Most gardeners are faced with the challenge of creating their version of paradise in a relatively small space. As our property boundaries shrink, and our lives become more hectic, our gardens become havens from the world around us. We definitely want a place outdoors to entertain and relax, but we also long for a stronger connection to the natural world. Intimacy is more than privacy and enclosure, however. Our gardens become intimate when we develop relationships with the plants, design elements, ornaments and processes that make them truly personal.