I Guess the Fancy Name is Quadrapartite

In spite of toying with the idea of curved walls and sinuous lines, there was little doubt that the final design of the entrance garden would center on a four-square layout. There are so many reasons to adopt such a plan (tradition, access, formal repetition, etc) and only one—the desire to create an iconoclastic statement—to argue for an alternative.  Every garden I love, from Kiftsgate’s Four Square Terrace, to Sissinghurst’s White Garden, to nearly every walled English garden since the Baroque period, uses the form to bring order to a cultivated space. Even when he was at his most devilish (replacing the classic Rose Garden with the once-hated-now-loved Exotic Garden), Christopher Lloyd relied on four squares to pull off his idea of “formal chaos.”

I really think this sight line will come to be more important as the garden ages

The hundred year-old Box hedges, arguably the most notable landscape feature here at Willow Greens Farm, frames the rectilinear space that spawned the idea of the new stone walls around the entrance garden.  And as I started to put down strings and get a sense of the space, I could see, almost immediately, that the concept was a winner: four-foot wide paths with one axis running to a break in the hedges that leads to the (obnoxiously named) “Croquet Lawn,” and the other ending in a shady spot against a wall.  A prime location for a garden bench.

These “duckboards” allowed me to get working in the late winter conditions

I say prime location as I’m fascinated with where, how, and why people congregate in certain spaces. Place a garden bench in the middle of a field with a wonderful view, and it sits empty. Place that same bench with a wall or hedge at its back and it’s always occupied. I guess everyone wants to sit in, as John Le Carré’ would say, the “bodyguard seat”: in the corner, back against the wall, clear view of the door.

Fifteen minutes into the job and I’m filled with optimism

I’ve chosen 1/8” thick Corten Steel edging to create the paths.  All the kids seem to be using Corten Steel these days—last year’s Chelsea Flower Show featured several gardens sporting it in every configuration—and why not?  It ages well, is reasonably priced, and it bridges the gap between cheap, consumer-grade metal edging and really expensive slate pavers. This particular product is 8” wide and is installed by pounding it in (protected by a 2x4) with a baby sledge. If your guide lines are accurate it is quick and satisfying work.  That is to say that even I couldn’t mess it up.

It’s hard not to think of this lurking electrical cable as “The gun in act one”

One complication was the exposed electric supply that was uncovered during excavation. I’m actually happy the construction crew damaged it, as they knew how to fix it and we went on our merry way.  Luckily it meanders under the path for most of its run and it is clearly marked in one bed.  I’ll cover it with a double layer of broken slate to avoid it being poked with an errant fork.

All the makings of a grand day

As the edging is 8” deep I’m driving it in the subsoil about 3”, leaving 3” for a base layer, 1” for final aggregate and a 1” reveal. I’m using something called 21A for the base.  It’s a mix of gravel and stone dust.  Once leveled, wet and compacted, it’s almost like concrete.  Our local supplier delivers in handy two-ton bags and they were kind enough to use their little skid steer loader to place one bag right next to the job site.  It’s surprising how quickly, with a little elbow grease and a wheelbarrow, you can move 4000 lbs of stone.  When I was five years old the neighbor kids and I spent an unhealthy amount of time moving dirt around the schoolyard with our collection of Tonka Trucks.  This is pretty much a continuation of that work.

As the gravel went in before the beefing up of the beds, I reinforced the edging with rebar to hold it in place

With most of the edging in place I’m pretty happy with the results. We’ve had a run of particularly fine weather (especially for late February/early March), so to be this far along as we are just thinking about greenhouse plants is a real boon.