| Elements Garden In our yard we have a circular garden devoted to the Elemental directions and the Seasons. A stone circle divided into four sections contains the plants within this garden. Each section is devoted to a certain season and direction. The directions and associations I use are based upon my Native American and Welsh belief systems and should be altered to reflect your beliefs. In the center of the circle is a small altar with a handmade arch. The arch was created from tree branches and the twigs of red dogwood. Upon the altar itself sits a statue of a mother nursing her child. To me this statue represents the circle of life and the continual turning of the year wheel. It took me several months to create this garden as I took my time listening to the stones and placing them where they dictated. Any stone that expressed a desire not to be included in the stone circle was left in my Ancestor�s Area on the bern I created. After planting my garden, I gathered natural mulch materials from within our yard. A mixture of pine needles, leaf mould and small sticks comprises the mulch and serves as a wonderful barrier against weeds. It also helps retain moisture making the garden area low-maintenance. An added bonus is these natural materials feed the plants and the soil beneath them as the mulch matter decomposes. East-Air-Spring Within this section is found the spring flowering bulbs. I chose crocus, daffodils, grape hyacinth and species tulips. Species tulips are the original varieties and are much more vibrant and hardy than the hybrid ones. All of these bulbs naturalize easily, so will continue to expand and fill their allotted space. South-Fire-Summer This section contains plants that thrive under the summer�s heat. A large clump of thyme, with its delicate blossoms and aromatic foliage is the main highlight of this area. A red spirea adds a lovely flame of color and reflects the fire energy of the south. A creeping phlox cascades over the stones and provides an abundance of blooms. A stray milk weed found its way into the south section and was left for its natural beauty and as food for the monarch butterfly larva, another sign of summer. West-Water-Autumn The season of autumn is known for its earthy colors so I chose a variety of chrysanthemums in various earth tones to complement this season. As mums can sometimes have difficulty overwintering in this area I made sure an extra deep layer of mulch was placed around them. I also planted them early in the season so they would have ample time to put down roots. North-Earth-Winter Winter is often thought of as the bare time of the year, so finding plant suitable for the winter section was challenging. I finally decided upon plants that provide vertical interest to the garden even during the coldest months. A tall, zebra grass with its tawny foliage and tufted seed heads fit the bill nicely. A vernal witch hazel with its late winter flowers rounds out this area. |