...and finally, a few terse paragraphs about the design and the thinking behind it. (I hadda write it up because an acquaintance insisted that I enter it in a garden contest, even though we're only half finished with the garden.) ===== Before the design process began we examined many types of traditional designs, including French box gardens, English cottage gardens and Renaissance gardens from around the world. We have incorporated many aspects of these traditional ideas into our edible landscape. In our opinion we have successfully captured the feel of meditation gardens, as well. When fully mature, the plantings in our landscape will be 'bio-intensive', as is often seen in traditional European and English cottage gardens. Our primary goal is to transform every square inch of the front yard into an edible landscape. In time, the sod will be replaced with edible ground covers. Other than concerns for soil compatibility and allowances for available sunlight, we are planting annual herbs and vegetables in concert with all of the edible perennials. The nutrients provided by each edible plant have been taken into consideration in the planning of this project. As a result of the design and installation, the result will be as maintenance free as is possible while remaining within our budgetary constraints. The overall design includes a labyrinth, which is more complex than it might seem at first glance. We have also incorporated a simplified rectangular mandala. A Celtic Cross, or Solar Cross, can be also be seen in the layout of the pathway. Some have asked why we chose persimmons as the centerpiece instead of the more traditional water feature. Persimmons are known as the 'food of the gods'. This concept fits with the imagery of the solar and Celtic cross(es) and reflects the overall themes and histories of labyrinths and mandalas. The longest part of the pathway lines up almost directly east/west, and conjoins with the autumnal equinox. That was a matter of happenstance, rather than planning, but it is incorporated into the design. These concepts were part of the original design and remained a part of every consideration during the process. Philosophically? (Offered as questions, of course.) Why do the green-ways in the garden narrow around the tree beds? Why did we bother with all of the straight lines, when the garden will be so 'bio-intensive' at maturity? Many of the mature plants will -eventually- constrain the walk through the garden, making it necessary to dodge branches and step around plantings as you 'dance the labyrinth' of this project. Why did we design it that way? How will the rise and fall (remember the grade and level mentioned above) of your path through the garden also reveal your path through life? In the design of this landscape, the ground is neither flat nor level. The four outer edges of the garden do allow enough grade to maintain the original drainage on the property. Each of the four 'rooms' of the garden tilts towards the center. This aspect of the design will hold and retain water and prevent excessive run-off during the region's normal rain showers. The plans include eight raised beds which provide five hundred square feet of space for 'square foot' vegetable gardening. The boxes around the raised beds will be leveled and plumbed. The shorter raised beds (fourteen feet in length) are each on the same level. The four beds that are twenty-two feet in length will sit approximately three inches lower than the shorter beds. In this fashion, by using straight lines and manipulating the grade and level, the space has become a three dimensional geometric sculpture. We kept the traditional circular tree beds in order to provide relief from (and contrast with) the straight lines. The major plantings will add contrast and beauty to that geometric sculpture with their naturally occurring 'fractal' growth habits. Although the fruit trees will be pruned and shaped, they, too, will form a component of this fractal contrast and beauty. We are pruning our young fruit trees using a combination of vase shape and espalier techniques. The exception will be the persimmon trees which will be maintained in a semi-open shape. We have double planted our fruit trees in order to provide a greater variety of fruits, vitamins and minerals in our diet. Double planting ensures cross pollination and offers more and better fruit than might otherwise be found in such a small space. The competition for resources will help to further reduce the size of the trees when they reach maturity. Budget and other considerations: This particular design is not a project for a novice gardener. We recommend that a novice utilize the services of a professional gardener and/or a landscape designer to achieve an edible landscape of this complexity. Thus far, we've invested $2,300 over two years. With our current budget and schedule, we plan to spend an additional $1,500 to $2,000 over the next two years. Costs include soil amendments, compost, peat moss, edging, stakes, sand, mulch, plants and seeds. In keeping with the idea of not breaking too many shoestrings, we provided our own labor and we used nothing but hand tools to implement this project. Most of the one thousand flower bulbs installed in the beds around the property lines were gifts. We saved money on the gravel for the walkways by re-grading and leveling the driveway, which was considerably above grade when we bought this property. We've used two tons of homemade compost in our beds, saving even more on our installation. ROI? Last year we filled two freezers with fresh fruits and vegetables and had dozens of meals of fresh produce from our garden. In short, over the last year and a half, the garden has returned our current investment. In addition, in a few short years, this garden will be valued at several tens of thousands of dollars. Increasing the equity in our homes seemed like a good idea when we began to plan and install our Formally, Informal English Garden. In view of the quick return on our investment, it seems like an even better idea, today. ===== Oh, yeah...pics... I call this series "fractals vs geometry."

I love questions such as this. They allow me to research and revisit the work of such talentented designers as Lutyens. My thoughts on your questions: 1. I find many references to Lutyens returning to former houses he designed and working on the landscapes, including the addition of a Japanese garden in some situations. He is credited with the ability ..."to build in a style that combined the best of the east and the west". He is also known to have a love of paradox...contrary to common sense. Plus, estates of that period had many types of gardens and it is not uncommon practice. So...if you are in the hands of a good LA well grounded with Lutyens and his brilliant career the addition of a Japanese garden should be acceptable. 2. You are fortunate to obtain the old marble parts to construct an herb garden. Your planned use arranging them into a formal shape works. Too bad that you could not also purchase the marble urn. Somewhere the right urn or statue lurks to replace it. With some searching you will know it when you see it. I am surprised that your LA has not given you guidance on planting an herb garden. Usually they were bordered with a low, neatly trimmed boxwood hedge and planted with culinary herbs and flowers. Lots on on-line information to aid your selections. 3. There is a Hydrangea Forum here on GW with many knowledgeable gardeners posting. Suggest asking this question there where you should find all sorts of suggestions and advice.

@CeresMer Zone 7a NJ, Hi CeresMer, You are so awesome, thanks a ton for all those tips you put in the message. I am very grateful. I also live kinda close to Princeton, I am located in belle mead. based on zip code, it is in zone 6B. We are yet to move there. This spring we visited the house and it was after some rain, I saw standing water in some area of the backyard and when walked in the backyard, I felt the lawn area was mushy, there are some clay stayed on my shoes. so I think I got clay soil as well. I appreciate the method you shared above, I feel its gonna work. I will follow those tips when I plant the roses. Our house and the houses around ours do not have fence, we want to have fence to keep the deer out. Do you still have the info of the contractor who did the fence for you? your white fence looks really beautiful and I hope to have a similar fence to our house. my family are moving to belle mead in late July or early august. I hope we live close :)

Thank you Vaporvac and Sheila. I very much hope that both of you can make the trip sometime too. We are trying very hard to have the new Canadian Heritage Rose Garden completely finished by next June, 2022 at which time we very much hope to be able to celebrate with a formal grand opening dedication and rose tour. We still have an arbor to build and place as the new garden's focal point and the structure on which to drape our climbing roses. We also still have quite a few roses being grown on by John in California that we could not import due to Covid and border closures. We have begun to clear more ground on the edge of the English Shrub garden to allow us to plant more of the early Austin Shrub roses. We are having to dig out old plants of Russian Sage and do some serious weeding, but are making progress, though we did break an irrigation head last week trying to get a huge old root ball of Russian Sage out from beside and under it. Russian Sage and Oregon Grape, both garden thugs, especially when they get into places where there is even minimal irrigation. We also have a site where we will be moving a few of our OGRs which are struggling in neglected areas and will also put some of Paul Bardens roses in various beds when we get them from John. That will be the culmination of my piece of the Paul Barden's Roses Are Becomming Rare currating project that we began on the Antuque Roses Forum two years ago. We will have a good collection of Paul's glorious varieties once we get them in the garden and can grow them to maturity. I am especially looking forward to growing some of his OGR hybrids here in our zone 6b winter climate. Of course that will take a few more years. I am hearing rumours that they are considering opening the border to travel in late June or July. That is still rumour, but Canada's Minister of Public Safety was apparently overheard talking about the possiblitly of late June. That would certainly be welcome news. The grand opening and dedication of the Canadian Heritage Rose Garden will likely be in the first or second week of June when our roses are at peak bloom. In normal years, we hold our rose tour at that time. So stay tuned, I will post any confirmation and dates on the forum next spring when we know for certain if it will be a go. Cheers, Rick