Reading garden

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Across the hall from our new library at Duke is a new, but rarely-used, terrace. On the North side of the building, the terrace is on the second floor and overlooks a remnant of woods. Four enormous glasscrete containers dominate the space, each with a single coralbark maple in the center. Tables and chairs are scattered about the terrace.

For several months, few people went outdoors to enjoy the fresh air, the new furniture or the coralbark maples, except a few smokers who used the containers as ashtrays. Last month, I asked the administration if I could buy some additional plants and warm up the space. They agreed and I started experimenting with building a reading garden, where students can read or study or meet in small groups.

The terrace is surrounded by glass walls. I used hostas, heucheras and ferns in this shady area. These plants can be seen from inside the building and the low profile does not obstruct the view to the rest of the garden. Hostas with thin blue leaves burned in the morning sunlight, so next year, they will be replaced by thick waxy leaved hostas and heucheras.

Along the far edge of the reading garden, I experimented with plants to attract hummingbirds, including lantana, pentas, salvia and petunia. I created four containers and these are growing so vigorously, I wish I had bought more.

The glasscrete containers in the center of the garden were planted with scented geraniums, trailing vinca and sweetpotato vine that will eventually trail over the side to cut down on the glare from the planters.

Almost immediately, people started using the new reading garden. No one smokes there now. A co-worker told me that the smaller containers were out of scale for the large space. That is true, but they are removed at the end of each season, so they must be portable. I need to create more mass without creating more weight.

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