Amazing Space: Zen and the art of landscaping

Home and Garden

After moving into her suburban Newnan home eight years ago, Delta pilot Kimberly McCraw transformed the once water-logged lot into a swirling water, rock and plant-filled landscape.

McCraw enjoyed a pond in her former Decatur home and recreated the water feature on a grander scale when she moved. A re-circulating water feature that flows from an upper pond downstream to a koi pond made use of the gently sloping land. Her garden was recently featured in the Coweta County Master Gardeners fall garden tour.

McCraw puts string across the pond to protect her fish from hungry heron. She wanted a sense of zen in her Japanese-inspired garden and says the koi provide that.

McCraw's landscape features eye-catching plants such as this palmetto palm. She also incorporated five varieties of Japanese maples for texture and color variation. In warmer weather, McCraw and her two daughters, 7-year-old Ansley and 5-year-old Daphne, regularly dine al fresco.

McCraw plays with texture and shape in her garden. While rosemary grows to bushes several feet wide, nearby evergreens such as this weeping blue atlas cedar provide a diminutive touch. "As much as I could, I wanted to use plants that would stay green year-round," she said. "I wanted varying shades of green."

Black and arrow bamboo creates a tropical privacy fence and hides the traditional planked fence behind. McCraw, who learned to garden from her aunt while living in Germany, said planning for the oft-invasive bamboo is key. A retention wall 3 feet deep and a barrier commercially used for hazardous spills help keep the bamboo from creeping beyond its intended spot.

Next to McCraw's potting shed, a Deodora cedar bursts with red berries. McCraw added the potting shed and nearby playhouse for her daughters a few years ago. The playhouse is wired for electricity and a telephone line, a fun retreat for her girls while she gardens.

Visitors enter her backyard oasis through an artful circular arbor. Wanting a Japanese-inspired look, McCraw worked with a contractor to create the right shape. "I kept telling him 'No, it can't be the shape of a football,'" she said. "It has to be zen."

Rocks and boulders that a then-pregnant McCraw placed in her garden delineate the waterways from the planting beds. Pansies provide pops of color in between evergreens, perennials and tropicals. "It looks like a lot to maintain, but it isn't because there's no grass," she said. "I've had setbacks as a single mom in trying to take care of everything, but I'm really proud of what I've done here."

1/9

After moving into her suburban Newnan home eight years ago, Delta pilot Kimberly McCraw transformed the once water-logged lot into a swirling water, rock and plant-filled landscape. "It was a nightmare when we moved in," she said. "A river ran through my backyard when it rained."

Today's Gallery Headlines

PHOTOS: Masters Par 3 Contest brings player's families to Augusta National

1h ago

PHOTOS: Masters Practice Rounds continue

PHOTOS: Masters practice rounds begin

Alerts

PHOTOS: Masters Par 3 Contest brings player's families to Augusta National

PHOTOS: Masters Practice Rounds continue

PHOTOS: Masters practice rounds begin

PHOTOS: Hills4ATL builds community at Piedmont Park, one hill at a time