Try the Conceal & Reveal Approach to Your Landscape

Cozy outdoor rooms have become goal number one, perhaps from the stress of the job-related commute or it just may be anxiety-related as we watch everything the world has on its plate. We want to come home to our nest.

The term nesting has been embraced by the landscape industry as they strive to help homeowners achieve their outdoor dreams. If the budget allows it, a landscape designer and contractor may be just what you need. If your project will be a DIY, have no fear.

Keep your home’s architectural style in mind when creating an outdoor room-ideally, outdoor spaces should accentuate the indoor spaces. Notice the plural form, you may have the space and the need for more than one outdoor room.

It seems that many homeowners planning outdoor rooms are inspired by (or faced with) three situations. One is the need to improve a landscape someone else started. Usually this is the easiest, that being said, I know full well that sometimes what we inherit comes with huge issues.

The other two are “blank slates”--either wooded lots or acreage, which to me is the most enjoyable. Here we can allow nature to ultimately guide us by virtue of native trees, shrubs, animal trails, streams and if we are lucky, changes in elevation.

Then there is the dreaded blank slate, where everything was bulldozed and, more than likely, a fence was installed, leaving a landscape somewhat reminiscent of a miniature Fort Apache. In this case, you think your first consideration should be where to put the cannons.

The scorched earth, bulldozed scenario dictates that you begin by adding a porch, patio or deck as your first outdoor room, followed by planting trees, and shrubs for screening. You might think screens are for only large areas, or those with no fence, but this is not the case. Living screens can make small backyards feel more natural and private.

Before you begin any actual work, jot down a few ideas about how the space will be used and all of its applications. As you contemplate, you may realize that you want more than one “room”- perhaps one that is sunny and colorful, and the other with cool shade, and/or even a space where there is fire, food and maybe even water.

The size of your landscape will dictate how many rooms you can realistically have. The current trend in interior design is the “open concept”, with kitchen, living, and dining spaces all within view. In the landscape vistas are welcomed, but the secret gardens and private spaces are those that are most often treasured. If your space is small, then a courtyard garden like those in New Orleans or Savannah may be just what is needed.

As you develop your outdoor rooms, consider using the “conceal and reveal” approach versus the indoor open concept. The purpose of conceal and reveal is to create a garden of participation. The entire garden can’t be seen from any one point, so walking out the backdoor from your first outdoor room, which is the porch, patio or deck, you initially see only one portion of the yard. The remaining landscape is a mystery, your paradise is hidden, as is the chicken coop garden, or a special reading area concealed by climbing clematis.

Once out in the garden, you catch glimpses, like looking through a window, there appears to be a place of rest and relaxation just down a path, around the corner. You have become an active participant, strolling down the pathway. In the new room or location, the patio or where you started is hardly seen or no longer visible. Where the garden concludes is up to you.

Proven Winners^® has everything you need for your rooms--fragrant plants, flowers for pollinator perfection, and vegetables for the kitchen. Trees, shrubs, perennials and annuals are available for your zone no matter where you live. If you can dream it Proven Winners^® can help you create it.