Sky-scaping

I took this picture last week, a few days before Halloween. The vivid orange and gold, streaked across the sky in careless grace, appeared to have been randomly dispensed with a God-sized paintbrush. The watercolor glow was in such sharp contrast to the stark skeleton of the tree in the foreground, that I pulled off the highway, and nearly tripped over my own feet in an effort to reach the top of a knoll, and focus my smart-phone camera.

My clumsy efforts were rewarded: The interplay of shadow and light produced a chiaroscuro effect worthy of a Caravaggio painting, and I found myself gazing at it in awe. It's only natural to want to capture such beauty in our own gardens. When we encounter the evolving nature of sun rays and clouds above, there's a way to see it--if you'll pardon the pun--in a whole new light.

Artists are well acquainted with the concept of negative space: that gaping area between focal points in a painting (or landscape, for that matter). What the wide-open sky offers, far from what may seem to be negative space, is actually a positive contribution to the evolving beauty of outdoor (and indoor) areas. How to use the sky to make your own garden design more appealing? Remember, the ever-changing nature of the sky provides endless possibilities to enhance individual landscapes. Study the effects of light and shade on your landscape, and plant accordingly. Obviously, those areas that receive more sunlight require plants that soak up rays, while shade lovers thrive in the dappled light of woody paths and screening structures. But take it a step further: note the the sun's arc, from its rising in the East to its eventual departure in the West, and make the most of its celestial appeal.

In my yard, the sun's early morning appearance was filtered through an abundance of maple leaves from mid-spring through late summer. Clipping the bottom half-dozen branches enabled me to enjoy the way it fetchingly peeked through the neighboring pines, and spurred the struggling porch-side perennials into a motivating mood for budding.

And now the sky itself becomes vital to color and tone in my mid-autumn landscape. With flowers far past their prime, and the bright shot of leaves fallen onto my dulled grass, the sky takes center stage. My beloved perennial beds and treasured trees are cast into stylized shadow puppets, dark distractions to the drama unfolding around and above them.

And, if this picture is any indication of what's in store for us this season, I'd say there will be quite a few sights to see--and savor.