GARDENING WITH A ‘SENSE OF PLACE’ (Part 3)

My use of the term ‘sense of place’ includes the ‘link to the site’ concept where advantageous, and the creation of a unique place with character strong enough to yield a separate memorable experience of natural beauty, especially where surroundings are relatively featureless (or worse). There are natural places that impressed me strongly, some more than 40 years ago; their character or ‘sense of place’ remains distinct in my memory, forming a lexicon of images which inform mood in my gardens. Similar to the creators of the original Japanese gardens, I am moved to discover the potential natural beauty latent in the combination of site, space, and materials available to me. I do my best to communicate this insight in a way that evokes a sense of belonging in an increasingly insipid, placeless, and impersonal landscape.How about your garden and home surroundings? Do they evoke a feeling of belonging and reflect the uniqueness of your location? If not, we invite you to call us to discuss how we might partner with you to bring beauty and a ‘sense of place’ to your outdoor spaces. Our number is 717-653-1273. We look forward to hearing from you and partnering with you! Contributed by James HanselmanGardener (and ‘sense of place’ advocate)