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T he C oast News - S pring Home & G arden
MARCH 31, 2023
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The CoasT News spriNg 2023
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Create your own yardscape from found materials
O
By Jano Nightingale
n a quiet corner in suburban Carlsbad I spot an odd collection of garden art, that forces me to slow down and take a closer look each time I drive past. I finally got to meet the owner of this eclectic garden, Terri Polley, and she described her ten-year hunt to find the perfect objects for her tiny front yard garden. “The VW door came from the first car I owned in 1966,” Polley said. “And the license plate tells a little bit about where I came from, Iowa!” Polley gleefully guides me through the sculptural garden, and explains how the construction of wine bottles arose. “I had a few bottles from a wine club that we belonged to, and then once it got started all the neighbors brought me theirs,” she said. “I went out an bought a drill press, and watched a You Tube video about how to use it.” Now, the bottle construction is the entryway to her garden, and slows down traffic on her quiet street.
Create your own yardscape
THE DOOR of a VW Beetle becomes a work of art in Terri Polley’s garden in Carlsbad. Photo by Jano Nightingale
YARDSCAPE is a cross between hardscape and found objects, such as these colorful bottles, that appear in your garden. Courtesy photo
rial that is not a living plant, tree, flower or vegetable. If you wander through your neighborhood chances are that someone has created their own collection of driftwood, shells, rocks, sculpture and even children’s toys!
A yard scape is a cross Follow the between the hardscape and designer’s leads found objects that appear in Jamie Durie, landscape your garden. As many of you designer from HGTV, and know hardscape is the col- author of “The Outdoor lection of any type of mate- Room, (Jamie Durie Publi-
cations) reminds us “when designing an eclectic garden mix, I shop around the neighborhood (Okay, I did a little dumpster diving) for discarded and neglected pots and plants. What a great way to shop for planters and what goes in them!” Jamie also suggests checking online in local Next Door or Craig’s List services that advertise free stuff. When homeowners
or apartment dwellers are moving, they often have to get rid of valuable plants and hardscape material.
North County coast a perfect canvas
Many of my gardener friends walk the local beaches for the perfect items to complete their rock and driftwood collections. One local gardener advised, “Walk the beach at low tide after a good storm, and the stash of rocks and drift-
wood are at their peak. The favorite local spots are Ponto Beach in Carlsbad and the Oceanside Pier.” After collecting ocean rock, you can build a small stone wall by inserting the rock in the soil, or place in an existing garden as a home for rock garden plants.
elling in public parks that rock-hunting is permitted.
Start with the basics
When starting a new yard scape or rock garden, begin with just a small rock or shell collection and a small patch of soil. Check out the National Rock Garden Society, www.nargs. In search of org for local tours and clubs rocks and stone which can give you lots of If you enjoy travelling, ideas for rock garden plants many local states boast and herbs that are suitable their own collection of rock for your new garden. and stone. Arizona, Utah Jano Nightingale is a and Northern California and have geographical areas horticulturist and educator that boast quartz, amethyst, and teaches vegetable garturquoise and even fool’s dening at the Carlsbad Senior Center. Contact her at gold. Be certain when trav- janosgarden@hotmail.com.