A "Bird's Eye View Garden"

That's what we need!!! A "Bird's Eye View Garden!" I just figured it out this evening and I'm really excited about it.

We have a Serious Landscaping Problem. No wonder I've been having trouble figuring out the backyard. Too bad there isn't a "Can This Backyard Be Saved" TV show because our yard would definitely qualify. Here are the obstacles we have to overcome:

1. When you look out at the backyard from in the house, you see.... AIR! The very first view our guests get of our backyard is air because the house is a split-level. So the sliding glass doors open to the deck, which is about 10' above grass level.

2. Whatever landscaping we do in the backyard has to look good from a bird's eye view. So that means the placement of the arbor and pergola have to look great from the top. As the guests slowly walk down the stairs, the arbor and pergola still have to look good from all angles.

3. As guests look out over the backyard from the deck, they should find it inviting. Otherwise, they're not going to want to trek down 12 steps to get to grass level.

4. The yard is flat, flat, flat. No texture. No interest. No enticing nooks and shady crannies. It's the blahest yard I've ever seen.

5. Deer.

Now that I've finally figured out the obstacles, it should be way easier to plan the landscaping. (Ha, I'm actually sounding like I know what I'm talking about! Scary how education just creeps up on ya.)

No wonder I haven't been able to shake the idea of a hedge maze. The "Bird's Eye View Garden" stuff is the perfect reason to have a maze. And a reflecting pool. And a meandering stone wall and rose covered trellises and a prince down below singing love songs...

I need texture! I need interest! I need to add mystery to an utterly boring and naked yard. Which is why I just ordered some new gardening books. They sound super. I can't wait to check out Creating Beds and Borders: Creative Ideas from America's Best Gardeners (Fine Gardening Design Guides) by Taunton. Our backyard desperately needs lots of beds and borders.

I also got Stonescaping Idea Book by Taunton. That's my new Plan B for a hedgeless maze. I think a stone maze would look fun from the deck. I haven't looked into the price of stone and really, really hope it isn't as expensive as a zillion boxwood plants. My parents' home is built on top of their own stone quarry but they live 500 miles away. So to rent a truck and harvest a free truckload of stone from them would probably be more expensive than buying it local. My dad made the most splendid stone walls and I'm hoping to duplicate some meandering walls in the backyard.

I can't wait to get the new books and they better get here quick because the Garage Garden is looking scarier every day. I'm afraid we'll have to move the tools out to the backyard to make room for the Garden in the garage if we don't do something soon.