind blows. And if the trees are pruned away from the sides of the home, then we don't get the scratchy scratchy. But if we do, that's fine, because it's very reassuring when the wind is blowing. And people have often asked me, talking about trees and large trees, Susan, why do you not have the big catalpas in front of your house? And I just say, well, the word is, don't ask, don't say, just plant a beautiful coral bark maple. And then on the other side, plant a big Elizabeth magnolia with a scent and the soft lime orange. So yes, it's very important that the trees are well looked after. The gardeners always tease me, because I say, we have so many trees left. How are we going to work with them all? They say, well, you know, you've taken one out there for good reason, taken one out there. If something doesn't flower or perform like you'd like to do it. And some of them are just a most wonderful surprise. You just don't want to touch them. We have that beautiful sneak skin one at the front. It's just, I know it's out of control, but I won't let the guy who prunes touch it. Don't touch it. Well, and just right there, how those two colors mingle, the chartreuse and the red Japanese maple. Yes. And it just brings how you lifted them up and you see the structure of the trees. The other thing I noticed when walking through entering the garden is the attention to detail for every little corner you walk around. There's something there, the containers that you have placed throughout the beds. Even I love how you incorporate those containers and pots and plants in the bed. It all started with the three pots behind the concrete pond. Okay. There's a big story. It's called... And those are the ones with hosta in right now, right? Yes. Those have hosta, super saggy, bursting from there. And at the base of each pot are baby's tears because, of course, the spray from the spitting frog kicks up and it's just that whole atmosphere there. So the story behind that is a little story called Stop the Car as we are driving one day. Yeah. Okay. Yes. I can see where this is going. Yeah. This is about 2003, 2004. We're driving down 6th Avenue and enjoying it. And on the man's boulevard, one of those fabulous huge concrete pots, and he's planted a lovely dwarf Japanese maple in it. We have to find out where we can get those pots because we've got just the place for them. So we get out and it turns out that the on a movie crew in Thailand. When he comes across this pot and definitely falls in love with the look of the Thailand probably like a samurai type face on that pot, asks permission to have a brass rubbing. He gets permission, brings the brass rubbing home, takes it to a landscape supply company and they make six of those pots. So I said, would you please phone the landscape company immediately and ask them if they have any left. Yeah. Well, long story short, they did. And we chose three of them for behind the pond and then one in another big hostel on the patio. So that's the story of those. So once you, wow, get that, but the other extreme, well, it's kind of got a different twist too, is check the alleys. There were some neighbors down the block who had a lovely connection collection of concrete pots. Yeah. And there's one just right there at the corner. Really nice. And there are several that they have been alley finds and nothing, nothing grows green moss like aged concrete pots. And they were just left in the alley. And they're just left in the alley. And so you pick them up and you bring them home. Yeah. So that accounted for some of them. Wow. And the other things, nothing has, you know, been too planned about that. But when I see something and if I think it will work, I try it. Yeah. And of course, over 20 years and more. Yeah. For example, that Japanese maple there is a real focal point for that corner. And that has to have been in that spot for a long time. It has been. Yeah. It has not only the concrete pots, but you'll see, look at the edge on the wall, on the brick wall. I noticed that walking through and that's what I'm talking about, the detail of just like that. But that that's not something you plan. No. It's something that's sort of growing like that. Well, you hope for. Yeah. Let's put it that way. Right. So if we can do that. If you put the things in place for things to happen, then things happen. Yes. It's most likely. And so we often get comments of visitors say, Susan, what's wrong? Why didn't they finish painting all the way up to the roof on the brick of the garage? Yeah. Why should they? Isn't it a lovely pattern? That kind of thing that just kind of takes people by surprise. But they come to say and and the rusting birds on the tree, on the wall. Right. So that's. Yeah. It gives it a hint of sort of an English garden with the wall, like a walled garden and the bricks and that, you know, not being painted completely to the top. It really gives that sort of aesthetic. It does. And and I appreciate it when people see it and mention it because I think, OK, that's good. And we'll look for something else to pay attention to. It gets people talking. That's right. The garden was in the magazine 18 years ago, but I know it was started before that when you had young family, kids. Right. So there must be a lot of stories. There are a lot of stories. And we'll start with our son Eric's story, how he enjoyed the garden. And as we sit here, just off to my right, a beautiful patch of green lawn and part of a landscape. But in order to get there, we had to dig deep and wide to remove a very large chunk of concrete into which we had sunk the pole for the basketball hoop. So that was a big deal. And my oldest daughter's graduation breakfast was held in the garden. Yes. And then some 21 years ago, our daughters, our other daughters wedding was held in the garden as well. So, yes. So it really holds a special place for them. It does. Right. It does. They had some life moments in this garden. And that continues on because our grandchildren range in age from 21 and 19. And another family, Eric's family, is eight year old, four year old little boy and a one year old. So we go from 21 all the way down to one. So, yes. So our family has indeed enjoyed it. And thanks to my husband, Tony, he has kept all of the mechanical moving parts moving in this garden. There's always someone behind the scenes, right? Always. Always. The frog's not spitting. We couldn't do it without that. We couldn't do it without that. No. And he's in charge of cleaning the plant. And we appreciate that. Do you open up your garden and do you have guests come through? And yeah, I bet they're just wowed. Yes. We have twice now hosted the Vancouver party plant celebration where we have had people come from England, France, Italy, Australia, Victoria, Seattle. So we've done that twice now. My arm has been twisted and it is very special to have that going on. And like I say, our garden is shared by everybody who neighbors and everyone who pauses at both the front gate. Yeah, that curb appeal and people I can just say stop and they were stopping and looking at the flowers on the tree peonies and the rhododendrons. Yeah. Yes, they really do. And of course, the back gate, you heard the story that Catherine, the gardener, shared with you. This lady's walking up the back alley and stops, talks to the gardeners, draws attention to the plaque that identifies our garden and house as Weathercock House. She said, is this a B&B? Is it for rent? I'd like to come and make an appointment. So that happens. Yeah, it's so appealing. It encourages me to keep it up. So when I'm asked, will you have a garden tour through? I try if I can. Yeah. Because I think it's especially important to have the gardens offer time for people to stand still and just enjoy the act of emotional connection of noticing what noticing can do to a feeling about a place and enjoy many ways to experience the senses. I mean, I know my husband enjoys his shady nap on the swing. And when the raw sunset roses in bloom, he's smelling the flowers. The swing is rocking and he's listening to the birds. And I was, yeah, speaking of the birds, like I was here early this morning, all by myself in the garden, quiet and the birds. You have a couple of feeders out, but they were just buzzing my ear. Yeah. It's our breakfast. What are you doing here? I know. So I have a little quote from, I believe it's a woman, Hannah Rion, who says, the greatest gift of the garden is the restoration of the five senses when people visit the garden. And I would like my garden to be an example of that. And to plant a garden, especially as you advance in age, is to have a very strong belief in tomorrow. You have something to look forward to. How is that doing? We'll have to come back another 18 years, right? Don't wait. Don't wait that long. All right. Yeah. Lovely to have you. Yeah. Well, thanks for hosting us and letting us come in and tour the garden again. It was a really pleasure meeting you and seeing the garden up close. So thank you. Thank you.