As you look at your garden
from the windows, where does the sun rise? What areas get sun
versus shade at what times of the day? Where do you need to add
shade? Except for shade of buildings and trees, south
and west are your sunniest exposures with east and then north receiving
the least direct sunlight daily. Remember that the large majority
flowering trees, shrubs and perennials prefer full sun conditions (six
or more hours of direct sun, not dappled shade thrown by nearby
Also look at your home from across the street and while standing in
neighbors' yards. Where are the boring winter bald-spots?
What do you recall from spring, summer and fall as problem areas?
Are plantings intended to provide a focal point for color, or just add
green to the existing garden? What about hiding air-conditioning
units, electric meters, well caps and other unsightly exterior
features? Do you need plants for windbreaks or noise
barriers? What about ground covers? Remember to leave room
for plant growth and height. Strive for some balance, but not
necessarily symmetry. One large shrub can balance a smaller
cluster of plants. (Photo courtesy of Carebea - that is her
mostly-sunny perennial bed.)
at the architecture and uses of your home. Is it formal or
casual? Do you entertain outdoors on the patio, deck, or, if you
have or plan a pool, will it be at poolside? What about spaces for
children or pets, and future improvements like swimming pools and room
additions? Think about walkway materials, color, texture and
What is your soil like? Is it light and sandy or heavy and
clay-like? Will you have to add soil amendments? If so you
must plan on acquiring those before beginning spring work in the
garden. What is its pH? Tests for pH levels are available at
most reputable garden centers. Get one (and possibly a hammer
and chisel if you're frozen in now) and sample the soil according
to the instructions. Most flowering and landscaping plants prefer
the soil pH to be approximately 6.5 to 6.8. Heathers,
azaleas/rhododendrons and their relatives prefer more organic and acidic
Garden soils may need amendments for a particular plant, or all over the
surface area, depending on the nature of your soil and what you want to
grow. If you have heavy clay or very loose sand, it will take a
number of years of gradually adding amendments to improve the soil,
unless you have unlimited funds. This may also apply if you have
lots of stones or nefarious weeds and grasses. (Photo Courtesy
of Juana - that is her front garden rockery.)
Do not despair, but settle in for the long haul. Start composting,
get inexpensive or free compost from your local city waste department,
ask your neighbors for their leaves, recycle those newspapers as
compost-helper. The more you can get, the sooner your soil quality
will improve, and then only annual "maintenance" doses of
amendments will be required. Assign a "Pick up the
Stones" day in spring, midsummer and fall where the whole family
picks up or digs up every stone they can find. (Use them to pave a
garden path or weigh down the hollow base of a birdbath - or even to
build a retaining wall or raised bed if you've got big ones.) Have
a "Dig Those Weeds" day with severe spring and fall digging -
pulling out every shred of root you can - garden sieves are excellent
for this purpose.
particularly bad perennial weed or problem-grass patches, cover
with thick black plastic sheeting, weigh down the edges and seams, and
stew them to death for six weeks or more during the hottest part of
summer! Also, the Lasagna
Gardening (use your browser BACK button to return to this
page) approach is a real help for seriously weedy, poor or rocky
soils. This involves layering newspaper and cardboard on your
garden, and adding soil and amendments on top of that. You
basically grow on top of your existing soil! It smothers out the
weeds and defeats the stones. Check out the link for some good
information. We are not selling the book, so buy it only if YOU want to.
Are there any places you must not dig? Find out where your gas,
cable and phone lines are buried. Get the agreement of your neighbors
for your plans for common right-of-way areas. If possible, find
out where the sewer and water lines are, and avoid using plants you
cannot easily transplant above them.
Are the views from your home pleasant or do they look out to the
back of an ugly shed or billboard that you desperately need to
screen? Use the guide at right putting in your distances and
heights to help identify the requirements for dealing with those
eyesores. Click on the screen
height calculator for the mathematics to determine how high a
screening shrub or trees needs to be to block the eyesore.
questions in mind, determine the positive and negative attributes of
your property. These are critical factors in achieving a workable
and distinctive garden design.
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All of our lives are
different. A landscape with a large, high-maintenance perennial
garden is not a good choice for families with young children or those
who travel! Landscapes should complement, not burden their owners.
Taking an inventory of what you need and expect from your ideal
landscape design will make the garden work for you, not against you!
Owning the same
property for three years is not "long term" in gardening
circles. The important thing is to plan and design your landscape
to best fit your needs as far as you can foresee into the future.
The longer you plan to stay, the further you must plan ahead. When
that swing set comes down, what will you grow there? That lovely
little maple looks great now, but will it cast a perpetual cloud of
darkness over your home in 7 years?
of us have favorite plants. Regardless of how much you like a
particular plant, be sure that excessive maintenance requirements do not
keep you from enjoying it. Many ornamentals have the most fragrant
and colorful flowers imaginable but fall flat on their face given a long
list of finicky cultural requirements or unreasonably high
susceptibility to insects or disease.
Some plants are notorious for being affected by diseases, fungi and
pests. This doesn't mean they should all be avoided and are bad
choices for the garden. Older varieties should often be avoided,
but the newer ones and yes, some of the ancient "heritage"
ones are admirable in their resistance to diseases while also boasting
superb flowers, fruit and form. Not all species or cultivars
within the same family of plants are created equal. So check through
garden guides and catalogues for the sturdiest varieties, and seek these
Although some plants
are generally free of damaging insect or disease problems, they still
may not be the best choices for homeowners who demand an extremely
low-maintenance landscape. Don't try to grow rhododendrons,
azaleas and a host of other ericaceous plants in clay or alkaline soil,
or a clematis in a spot where it's roots will not be shaded. Don't
try to grow roses in sand or shade, or spring bulbs in wet
conditions. Learn the needs of the plants you are considering and
plant them in the proper conditions, or resign yourself to another
choice. You can learn to love other plants, honest!
Most homeowners have
no trouble developing a long list of possible uses for every square inch
of their yard. Planning your landscape may take some persistence
and patience, but the rewards are well worth the effort. Enjoy!