Making space(s) with walls at Keppel Croft Gardens

A garden can be similar to the Tardis, as small as a phone booth to the casual observer but encompassing a boundless space with transportive properties. Parts of Keppel Croft Gardens have these qualities as well and it seems to me that the clever use of walls has something to do with it. So, for my last post on these amazing gardens near Big Bay on the eastern coast of the Bruce Peninsula in Southern Ontario, I thought I’d try to capture how Bill and Dawn Loney have done this.

Click on any photo to see a larger image and get more details.

Part of what looks like an old greenhouse defines a space and creates windows into two worlds, depending on which side of the wall you’re on.

Some walls are extensions of actual buildings but the extended walls are more intriguing. Is that because they tease you with the garden beyond?

A wall extending out from a small storage building makes a small nook that questions inside versus outside.

This wall discreetly separates the public part of the garden from the private spaces.

Some walls at Keppel Croft honour the landscape’s past.

A wall remnant evokes the abandoned farms and churches of Southern Ontario.

Other walls multi-task.

A small wall, seen at the right of the photo, acts as a partial gatepost to the circular Thyme and Lavender garden.

Up close, you can see that the back of the small wall is also a sculpture.

Once you step into the circle, you realize the wall is also a bench.

This wall subtly defines two spaces: a lovely place to sit and grassy fields.

A traditional stone wall, so prevalent in this area, lines a terraced lawn perfect for sitting and taking in the view.

The sweeping view is in striking contrast to the intimate seating area.

What makes a wall a wall? Some times it just takes the suggestion of privacy.

A three-panelled screen acts as a trellis for climbing plants. Once the plants have covered it, the bench will be embraced by living walls.

4 thoughts on “Making space(s) with walls at Keppel Croft Gardens”

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Dear Crys,Sitting here coffee in hand,listening to Chris Hatfield on CBC,cats and I viewing the winter garden through cat smudged glass and browsing your enchanting blog about our gardens.What a pleasure to see it through someone else’s discerning eyes.Gardening doesn’t stop in the winter which includes all that armchair variety….and dreaming.Dawn and I are in our mid seventies now .The dreaming and enthusiasm doesn’t stop but, my goodness, the energy reserve does at times. My “arty” installation this year is to be called,Rise and Fall” .Much like the garden,I’d say. We see lots in decline.It could also be called maturing. We always say it is a garden in progress which might also refer to Its progress towards decline.We also optimistically hope the trees will survive. We are fully aware that a garden usually follows the pattern of a human’s life.I feel not sad about this evolution.My new term to describe the gardens is organized chaos.
Anyway, We thank you for this enjoyable insight to our efforts and our journey.What a way to start the day……and the new seeds.Sincerely ,Bill

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