The seed catalogs are beginning to roll in, and I’m daydreaming about sunshine, green leaves and ripe tomatoes. There’s something special about choosing your seeds and plants for the upcoming growing season — maybe it’s the anticipation of what you’ll be eating, and maybe it’s the potential you have to grow your own food. Or maybe it’s because, deep down, we all just want to be farmers. Whatever the reason, it’s time to start looking through catalogs, store shelves and the still-closed doors of our local greenhouses to start planning this year’s garden.
For my garden design inspiration this year, I’m looking at one specific garden. The garden was created by Jim Nelson in North Kingstown, R.I., and it is the most unique and beautiful home garden that I’ve ever seen. Jim’s garden is not only beautiful, it’s also ecologically friendly; his ingenious design incorporates many materials that would have otherwise gone into the dump.
I was able to see Jim’s garden during the height of the summer. I had heard about this garden, but that in no way prepared me for the reality of it. When I first saw it, I wondered if Jim secretly had the staff of Better Homes and Gardens doing the planning and maintenance. This garden is beyond gorgeous, and there are so many elements in it that add to the quality and beauty.
The garden takes up every inch of the back yard, but it doesn’t make you feel claustrophobic or boxed-in. That’s because it isn’t barricaded by fencing; instead Jim makes use of a “borrowed view.” This technique was also often used by Frederick Law Olmstead (a famous park designer who designed Central Park) to frame a view that isn’t necessarily on the same property. So instead of feeling contained by tall fences, the end of Jim’s garden is open and draws your gaze along the length of the garden, giving you ample opportunity to admire all of his hard work.
Jim was lucky enough to work at a local elementary school where they were replacing the old marble in the bathrooms with plastic. Instead of letting this marble go to waste, Jim saved it and has built the most stunning work tables, fences and garden walls that I’ve ever seen. These beautiful marble pieces would even make Martha Stewart envious.
The pathways in the garden are also made with reclaimed materials. The bricks that create the garden paths were painstakingly taken from local beaches where they had washed ashore. It is possible that these bricks once made up a lighthouse that was destroyed in the 1938 hurricane. This brick walkway acts to keep weeds under control, and the sun-soaked bricks can heat up the surrounding soil more rapidly.
My favorite part of the garden isn’t the gorgeous marble work tables, the adorable garden gates, the smooth reclaimed brick walkways or even the stately arbors. My favorite parts are two sets of octagonal glass frames that Jim uses as cold frames and soil storage areas. I’d never seen anything like these before. I wondered where Jim had found these seemingly custom-made cold frames/soil storage units. But again, Jim rescued these from going into the landfill. What I thought were custom-made cold frames are actually the old light fixtures from the school gymnasium that Jim set in the ground for his own uses.
Jim’s garden (or “man-cave,” as his family refers to it) is by far the most beautiful home garden I have ever had the privilege to see. His unique design and use of found or salvaged items is truly astounding. Instead of relying on store-bought items, Jim created a gorgeous garden from items he was able to find or rescue. Seeing this garden has completely changed my image of using recycled materials in landscaping. Let Jim’s garden act as inspiration for you to find items to reuse in your home garden. Keep on gardening, Jim.
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