Garden for all five senses

Published: May 22, 2008

Yard looking a little too bland? One simple solution is to make changes that please all five senses.

Gloria Culbreth knew she wanted a place in her yard where she could go to forget the stress of her job and daily life.

After looking at books and magazines, she decided a water feature would do the trick. Traveling isn’t an option most of the time, but a water garden is a way to escape any time without leaving home.

The design created by landscape designer Eric Heisner combines a mountain stream with a tropical oasis, complete with waterfalls flowing into a koi pond. Rushing water drowns out traffic noise with the added bonus of attracting birds and other wildlife.

Just looking at the soothing water is a relief on a hot summer day — or any time, really. At night, lights shimmering on the water adds mystery and drama. Gloria and her husband James can start their day sitting together listening to the water and watching wildlife while enjoying the scent of Confederate jasmine or gardenia drifting on the breeze.

Every day and season brings surprises.

New life emerges in spring as the fish and frogs lay eggs and nurture their offspring, Heisner said. “Plants begin to awaken from their winter nap. In summer, the garden is bursting with color and fragrance. In the fall, leaves begin to fall and float in the water as autumn color abounds.”

He tells his crew from The Mustard Seed that everything should look as if it was put there by God. “Nothing should be too uniform. Aesthetics go beyond the eye to incorporate all the senses.”

As he planned the space, Heisner realized the waterfall needed some height for the cascading water below, so he brought in dirt and rocks to make a raised berm. After painting an outline on the grass, the crew dug a meandering trench for the stream leading to a deep pool for the koi.

Culbreth decided to start with a bigger than average pond after reading that one of the most common regrets most pond owners have is making the pond too small.

To add sensory appeal, Heisner planted banana trees that have done so well in the moist microclimate by the water they actually grow bananas. That was a pleasant surprise, since most banana trees in southeast Alabama don’t bear fruit.

The area requires little maintenance although it isn’t entirely carefree, but Culbreth said she forgets all her troubles as she putters around tending to the plants or watching the fish. She’s been especially pleased to see four koi babies swimming in the pond. All of the fish have names by now.

Heisner has built about 20 water gardens around Dothan and said each owner adds their own accessories to personalize the area — ducks, turtles, gnomes, bridges and dragonflies, to name a few.

But this particular space is special for both Culbreth and Heisner.

“I don’t know of a water garden anywhere in Dothan that has the appeal this one has,” he said.

Landscaping for the five senses:

1) Visual: Eye-appealing plants, koi and accessories to personalize the space

2) Smell: Plants with fragrance like Confederate jasmine, gardenia or herbs

3) Sounds: Flowing water, sound of grasses and leaves blowing in the wind, wind chimes

4) Taste: Fruit and nut trees, edible berries and herbs

5) Touch: Textures of plants, rocks and water