ARTIST IN THE GARDEN

by Jill O’Connell, Master Gardener

A garden is an ever-changing work of art. The change of seasons brings new colors and new color palettes to our most familiar surroundings. Artist Claude Monet, who has been called the father of impressionist art, is attributed with saying “My garden is my most beautiful masterpiece.” The garden he was referring to is his garden at his home in Giverny, France. Monet had been a gardener throughout his life. He designed, curated, and created the plantings and features of the Giverny garden, which in turn inspired many of his famous paintings including The Artist’s Garden at Giverny, Water Lilies, and The Water Lily Pond.

In Texas, gardens are a combination of art and science. Good soil is the start of any garden, and knowing your soil is key. Many Texas gardens in our area can benefit from adding organic matter to help with drainage. Soil conditions include soil texture, drainage, soil acidic and alkaline balance. A soil test is a wise first step for any style of garden to find out what type of soil is in the garden space. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension website offers soil testing information and other detailed, research-based resources for North Texas gardeners. https://soiltesting.tamu.edu

Soil testing is invaluable for determining what, if any, soil amendments are needed to get started on the garden.

Our gardens are living compositions shaped by our North Texas climate, soil, and personal design choices. Design is the element that brings art and the garden together. The structure of one’s garden includes pathways, garden beds, focal points and other hardscape elements. The elements of design style and the requirements for the garden and plants like shade and microclimates merge and create each gardener’s personal style.

Water is another requirement for North Texas gardens and a cornerstone element of good design. Efficient use of water includes a water-wise system for healthy plant growth. A water-wise garden design includes considering using native plants, drought tolerant plants, efficient irrigation systems including drip irrigation, creating hydro-zones for watering, and considering the microclimates of the garden. Water systems can also include mulching and utilizing rainwater harvesting.

A microclimate is a very small, localized area in a garden that differs from the surrounding garden area in light, wind, shade, sun and soil conditions including drainage. Hydro-zones are used while designing a garden to group plants that have similar watering needs together. These principles go hand in hand to make good use of the climate in one’s garden.

Finally, remember that a garden is never truly finished. It changes over time, reflecting both the gardener’s vision and the rhythms of nature. By combining thoughtful design principles with regionally appropriate practices, Texas gardeners can create landscapes that are not only beautiful but enduring. The garden design is the artist at work with the plants, science, and nature.

In the end, like Monet, we are all artists in our gardens – working with color and light, soil and plants to create something uniquely our own.