Posted at: 08/30/2012 5:40 PM

Updated at: 08/30/2012 6:34 PM

By: Joy Lim Nakrin

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It can be hard keeping the garden green in this hot, dry summer, but a new style of landscaping can help gardens withstand drought conditions.

Minnesota’s first irrigation-free landscape garden is in the Longfellow neighborhood of Minneapolis. The Longfellow Community Council along with the Mississippi Watershed Management Organization helped pay for the $4,000 project hoping to set an example of sustainability. Council member Spencer Agnew explains, “We’re hoping that by doing this demonstration project other people will see it, learn about it, and like it enough that they want to try it on their own.”

The plants remain lush and green even though most have not been watered since June 6. The secret? Underground watering basins that retain water and keep them close to plants’ roots. Landscape architect John Kamp of Prairieform Landscaping, who invented the system, explains, “It’s like a bowl except its just earth and the plant is planted in that and filled up with water.” Kamp adds, “We love water. We love our lakes, and this is a way to conserve water in a real way.”

There are 205 plants in the garden, which are being weaned off of water. They were planted this Spring. By next summer, the hope is that they will need no watering at all.

Posted: Thursday, August 30, 2012 9:00 am

Help landscape the library: tree donations, labor needed

Special to the Avalanche

Alpine Avalanche

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Exciting things are about to happen outside the Alpine Public Library — and you can be a part of them.

Alpine was chosen as one of three drought-affected communities in Texas to receive a Native Plant Garden Grant, sponsored by Lowes Home Improvement Centers, Keep Texas Beautiful and Keep America Beautiful. The purpose of the grant is to install native plant landscapes in public places to demonstrate how beautiful they can be AND require less water and maintenance.

The Alpine Public Library site is the ideal location for this type of landscaping since it has no grounds maintenance staff and limited funds to pay for outdoor water use. This native plant landscape will initially focus on groundcover and trees.

During the first week of September, a mix of low-growing native grass and wildflower seed will be planted for the groundcover. These will help prevent the soil from being blown and washed away by wind and rain. The specific blend of Purple Three-Awn, Verbena and Huisache Daisy were chosen to eliminate the need for mowing.

Trees are a valuable part of any landscape: they provide cooling shade for buildings, people, pavement and vehicles. Now is a good time to plant trees in our area because of the rainy season and cooler temperatures that help plants get established.

Plans are to plant 28 trees in this phase of the Library landscape, and this is where you can help. The landscape plan and list of needed trees are available at One Way Plant Nursery. If you would like to donate a tree, please go by One Way for details.

Short on cash, but have labor you can donate? Help will be needed to get these trees in the ground, and all strong backs will be greatly appreciated.

The Native Plant Garden Grant is providing $800 worth of tools and garden supplies to help create and maintain the demonstration landscape. Other donations to the landscape have been made in the way of brick paving, rainwater tanks and labor. The Woman’s Club of Alpine has established a landscaping fund at the library that they encourage others to contribute towards.

This is a great community project that invites your participation. To volunteer, please contact Martha Latta at 294-3183.

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Gardeners may be getting ready to put away their gloves for the year, but now is the perfect time to get a head start on environmentally friendly landscaping projects.

Planning ahead can make yard maintenance easier, save money and conserve natural resources.

“There are a lot of things people can do to have a sustainable landscape,” said Bob Brzuszek, an associate professor in Mississippi State University’s Department of Landscape Architecture. “It’s about taking a holistic look at the property and making smarter choices about the installation and management of plants, the habitats they create and the water that runs off of it. There are a lot of easy things people can do around their houses to reduce their impact on natural resources, and they do not have to cost a lot.”

Now is the perfect time to start a compost pile, design a rain garden, construct a rain barrel or install a patio.

“A compost pile is a great way to reduce the load in our landfills,” said Brian Templeton, Extension associate with MSU’s Department of Landscape Architecture. “Yard waste is a key component to the proper breakdown of the pile. Organic matter, such as grass clippings, leaves and branches, helps to create a nutrient-rich, loamy compost that can be added to a planting bed or potting soil mix.”

Composting can be done by simply piling up yard debris and turning it over with a shovel or pitchfork, but commercial products can make the process more convenient.

“Compost bins can be elevated and have handles, which can make it a little easier to turn the pile over,” Templeton said.

Rain gardens and rain barrels can reduce erosion, flooding and pollution. Rain gardens allow water to pool for a short time in the landscape until it can be absorbed into the ground, irrigating nearby plants instead of running into the community storm drain or causing flooding.

“Controlling the direction and speed of rainwater runoff from properties, especially in residential areas, is extremely important because it helps keep fertilizers, oils and other pollutants out of nearby streams and creeks,” Brzuszek said.

The fan flower makes an attractive ground cover.

IT’S almost Father’s Day, so we have some good suggestions for something special for him.

A great idea would be to give him a 43rd edition of Yates’ Garden Guide, celebrating 125 years in Australia.

These books have topped the best-selling gardening books list for a century, and are available in all good bookshops.

Add to that the excellent gardening magazine, subTropical Gardening – a wonderful gift even for ‘ho-hum’ gardeners, which is a beautifully presented publication with superb photography, and articles from a long list of noted horticulturists in our climatic region.

A subscription to this would keep him well-informed and enthusiastic about his surroundings, with annual subscriptions for the four issues just $35.80.

Phone or fax orders to 3294 8914 or subscribe online to www.stgmagazine.com.au/subscribe.htm.

The quarterly magazine ATG – About the Garden – is produced by well-known local company Searles, who have been providing products to improve our gardening skills since 1977 including this magazine which is about to release its 61st edition.

Filled with good advice and colour, it can be home delivered for $18 annually and $30 for two years, by emailing atg@aboutthegarden.com.au or phone 5422 3090.

Gardening tools are always popular, ranging from trowels, secateurs and leaf rakes, to bigger items such as mulchers that will even chop up palm fronds for under $250.

We sold our Ozito brand we’d owned for five years when we moved to the village, and it’s still going well.

There are also compost bins from $35 and a blower/vac costing $60 that mulches the leaves littering your paths.

The family could all club in together for any of these, and he’d be a happy chappy.

If on the other hand he has all those things, but has dreamed of having his own fruiting trees without the space to grow them, you can easily overcome that problem for him.

There are many different varieties of dwarf fruit trees available nowadays including such delectables as mangos, which would do well as long as they have a sunny situation.

Citrus trees are probably the most popular and are certainly not difficult to grow, and you can purchase several varieties of oranges, lemons, mandarins and limes that would all grow well in tubs.

So select the one he would prefer, purchase a suitable tub and the best potting medium available, and make his day.

 

Plant of the week

There’s a lovely Australian native called scaevola, more commonly known as fan flower (due to the flowers being shaped like a fan), that makes a delightful groundcover for almost any garden.

These hardy plants flower most of the year, are evergreen, and there are several colours available including white, lilac, blue, pink and a new one known as scaevola seaside that has both blue and white flowers.

Our neighbours have one, and it is a real eye-catcher, so we don’t think it will be long before many more of us have some beautifying our village.

They do best in well-drained soil in a sunny spot, and if you have run out of ground space, they make ideal hanging basket subjects.

Have a look for them.

 

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Jan DeNardi of the Lismore Botanic Gardens with Lismore Council general manager Gary Murphy, unveil a 10th anniversary plaque.

NO ONE could have predicted how big and beautiful the Lismore Rainforest Botanic Gardens would become after the first tree was planted 10 years ago.

The gardens are now a stark contrast to the Wyrallah Rd Waste Facility situated just metres away.

Yesterday, about 50 Northern Rivers locals and volunteer workers celebrated the gardens’ 10th anniversary.

“It’s 10 years since we put the first plants at this site,” vice-president Pat Offord said.

“We’re celebrating that we’re still here.”

The rainforest now has discovery trails, a range of native wildlife and tropical and sub-tropical species sections.

“We’ve got lots of koalas and they often come down on the ground and walk in front of the visitors,” Ms Offord said.

Lindsay and Joan Aitkin of Evans Head took part in yesterday’s celebrations.

“We have a friend who comes here to bird watch and apparently there’s 63 species here,” Ms Aitkin said.

The gardens rely on 25 dedicated volunteers and one part-time gardener, paid for by Lismore City Council.

Ms Offord said she wasn’t sure the gardens would grow at first.

“We’re surprised anything thrived where the useful plants garden is because you could tell something had been dumped there,” she said.

“Since we’ve done bush regeneration through the undergrowth, the species that have come up are the indigenous species to this area.

“The waste facility will be here for a long time but it doesn’t matter to us.”

PLANT CITY —

Plant City Garden Club members enjoy sharing their love of gardening with local youngsters.

So, a recent Hillsborough County Extension Service seminar on Florida-friendly plants was a perfect fit for the club, as it nurtures a love for plants in local elementary schools.

“We’re introducing third-graders to gardening, and I’m gathering knowledge and passion I can pass along to them,” said Nancy Wright, a Garden Club member who attended the seminar.

Wright and other club members have worked extensively with Plant City-area elementary schools, particularly Jackson and Robinson, former club president Cassandra Banning said. Club members place a particular emphasis on teaching students how to grow Florida-friendly plants without the use of pesticides, so the seminar Wright attended was ideal, Banning said.

Wright, whom Banning said is one of the most active club members with its schools program, will now be able to pass along what she learned to the students.

“She does a lot with the junior gardeners,” Banning said. “She takes a very active role with them and takes a lot of time working in the schools.”

The seminar drew more than 200, a switch from the 30 or so folks who showed up for the class the last time it was offered two years ago.

The uptick has a lot to do with the lousy economy, said Lynn Barber, extension agent for Florida-friendly landscaping.

With the bad economy, more and more people are interested in gardening activities that help them understand how to grow their own vegetables, Barber said. “They’re also planting more fruit trees and herbs.”

Master gardeners Carol Fanella and Adrienne Desesco told the packed house they easily grew enough green onions, carrots, strawberries, peas, spinach and broccoli to get them through the winter season.

But, they warned that not every variety works in central Florida, and gardeners should consult the University of Florida’s variety guide before planting.

Rick Fernandez of Tampa Heights said he is eager to try his hand at vegetable gardening.

“I came so I could learn how to plant vegetables in a small space,” said Maryellen Zapf of Lutz. “As president of the Tampa Garden Club, I’m always looking for ideas to share.”

Out in the teaching garden, Myrtle Cail of Brandon had a steady stream of customers purchasing her “backyard bling” handmade garden decorations made from dishes and stemware.

Just inside, Carl Moro of Apopka explained to gardeners how to fertilize their vegetable gardens with earthworm castings.

Although this seminar occurs only once every other year, the extension office offers classes in all types of gardening throughout the year — from mulching and rain barrel use to vermiculture. To learn more, visit http://hillsborough.ifas.ufl.edu.

Fire departments rely on water to help put out fires – and thanks to new water-efficient landscaping at the Courtenay Fire Hall, some of this precious resource is being conserved for where it’s needed most.

As a bonus, the project incorporates many other environmentally friendly features and will also cut down on maintenance by City parks staff.

“The fire hall used to be a problem area for us,” explained James Nixon, the City’s assistant manager, roads and parks. “There were issues with thistle and other invasive species which staff had to deal with on a weekly basis for a good part of the year.

“One of our Parks staff, Lani Glowach, spearheaded this new project. We’re really happy with the results; the design is attractive, but it’s also low-maintenance.”

The landscaping makes use of the property’s existing mature trees, and adds new trees, shrubs, and a dry creek bed. The project also incorporates a memorial to retired Courtenay fire chiefs, with granite boulders placed near the fire hall’s front entrance.

Less visible are the water-efficient innovations under the surface.

Large sections of landscaping have been converted to drip irrigation, reducing water loss due to evaporation. Other sections use new water-saving pop-up sprinklers. The system has been in place since the spring, and the reduction in water use has been dramatic.

“Now, even in hot weather, we only need to water every three or four days,” noted Nixon. “Also, when we are watering, we’re using 60 per cent less gallons per minute than before, even though we’ve increased the number of sprinkler heads.”

In addition to irrigation improvements, crews also installed an allnatural permeable barrier under the surface to keep weeds down.

Nutrients were added to the soil with compost from the City’s own composting facility, making use of leaves and other plant material recovered from parks and boulevards throughout Courtenay. On top, a layer of organic straw acts as mulch and helps keep water from evaporating.

The project, largely funded by a $17,000 water conservation grant from the Comox Valley Regional District, is still a work in progress. Parks staff will continue to work on improvements to the fire hall landscaping as part of their regular maintenance.

Don Bardonnex, Courtenay’s fire chief, said the project has transformed the fire hall property. “It’s a great addition to the fire hall,” said Bardonnex. “I’m not one who can envision what this type of project will look like before it’s done, but now that it’s nearly complete I think it looks great and is a big improvement over what we had before. It’s going to really help cut down on water use and maintenance too.”

For more information, contact the City of Courtenay Parks Department at 250-338-1525 or email parks@ courtenay.ca .

THE benefits of composting the scraps from around your home are huge and the garden will flourish on it.

Rich in nutrients, compost will give your plants added nourishment which would otherwise be lacking from standard soils, while also helping plants to be disease resistant.

With different soils found in different parts of the Coast, compost will help improve drainage in clay soils and help sandy soils to retain their moisture.

Compost is also beneficial for reducing the need for commercial herbicides and pesticides for vegie gardens as it will reduce unwanted insects.

There are plenty of large and small compost systems available, including benchtop compost bins for the kitchen.

Keep it on the bench and add your vegie scraps when preparing school lunches and dinners.

 

What to add to compost

• Vegetable and food scraps
• Coffee grounds
• Egg shells
• Old wet newspapers
• Human and animal hair
• Used vegetable cooking oil
• Dead flowers
• Vacuum cleaner dust

What not to add to compost

• Meat and dairy products
• Metals, plastics and glass
• Bread or cake (it will attract mice)

 

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There is a new event in town! Coming up on September 9th, this new event allows you to tour several exquisite water gardens in and around Saratoga. It’s appropriately named the Saratoga Water Garden Tour, and it will be an annual event organized by Chip’s Landscaping. But it’s more than just touring water gardens…

Waratah (telopea speciosissima)

LATE winter is one of the best times of year for lovers of native plants.

The wattles have been flowering for a while now; roadsides are aglow with their bright golden blossom.

The flowering of the wattle heralds the start of an extraordinary feast of native flowers and we’ll be exploring these in the next few weeks.

Perhaps one of the most spectacular of all Australian native flowering plants is the floral emblem of NSW, Telopea speciosissima.

The Aboriginal name for telopea is waratah, and it is by this name it is most commonly known.

Some beautiful hybrid forms of the telopea have been developed in recent years.

The shady lady series, a cross between Telopea speciosissima and toreades, only grow to about 3m, so there’s room for one even in a small garden.

Their long-lasting flowers appear from late winter into spring.

The red and crimson forms make a spectacular windbreak, whereas the white and yellow forms prefer a bit more protection.

All do best in full sun or semi-shade and are bird attracting.

Waratahs prefer a well-drained position with plenty of air circulation, and full to partial sun.

Protection from the hot afternoon sun is particularly desirable.

They prefer sandy loam, so if your soil is a bit on the clay side, improve it before you plant. Mound it up, digging in compost and gypsum, but no fertiliser.

Mulch well to help keep the soil moist, reduce weed growth and keep the surface roots cool.

Waratahs are not as drought-tolerant as some other native plants, so you’ll need to water during particularly hot or dry spells.

Like all other members of the protea family, waratahs are sensitive to phosphorous, so make sure you use a fertiliser which is safe for native plants.

Don’t plant them in old flower beds that may contain residues of other fertilisers.

The amount of phosphorous in normal fertilisers and potting mixes can quickly kill phosphorous-sensitive plants.

South African proteas are close cousins of our waratahs.

They too like good drainage and low phosphorous conditions, but they prefer full sun. There are so many varieties available, it can be hard to choose.

The king protea is one of the most popular, with huge white or pink flowers.

I love little prince, which gets a massive flower like the king protea but only grows to about a metre.

Another of my favourites is susara, which grows to about 2m and has a lovely ivory flower with soft pink blush. Special pink ice is the hardiest of all, and as lovely as the rest.

Many waratahs and proteas are well-suited to pot culture. Choose a tub at least 250mm or larger.

They have a relatively wide and deep root structure so a pot which has a diameter about equal to the pot height will be ideal. Make sure you use a premium native plant potting mix.

 

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