Gardent textures and sight

In the Garden
Ralph Purkhiser, Purdue University Master Gardener

     Last week, we discussed textures in the garden as they relate to the sense of sight.  This week, we continue the discussion on textures, but as they relate to the sense of touch.  The sense of touch is not one that we usually associate with experiencing a garden.  However, it is one of the ways our being takes in information, and, especially in the case of the blind and vision impaired, a major way that one may enjoy the garden experience.
     When it comes to textures, a wide variety will create greater interest.  Fortunately, the varieties are nearly endless.  For instance, when we see a stand of evergreen trees, our sight registers them as similar textures.  However, when we actually touch those branches, we realize that there is a lot of variety there.  The needles of a blue spruce are very stiff compared to those of a fir or to a pine tree.  Cedars, hemlocks, arbor vitae and cypress provide still other unique textures.
     Broadleaf evergreens also provide a world of different textures.  I had long desired to plant a magnolia with shiny, rubbery leaves—a texture that invites one to reach out and touch.  Other leathery leaves, such as those of many hollies, will cause one to withdraw because of their prickly texture.  Still others, such as the leaves of a leather-leaf viburnum, have a texture that reminds one of sandpaper.
     Succulents have yet another texture.  It is rubbery, but softer than the stiff leaves of the aforementioned trees and shrubs.  These plants tend to like dry, rocky places, so placing them in a raised bed that lifts them up to make them easier to touch is a technique often employed when gardening specifically for people who cannot see.
     Textures do not stop at the leaves.  The bark of trees and shrubs also offer a lot of different textures.  I have known people who were able to identify trees and shrubs simply by feeling the bark.  Beeches have smooth bark, while birches and American sycamore have smooth bark with areas of exfoliating bark.  There are as many different bark textures as there are genera of trees,
     Even among grasses, one may find many different textures.  Some are soft, while others are quite stiff.  I am reminded of the rhyme, “Sedges have edges.”  Indeed, one must be careful of those edges, which can cut through the skin.  A grass or sedge cut can be very painful—much like a paper cut.
     Many xeric plants tend to have tiny hairs on the leaf surfaces.  This makes them soft to the touch.  Lamb’s ear is a perfect example of such a plant.  It is difficult to pass a clump of lamb’s ear without stopping to feel the leaves.
     The hosta leaves noted for their textures last week also appeal to the sense of touch.  It is amazing that the thick, quilted feel of some varieties co-exists with the smooth leaves of the species and with the wavy blades of some of the newer cultivars.
     Of course, a garden is made of more than plants.  Rocks, furniture, structures and ornaments add textures to the garden.  Even the soil and paving materials provide different textures to experience.  Do not be afraid to mix textures and learn to experience the garden with your eyes closed.
     Finally, one of my favorite texture plants is bergenia.  The thick, waxy leaves invite one to touch.  As a child, I learned that I could drag my fingers over a leaf and hear a sound similar to the sound of baby pigs.  This gives the plant its common name—pig squeak.  Next week we will discuss other ways a garden may be experienced by the sense of hearing.