Gardening magazines are at their peak season right now and offer an array of ideas to get us thinking about the upcoming season. I limit myself to those that provide useful design ideas including; Garden Gate Magazine
I enjoy reading and I enjoy gardening, so it makes sense that I have dozens of books about...gardening. The following books are some of my favorites to 'Inform and Inspire'.
Taylor's Master Guide to Landscaping by Rita Buchanan
This is a great book. The pictures and text are so well done with easy and practical advice on adding new gardens and hardscapes along with "makeovers" for problem solving.
Backyard Design, Making the Most of the Space Around Your House by Jean Spiro Breskend
I leave this book outside through the summmer and look at it whenever I have a chance to sit and relax under the gazebo. The pictures give me ideas on how to balance time:energy:space:design in my own backyard.
I also recommend: Taylor's 50 Best Perennials for Sun and Taylor's 50 Best Perennials for Shade by Houghton Mifflin The Complete Garden Guide by Time Life Books The Undaunted Garden by Lauren Springer 40 Professional Designs For Do-It-Yourselfers, Beds and Borders by Ireland-Gannon Associates 40 Professional Designs For Do-It-Yourselfers, The Backyard Landscaper by Ireland-Gannon Associates
The Well-Tended Perennial Garden Book by Tracy DiSabato-Aust
Manual of Woody Landscape Plants
by Michael A. Dirr
THOUGHTS ON THE FOUR SEASON GARDEN
Seasonal changes are one reason so many of us enjoy living in this area. Year round interest in the landscape lies in planning and planting a balanced mix of well-suited trees, shrubs, perennials, and annuals. An over reliance on any one feature can leave the gardens looking dull through much of the year. Designs that include a mix of trees, shrubs, perennials, and annuals are aesthetically pleasing and are also easier to maintain. Plant communities in the home landscape provide shelter for plants and wildlife, and allow us to enjoy spending time outdoors.
Plantings have shifted from foundation to curb.
Though most of us like to be out in the gardens, the mixed border garden is often viewed from indoors, especially through the winter months. Looking out into the garden allows us to bring nature into our home; think of it as entering a room, visually. Looking out will also inspire you to be out in the gardens when the weather is nice. As I plan a garden, my first thought is to establish the borders as seen from inside my home. Stakes are driven where I am thinking about planting any trees or large shrubs, then I head inside to see how it looks. I also do this standing in an adjoining area of the yard to make sure I'm not obstructing a pleasant view from the deck or anywhere else that views will be blocked or negatively affected by a large planting.
By considering not just the single planting, but its relationship to plants around it, the surrounding area, and seeing the garden as a whole rather than individual plants randomly planted throughout the landscape, I can enjoy the gardens and overall landscape throughout the changing seasons.
GARDENING BY DESIGN
The goals of a landscape design vary with the individual homeowner. The design may be intended to soften or reduce the intrusion of nearby hardscapes (roadways, neighboring building, parking area, etc.), accentuate a vista or simply provide an extension of indoor living spaces. For me, it is the influence of all three.
Since my husband and I do the physical labor ourselves, work on a limited time and financial budget, and because our home sits on an acre lot, we decided that working on the landscape in stages is the most practical way to develop our property. It is also the best way for us to thoughtfully plan out how each new area will blend in with existing, developed areas.
Slopes are natural drainways created over millions of years, rather than fighting the configuration, a practical design can use these natural features to give the developed landscape personality and interest. Changes in contour provide natural transitions to and from other developed areas and should allow for ease of movement both physically and visually. Seriously sloped areas can include landings and switchbacks with seating or interesting plantings on leveled areas. This design will provide easier access to usable areas while working with, rather than fighting, the natural contours of the landscape. Don't confuse a slope with a drop-off. Raised beds and tiers are ways to turn an otherwise unusable area into an interesting design feature.
The path least traveled may be more interesting, but when you just want to get from here to there, the old adage that people choose the path of least resistance applies to the efficient landscape design. Pathways need to be wide enough to accommodate two people side-by-side or at least one comfortably. The basic difference between a pathway and a walkway is that walkways are more widely used, but even a pathway should include surfaces that allow for ease of movement without having to constantly look down for fear of tripping.
On the design, features should be in scale to the lot size. For example, a 1,000 square foot garden area would be in scale on an acre+ lot and include a mix of large trees, shrubs, perennials, and colorful annuals. In town, such large gardens with massive plantings would look out of place. On smaller lots people are taking out oversized plantings and large sweeps of turf, and replacing them with designs that include smaller trees and garden rooms in scale to the lot size and with plantings in scale with the size of the area being developed.
Traditional foundation plantings of Junipers are on their way out to make room for hummingbird gardens and an overall design that is more colorful and interesting. Drifts of low-maintenance perennials combined with medium sized trees and shrubs make an artful use of space and provide a break from the traditional use of turf throughout a landscape.
DESIGN CHECKLIST
Start with boundary perimeters.
Accurately scale the lot to include existing or planned features.
House,
Fences, and
Sheds
Deck and Patio
Driveways, Walkways, and Pathways
Trees, Shrubs, Turf, and Gardens
SITE DEVELOPMENT
Let the site determine the plants you choose. This applies to trees, shrubs, perennials, and annuals and includes available light, water, and soil quality. Our Availability List Page provides some of the information you will need when choosing plants for your site. Prior to stopping out, check the area for available light and perform simple, at home, soil tests to determine soil conditions. Doing the soil preparation/work ahead of time allows you to plant your selections right away. Holes for planting trees can be dug with rented machinery equiped with an auger. Areas for hedges can be tilled and trenched. Always measure the amount of water applied, and make adjustments through the season. Many plants die due to either too much or too little water. Knowing the soil's ability to hold needed water and drain any excess is important when deciding how often to water, and how much water to apply.
SITE CHECKLIST
Accessibility
Adjoining features
Visibility from front, back, sides and from inside the home
Determine condition of the soil
List possible plantings
ADDING AMENDMENTS TO THE SOIL
One frequently asked question is whether to amend the planting hole or the whole bed. My quick answer is, the whole bed. By improving/amending the soil of the entire bed, the plantings are better able to develop a vigorous root system. This applies to beds, borders, hedges, and vegetable gardens. When you are ready to amend the soil or to plant the area, it is important that you work when the soil is neither too wet nor too dry. Clay soils compact easily, and working the ground when the soil is too wet will cause serious, long-term damage.
Large plantings of individual trees require a perk test that tells whether the individual hole has, or does not have, drainage. No amount of amending can provide drainage for a large planting; the hole either drains, or it doesn't. Fortunately, site drainage can vary within close range, sometimes within 10 feet, so don't get discouraged with that first test. You might also consider digging the hole deeper to break through a "hardpan" layer. (Note that this hardpan soil should not be put back into the hole.)
Perk Test: Dig a hole and fill it with water, go back a couple hours later and fill the hole again; there's a difference between absorption and drainage. Let sit for four-six hours, after that time, if the hole has standing water in it, that hole has poor drainage.
Most arborists agree that almost all tree root development takes place within the top 20 inches of the soil depth. That's why it is recommended planting holes are dug 3-4 times the width of the root ball, but only at a depth equal to, or only slightly deeper than the root ball height. At the time of planting, we do not amend individual tree holes. By backfilling with native soil the roots are less likely to interface as the roots grow into the adjoining soil. I found this out working in a public garden years ago. We needed to remove an evergreen that just never seemed to grow. Removing the plant didn't require any special tools, I just pulled it out at the base. The root ball never expanded into the adjoining soil, it just stayed a tight ball in the amended hole. Nor do we stake our trees. Native soil in this area tends to be heavy; trees backfilled with native soil are more likely to grow straight, rather than slanted, despite strong winds that move through the area.
The amount of conditioning you do to your soil is clearly tied to the expectations of the area. Most gardeners appreciate the importance of topsoil but have little understanding of the need to continuously add soil amendments. Plantings take from, not add to, soil quality and unless replaced, nutrients are quickly exhausted. I enjoy gardening and am willing to add organic amendments and fertilizers every fall to ensure quality growth next spring and summer.
Amendment is a broad term and can include organic matter such as composted manures, wood mulch, peat moss, kitchen compost, etc. These organic amendments will break down over time and need to be replaced. I think of it as feeding the soil rather than feeding the plants. Typically my landscape includes clay in the low areas, sandy loam in the higher areas and topsoil where the soil has been left undisturbed or was piled when we had excavation work done before building. We did not build or put driveways on topsoil. Avoid disturbing an area until you are ready to begin working/planting it. Once the ground is disturbed, it becomes a natural site for dormant weed seeds to develop.
Characteristics of clay soil:
Heavy
Holds water
Poor drainage
Contracts (cracks) when dry
Compacts when wet
There are a few simple at home tests you can perform to check on the condition of the soil when considering an area for new development, or to troubleshoot for problems in an existing garden.
1. Half-fill a clear, quart jar with soil then fill to the top with water, thoroughly shake then let sit overnight. Clay sinks and represents the bottom layer of the mix; loam is lighter and will represent the top layer of the mix. The water can be used to perform a simple pH and fertility test using an at home test kit.
2. While the soil is neither wet nor dry squeeze a clump in your hand, if it breaks up easily, great, if it forms a solid clod, you have clay.
It is certainly easier to incorporate amendments prior to planting and the additional time and money spent will pay off in the long run. You may want to consider putting in a raised bed.
This is one of my favorite gardens. Installed July 2002.
Amendments for soil fertility are simply called fertilizers and include the major elements nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. These elements are represented by three hyphenated numbers and are usually combined with trace (minor) elements and are essential to healthy plants. I apply a slow-release, 14-14-14 fertilizer with trace elements along with granular iron twice a year; once in the fall after the perennials have been cutback, and again in early summer. Application rate is about 1 pound per 100 sq. ft. of garden area. I use a hand held spreader and apply to all plantings including trees, shrubs, perennials, and annuals. Slow-release fertilizer is temperature activated and the fall application ensures the nutrients will be available next spring as temperatures rise.
I also apply a water-soluble fertilizer about mid-August. I use a 20-20-20 solution and apply with a hose end sprayer. This gives my perennials and annuals a quick boost for good fall color. Without the use of a slow-release fertilizer, I would have to make several applications of water-soluble fertilizer throughout the growing season.
Soil amendment checklist:
Determine existing soil conditions
Replenish organic matter every year
Fertilize on a regular schedule
MAINTAINING THE LANDSCAPE
Nobody comes to the nursery looking for plants that are difficult to maintain. There are seven Xeriscape principles that make a low-maintenance, water-wise landscape attractive and attainable:
Thoughtful planning for beauty and water conservation
Improving/Amending the soil if needed
Limiting turf areas
Efficient irrigation; no more "set it, forget it"
Mulching with organic products
Select appropriate plants and group according to water needs
Maintenance; proper weeding, pruning, and fertilizing
Lawn areas continue to be an important feature of the landscape. But the once traditional large sweeps of lawn are no longer valued since they require a disproportionate amount of time and water; two increasingly valuable resources. To obtain water rights, we were required to install a water meter at the main source in 1991. In 2001, we had a sprinkler system installed for the lawn areas out back. Our water use for the lawn area was cut by one-half after the system was installed. There was also a marked decrease in the amount of chemicals and time needed to maintain the lawn; it has never looked better, and I'm using half the time and water. The clock is adjusted about every three weeks through the growing season. For the most part, the lawn is watered once a week through spring and fall and every three days through the heat of summer. The system is set to run with two consecutive start times, allowing two twenty-minute cycles. The system runs at night during the summer and in the morning through spring and fall. If your lawn is not on a system, consider using a timer at the faucet. They are easy to program and the water savings is worth taking the time to set the program. Throughout the landscape, I feel a thorough watering is better than a light, frequent watering for establishing the deep root system needed for our climate.
If your lawn has weeds, I suggest using a spray application of broadleaf herbicide in the spring. Sprayers allow for more control so it will be less likely that the herbicide will go into surrounding gardens. They want you to go through the product as quickly as possible, suggesting maximum rates without causing damage; keep this in mind when mixing the tank. Lawn aeration is another important maintenance chore. We schedule ours in the fall, after the last mowing for the season, and follow up with an application of lawn fertilizer and Ironite to enhance spring growth.
The days of buying a plant just because it looks nice are gone. Now we ask questions: Does it do well in this area? Where is the best area of my landscape for this plant? How much water will it need? Knowing the answers to these questions before we plant will help ensure success.
Our goals continue to be:
To educate customers so they can be successful, confident gardeners.
To provide plants that customers can succeed with so they will enjoy their landscapes.
to enhance spring growth.