November 24, 2011
Five senses garden
In the famous novel, The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett, the author wrote, "if you look the right way, you can see that the whole world is a garden".
Like the fairytale garden in the book, It has long been my passion to explore the link between an attractive garden and its charm over people. The connection and interaction between us and nature is undeniable.
Eleven years ago, when the Neo Nusantara garden concept was conceived, the question was, what draws people to a lawn with some nice shrubs and garden furniture? I was intrigued with the appeal that gardens have over people.
Thus, my Neo Nusantara concept aims at stimulating the five senses in every design.
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Secret Garden:You can create that dream enclosure of nature’s magic even in the most common of house gardens. The rest, is left to your imagination!
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A garden exists to bring beauty and pleasure, to enjoy what nature has to offer in our homes, allowing us to be a part of its magic.
What use is a garden if it is merely to look upon it? What if we want to touch, smell and be involved with all our senses?
History has shown that I am not the only one who believes in the mystery and magic of a garden for stimulating our senses.
In ancient China, the Qing emperor Qian Long took the enjoyment of a garden to extravagant heights. His Forbidden Garden complex built in the 1770s, was a secluded compound of pavilions and gardens with exquisite designs and some of the most sumptuous interiors in the imperial palace.
Tales abound with regard to the surreal beauty of this exclusive garden filled with some of the finest decorative accessories that reflected his fascination with the arts.
Then, there are also tales of India's legendary and exotic gardens, especially those that incorporate sensuous elements of the Karma Sutra, inspired by the famed poet Omar Kayam.
Even the Europeans have their “perfume gardens”, with plants and flowers grown for their delicate or stimulating scent. A stroll in such a garden, seemingly, was akin to a sress-relieving, aromatherapy session.
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From left to right :
Lights: Proper screening and lighting, the placement of plants and trees are crucial; so is blending silhouettes and soft glows in the right places;
Touch: Picture yourself cuddling with your loved ones out in the garden under a canopy of stars, snuggled up on a cool timber deck lined with pillows and a bottle of wine chilling in a cooler within reach;
Smell: The scent from the potpourri of flowers and herbs stimulates the senses and puts you in the mood;
Sound: The water feature must have a perfect trickling sound but it cannot be in a position that has its sound diffused by other obstacles.
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Creating an exotic garden
I have had the pleasure of creating exotic gardens for some of my clients, with the most recent project for a lady named Elise Tan.
She came to me requesting the usual garden concept including a pond, another water feature and seating area for her sprawling bungalow lot.
Nice but lacking in soul. When I introduced the concept of the “five senses garden”, she was enthusiastic.
The whole idea of a “secret garden” is that it must be personal. It is about the details of what you desire and what suits your personality.
So I had to find out – including, what kind of lifestyle she and her family members led, how old were the kids and how much time they were willing to spend outdoors.
The next step was the actual design. I had to consider the garden relating to each one of the senses at a time.
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Sight: For me, a garden exists to bring beauty and pleasure, to harness what nature has to offer into our homes, allowing us to be a part of its magic.
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Additionally, privacy is a tricky issue. I had to create the right balance - cosy enough but not too closed up. Proper screening and lighting, the juxtaposition of plants and trees are crucial. So is balancing silhouettes and the soft glow of light in the right places.
The concept of a garden with sound can also be complicated. People have their own idea about what is too loud and what is pleasing. The water feature must have a perfect trickling sound. It should not be in a place where the sound effect is muted by other objects.
Ultimately, everything has to be just right, with the perfect balance and harmony between the materials, layout and design.
Picture yourself cuddling with your loved ones n the garden under a night sky full of stars or snuggled up on a timber deck lined with pillows and a bottle of wine within reach. A light breeze carries the scent of aromatic candles, while the sound of trickling water relaxes you in your little nest, hidden from prying eyes.
A garden for stimulating the senses is not merely a gimmick but is as real as your senses can perceive. You can create that dream garden encompassing nature’s magic even with the most common of house gardens.
Neo Nusantara creates beautiful landscapes for Malaysian homes.
Website: www.neonusantara.com / www.terragarden.com.my. Tel: 03-7880 8018.
More articles on landscaping by Desmond Ho:
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