Saturday, October 26, 2013

Backyards Ideas for Adding Personality


There are dozens, if not hundreds, of garden designs for us to gravitate towards.  There is the English Garden, the Zen Garden, the Cottage Garden, the Water Garden, the Wildflower Garden, and so on and so forth.  So, how can a garden reflect our personality when so many styles are possible?


I have found that many gardeners enter into a style that looks elegant, or looks pretty, or needs little water, or will grow in the shade.  All of these gardeners, however, do not share the same views, budgets, or climates of many of the other gardeners who choose the same style.  What makes each gardener different?   Personality! 

The dictionary defines Personality as ‘a collection of emotional and behavioral traits that characterize a person.’ 
Well, it so happens that a song that’s been going through my head for the last couple of days may make these differences clearer. That song “Personality” by Lloyd Price and Harold Logan was recorded in 1959, and became a Pop/R & B hit.  So let me show what personality traits the songwriters wrote about and let us translate those characteristics to the garden, -  your garden or my garden, your personality or mine.



'cause you got personality,
Walk, personality
Talk, Personality
Smile, Personality
Charm, personality
Love, personality
And of Cause you’ve got
A great big heart



Walk Personality – Walkways in the garden can be concrete, brick, flagstone, gravel, boards, or mulch, or grass. This feature is about bringing visitors into the garden, and by directing their path, the garden unfolds in front of them.

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Personality – your personality – is evident if you are a stroller, and like to mosey along, or are you  a curious person and likes to ‘find’ things quickly?  Perhaps you are a jogger, or a cross-country runner,  any of these ‘Walks” will reflect who you are.

 
Talk - Personality -  Families, friends, young and old, seem to gravitate to sections of the yard to talk.  A cozy bench, a picnic table, or  lawn chairs scattered around the yard invite people to stop and chat.  The garden style you choose, will define what seating is offered, but be assured, that the talking spots in the garden will give any garden personality.

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A camp ring or fire pit encourages conversation




Fences do not keep neighbors from talking




Smile – Personality  Warm, friendly gardens will cause the visitor to smile.  A memory,  a fragrance, a sharing moment, or a humorous piece of yard art can evoke a smile from the grumpiest. 

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Charm -  Personality  Webster defines Charm as  ‘a trait that fascinates or allures'.  Many examples of ‘charm’ come to mind. The ‘charming’ gate, the ‘charming’ planter’, the ‘charming’ gazebo. Define your charm with a formal feature, or with a whimsical element all your own.


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The pond as well as the shed décor shown here, are certainly different in style. But there is no doubt that the ‘charm’ factor is there.

Love – Personality Your individual personality can come through when you incorporate something you love into the garden design.

The repeating of a favorite color can indicate where your love lies.
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Or perhaps, a favorite plant – that is the focal point in a garden bed will relay that love.

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The love of harvesting your own fruits and vegetables is evident when you can present a table full of good food.

If you love something, there can be no wrong application for  its use in the garden and it incorporates your personality into your space.

Finally, the song wraps up the characteristics of the lover’s personality with the exclamation of having a ‘Great Big Heart’.  As gardeners, and lovers of gardens, we are not shocked at this proclamation. We gardeners take on a roll of caretakers in the garden.  We can not abandon our passion to nurture our plants or to care for our environment. We pour our hearts into the growing and sharing of this endeavor with any who would like to enjoy the garden with us.

Caring for your backyard space, and working into that space examples of your personality will create a garden that will have your heart in it for sure. 

Friday, October 18, 2013

The Four Season Garden


The winter season in the garden can be flat, uneventful, and even boring if the garden is not planned to have features that are apparent.  Here is where I like to infuse some ‘bones’ into the landscape - features that will prevail, and be visible all year long.  The four season garden takes some planning and fall is a great time to add some elements to the garden that will be featured in the winter garden and well as all year long.


The Four Seasons Garden, created by self-taught gardeners Tony and Marie Newton, started out as a hobby, but slowly grew into one of the most popular suburban  gardens in Britain. 20 years ago, the couple from West Midlands decided to transform their traditional garden into a stunning display of creative gardening. Tony hated weeding, but loved building things, while his wife Marie just loved plants, so together they set out to create Four Seasons, their version of the ideal backyard garden.

The small backyard of a family-owned property in Wallsall, England, was captured in pictures by http://the-world-pictures.blogspot.com/2012/09/four-seasons-one-suburban-paradise.html  in 2012.
 
I think we can learn volumes from this garden with it’s vibrant colors and textures all year long.

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Wow!   This garden is stunning, and the plant materials have a strong impact in every season.
What carries this impact along?  Foliage. Texture. Height. Layers of Color.  Color from the Evergreens, the shape of the Evergreens, and the textures of the Evergreens is what I want to focus on here.

JuniperBS

This Blue Star Juniper is one example of color, shape and texture.  The ice blue color is present all year long, and the mounded shape will still be visible beneath a winter blanket of snow. 

golden hinoki cypress

The Golden Hinoki Cypress is a crisp gold with undulating foliage that has movement to the texture. Chamaecyperis obtusa Fernspray Gold is a slow growing tree, and will reach 3’ after five years – and up to 10’ at maturity. This Hinoki does well in containers as well.  Lifting it up in the garden will add another layer of dimension.

IlexskyP45.jpg.240x160 skypencil holly

Ilex crenataSky Pencil Holly, literally can stand on it’s own.  The columnar shape will add height to any garden and the dark green foliage will contrast with other plants.  Sky Pencil is hardy to Zone 5 – 9 , and maintains in narrow compact feature with a mature height of 8 feet tall.  Winter interest continues with it’s bright red berries that attract birds.
Sky Pencil can also be featured in containers. 4493-sky-pencil-japanese-holly-full-shot--container

yellow ribbon cedar

Yellow ribbon cedar, Thuja occidentalis, is an arborvitae the has great gold growth in the early season and turns more green as the summer progresses.  It is hardy to Zone 3 and growth to about 10 feet tall.

juniperus chinensis 'Kauzuka Variegated'

This is Juniperus chinensis “Kauzuka Variegated”. The creamy white shoots are slightly twisted and quite showy.  Grown in full sun, this Juniper will grow to about 25 feet.

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This little gem is a Globe Blue Spruce, Picea pungens 'Globosa'.  The mature height is only 3' - 5' so it fits well into any small garden.  Monrovia calls this a Sapphire Blue and I can see it is true to it's name.

These evergreen – or ever colorful – shrubs and trees can make a visual impact on the garden all four seasons.  Blending  perennials with evergreens continues to develop texture, shape, and color throughout the year. But the best part of adding evergreens to the garden, in my opinion, is creating ‘bones’ for the garden to lean on long after deciduous trees, shrubs, and perennials have faded into winter.

Trees and shrubs can be planted well into winter, as long as the ground can be dug.  So, I'm on my way to shop to make my space  more of a four season garden. 

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Ginkgo Tree– Stunning in the Fall Landscape


The Ginkgo Tree is the National Tree of China, and the Official Tree of Tokyo.  It has been around for centuries and many art pieces depict the unique leaf pattern throughout the Far East.

ginko in rock

My interest in the Ginkgo came yesterday as an email from a friend, Joan.  She was commenting on the lasagna garden article, when she asked, “Any suggestions on how to handle Ginkgo leaves?  They are so leathery that they almost never dry out and it seems like they all drop in 2 days after a rain that makes them even wetter?”

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The Ginkgo is a pyramidal tree with a pretty branching that makes it quite attractive.  It can grow to 40- 70- feet tall.  The  2 – 3” emerald leaves look like fans and are very distinctive.  The Ginkgo prefers full sun and moist, well-drained soil. It is hardy to Zone 3 – 9. 


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Joan went on to tell me that I should mention that if anyone is thinking of buying one from a reputable source to get a male tree.  The Ginkgos are dioecious, which means that each tree is either male or female. It seems that the female tree produces a messy fruit that is extremely repugnant smelling like ‘dog dirt’ or an even more telling term, vomit. 

Cities have had to spray the female trees to inhibit the setting of fruit to reduce this very undesirable feature of the Ginkgo.

The smell is not the only grievance some communities have with the Ginkgo tree.  As Joan mentioned, the leathery leaves are heavy when wet.  And since the trees drop all of their leaves in a matter of hours, this can set up a wet, soggy mess.

ginko leaves

It seems the heavy duty vacuums that municipalities use to clean fall leaves from communities are not powerful enough to pick up the heavy leaves of the Ginkgo. So Ginkgo leaves are on the same list of items NOT to put to the curb as twigs, and branches.
 
ginko leaves drop one day

ginko in fall

The beauty of the Ginkgo Tree is undeniable.  The fall color of gold shimmers and glows even on a cloudy day. (Batteries are included.)  One cultivar “Autumn Gold” is very popular in the landscape.  And Joan tells me that if the leaves are fairly dry, she shreds them along with other types of dry leaves, and puts them in the compost pile. 

This ancient tree has a history of beauty and is also used in dietary supplements with the thought that it will enhance mental cognitive abilities.

ginko leaf color

My thanks to Joan Stoppelman for her comments and tips on the fall beauty, the Ginkgo Tree. 

Monday, October 14, 2013

Plants to Plant In Fall for Spring Rewards


The fall season here in my Zone 6 garden in SW Ohio has been beautiful.  Sufficient rainfall, and extremely mild temperatures have blessed us for several weeks.   It was because of this wonderful weather, that I had to do a double take when I realized that calendar had moved ahead and now I have to hustle to get some fall chores done.

One chore is to select and plant spring flowering bulbs.  Tulips, Hyacinths, Daffodils, and Crocus had completely slipped my mind.  So, getting a good selection of bulbs is timely.  The longer the bulbs sit at the garden center, the more dried out and moldy they can become. 300%20True%20bulb%20of%20narcissusimages (12)

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bulb planter
Select firm bulbs. If they are mushy, the bulb will struggle to get established and may rot over winter.  The ideal time to plant spring flowering bulbs is October until the ground freezes.  I have successfully planted daffodil bulbs in December in my garden. I rarely endure a spring bonanza of color without regretting that I did not plant more bulbs in the fall.  images (6)

Soil depths of bulbs depends on the diameter of the bulb.  Large tulip and daffodil bulbs need to be 6” – to 8” deep.  Where smaller crocus or muscari bulbs (grape hyacinths)  need to be planted about 2 times (2x) the bulb’s diameter.
bulb chart

Bulbs can be used in containers also.  They need the same depth as if it was going into the ground.  Layering the bulbs will give an extended bloom time for the different bulbs.  This bouquet is lovely at a doorway or on a patio.
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The small secondary, or minor bulbs and corms need a place in the garden too.  Tuck into the beds around other established plants small bulbs or corms like Anemone, Scilla, Glory in the Snow, or Snowdrops.
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Anemone

scilla
Scilla
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Glory in the Snow
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Snow Drops
Since these blooms appear in the early spring, the sun/shade factor is of minimal concern, because the deciduous trees and shrubs will not have a full canopy of leaves to shade the planting areas.
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Eranthis hyemalis, or Winter Aconite, appears in the woodland garden in late winter.  bulbs are available from on-line merchants like Amazon (here) and garden centers now for fall planting.

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Winter Aconite
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The late winter garden is brought to life with the early blooming Witch Hazel.  The dozens of varieties are available as shrub or small trees. Fall planting of Witch Hazel is going to get the plant established before the ground freezes.   This is truly wonderful promise of spring to come.


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Hellebores can also be planted in October.  The garden under deciduous trees is idea, as Hellebores like the winter sun, and summer shade.  Soil should be amended with organic matter. Plant away from soggy, low areas. hellebores in containers
These Hellebores are in containers.  This elevates them somewhat so the low, downward blooms are easily enjoyed.

 
Whether planting bulbs, shrubs, or perennials, October is the time to focus on Spring. Don't let spring next year be a time when you shake your head in a 'Would-a, Could-a, Should-a' moment'.

(Amazon pays me a small commission for online purchases.  Thanks for shopping with me).