For the first year in many, I'll actually have a small cottage garden to cultivate. It's a big leap for an idjit gardener, so I'm inclined to start with baby steps. I figure container gardening may ease me into the wider world of gardening in the actual ground.

Of course, there are many sources of inspiration for container gardening, but I found a favorite in Design New England; it's a whimsical early spring container designed and created by Trent Lloyd Design of Newburyport, Mass. It taps into the fun of the miniature, mini, and small -- favorite topics here at House Enthusiast.

If you like the Trent-Lloyd-Design container garden, you'll probably get a hoot out of artist Judy Robinson-Cox's work, especially her Lilliputian Landscapes, and this image in particular. So fabulous.

Humor in the garden is win win.

by Katie Hutchison for House Enthusiast

I've written before here and here about the power of the framed view. One of those earlier examples highlighted how a framed view parses an expanse into something more manageable, more easily appreciated. The other commented on a framed view's power to tempt and deny our curiosity.

In this example, the frame of the building sidewall, pergola with its marching posts, intermediate planters, and bordering hedge create an anticipated procession which promises the ultimate reward of a desirable view (should we be lucky enough to be invited to proceed.) No matter that the bulkhead would literally block the procession, the visual axis shoots right past it. The fountain, it seems to me, should be sited further beyond the bulkhead (perhaps in place of the small distant topiary) where sky and water would abut it rather than brick and shingle.

Interestingly, the entry landing steps and guard rail suggest a parallel line of travel to the framed view. Here, in fact, you could argue that the framed view out ranks the entry. Or perhaps it's augmenting it.

by Katie Hutchison for House Enthusiast

Good fences make good neighbors and good "Design snapshot" subjects. This one is a great example of the power of negative space. But since I've never been a big fan of the term "negative space" (due to its negative connotations), let's think of this fence more in terms of figure and ground.

Here, the fence rail and posts act as the "figure" and the space shaped in between and around them act as the "ground". In this design, both figure and ground are engaged distinct shapes which create a lively border. The rough silver-grey cedar finish contrasts the crisp geometry of the figure and ground, which makes this fence all the more "Design snapshot" worthy. Sure, if it were painted, it would still be striking, but weathered grey, it's stunning.

by Katie Hutchison for House Enthusiast