KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Despite the snow on the ground, the Lawn and Garden Show at the American Royal showcased all kinds of ideas for outdoor spaces for spring on Sunday.
The water gardens there this year were spectacular. One of which was a huge musically-themed garden with instruments as fountains intended to sooth the senses. The bubbling melody of water coming from drums, trumpets, saxophones and pianos were all in perfect harmony with nature.
“If you want to go tropical, go tropical, if you want to go rustic we have people that have taken old cars or boats and things and created water gardens,” said Linda Harwood of the Water Garden Society of Kansas City.
Harwood says it can be as simple or as difficult as you choose to make it. She said it doesn’t have to be instruments, but to pick a style that inspires you.
There are an endless number of themes for the gardens. Are you sentimental? One thing you can do is repurpose old furniture and incorporate it. If you are outdoorsy then you could try woodland animals. For the whimsical, dot the landscape with fairy gardens. Want to go oriental with your look? Then a good suggestion would be to use bamboo. The first step in building a garden is to simply look at your lawn.
“If I want a waterfall with a stream coming into a pound, do I have that typography in my yard,” said Harwood.
If you aren’t ready to take the leap of digging up your yard start small. Even the corner of your patio or deck dedicated to a small water garden is a nice addition.
If you would like a little advice on building your own water garden visit the Water Garden Society of Kansas City’s website, which will also give you information about their summer tour of some of the best gardens in the city.
