7. Shape & Form - Frankenstein

My garden tended to sometimes just look like a mess of plants rather than a cohesive whole. The idea of needing interesting forms without having a hodge podge like the monster in Frankenstein is something I really notice in winter. As the leaves go and the bones are left, there can be some ugly holes. One idea is to take a black and white photo to see the shapes without the color. I've been using our multitude of rocks for some interest. The husband is a rock hound and can name all the properties of these. We live on an old riverbed which is obvious every time we dig a hole. I also think about hardscaping in squares and circles. Always these two shapes are in the plan. The newest innovators in gardening are almost exclusively dealing with form, like Dutch landscaper Piet Oudolf. If you haven't checked out his work, I highly suggest starting with his website or looking for one of his books. (Photo of concretion in front garden)