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Gardeners, dry those tears — or maybe collect them to water your hydrangeas.
Yes, we’re looking at drought-induced water restrictions in the coming months despite the recent rain, and reality soon will place California home landscapes on a permanent water diet — reducing liquid-loving lawns and moisture-gluttonous plants and instead bulking up on water-wise vegetation that’s fit for the future.
But that doesn’t mean we will be left with rock gardens and cactus — not that there’s anything wrong with that. Experts say we can use this as an opportunity to get creative, think outside the boxwood, reimagine lawn areas and go wild with the abundant beauty of natives, succulents and even, yes, cactus in its many colors and structural shapes.
“We’re going to have to live with our new reality,” says Kathleen Norris Brenzel, garden editor at Sunset magazine and editor of the latest edition of “The Sunset Western Garden Book of Landscaping.”
“Droughts are gonna keep coming. So we might as well change our mindset and even have some fun with what we can do,” she says. “The key to a beautiful garden is not just the plants you buy, but how you put them together to make them sing.”
At Sunset’s test garden in Menlo Park, Brenzel points out the design elements of grouping lower plants in front, taller farther back and bringing in a spectrum of colors. “You can get a punch of plum with a phormium ‘Black Adder,’ set off with the silvery foliage of some compact astelia,” she says. “Loropetalum is fragrant, with great pink spider-like flowers that bloom in spring.
“Once you get that mindset of wanting drought-tolerant plants, it opens up a whole new world of what you can do,” she says.
Indeed, a drought year “is not the end of the world, and it’s not the end of gardening,” says Chris Woods, this year’s director of the San Francisco Flower Garden Show, coming up March 19-23 at the San Mateo County Event Center. “We are one of the five Mediterranean climate regions in the world, so there are thousands of beautiful, easy-to-grow, low-water plants to choose from.”
Jessica Kolman, of Pinole, made the shift in mindset for her home garden a few years ago. “Once I defined my ‘palette’ as Californian plants only, I felt freed to reimagine the whole landscape,” she says. “The area shaded by existing trees is now under-planted with a green carpet of local woodland perennials. The sunny areas have shrubs and perennials from hot, dry parts of the state, as well as wildflowers that reseed annually.
“Many people think of xeriscaped gardens as sparse, with lots of dry grass, cactus and stone,” Kolman says. “But in springtime, the native garden is pure flower power.”
Jon Gibbens, of San Jose, sheet mulched his languishing lawn, built berms to provide better drainage, then planted the frontyard garden with natives — some manzanita, ceanothus, hummingbird fuchsia, sage and more. His home has been part of the Going Native Garden Tour the past four years.
“Our garden has been giving us lots of enjoyment, opportunities to observe nature — and greatly decreased water bills,” he says.
Nurture patience
Either pick up some new plants right now, or wait until fall.
“After these last days of rain, the ground is moist, there’s enough time for plants to get established before the summer weather sets in,” Woods says. “I’d go grab some up and put them in right away.”
However, some experts say that if you’re going to completely replant, it’s better to wait and plan ahead for fall.
“Fall is actually California’s spring, and is the best time to plant,” says Patrice Hanlon, garden manager at The Gardens at Heather Farm in Walnut Creek, where Master Gardeners demonstrate sustainable growing and water conservation practices.
“You can rip out some plants and your lawn, if you want, but don’t go crazy on new plantings,” she says. “Even succulents or natives take more water to get established. The way the climate works here, when summer ends and there’s less daylight, plants are not working as hard to get rooted. The soil is still warm to stimulate root growth.
“If someone is going to be doing a complete makeover, spring and summer are not the times to do it.”
As to vegetable gardens, “If you love edibles, plant them,” Brenzel says. “But do it wisely. Only grow what you’re going to eat. Snake drip irrigation through the beds, and mulch. If you’re not so techie with drip, soaker hoses work just fine.
“Spring is not the time to plant in California, but it’s a great time to get ideas of what you want to plant going forward,” she adds. “Take advantage of the many garden tours out there, look at the native vegetation where you live and see what thrives.”
Lose that lawn?
Not necessarily.
“Everybody’s targeting the lawn, but there’s so much more to consider when it comes to garden water use,” Brenzel says. “Are your sprinklers working as they should? Are you taking the hose and just letting it run? Cover your swimming pool. Mulch.”
While a brown lawn may become a badge of civic responsibility, completely replacing it isn’t always the answer. For children, for instance, very few plants are as good as grass on which to play. “The key is to keep the lawn small, only for what you need,” Brenzel says. “Keep it geometric, so it’s easy to water and not overshoot onto sidewalks.”
Woods, who now lives in Fairfield but hails from England, where lawns are expansive and lush, says he wouldn’t spend money watering a lawn in California. However, he stops short of telling people to rip theirs out.
“There’s a psychological history to lawns,” he says. “They make people feel safe, prosperous, comfortable. But here, I’d go for alternatives like a chamomile or thyme lawn.”
Or consider a meadow instead. Brenzel suggests carex and creeping fescues or a dymondia “lawn,” which provides a visual silver-hued carpet.
Garden artistically
Leanne Grossman planted a native garden among spheres of multicolored Talaveras tiles at her home in Oakland. “It feels like an urban retreat,” she says. With help from Walking Tree Essentials, she dug out the tough, thirsty grass and planted colorful natives such as Douglas Iris, heuchera, Western columbine and California fuchsia. “The purple and white baby five-spots have been blooming for months, finally dying back just as the bright yellow coreopsis emerges,” she says.
Some gardeners have added graphic elements such as sculptures, benches and paths. At the Sunset test garden, a pathway of decomposed granite surrounds a recirculating fountain, which provides the cooling effect of water with no waste.
“If you do let your lawn go over the summer, keep it mowed and neat, and maybe throw in some artistic elements,” Brenzel says. “And celebrate what you can grow. Maybe use big containers of beautiful succulents, artistically placed on the brown lawn. Whatever you do, get creative.”
Follow Angela Hill at Twitter.com/GiveEmHill.
Ready to hire help to spruce up your property this year?
Before you dig too deeply into hiring a landscaping contractor, take time to do two things:
1. Be clear about what you want to achieve. If you only want yard work, check out companies that specialize in residential lawn services. If you want design or installation services, you’ll need a full service landscaper. These can plan and install patios and walkways, water features, drainage and erosion systems, retaining walls and other services. They can take a job from design to completion, or provide a plan that you carry out.
2. Gather your ideas. Be ready to offer as much detail about your preferences as possible. For inspiration, print, copy or tear out images from landscaping websites, magazines and books.
Now you are ready for initial conversations with several companies that are, hopefully, appropriately licensed, bonded and insured and have earned recommendations from friends or family or users of a trusted online review site. Keep in mind that while some companies offer free consultations, others charge but if hired will deduct the fee from the job price.
Here are questions to ask prospective landscapers, compiled by my Angie’s List team and based on the experience of consumers and highly rated landscapers:
Can I see your plan? A drawing is the best way to be sure you can envision what a landscaper proposes. Ask each bidder to provide a design sketch. They may charge a fee if you want to keep it, but they should at least be able to let you see it. In addition, ask for photos of projects they’ve done that are similar to what you want.
What’s your process? Ask about basic work practices and what materials and equipment would be used. For example, would they dig your patio out by hand or use machinery?
What’s your experience? Make sure the contractor you hire has the experience, manpower and skill to handle your project. How long has the company been in business? Does it have an office in addition to a website?
Ask for references and contact several. Consider visiting completed work. Relying on website photos alone isn’t a good idea, since you can’t be sure they weren’t purchased.
Find out what kind of training the contractor and his or her staff have undergone. Do they belong to local, state or national landscaping associations?
What’s your guarantee? Reputable landscaping contractors should be willing to guarantee their work for at least two years, preferably five. Ask about separate warranties for plants.
How well do you communicate? Ask each bidder for the best way to communicate so you’re likely to get a timely response.
ABOUT THE WRITER
Angie Hicks is the founder of Angie’s List, a resource for local consumer reviews on everything from home repair to health care. Follow her on Twitter at @Angie – Hicks.
Edible Garden to spark community interest
Iowa City residents will soon be able to gather and learn how to grow their own perennial gardens — something officials said will hopefully spark an increase in “edible forests” in the community.
Backyard Abundance, a local company that provides environmental education, is beginning its inaugural step in the Edible Forest project.
Fred Meyer, the director of Backyard Abundance, said the project will hopefully improve environmental health and encourage people to become more proactive when it comes to growing gardens and orchards.
The first step is a nine-hour class on March 8, which Meyer said will teach “people how to design environmentally friendly, high yielding orchards of any size, from a backyard to an entire farm.”
The first of four classes will be centered on designing.
“We can go anywhere from a backyard landscape … up to a 10-acre farm,” Meyer said. “[This can help people] maximize the yield they can get out of it.”
Perennial farms that do not require replanting, he said, provide much more than just food benefits.
Melissa Sharapova, an ecological landscape designer and educator who will teach the first class, said these orchards can prevent soil erosion, improve water quality, keep pollutants out of the soil, and provide habitats for insects and birds.
“We’’re hoping people will change their perception of what growing perennial nuts and berries entails,” she said. “By choosing the right plants, and plants that are native to Iowa, people can avoid having to spray chemicals and do heavy management.”
The variety of options the area provides is what Tom Wahl, who is also teaching at the class and will be providing trees to the Edible Forest, said is the most important aspect to recognize.
“It is my hope that people will see this edible forest and come to realize their landscaping plants can serve multiple purposes … rather than just providing shade and aesthetic enjoyment,” he said.
Meyer said that although the first class is primarily for designing ideas, they will also brainstorm crops to grow, such as pears, plums, hazelnuts, and different kinds of shrubs.
“When people think of orchards, they usually think of … apple trees, but it’s a lot more than that,” he said.
Wahl said these kinds of projects are important because “many people need to physically see, touch, and taste an edible forest before they can be nudged into actually taking action to implement edible landscaping on their own property.”
Sharapova said they are hoping a variety of people will attend the class in order to reach a wider audience and encourage larger participation.
“We’re having people enroll that are city dwellers,” she said. “We’ll adapt the class to people who have small orchards in town or have fruit trees in town.”
Meyer said he hopes people will be inspired through this “outdoor classroom” to plant their own yards with perennials.
“The biggest take-away is an understanding that we can grow food and help the environment in the same space,” he said. “These spaces actually enhance our environment.”
In today’s issue:
Despite the lingering cold and snow, now is the time to start planning your summer garden. Whether gardening at home or at the Naperville Park District’s West Street Garden Plots, residents are invited to attend a series of free gardening workshops led by Master Gardener and Commissioner Ron Ory.
The workshops will meet from 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesdays in March at Sportsman’s Clubhouse, 735 S. West St. The March 5 and 19 workshops will focus on organic gardening and the March 12 and 26 workshops will cover regular gardening. Participants will hear helpful tips and practical suggestions on how to plant and maintain their gardens.
“The workshops are tailored for beginning gardeners, emphasizing the basics of gardening,” Ory said.
Registration for the few remaining Park District garden plots is continuing. A map of the plots can be viewed at the administration building, 320 W. Jackson Ave. Registration must be mailed or dropped off at there.
Ory and other master gardeners from Naperville Community Gardeners and the University of Illinois Extension also will support the demonstration gardens planted in recent years at the Naperville garden plots to help beginning gardeners learn more about native Illinois plants for their home landscape.
“This spring, we’ll be installing the Prairie, Savanna and Sedge Meadow in the Idea Gardens to offer the home landscapers some additional ideas on using native plants in the home landscape,” Ory said. “We’ll also have some new presentations in the Sensory Garden we installed last year.”
For more information about the Garden Plots or about other programs and facilities at the Naperville Park District, call 630-848-5000 or visit www.napervilleparks.org.
Courtesy of the Naperville Park District
Beautiful doesn’t have to be wet, says this gardening expert.
Growing water-loving plants in Southern Colorado often is an exercise in frustration, says Panayoti Kelaidis of the Denver Botanic Gardens, but a more realistic sensibility has taken root in the landscaping community. This new thinking shows in streetscapes and public gardens planted in vibrant vegetation that’s both beautiful and well-suited to this arid area.
Kelaidis, who’s worked for more than 30 years at the Denver gardens and who’s responsible for introducing many, many plants to Colorado gardeners, will be the keynote speaker at the Western Landscape Symposium on March 15 at Pueblo Community College. He’ll talk about Pueblo as a garden mecca.
“Pueblo has such a historic setting and it has the beginnings of a beautiful setting,” he says.
If a city has a sustainable and artistic landscape, Kelaidis says, it benefits residents and attracts people from elsewhere, so the question is: “How can we enhance Pueblo and the Rocky Mountain region instead of trying to do the Midwest (gardening style) without water?”
“During the last 40 years, there’s been a revelation that more drought-tolerant plants do well here. Plants that really want to grow in Virginia or Indiana will struggle here.”
Garden mecca?
If the idea of Pueblo — at the heart of the tumbleweed belt — as a garden mecca seems strange, Kelaidis says it’s important to remember that tumbleweeds are alien plants accidentally brought to the region by farmers, and that many other unattractive qualities of the landscape also have been created by man.
“If we go up into the Wet Mountains and to other natural settings, it’s beautiful,” he says.
Kelaidis has been instrumental in the growth of Plant Select — a cooperative program administered by Denver Botanic Gardens and Colorado State University — which locates, identifies and distributes the best plants for the intermountain region to the high plains. He designed plantings for the Rock Alpine Garden and helped create Wildflower Treasures, South African Plaza, Romantic Gardens and many others at the botanic gardens.
He says his interest in beautifying Colorado by growing more suitable plants stems from growing up in Boulder and visiting California on spring vacations.
“I’d go there and everything was in bloom and then I’d come back here and I knew it was ugly here at that time of year. It was like comparing apples and oranges. I didn’t get it as a kid.”
Since “getting” it, he’s devoted his career to beautifying Colorado and sharing his vast knowledge with the plant-loving public.
maryp@chieftain.com
By Katie Marks
Networx.com
Posted Feb. 20, 2014 @ 9:40 am
by Jack McKinnon
What is a garden anyway? Why do gardens make so much difference in our lives and why do we fall in love, raise our children and grow old together in them so much better than if we live our whole lives indoors?
Jack McKinnon, garden columnist. Photo by Nicholas Wright.Gardens provide us with several things. They give us work to do that is different than any other work. They give us discovery and wonder. And they give us unparalleled beauty. We feel different in gardens than anywhere else in our lives. We feel relaxed on a warm spring day. We feel stimulated by the chores we need to do. We feel pride in sharing with someone special a garden they have never seen before. And we feel empowered when we learn a new plant or discover something horticultural that we didn’t know before.
I can’t take you all out into a garden and show you these things nor would you want me to. They are there for you to experience and learn and share. What I can do is to point in directions that may be new or different in your garden or future gardens you may visit. I hope you visit many gardens.
Here are the tips:
1.Note new growth. Often buds open and leaves emerge and we see them only when they are mature. Notice flower buds forming and tendrils on vines, looking at how they face the sun or wrap around a nearby branch.
2. Look closely at the soil around the base of plants. See where it is in relation to the trunk of shrubs and trees and even ground covers. I see so many plants die because this relationship is out of balance. Remember that the flare of the roots is where the soil should start, not up the trunk. Rake it back with your fingers or a trowel if it is too high.
3. Look at lawns (either yours or others) and see what is growing there. Often there are many more species of plants than grass.
4. Stroll a few new gardens each month. Visit community gardens, public gardens and parks with simply strolling and looking as the goal. This may seem odd in this day and age; that’s why I am suggesting it.
5. Challenge yourself to learn a plant and its application that nobody you know can identify. There are thousands. Try Half Moon Bay Nursery on Highway 92 on the way to Half Moon Bay.
6. Grow a miniature garden alongside your big garden sort of like your own secret garden. Escape to it to challenge yourself and your imagination. Maybe even write a fantasy story involving your secret garden.
7. Grow something edible that you don’t usually buy in the market. Do some research on what that might be and how to use it. I just finished reading Michael Pollan’s new book “Cooked” and am now braising as a new way to cook. I am also making sauerkraut and will take up baking again, this time with herbs I grow myself for a savory nuance.
8. Count petals, anthers and florets as a habit. One of the keys to plant identification is closely looking at flowers and noticing what is unique. Start looking at flowers in a different way.
9. Grow some water plants, or visit a water garden, pond or stream and observe the life that is created with aquatic plants. Hakone gardens in Saratoga has an amazing pond.
10. Try growing a few species of air plants. Tillandsia is in the Bromeliaceae family and lives on the surrounding air. Make an arrangement of some in the low branches of a tree or on a fence. Spritz with water once in a while and they will grow for years with little additional attention.
Good gardening.
Garden coach Jack McKinnon can be reached at 650-455-0687 (cell), by email at jack@jackthegardencoach.com. Visit his website.
Sarah Eberle, Adam Frost and Jo Thompson, three of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show
Best in Show winners, are among the 10 leading garden designers taking part
in the project.
Carpinteria, California (PRWEB) March 04, 2014
As part of its social media and online revamp, Eye of the Day Garden Design Center announces the release of its newly redesigned blog called Eye on the Garden.
The blog, which has been online since the year 2010, regularly features four writers, owners Brent Freitas and Suzi Freitas; Sarah Kinbar Ristorcelli, and Virginia Hayes. Categories include the following: Adventure, Edibles, Fountains, Garden Décor, Good Times, Landscape Architecture, Planters/Pots/and Containers, and Plants. The platform showcases the staffs’ personal insight into styling gardens, and takes a deeper dig into the personality of the design center that’s beloved by locals and by bigger names that include Tommy Bahama, Ralph Lauren, DIY Network, and more.
The blog offers information that the average gardener would not be privy to – for instance, as detailed in the latest blog post by Brent, “Just Say Yes to Rocco Italian Terra Cotta“. In it, Brent explained why Rocco Italian terracotta is so coveted by industry garden design gurus and landscape architects in that the clay can withstand extremes in high temperatures as well as low. For this reason, Eye of the Day prefers to sell products of Galestro clay, which is sourced from Tuscany and produced by Colorobbia of Montelupo, providing durability and a specific high quality composition of mineral content.
“I want my customers to see that we not only sell the best products, but we also stand behind them, and for good reason. I travel to find the best products, and I’ve done my research. Home accessories, for indoor or outdoor use, really make a house a home,” says Brent, “and speak to our motto ‘Paradise at Home.’”
In addition to the updated blog interface, the Santa Barbara Garden Design Center is also re-launching its once active newsletter, Daisy’s Dirty Words, now in e-newsletter form. Customers and interested individuals can sign up for the newsletter online with their email, and get the latest news, specials, and tips-of-the-gardening trade sent right to their email inbox, in both desktop and mobile compatibility form.
“The blog, as well as Eye of the Day, is named for our daughter, Daisy, old English for “Day’s Eye”, the flower resembling the sun. We understand the enthusiasm of die-hard gardeners because we’re the same way,” concluded Brent. “It’s what makes us, us. It’s why I get up every day near 5 a.m., before the sun, to get a jump start on the day.”
For more information about Eye of the Day’s blog and other social media, visit http://www.eyeofthedaygdc.com.
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