Escape rooms – garden style – by Diane Morey Sitton

In popular culture, an “escape room” is thought of as a room to break out of — just ask fans of the popular, interactive team challenge! To gardeners, however, the term “escape room” might suggest a garden retreat where they can wile away an hour or an afternoon watching clouds, counting butterflies, sipping a beverage or dining with friends.

The good news is that no matter what size or style of garden, almost anyone can transform a backyard space into their own custom-designed “escape room.”

Start by determining the room’s main function. Do you want a secluded place to read or relax? Do you want to observe nature? Do you want to dine “al fresco?” Determining the room’s purpose will help you select the best location.

Garden rooms are defined by several elements. Like indoor rooms, they have structural boundaries that determine their size and shape. Create living walls by growing evergreen hedges and fences. Use vine-covered lattice panels or trellises to help define the space. Add interest by varying leaf shape, color and texture. For a permanent boundary, build a stone wall or a brick screen.

Define the floor using flagstone, brick, gravel, grass or artificial turf. Build a ground-level platform with wood decking. Add an outdoor rug.

If desired, rely on a tree canopy for a ceiling. A pergola, arbor or even a garden umbrella provides overhead cover, as well.

Like most indoor rooms, garden rooms also provide a sense of enclosure. Heighten the sense of privacy beginning at the entrance by creating a hidden archway or a winding, offset path. Use plants at strategic points to block unwanted views.

Fans of “escape room” challenges know tricks and strategies of breaking out of enclosures. Gardeners, on the other hand, have their own strategies. They know how to design enclosures you’ll never want to leave.