The Unexpected Lesson of a Fickle Fountain

When I first moved into my new home a few years ago, I was immediately struck by how off everything felt. The towering oak trees and massive granite boulders surrounding the property seemed to dwarf the meager plantings scattered throughout the garden. And then there was the fountain – a behemoth of a thing that looked entirely out of place, like it had been dropped from the sky and plopped down without a second thought.

I absolutely hated that fountain and couldn’t wait to get rid of it. Not only was it an eyesore, but it also seemed to exaggerate the weirdness of the giant, saggy boulder at its base. In fact, aside from the mature trees and the pond-shaped swimming pool, there wasn’t much about the backyard that I actually liked. Everything just felt so visually cluttered and oppressive – the polar opposite of inviting.

Thankfully, the fountain was firmly cemented in place, making it incredibly difficult to remove. And with a major home remodel on the horizon, I had bigger fish to fry. So there the fountain sat, staring at me like a giant out-of-place eyesore, all year long.

As I lived with the space over the next year, though, I began to realize something fascinating. The colossal fountain was actually in scale with the fixed object – my two-story home. However, it wasn’t in proportion with any of the other surrounding elements in the garden. In fact, there wasn’t really a garden at all, just a smattering of river rocks at the fountain’s base, which were definitely not in proportion.

Bridging the Gap with Harmony

The solution, I realized, was to add an arbor – something substantial enough to visually link the house with the garden and shrink down the size of the fountain so it no longer stood out like a sore thumb. We were fortunate to find a talented welder who created the pergola’s frame, and then we covered the top with two layers of textural bamboo.

It was one of the most challenging projects I’ve ever taken on, but the result was nothing short of transformative. Now, with the arbor in place, the fountain is in perfect proportion and scale with the rest of the space. The upper-layer pergola and lower-layer plantings have created a harmonious balance, making the fountain feel like a natural and inviting part of the garden.

As I sit on my shaded patio, I can’t imagine living without this fountain anymore. Neither can my trusty pup, Buddy, nor the hummingbirds who love to bathe in its waters. It’s become an integral part of the garden, seamlessly integrated thanks to the thoughtful consideration of proportion and scale.

Mastering Proportion and Scale in Your Own Space

The concepts of proportion and scale can be tricky to get right, but when you do, the difference is palpable. Let’s dive a little deeper into these two closely related yet distinct ideas:

Scale refers to the relationship of an item to a fixed object or a constant, like the size of a nearby house. Proportion, on the other hand, is the size of an object in relation to the surrounding objects or the entire design – how an item fits into the space.

In my case, the fountain was in scale with the house, but it wasn’t in proportion with the rest of the garden elements. That’s why adding the arbor was so crucial – it visually shrank the fountain down to a more harmonious size, bridging the gap between the house and the rest of the space.

Evaluating Your Own Space

As you look at your own garden or living space, take a step back and consider the following questions:

• Are there any elements that feel out of place or disproportionate?
• Are there large, dominant features that overwhelm the rest of the space?
• Are there small, delicate items that get lost in the shuffle?
• Do the different components work together in a cohesive, harmonious way?

Answering these questions can help you identify areas where proportion and scale may be out of whack. And that’s the first step towards restoring balance and creating a space that feels truly inviting.

Finding the Right Fit

One of the keys to mastering proportion and scale is being strategic about the plants and materials you choose. In my case, I had to work within some pretty tight constraints, with concrete and large boulders limiting the available planting space.

That’s why I opted for hardy, heat-tolerant plants like Leucadendron ‘Safari Sunset’, Senecio cineraria, and Lomandra ‘Platinum Beauty’. Even though the Leucadendron can get quite large, the cramped conditions of my garden meant it wouldn’t reach its full potential size.

I’ve found that manipulating factors like sunlight and soil volume can be an effective way to control the ultimate size of a plant and keep it in proportion with the rest of the space. It’s all about finding the right fit – both in terms of the physical dimensions and the overall aesthetic.

Bringing it All Together

When it comes to creating a harmonious, inviting space, proportion and scale are absolutely crucial. It’s not just about the size of individual elements, but how they interact and complement each other within the broader design.

For me, the transformation of that once-hated fountain is a perfect example of what can happen when you get the balance just right. What was once an eyesore is now a beloved centerpiece, seamlessly integrated into the garden thanks to thoughtful planning and a whole lot of elbow grease.

So as you’re evaluating your own living spaces, whether indoors or out, keep proportion and scale top of mind. With a little creativity and some strategic choices, you can create a harmonious, inviting environment that just feels right. Trust me, when you nail that balance, you’ll know it – and you’ll never want to let it go.