Designing the Garden

It's that time of year when the garden is at rest for awhile. The days of weeding, grass cutting, clean up and pruning have now ended for the year. You are glad the growing season is over with, but you still wish you could be working in the garden. This is a great time to do a different sort of gardening. With all the leaves off your trees and shrubs and the perennials and annuals cut back, you can see the "bare bones" of your garden. Now is the perfect time to start planning for next year's garden.

If you are planning a large garden or just redesigning a garden, here are ten suggestions for making the task easier.

1. Purchase a digital camera to take pictures of your garden. The photos remind you where plants are located, plant colors and how your garden has changed from year to year. Use these photos in laying out your garden design.
2. Collect pictures from magazines and books on garden ideas, garden plans, interesting plants and other items that you might want in your garden. Order gardening catalogs off the Internet. Set a budget for your garden design.
3. Decide how you are going to use the garden area that you are designing. Are you planning an area for entertaining, recreation, hobbies or play? Ask other family members how they will use the garden space.
4. Are you are adding shrubs, trees, annuals or perennials? Check out how big your plant selections will grow including their light requirements, your lighting conditions, their water needs, plant height and width sizes (at full growth) before purchasing. Always do your homework!
5. Do a soil test. You can amend the soil when the weather improves.
6. Measure your area and spend time drawing the garden. Include existing plants, structures and utilities in your garden drawings. Drawing with pencil allows you to change things as you go. Draw your design to scale. Make your garden the size that you can maintain or are willing to hire someone else to maintain.
7. Plan a color scheme and use a color wheel to help pick the garden colors. Consider seasonal color changes in your design.
8. Add some nice garden structures like arbors and gazebos. Don't forget to add statuary, seating, bird house, bird baths, walkways, etc. Don't over do it and always add a little whimsy!
9. Consider adding a water feature, whether it is a pond or a bird bath. A garden always needs some wildlife to enjoy. Make your garden "pet friendly".
10. Be patient as your garden grows. Depending on the age of the plants that you purchase, it could take years before your garden is full grown. Be prepared that you may have to make a few changes along the way.

Now that you are missing all those garden chores due to the cold weather, here is a way to keep on working with your garden. Start drawing, designing and planning that garden on paper for next year!

Happy Gardening!

The Creative Gardener

Recycled Pallet Projects for the Garden

Old wood pallets can become something useful when you use your imagination. Recently, I created four different pieces made from old pallets that were going to be destroyed, recycled or were heading for the landfill. These projects were easy to make, required very little skill or equipment. The top picture is a garden tool and equipment holder that will hang on the wall. I can hang my tools, have shelf space and a small storage box for all my garden items. I can hang the pallet outside or inside. This piece will hang inside my greenhouse. I could have painted or stained the piece, but I left it in it's natural wood color.

This piece is a pallet that has several layers of weed barrier stapled to the back and the bottom. The pallet is stuffed with soil, planted and watered. Do not plant herbs or other plants that you will eat in a pallet. You do not always know what was shipped on that pallet and what chemicals could be in the wood.

This three level garden was created from two pallets. There is a small planting area on the top and in the middle that can hold potted plants. The bottom area is a larger planting area that can be filled with soil and planted with lots of plants.




This last photo is a compost center made from two pallets. One area holds my compost tumbler and tools and the other area is a holding area for yard waste that will need to go into the tumbler.

All these projects were easy to make and are now items that I can use in the garden for storage, planting and composting. The next time you receive a pallet, look at it, use your imagination and create something special for the garden.

Happy Gardening!
Debbie

 

 

 

 

Recycling Pallets for the Garden

Pallets come in all size and shapes. Most are made from wood or plastic.

 

We have all seen pictures of old wood pallets being used in gardens. I have seen pallets turned into planters, benches, tool holders and composters, just to name a few. I will say that they are great to use, a wonderful way to recycle and save money. Building with pallets is very easy and it does not take a lot of skill. Just use your imagination and you can create many different items that can be used in and about the garden.

A compost bin made from two pallets.

The compost bin in the picture (above) was made from two pallets that held house siding on them. We had some work done on our house last fall and all of the cement board was delivered and stacked on the pallets. Each pallet was 8 feet long. I used one pallet for the back and I cut the slats of the second pallet into 3 pieces with 2 pieces being the sides and the larger piece as a removal front. I used deck screws to attach the sides to the back pallet. The front piece is hinged and allows me to open and close the composter. All I needed in tools was a saw to cut the pallet into three pieces and a battery operated drill with bit to screw everything together. The total project took about 30 minutes to complete. I added some stepping stones under my compost tumbler and a few hooks to hold gardening equipment. Now I have a place to hold all of that yard waste and a place to keep my gardening equipment organized.

Happy Gardening!
Debbie

Leaves Can Add Lots of Color to a Garden!

As gardeners, we always think of flowers as the way to add color to a garden. But as we all know, flowers only bloom for a short period of time and the color goes away. Most people who garden add flowers with different bloom times to keep the garden in flower for the growing season. Adding more flowering annuals and perennials can become expensive. Have you ever considered plants that have colorful leaves as a way to add color? The other day I made my annual trip to the local garden conservatory. In February, it is just nice to walk in the conservatory and enjoy the warmth and blooming flowers. As I walked around the conservatory, I found that much of the color in the conservatory was not from flowers of the plants but the beautiful and striking leaves of the plants. Exploring the conservatory gave me lots of good ideas for adding more leaf color to my own garden.

As gardeners, we have a much larger selection of plants to choose from for our gardens than we did 20 or more years ago. Now you can go to any local nursery and find all types of tropical, rare and new varieties of plants. It really is exciting what is available to the gardener today.

After my visit to the conservatory, it was time to look for plants with interesting leaf color for my garden. I am adding lots of colorful caladiums, variegated cannas and cannas with dark burgundy leaves. I am also adding colocasia 'Tea Cup', 'Red Stem Rhubarb' and 'Lime Zinger' for that large leaf tropical look. I also plan to add a few more colorful hostas to the garden. With the other plants that I have in the garden, it should be a very exciting growing season. Many of the plants that I am adding will be planted directly in the ground or planted in containers to move around the garden.

Alocasia 'amazonica'

Crotons add lots of color to a garden!

If you are starting to design or selecting your plants for your garden, "think" colorful leaves for that extra punch of color that keeps on giving when the flowers don't!

Do you have a favorite plant with great leaf color? Leave a comment and share it with other readers.

Happy Gardening!

The Creative Gardener

Designing a New Patio or Deck - Part 2

 

About three weeks ago, I wrote a post on "Designing a New Patio or Deck".  Well, the project is still going on and slowly nearing completion.  I thought I would update you with the progress of the project.  In my last post, I showed pictures of the before.  Here are pictures of the last three weeks and what has been going on with the project.

 

I removed all the furniture, old stepping stones and plants that would be in the way of construction.  The decision was also made to remove the hot tub.  We did not use it and felt this was the ideal time to eliminate it from the design.

 

I decided to do a change in the location of the deck stairs and how they came down off the deck. Rather than a straight run, it became a "L" shaped run of stairs.  Before the patio installers could start, the old stairs were removed and new post were installed and set into cement.

 

The patio installers then came in and marked utilities and the location of the patio and flower bed areas.

We did have a few surprises like this slab of buried cement that had to be removed.  We also had to disconnect the old electrical line that went to the hot tub.

 

Then it was time for the BIG dig.  All of the dirt where the patio was going to be located was hand dug out and removed. The next step was bringing in gravel and refilling the dug out area.  All the gravel was compacted and a layer of sand was applied over the gravel.

 

Next the pavers were installed.  Many of them had to be cut to fit in the area they were being used. The pavers will be sanded in the future when the temperatures are higher.

 

I have several areas for plantings.  Two are around post where I will have climbing roses.  One is under the deck steps where I will plant hostas.  There are several beds next to the house where I plan to plant ground cover for year around color. Adding the planting beds helped to break up the hard look of the pavers and cement. Planting will soften the look and define room areas.

 

We did have some delays. In the picture above, they had just started installing the decking when it snowed.

 

And we had more snow!

 

 

After the snow melted the project was back on schedule.  The new decking went down and the new rails went up.

 

The stairs are installed and as I write this blog, the railings are being installed.  The next part of the project is installing the under decking.  This will allow us to use the space under the deck as a nice dry area.  That should be installed next week. 

 

The last part of the project will be plantings, installing a fish pond, painting, staining and decorating, which I will be doing.  I can't wait to see the garden leafed out and in full bloom with the project complete. It is really exciting to see the design that was on paper coming to life.  Check back for future post on the project.

 

Are you a follower of "Garden Thyme with the Creative Gardener?" Become one!

 

Happy Gardening!

 

Debbie

 

 

Garden Design Elements - Focal Points

One of my favorite parts of a garden are the "focal points". Focal points are garden objects that draw the eye and create a feature of attention in the garden. In an earlier blog on "Entry", I wrote on how entry shows where the garden or garden rooms begin or end. The focal points are those items that we discover as we enter the garden and journey through the garden. Focal points can be statuary, planted pots, a bench, urn, bird bath, fountain and much more. The key to focal points is not to over do it. You want people to notice your garden design, plants and your hard work - not the "stuff". Have you ever seen a garden that was full of garden statuary, gnomes, fairies, gazing balls, fountains, pink flamingos, and every type of wind driven plastic bird or bug that has ever been made? Your eye was drawn to all these objects at once that it became confusing and cluttered looking. You never saw the flowers, trees and shrubs that made up the garden. With focal points "less is more". Depending on the size of your garden, choose a few good garden objects, spread them out and place them in prime spots that compliment them in the garden. They don't have to always be in view. Hide a few things in and around the garden for the garden visitor to discover as they move throughout the garden. The little garden gnome peeking out from under a shrub is more interesting that just sitting in the middle of the lawn. Garden focal points should compliment your garden style. Pick items that belong in your garden both in time period and theme. A Japanese garden would look wrong with a sun dial but correct with a Japanese lantern. Always consider the size of a garden object based on the size of your garden to keep it in proportion. Consider color and color intensity also as a focal point in the garden.

The large neutral colored urn stands out in a colorful garden.

A statue of a fishing boy standing next to a garden pond.

A little girl statue standing admidst the flowers.

A ceramic ball compliments the flowers around it.

Three pots in different sizes in an intense color at an entrance.

The fairy pond sized in proportion to the landscape.

Focal points catch and hold our attention. They define a space and give it direction. Focal points can be simple and ordinary objects. Make focal points an important part of your garden or next garden design.

Happy Gardening!

The Creative Gardener

More Great Water Features for the Garden

 

Don't you just enjoy the sound of water in a garden?  Whether it is a fountain, waterfall or the soft trickling sound of a stream, water features add beauty and a relaxing feel to a garden.  I like water features in my garden.  Having a large garden, I can get away with having several in my landscape.  When I go to garden shows or go on garden tours, I like to take photos of the many different types that are available and post them to my blog for others to enjoy and to get ideas from for their own gardens.  Here are some new photos that I recently took of some of my favorites. Enjoy!

Natural looking waterfall and stream.

Three urns on a pondless bed of rock.

An old fashion well pump and a bucket.

Three stepping stones stacked on a bed of rock.

A large lighted water feature.

A large rock in a  pondless water feature.

A waterfall and pond for a very small garden or a corner of a garden.

A large metal water feature made of rebar, saw blades and gears.

The new trend of fire and water.

A copper weeping tree fountain.

Stacked cinder blocks with water and planting spaces for plants in the holes.

The water streams down real pine cones like a rain chain into a pond.

A waterfall and stack stone that looks like a car with tires and headlights.

Copper lily pads as a water feature.

Copper water pipes used as a water feature.

 

I hope you liked the photos of water features.  If you have been considering a water feature and would like to see more photos, please check my past blog posts on Water Features for the Garden. Get inspired and do something creative in the garden this spring!

 

If you are not a "Follower" of Garden Thyme with the Creative Gardener, please become one!  I enjoy hearing from and sharing with other gardeners about their gardens, projects and ideas.

 

Happy Gardening!

Debbie

Common Landscaping Mistakes

After just spending 2 1/2 days at a landscaping convention, I am ready to garden! However the weather outside was -11 degrees this morning and the garden is not ready for me! I enjoyed the last fews days and learned lots of great new information. One of the classes that I attended was on design. The speaker spoke on the common mistakes that people make in their landscapes. Here are just a few:

• Always consider the size a tree or shrub will grow to at maturity and plant them where they will have room to grow. Don't plant trees under power lines.



• Don't over mulch trees. Mulch should not be forming a "volcano" around the base of the tree.



• Don't be an impulse buyer. Have a plan for your landscape.


• Draw up a plan of the landscape and research the plants you need based on the site conditions.


• Right plant - Right place. Read the labels that come with your plant for correct planting information.



• Do not put mound or berms in your landscape.



• Avoid excess lawn ornaments. You want people to see your plants not excessive distracting "stuff". Nice traditional garden benches, fountains, birdhouses and birdbaths placed in select spots work the best. LESS is more!



• Design your landscape around the window views from inside your house.



• Remove the tags from your plants. Strings can damage limbs as they grow. It is not necessary to label all your plants.



• When using an irrigation system, make sure that you use it when it is needed. To much water is wasteful and plant roots will grow shallow and appear on top of the ground due to the lack of oxygen in the soil being replaced with water.



• Use rocks and boulder in the garden to show off plants not as a replacement for plants.



• Have a soil test done for the landscape. Know the pH of your soil.



• Don't stake trees.



• Remove tree wrap in the spring. Leaving it on during the summer allows insects to get under the wrap and damage the bark which can effect the plants growth.



• Mow your grass at 3 inches or more.



• Use a larger size of tree or shrub in your landscape and make sure you fill up a flower bed with plants. There is nothing worse than a big flower bed with little foot tall trees and shrubs in front of a large home.

Remember that landscaping is where you see your mistakes getting bigger and BIGGER!

The Creative Gardener

Mothers Nature's Garden Designers

I enjoy designing and planting my garden. Like most gardeners, I have this vision of what it will look like as it grows and matures over many years. I have learned that I may have a plan but so does Mother Nature! Mother Nature has this way of making the best made garden plans change.
Some years weather can be bad. Hail takes out the hosta beds and I have nice shredded leaves or leaves with holes in them for rest of the growing season. There are years it is dry and the plants show the lack of rain. Other years we have a lot of rain and the plants look great, including all the weeds. Bad weather can also bring out all the different disease problems in the garden.

There are years that the insects chew up plants leaving ragged leaves. I have found that having a pond helps keep most of my insects problems under control. The fish eat the mosquitoes and the toads that breed in the pond every year, keeps the slugs and other insects under control in the garden.

My favorites are the animals that live in my garden. The moles uproot my new plantings leaving them to die on top of the ground or they make nice tunnels underground that ruins my newly planted grass. Those cute little squirrels that roam in my garden may be cute, but sometimes they are pest. Every year I plant bulbs to find them dug up, with bites taken out of each of them. When I plant a new tree or shrub they always have to nibble on the bottom of the trunk or branches. I think that the squirrels sit in the trees just waiting for me to leave after I have just planted my new prized plant. Several years ago, I had a mother fox with three pups. I learned not to water my plants with fish emulsion. Every pot that had been watered with fish emulsion in my garden was dumped over. Mom and the pups shredded all my potted plants in search of a meal of fish that they never found. I never have trouble with mice or shrews due to a family of owls and the neighbor's pet cats. I am not even going to touch on the subject of pets in the garden! That is another story.

As a gardener, you figure that there is always next year for the garden. As much as I seem like I am complaining about the animals that live in my garden, I can't imagine my garden without them. The animals in my garden add the sights and sounds that make the garden a peaceful haven. They help make my garden what it is. I like to think that the moles aerate my soil making it better to grow in. My garden is on a property that is over 100 years old. The moles leave many treasurers of broken pottery, china and other lost valuables on top of the ground as they tunnel giving me a glimpse of the history of my property. I am always reminded of just how good squirrels are in gardening. Think of all the new trees that they plant across this great country, including the trees that you find growing in your houseplants that were outside during the summer.

Garden designing is fun and I enjoy watching my garden change from year to year. I may design the garden, but with the help of Mother Nature's garden designers it will be a pretty special garden!





Happy Gardening!


The Creative Gardener

Don't forget to pick!

Garden Blogger's Bloom Day - February 2013

 

This Garden Blogger's Bloom Day does not find much blooming yet in my garden.  The Witch Hazel is blooming some days and other days the petals are curled up from the cold.  The Hellebores in the garden are starting to show some color in what will be blooms, but they are also waiting for warmer weather.  Yesterday was a good day to get out and start cleaning up the gardens and I did get lots of leaves cleaned up. Today it is cold and we have a few snow flakes that are coming down.

 

 I have been digging up and potting perennials and shrubs due to a patio and deck remodel. It is not an easy job when the plants have not started coming up. Today the installers are taking down part of the deck and setting the post for the new stairs.  Next week another company will start installing patio pavers.  Once the pavers are installed the deck installers will start rebuilding the deck and stairs.  This project will be going on for several weeks depending on the weather.  After the pavers and deck are complete, I will start building a fish pond next to the patio that will be bigger and deeper than what I currently have.

 

The plans for the deck and patio is on schedule and I can't wait to see what it will look like when the trees and shrubs leaf out and the perennial plants break ground.  Check back for future blogs and pictures on the entire remodel from start to finish.  That is about all that is going on in my garden this month, which is more than enough. Next month's Garden Blogger's Bloom Day should have flowers and a complete patio and deck.

 

Happy Gardening!

Debbie