A Secret Garden

The smaller, the more secret...

The walled-in garden at Troutbeck in Amenia, NY is a lovely example of a large traditional type of secret garden.

Who hasn’t dreamed of a secret garden? A walled-in sanctuary, cut off from the outside world, where flowers, fairies, and bees hold court. A garden that is separate from all else may not be possible for most of us, but we can create a ‘secret garden’ by using a wall, a hedge, or a fence to form one side of a partially enclosed space. It does not have to be a large enclosure. In fact, the smaller it is, the more secret!

An curvy double gate leads to a secret garden at Sleepy Cat Farm in Greenwich, CT

A rear corner of a backyard or an underused narrow side yard can become a secret garden if you define its boundaries in some way. Plant some shrubs to frame an opening or add a gate to denote an entry portal. Make sure the gate is wide enough - 4 ft wide - to accommodate a wheelbarrow. If a gate is not practical, an entry marker such as an overhead arbor, an upright stone, or a birdbath can signify that this is a special place. I often locate a large planter filled with flowers to silently announce a transition from one area to another

An opening in a fence serves as the entry to a secret garden at Stonecrop in Cold Spring, NY.

A sense of seclusion is an important aspect of a secret garden. Overhead branches of a tree, a border of tall shrubs, or a tall wall can enhance that sheltered feeling. Within this cozy space, you may add plant beds bursting with greenery, some simple paving, a trickling recirculating fountain, an armillary or a small table and chairs as finishing touches.

I created a hidden garden at the base of a stone wall. The garden owner found the filigree wrought iron furniture - what a delicate touch!

And then there are the flowers—secret gardens use flowers to beguile us. Imagine a bed of peonies and iris or planters spilling over with shade-loving begonias…

yellow iris and white peonies - perfect for a secret garden

Or plant some Corydalis growing out of an old stone wall. The ferny-leaved yellow corydalis (Corydalis lutea), a short-lived perennial, sports yellow locket-shaped flowers that bloom from late spring through frost. Corydalis self-seeds prolifically and establishes itself in stone walls and gravelly soils in cool conditions. It practically thrives on neglect!

Yellow Corydalis self-seeds prolifically and grows delightfully on stone walls and in gravelly soils in cool conditions.

The allure of a small hidden garden is that you can go out in the early morning and see what has new growth has happened overnight. New buds, more bird visitors or a scented gardenia to start the day. Frances Hodgson Burnett, in the classic 1911 book, The Secret Garden, describes this sweet spot:

“And the secret garden bloomed and bloomed and every morning revealed new miracles.”

The Secret Garden illustrated by Inga Moore. Here is a link to a great interview with her.

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