There are lots of great things about life on the farm, but being able to shift gears may not be one of them. The farm is always there. Every view out every window makes you think of another job that needs to be added to a list that is already too long, and the views inside may not be all that much better, with stacks of unfinished reading, bills to pay, forms to fill out and accounts to update.
You’ve got the space, so why not build your own getaway space in your own yard?
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First, you need to decide what paradise means to you. Is it a hot tub? An entertainment area with outdoor kitchen? A swimming pool that looks like a natural wetland?
When Stratford, Ont. landscape architect Jane Eligh-Feryn first sits down with clients she asks them: How do you like to spend your time off? Do you like to entertain? Do you need a place to relax? Do you want a place where the family can play and hang out?
To get an idea of what appeals to you, check out books and magazines for ideas, she suggests. Or go on house and garden tours. Keep a file of clippings and photos of the ones you like.
Once you know what you want, it’s important to make a plan, emphasizes Eligh-Feryn. A landscape designer can help you design the right space for your family. With a plan, you can work away at it one task at a time, even over several years.
“It’s important to get the trees and the structures in the right place,” Eligh-Feryn says. “Having a plan will save money in the long run.”
In the countryside, there is ample space to install almost any amenity you want, but there are also some practical considerations for farmers. “The key is to find a place you can enjoy,” says Juergen Partridge, owner of Juergen Partridge Ltd., a design firm in Caledon, Ont.
You may want to screen off the working areas of the farm, or you may want to create sightlines away from roads, Partridge says, and of course you might not want to be too close to the noise and dust of the barns.
The position of the sun is another consideration. So ask yourself, do you want to be in the sun or the shade?
Really, you don’t have to tie yourself down to just one option. Eligh-Feryn points out that in the country, homeowners can create living spaces on all four sides of the house, allowing you to take advantage of sunny or shady spaces at different times of the day.
Ironically, that abundance of space also brings a challenge with it.
A sense of intimacy
“You need to create a sense of intimacy,” says Eligh-Feryn. “You won’t feel comfortable sitting on the edge of a field.” Trees and landscaping structures can be used to create a more comfortable living space. Aim for something about the size of a city backyard.
If flies, mosquitoes or other insects are a problem, Partridge recommends building a screened-in entertainment area such as a gazebo.
Since there is usually something to burn around the farm, Partridge says firepits are often very practical. These can be dug into the ground to get them out of the wind, he says. Or you can build an outdoor fireplace.
Lighting and speakers for music can add to the enjoyment of an outdoor entertainment area by creating a relaxing and welcoming atmosphere.
On many farms there are lots of rocks which can be used to make permanent benches so there’s no need to pull out patio furniture when company arrives, suggests Partridge. “And an old stone foundation from a barn or shed can be a great backdrop for a perennial garden,” he adds.
A new trend in swimming pools is the more natural-looking freshwater swimming pond which looks like a natural wetland. In addition to being a fun place for the family to cool off on a hot day, swimming ponds are generally more esthetically pleasing than a traditional pool, especially in a country setting. According to the website for Genus Loci Ecological Landscapes Inc., a Schomberg, Ont. company that specializes in such installations, these living aquatic ecosystems rely on a combination of biofilters, UV filters, mechanical aeration and aquatic plant filters to purify the water. Natural-looking waterfalls can also be incorporated into the pond to add the relaxing sounds of falling water.
Great views from indoors
With our climate in Canada we tend to spend a lot of time indoors so it’s nice to create picturesque views from inside the house, especially from the window over the kitchen sink.
“Pull gardens away from the house so you can see them from inside,” recommends Eligh-Feryn. “Incorporate interesting form and structure, texture and foliage and four-season interest.”
Minimize the need for maintenance by planting hardy, low-maintenance, deer-and rabbit-proof plants, recommends Partridge. Mulch will control weeds and reduce the need for watering. Eligh-Feryn likes to use native plants when possible. “These play an important role in the ecosystem and are good for the pollinators, birds and butterflies.”
But get the scale right. “Flower beds need to be bigger,” says Eligh-Feryn. Put in five or seven or nine plants to create masses. Avoid using one of this and one of that. It ends up looking chaotic.
With today’s bigger houses it’s also important that the landscaping match the scale of the house, she adds. And while it’s been popular to plant a single row of trees around the homestead, this can look very linear. Instead plant masses of trees with views between them.
Then invest in outdoor plates, glasses and trays, because you’ll be spending more time than you imagined in your new paradise, says Partridge. People who don’t spend their time outdoors are often surprised at how much they enjoy being outside now that they have something to draw them there.CG
