Van Dycks

I saw the movie “The Secret Garden” while sitting on an airplane, about as far from my own garden as I could get. And at the time, the notion that I could have a secret garden of my own seemed about as far from reality as I could get.

But that was the fault of the film. Somehow they made it seem as though I would need to build a vast enclosure of bricks, with a sturdy wooden door half hidden in ivy. This is not only expensive, but would look rather strange, given the design of our house.

Still, the desire for a secret garden had been created. And my mind continued to work on the problem long after the film itself had faded from memory.

And then one day, it had faded enough that I realized that there was no need for high brick walls and doors with giant iron keys. The only requirement for a secret garden is that it be hidden. It doesn't even need to be large. It simply needs to be secret. And you can do that with plants.

You can tuck a secret garden almost anywhere- behind the garage, for instance, or in a corner of the yard. By planting a few shrubs to screen the area from sight, you can hide the fact that, behind that area there is a tiny garden.

If you have a very small yard, then screen one corner with a large shrub and tuck your secret area behind it. As long as it can't be seen by anyone who casually enters the yard, it remains your secret. If the yard is extremely tiny create a secret water garden by using a small tub or vase with a pump to provide the sound of gurgling water. Add a small water lily and perhaps a small clump of Iris pseudacorus - or leave it unplanted and simply enjoy the sound and sight of cooling water on a hot day. Place a small stone with a shallow depression that will hold a bit of water so that butterflies can puddle and bask. Even the tiniest of spaces can have privacy and great charm. And what a lovely secret, as garden visitors can hear the water sounds but see absolutely nothing.

If you want it to be more sizable than a small corner, why not artificially shorten the yard by planting a line of shrubs that suggest a back fence? Behind that shrub line lays your secret garden. If there is a neighboring house back there, try using lattice and vines to create another wall against the fence, thus creating privacy on both sides.

Perhaps you have a small area at the side of the house, between your house and the fence that separates you from the neighbors, or an area between the garage and the house. A couple I know used a redwood panel to bridge that gap, thus blocking the house from the street view, and planted a garden in the space created there. At the end of that area, where it led to the backyard, they used two buddleia bushes with a small arbor and gate between them. Since no one could get into the yard without going through the house, the little garden area was completely private for them and secret from any but those with whom they wished to share the garden. Shrubs can easily conceal an area of the yard so that the casual observer doesn't realize that there is anything more to see that that which readily meets the eye.

Evergreen shrubs are ideal as walls for a secret garden, since they remain solid all year long. However, they have a couple of disadvantages. First, depending on how your house is situated, they could block the area so that it doesn't get enough sun to sustain a garden. But if you can site the evergreens so that you get at least a few hours of sunlight a day, you can create a lovely, tranquil secret garden using ferns and hostas and woodland plants – not only a secret but a refuge from the sun on blazing hot days. Just be careful to select either shrubs that can be trimmed to hedge height, or those that are naturally fairly short. You don't want 40' walls or your garden will never see the light of day!

Second, but more easily overcome, is the problem of evergreens for the most part being slow growing shrubs. But think of them as slow-to-build brick walls and use some tall, faster growing shrubs and plants to create privacy until they reach the optimum height. Buddleia bushes grow very quickly, for instance. By the second year they should afford a lot of summertime privacy. Of course you will need to cut them to the ground every year in late winter, or they get leggy – which means that until summer is underway your secret garden will be visible to all. But soon the shrubs will be quite tall, and will start to flower – a show that will continue until frost. And that is a bonus that will add immeasurably to your secret retreat.

The same can be said for hydrangeas – especially the taller ones like 'Alpenglow' and 'Forever Pink'. With early pruning they can be kept to almost any size and so can be adapted to almost any site where you would like to create a secret garden.

Lilacs also grow quickly and do not need to be cut all the way to the ground annually. After a few years you may need to cut them back before they get too tall – but generally if you cut back a third of the shrub each year, you can keep them under control and still preserve privacy. By doing this you not only keep the shrub in bounds, but can keep it low enough that you can reach the flowers and bring a few armloads in to fill pitchers and vases.

You can also use lattice and fast growing vines as a cover until your evergreens grow up. In fact, it may be a good idea to start with either the lilacs or buddleia or a lattice and vine wall until you are certain that you are satisfied with the size and location of your little hideaway.

If using the vines and lattice, you can get fast cover with annuals like morning glory or scarlet runner beans while more permanent perennial vines establish themselves. It won't take much time for trumpet vines to scramble up the lattice to give you complete coverage. And trumpet vines climb by aerial roots, which mean they have a sort of self-stick mechanism on each long branch that will easily attach itself to broad lattice boards without any coaxing from you. The flowers are bright and tropical looking, and are a magnet for hummingbirds. This means you will have ringside seats to an enchanting show while you sit in your private area.

Honeysuckle climbs the same way and has the bonus of being fragrant. It also has tubular flowers that attract hummingbirds – especially if you choose the scarlet colored 'Mandarin'. Hummingbirds are most attracted to red flowers in summer, although in spring they seem to prefer blue – so if you love this little bird you may want to tuck blue hyacinths and Chionodoxa bulbs into the secret garden in spring.

Clematis is also a wonderful vine for a privacy screen, but they climb by twining tiny tendrils around whatever they find to climb upon. This means they need something fairly slender to twine around. You can string twine across the lattice, or use bird netting (which is practically invisible and fairly inexpensive) or even chicken wire. English clematis have very large, lovely flowers and will reach about 9-10' tall, while the giant flowered doubles such as 'Josephine' and 'Arctic Queen' can climb as high as 12'.

Wisteria grows fast and furiously – it can create a hidden area in no time – but it is a strong plant that basically climbs by twining its entire trunk around its support. Lattice is too fragile – you will need sturdy wooden supports to keep this vigorous vine in bounds. It takes several years before it begins to flower – but once it does, it creates an atmosphere almost unequaled for romanticism. So if you can find the room and can provide it with a good strong structure, go for it.

But keep in mind that, especially if your secret garden is tucked somewhere fairly inconspicuous, you may not need big, tall walls. If you're like me, you will spend your time in that garden either kneeling down to work in the beds, or sitting on a bench (or at a small table and chairs) enjoying things. I've seen secret garden areas work quite well with “walls” that were not more than 4-6' tall. As long as people in the area remain seated, they are invisible to the casual observer – and so is the garden.

For a truly spectacular low wall, plant tree peonies. The foliage is lovely and lacy and in spring the flowers will put on a truly stunning show. Many of these plants can get 5' tall and wide. You may want to plant something at their feet to fill in any visible space between the trunks – hostas or heuchera would work nicely to make sure people can't spy on you at ground level.

Tall perennials can also create good walls in summer. For a very fast cover, plant tall annuals like castor beans, while waiting for slower perennials to mature. Many tall perennials don't reach their true height the first year or so. But once they are well established, they provide an excellent low screen. Ornamental grasses like Zebra Grass are particularly useful here –although like buddleia they need to be cut back in late winter and so won't provide much of a screen until summer is underway. Phlomis tuberose 'Amazone' is another tall one, reaching 6' when in flower.

Consider planting a dense stand of ostrich ferns. These lovelies thrive in shade – and most secret gardens are at least somewhat shady since the walls get in the way of full sun. And these ferns reach 4-5 feet while adding a gorgeous texture to the garden.

If you have lots of room and are in zones 7 or above, you can achieve privacy quickly by planting Great Gunnera in an area with moist soil. A single plant reaches 10' in both height and width in no time – a wall in a single planting.

Some of the more tropical bulbs and rhizomes can reach camouflage height in a single year. Some dahlias such as 'Pink Parfait' and all of the dinner plate dahlias get as tall as 4' if staked. Brugmansias can reach 4' or more after they are established (I have one that is 7' tall sitting in the sun room waiting for spring). I have seen 'Black Magic' elephant ears that were at least 6' tall. Elephant ears 'Illustris' and Upright elephant ears are other good tropical choices for outstanding height in a single season. Then there is the Giant Himalayan Lily which reaches a towering 5-10' in woodland settings where it is protected from the wind. And don't forget the tall cannas. 'King Humbert' and 'Yellow King Humbert' are about 6' tall. Most of these plants enjoy sun – but as temporary walls until something more permanent grows, they work quite well. Just be sure to plant plentifully so there are no gaps between plants that will allow prying eyes to peek.

One advantage to using perennials as a screen for your secret garden is that most are short enough that you can create a sunny garden that, if not a total secret, is protected from sight of all but the most assiduous of snoops. If your hideaway is discovered, relocating your secret area the flowing year is relatively simple. I can't think of a better way to create a secret garden than to plant one that can travel almost at will.

But if you want one that is more permanent, and have put up fairly tall walls, then yours will almost inevitably be a shade and part shade garden. Your walls are green (and can often be composed of sun-lovers since they are one the exterior) while inside the secret area you have tranquil shade. You can make this area quite formal, with paving and a few carefully selected areas of planting or you can create a peaceful woodland sort of a garden.

If using deciduous shrubs – buddleias and lilacs and such – remember that they don't leaf out until late spring. So you can plant a gorgeous bulb display, since the shrubs won't leaf out until the main show is nearly done. Then select plantings of hostas and ferns will disguise the ripening foliage and get the woodland glade theme underway.

But be sure to provide the space with at least a bench where you can sit and enjoy the privacy. It might also be nice to add a birdbath, or a small sculpture – lovely small things that add to your enjoyment of the space. Hang a tiny set of wind chimes from the upper branches of a shrub. It's your space so add to it those things that make you happy.

Remember – the area within your walls in your very own secret. Let if grow wild and romantic, or as formal and structured as you like, since there isn't a garden that is more truly your own than one that is a secret from outsiders. It can be completely different in style from any other areas that you have planted. You don't need to worry about it harmonizing with the house style, or anything. Here is a chance to let your creativity blossom fully. Simply pay attention to the soil and lighting requirements of the plants you choose – and then express your secret self to your heart's content.