lilacs form a barrier from the sidewalk and cedars hide the front of the house. Vines creep over the ground and along fences, and hanging baskets and pots are strategically placed to add splashes of colour.

When you choose the plants, make sure you research soil, sun, and watering requirements; think about variety, size, colour, hardiness, and texture.

That may sound like a lot to consider, but it was easy for Langen, a definite plant enthusiast. "I'm the kind of person that can't go past a nursery without going in.' She also propagates her own seedlings in winter, hardening them off in a cold frame just off the deck. Yet in spite of the lush green oasis, she's no fan of mowing lawns: there's no grass in Langen's yard.

Nonetheless, her plants have attracted a variety of insects and birds, as well as a resident squirrel. She composts and adds bone meal, peat, and manure to the soil each year, a careful steward of her tiny piece of the earth.

 Langen also uses different lines to give visual relief; straight and curved lines blend; flower beds curve alongside the rounded front yard patio in a nice contrast to shrubs near the sidewalk and house. In the rear, the lines are straight, dictated by a square deck which serves as the floor of the backyard. Although straight lines are often considered formal, Langen has kept an informal feel by choosing plants and yard furnishings with visual punch - even for the house, garage and side fences, all adorned with objects collected on her travels over the years.

The shape of your lot may impose natural line constraints, but the size of your softscape and hardscape should reflect the size of your yard. Langen's creation proves you don't have to have a big yard to create your own Eden; but it's important to balance the scale and pro- portion of plants, objects, furniture, and structures.

It's something you can often estimate when you draw your plan, but remember that trees do grow, sometimes bigger than you think. Make sure you research a plant's mature size before making your choice.

Langen's yard is loaded with all kinds of objects d'art, hanging baskets, pots, candles, curios, bird feeders, chaise lounges, and a table and chairs in front and back, but it doesn't seem cluttered. She's chosen her items carefully and balanced them perfectly, including a charcoal brick barbecue with mesquite wood in the middle of the deck.

But size shouldn't be the only thing that is balanced. You should also balance patterns, colour, textures, and shapes. Think about what combination of sunlight, shade, and shadow you want; find new ways to position plants; bring in something new every week this is truly the challenge and fun of yardening.

Even now, Langen still experiments around her basic design. She might add a fish pond; she might grow lilies. The yard is in a constant state of flux, a personal statement about the changing world around her.


Langen's outdoor office/backyard is filled with baskets, curios, and a mesquite barbecue.