garden art Archives - Lasting Landscapes by Carol

Letting go

November 24, 2022

by Carol Verhake with 6 Comments Garden Art

I’ve always loved the saying, “Autumn shows us how beautiful it is to let things go.” Sometimes it’s easy to let things go. I have no problem pulling out a plant that’s under-performing or one that has died. Other times it’s an incredibly difficult challenge. This fall I had to let go of a beloved Rhododendron hybrid that has been on the property since I purchased my home 22 years ago. While the blooms of my Rhododendron were nice, I adored the structure of the shrub most. This particular plant had a low branch that reached out like an outstretched arm over the back side of the water feature. I think the birds loved this branch as much as I did. They often perched there to dry off after a bath or waited there for their turn in the upper basin.

Earlier this year I noticed the plant was in decline. My beloved branch was barely hanging on as interior rot limited the flow of nutrients. I made the decision to remove the shrub. I could have taken the debris to a local compost site or run the remnants through my chipper/shredder. Instead, I decided to repurpose the shrub into some temporary, decorative components in my garden.

The branch I loved so much became a guard rail of sorts on the path behind my water feature. In its new home, the branch still serves as a perch for nearby birds and critters. The rest of the shrub was turned upside down into a sculpture. Now it frames the water feature in a different way. This new garden element needs a topper which I’ve yet to discover. I’m open to reader ideas on what would look best.

In the spot where the Rhododendron lived for many years, I planted a Chamaecyparis obtusa ‘Compacta.’ While small in stature now, I’m confident this new addition will settle in and grow into a stately backdrop for the water feature and a habitat for my feathered friends.

The next time you have to let go of something you love, do your best to embrace the change and the results. Like me, you might find joy in the transformation.

Rising from the ashes

June 25, 2019

by Carol Verhake with 8 Comments Garden Art trees

When I first bought my property nearly 19 years ago, I was thrilled with the woodland setting and adored my many deciduous trees. But then I was made aware of the ash borer, an uninvited pest from Asia, and I became distraught over the 24 ash trees on my property and their pending demise if left untreated.

I consulted an arborist and together we determined it made sense to protect 10 of the trees with regular injections, while removing the rest. Over the last several years I have been removing trees. Some of the ash trees I removed were quite large, which meant I had a lot of ash wood to deal with and that’s where I had to get creative.

With the first batch of ash trees removed, I asked Carlos Soler, a family friend and amazing woodworker to make wooden bowls for me with some of the remnants. Carlos did an amazing job and I cherish the bowls for their beauty, function and remembrance. You can find other artistic treasures made by Carlos by visiting his site on Etsy https://www.etsy.com/shop/CSWoodworks1?ref=search_shop_redirect.

Of course I saved some of the wood for firewood and gave a bunch to friends for the same purpose. But I quickly realized only a certain amount of firewood could be used in a reasonable time without most of it rotting. I still had a lot of wood to manage.

During a visit to Cape Cod a couple of years ago, I saw an amazing natural arbor at a local botanic garden. I showed the photos of the arbor to local chain saw artist Marty Long who was able to translate my vision into reality with collected branches.

archway made of branches — An arch made from branches marks the entrance to the woods

In addition to my arch, which now marks the entrance to my woodland trail and invites guests to meander, Marty made a bench for me which I enjoy regularly. Yes, I actually do sit down from time to time – hurray! My new bench provides a great vantage point of the water feature and the woodland trail and gives my friends and me a place to pause, relax and enjoy.

wooden bench made from tree — An ash tree transformed into a bench

The last thing I have done with my ash trees is to leave some of them standing about 20 feet tall. This way they are not a hazard to garden visitors, can easily be taken down from the ground if they become a concern, and can benefit wildlife as they decay. Plus, it’s less expensive to take down a tree partially instead of completely!

ash trees cut at angle — Trees left standing

My point is, when life gives you lemons, or an invasive pest like the ash borer, you need to find a way to make lemonade. If you have ash trees that need to be removed, let me know how you are dealing with the issue. I am confident if you look hard enough, you’ll find the silver lining and ways to use that wood that enhances the beauty of your garden, provides ecological benefits and more.

blue bird on house lasting landscapes by carol

Problem Solved

April 22, 2019

by Carol Verhake with 12 Comments Garden Art

As a landscape artist I am often challenged to solve problems. I welcome the opportunity since I have always loved puzzles. One challenge presented to me was to hide a utility pipe near the driveway. The pipe was one of the first things you saw when you approached the home and that was not very welcoming. You might think solving this problem was easy, but it wasn’t. There was very little space in front of the pipe so planting an evergreen to screen the view wasn’t an option. Also, access to the pipe was critical. The solution? A lovely millstone that enhanced the view, yet could be rolled out of the way when access was required. And I bet you thought the solution was going to be a plant!

Lasting Landscapes by Carol Before and After — Utility pipe before being disguised

A different challenge existed at a client site where a landscape bed needed a retaining wall of sorts and some definition. The answer here was to add art to the garden in the form of a natural fence. The best part of this solution was that it was free. Next time you are cursing the fallen branches in your yard, think differently. Likely, you can repurpose them into something beautiful and useful. What better way to recycle natural materials.

“Junk” can be repurposed too. A talented friend of mine, Eric Sternfels, is an expert at repurposing materials into garden art. Not only do his vignettes add charm, character and focal points to the garden, but they are budget friendly too.

A pedestal combined with a pot of pansies makes for a joyful display

Don’t you want to be invited to this tea party?

I borrowed that line of thinking from Eric and recently had some birdhouses made with license plate roofs. If I hadn’t used the license plates, they likely would have made their way to the junkyard.

The bluebirds are enjoying the new bird house

If you have a pile of items ready to be donated to charity, evaluate how they might be repurposed before you give them away. You might just find a unique use for something, while enhancing your garden space.