Creating a Personal H(e)aven

You can also choose to border your yard in species that attract and feed deer, while keeping them from coming further into the yard to browse on your prized perennials.

In today's society, we spend so much time running around from job to activities to shopping ... And when we get home, all we want to do is relax. While interviewing Denise Lindberg of Gardener's Eye in Bradford Woods, PA, I realized that I'm not the only one seeking a quiet place outside where I can sit and read, meditate, or just enjoy the sounds of nature.

"I think everyone is looking for this kind of place in today's world," Lindberg said. "I haven't had any client say, 'I want a private haven in my woods,' but when I suggest this to them, they're very enthusiastic about it. And they use this space for a while, and come back to me and say, 'I use this space ten times more than my deck.'"

The bonus of using the methods described in Ecological Gardening: Organics and Beyond is that you create a haven for both humans and wildlife that is ecologically sound and beautiful. Bringing other elements into the mix, such as creating a reliable water supply, using heirloom seeds and plants, and interplanting to mimic natural settings, can turn your entire yard into a little piece of heaven. Whether you have a tiny urban lot or a sprawling farm, you'll find wonderful ways to enhance your outdoor space in this course.

We had already begun working on what we were calling a meditation garden, a small pocket of peace and quiet in the narrow strip of woodland behind our house. Now that I've finished the course, I'm thinking in grander terms, involving the restructuring of the entire yard and garden, so that all of the elements are integrated. It should be quite a challenge, since most of our lot is taken up by the house and a 3-car garage that the previous owner tacked onto the back. This addition essentially divides our property down the middle, with access to one side of the yard being less than ideal. Bringing all the functions of a permaculture garden into play will make the whole yard into a haven, though I think I'll still enjoy the little woodland garden most of all.

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