As I stood surveying the third of an acre plot that was to become ours, I had an overwhelming feeling of not knowing where or how to begin.  How was I going to transform this yard, covered with mounds of dirt, weeds, bits and pieces of construction litter, into the garden described by Horace in the book The Tranquil Garden?  "This was among my prayers: a piece of land not so very large  where a garden should be and a spring of ever-flowing water near the house, and a bit of woodland as well as these."

Six years later, I have moved closer to that dream.  Here is my story:

The Beginning: I believe that gardening is an art form, a gardener the artist, the land a canvas.  I had, for the first time, a clean canvas and, as with any artist, an idea.  I wanted a garden where we could retreat from the cares of the world and enjoy the changing seasons.  I began with the help of a local landscape architect who put down on paper the dreams in my head.  With his help, the foundations were laid, sprinklers and edging installed and the lawn seeded.  Once this was done, the fun began.  Like a painting, the garden was created in stages - one layer at a time.

Stage One: The Deck It was to be huge - big enough for family gatherings, or so I told Jim.  Secretly, I wanted it big so I could place upon it containers filled with plants like in the  gardening magazines.  It also had to have a distinct shape as to give the feel of outdoor rooms.  (The trend of bringing the indoors out and the outdoors in was just beginning.)  Following my design, outlined with a garden hose and stakes, Jim set about the task of building the deck with the help of Erin Sacksteder, a friend of his from work.  The deck is made out of redwood, beautiful to look at but hard to maintain.  As Jim built, I planted a vegetable garden, which was quickly eaten by the deer.

Our original plan did not include a fence but, out of necessity, installing one helped define the boundaries of our gardens, provided privacy from our encroaching neighbors and protection from those hungry deer.
Please excuse me while I digress a bit from my story to share with you what I have learned about deer in a backyard habitat.  We do not share the same philosophy!  My philosophy is: plant enough to share. Their philosophy is: what is mine is mine and what is yours is also mine.  So it does not break my heart when the deer retreat to the high country.  Deer are appealing from afar.  As the deer were munching away at my garden, I came to the realization that they had every right to my veggies.  After all, we built our home right in the middle of what was once their prime grazing field.  This realization caused a major change in the gardens design.  It was not only going to be for our enjoyment but would also be a haven for small wildlife.  At least as much as it could be on a city lot.

Stage Two:  Raised Beds Raised vegetable beds are the way to go!  In North Idaho our growing season, in a good year, is about 100 days. With raised beds and a plastic tunnel arrangement, I can extend the season a full month or more.  Jim constructed the raised beds using 2 X 12 treated lumber.  They are covered in the early spring with tunnels made out of plastic sheets stretched over flexible sprinkler pipe.  As the weather warms, the tunnels are replaced with a trellis constructed of PVC pipe with plastic netting attached.  I have 3 raised beds that provide food for us and enough to give away to family and friends.

I have learned that gardening with raised beds has many advantages.  Using the Square Foot Gardening method and growing crops vertically, I am able to grow more plants in a smaller area and also save time and money.  With these methods, I have eliminated thinning and weeding and also use a lot less water.

Stage Three: The Grandkid's Gardens
The next part of the garden to be planted was the "orchard".  I use this term loosely as only five fruit trees were planted, one of which promptly died leaving four.  The ground around these yearling trees looked so lonely and barren that I knew something must be done. Especially since this is the view we see from the family room sliding door.  Wanting some quality time and perhaps some Free labor, I asked the Grandkids if they would like to have their own garden to plant.  Five out of the seven old enough to use a shovel agreed, thus the Grandchildren's Garden was born.  Each of the children has a plot of land under the fruit trees. 

This is one of my favorite areas of the garden as each little plot is as unique and different as the child who created it.  Sara, the romantic, went for the English Cottage look; Cory, symmetrical and formal; James, everything eatable; Maddie, I like everything and Micah, short on space to match his attention span. Later, little Sheyenne's garden was added.  It has been pleasing to watch these gardens change and mature just as the children have changed and matured.  Now, approaching their teen years, most of the kids have lost interest in their gardens.  My hope and dream is that a tiny seed was planted and will bloom when they have a home of their own, just as the tiny seed my Dad planted many years ago sprouted and blossomed.

Again, excuse me while I digress from my story to say that all the love I have for plants and the peace I have found from getting dirt under my fingernails comes from my Dad, a master at gardening.  His joy of watching a flower bloom has been passed down from generation to generation - from him, to me, to my children and hopefully, in the future, to my grandchildren.

Stage Four: The Rose Garden Oh, the sweet smell of a Rose! The first year NOT to be.  We had a major flood problem in the yard.  After the winter snow melted, all the water from the neighboring homes found their way to the Rose garden.  My precious roses were drowning!  Upon losing all the roses, a major change was needed. Grandson Cory came to the rescue.  He dug two 4x4x4deep holes that were filled with gravel, holding tanks until the water seeped back into the ground.  Jim and I hauled pick up loads of rocks found on our many trips to the forests.  They were used to build raised beds and as borders throughout the garden.

Once again I planted roses.  The Rose Garden that once contained only a half dozen plants has now grown to over 30!  I love to sit among the roses, my favorite flower, and take in their fragrance.  This year begins a new test; any rose that does not make it without protective mulch will be replaced with roses grown on their own root.  If they can't take the cold, hard winter, out they go.  No more hybrids for me, too much work!

Stage Five and Six: The Water Gardens
Remember the part of Horace's poem? "and a spring of ever-flowing water near the house." A stream would be nice but since we do not live anywhere near one, I had to turn to a man made water feature for the uplifting qualities that running water brings.  It was also about this time that I decided to look into registering the garden as a back yard habitat with the National Wildlife Federation.  As more and more homes were being built and the woods near by rapidly disappearing, I became more passionate about creating a refuge for the wildlife.  Water is one of the necessary ingredients for a wildlife habitat.  Not having much space left in the yard, we decided to build a little birdie pond off the deck.  It would provide both water for the birds and music for the human ears.  Out came some grass and a few plants.

In went a small pond about 18 inches deep, filled with gravel and small rocks.  I wanted a natural look and our nephew Jeff found the perfect stump that was to become the fountain.  Water is pumped up into the stump and allowed to trickle over the edges back into the pond.  This pond served its purpose until the next summer when I decided I wanted a bigger and deeper one.  One where I could grow water plants and have a few fish.  Owning a pond is like owning a boat; one always desires something larger and fancier.  Our imagination can get us into trouble!  The next summer found me digging up more of the precious lawn and hauling in more rocks.  I feel sorry for anyone who someday buys our house if they don't like rocks.

The inspiration for this pond came from our many trips to the forest to gather more rocks.  I wanted this area to be the "a bit of woodland" in Horace's poem. Native trees, shrubs, grasses, and tons and tons of rock surround the pond.  An over hanging hollow log serves as the waterfall.  This is my favorite area of the garden, but then I tend to say that about each area.  I come home from a hard day at work, sit by the pond and feel the cares of 46 five and six year olds melt from my shoulders.  (A hard day at work is teaching Kindergarten).

It has become the home for several goldfish, a couple of Koi, a few frogs, mice and dragonflies.  Many summer evenings you can find Jim and I sitting by the pond letting the music of the water sooth our souls.  On cold winter days, you can find me staring out the kitchen window watching the water dance over the rocks or the birds at play on the pond's edge.

Stage Seven: The Path Following a winding, rock lined gravel path, you move through the garden, from one interconnected stage to the other, each with it's own theme, blending together until they have become one.  Along the journey you will notice the unique features placed here and there, such as a birdbath constructed using a large insulator, an arbor made from crossarms and adorned with more insulators, home made benches and birdhouses and old junk of various description made into planters.  As you sit quietly in the garden you also notice an abundance of small critters that have made this their home. For me, the garden has become more than a refuge from the outside world, enclosed by a fence and embellished with blazes of color and architectural elements, it has become a series of miracles created by the Master Gardener of all.

The Ending:
There is no end to this story, for the garden is an unfinished work of art that will grow and change with time.  I leave you now with another quote from The Tranquil Garden.

"The kiss of the sun for pardon, The song of the birds for mirth, One is nearer God's heart in a garden Than anywhere else on earth." Dorothy Frances Gurne