garden planning

Snippets of Gardening, February’s Mercies

February 7, 2017 by Ilona Erwin

One of the mercies found within an Ohio winter are those small windows of dry enough conditions and relatively pleasant weather. They are almost always very short, so the opportunities need to grasped. We have a short window at this moment and I have used it to carry on the weeding and garden preparation that the beautiful fall allowed in 2016.

I’m so grateful to be able to work in the yard, and it makes me hopeful that I will regain my garden from it’s state of decay and disarray. For the coming 2017 season, at least.

Proverbs 27:1
Don’t brag about tomorrow, since you don’t know what the day will bring.

I can’t promise that I will have a groomed garden next year or in the future beyond, but things are looking good for this year.

Back to February’s mercy:
We have mild temperatures and I have been cleaning out the areas under the shrubs where weeds and unwanted grasses took hold. I hope to clear a stubborn area of poison ivy from its hold under the quince bush. Removing buildup of grass and messy plantings near the fieldstone walk is bearing visible results, as well.

Remember this walk after I cleaned it of weeds some years ago?

You can see the Spirea at the base of the lantern post with the Alberta directly behind. Unfortunately the Hinoki cypress succumbed to an unknown disease a couple years ago.. The Alberta is so much larger that it has filled in .

Little Improvements

While out and working I am better at making plans. The large green urn will go in front of the Alberta spruce instead of behind it this year. It will sit on a troublesome part of the stone walk that always gets overgrowth. While I was down there clearing under the Alberta in anticipation of the urn setting there in the spring, I noticed old stones and coffee can that must have been where I had a clematis planting long ago.

The can is rusty now, and the stones are completely hidden by the Princess spirea that grows there now. It was evidence of the way I plant my clematis… learned from Dad back in the 70’s. The can allows for extra soil to be built up around the roots without suffocating the vine with too deep planting. The stones provide extra moisture retention and coolness and keep me from disturbing the roots.

It is a method that usually works extremely well for me, but this particular clematis had been lost. I will pry the rocks out when the ground thaws more thoroughly. Debating still whether to plant another vine there. I am sure it was to clamber up the lantern situated there.

Anyway, I am thankful for the opening in the weather and my time outdoors in the garden. Here is a look at my inspired new urn placement (I’ve been doodling in my Gimp graphics program).

I have plenty of Nepeta (Catmint) that I’m clearing from the stone walk, which will be planted underneath the Alberta.

I noticed over the years that Catmint surrounding the spruce staves off the mites that defoliate the needles, otherwise. There needs to be a thick planting all around the base for it to be effective.

Little ideas and small improvements add up.

Take-Away

Use the gifts that the garden and nature give you, even the little ones make a difference. Even a few days of February opportunity.

More for me than you, Garden Planning

February 6, 2017 by Ilona Erwin

I haven’t surfed garden blogs in forever, it seems. But today was different and I garnered some great ideas that I hope to put to work for me this year. We’ll see. It all depends on both how diligent I am and how much traveling I need to do. (Since I am the sole gardener, traveling can really put a wrench into my gardening plans).

OK. Idea #1

Growing a blue garden phlox called ‘Moody Blues’. This and the next idea come from Sue’s Garden Journal.

blue phlox — I am not always super successful with this type of phlox, but I would love to see these blooms in my garden.

Next. Idea #2

Planting the ends of my vegetable beds with flowers. I already plant flowers along with my vegetables (I can’t help it, it is an obsession). The look of neat little ends is tempting to me. I snipped a picture of how it looks in her garden and a homemade graphic of how I envision mine.

Notes about Sue’s Garden

She’s a more ambitious and a neater gardener than I can be at this time of my life. I note from my own experience that the stone edging is pretty, but needs weeding attention. The whole reason I like this idea is that I often have to weed the perimeters of the raised beds. A problem made worse by chickens who like to scratch in the mulch ( an idea which originally was meant to reduce weeding).

Not sure what I would do about those chickens, but the edges facing the lawn (necessary because the septic system is underneath) and house would be laced with flowers. This would not only look pretty, but draw pollinators, and fill in vulnerable spaces with desirable plants. Any area filled with desirables is less space for the UNdesirables. I love the way her garden mixes flowers and vegetables.

My vision:

My vision is similar, but without the fieldstone. I think I will need something, but not sure what. old fence boards (cut to size) laid flat could work. I’ve used salvaged brick in other parts of the garden.

I like the the thought of the boards, but not totally convinced. The flowers I would most like to see in this picture are the little single Tagetes (Marigolds). They would serve double duty as nematode controls, hopefully.

If I am to gain control of this garden in the new season, weeding and preparation will have to be aggressive in the earliest part of the Spring that I can work the soil.

What I like about this idea is that it cooperates with the situation I already have:

raised beds
mulched paths
mown grass

I do admit that two of the raised beds on the side need to be recovered from weeds. One was mostly reprocessed this past fall, but the bed with strawberries is more of a challenge.

Idea #3

You may remember my front walk ‘lavender hedge‘? Well, after reading an ode to the fragrance of lavender plants, an idea was sparked for me.

I have a raised planting area along the back deck approach. Nothing grows there. Not mint, nothing. I think it is too dry for what I attempted to grow. So, this year I will try herbs which like dry feet, lavender to be precise; and maybe a rosemary just to see if it will survive.

Those are my humble ideas for the garden this spring.

New plans for a garden don’t have to be unique or cutting edge trendy. They may simply be a good solution for a particular problem, or inclusion so something that has proven pleasing elsewhere.

I remember reading an English garden writer years ago, it may have been Margery Fish or it may have not. The point was made that some flowers can be perfectly suited for planting even though they were spurned by the garden world cognoscente. Such blooms as lobelia, pelargoniums, alyssum, and petunias. It made a lot of sense to me: why should we be plant snobs?

What Makes a Low Maintenance Garden?

February 2, 2017 by Ilona Erwin

Front garden entry — Berberis thunbergii atro nana “Crimson Pygmy” (5); Spirea bumalda “Gold Mound” (1) ; Prunus laurocerasus “Otto Luykens” (6) ; Spirea bumalda “Limemound” (1)

It is increasingly the Holy Grail of garden designs: making a landscape low maintenance. For many reasons, reducing the work load of our outdoor spaces has become a priority.

We are busy with many activities
We are aging
Viewing flowers rather than weeding flowerbeds is preferable

That is not the definitive list, by any means, but it does hit the highlights of why this style of landscaping is increasing in desirability.

What are the Characteristics of Easy Care Yardspaces?

Perennial Plantings. The more permanent the planting, the less work it involves annually. Chores of caring for the plants are still present, but the larger larger spaces that are taken up by the individuals and groups of trees, shrubs, and long lived herbaceous flowers will cut down on weeding and replanting.
Larger Groups. This is basic to good design, too. using a larger number of the same kind reduces work in two ways: symbiotic health of the plants is increased and the required care is given to the whole grouping.
Like-minded Plants. Culturally harmonious in moisture fertility, and light requirements means they stay happy together and the gardener doesn’t have to cater to one or two unhappy plants in the group.
Hardy and Tolerant. Under your garden conditions, the plants should be varieties that are easier to care for to begin with… persnickety ones demand more cultivation, attention, and replacement.
Mowing Ease. In your design, tailor the shape of beds and tree wells, as well as the position of low hanging branches to aid in ease of lawn maintenance (if you have a lawn).

Those are my top 5 tips for creating a more low maintenance space.

More Gardening Tips

A formal, manicured style is much more work than a naturalistic design.

There are other refinements like using mulch to suppress weeds and conserve moisture.

Increasing the amount of shrubbery for fragrance, flowers, and foliage interest is another improvement to be made in most landscapes. Don’t overlook the value of well-behaved shrubs.

Dwarf shrubs add color and seasonal interest.

One consideration related to suggestion #5 is whether a plant is a thug, having invasive traits. Think, before introducing it to the garden. Sometimes it is a fine line of definition that divides the ground covers from the invasives. Find out “what is considered what” in your own area of the country.

Soil building is foundational to better gardens with less care.

Two Ways

1 Starting over from scratch in designing the yard might be the quickest way to ensure that it adheres to all the best practices in lowering the workload. Use hardscaping to control and access portions of the garden. Plant only easy to grow, healthy trees, shrubs, and flowers.

2 Most of us are in the second group, however. We inherited a garden, and important large trees, or we have a love of growing a wide number of things, both easy and more challenging. Yet, the need to have a less demanding landscape is imperative for us.

For gardeners in the second group, some hard decisions need to be made: removing certain plants and even woody specimens. Forgoing types of plantings or styles that are labor intensive is another choice sometimes made, sometimes forced upon us.

Both efforts -whether starting from the beginning or taking over an established landscape- benefit from improving the soils with compost and amendments.

Perennial Plant Examples to Use

pink daylilies — ‘Catherine Woodbery’ is a tried and true Hemerocallis.

Take a look at any public planted spaces and you will quickly find an array of what landscapers choose:

Daylilies
Russian Sage
Veronicas
Ornamental grasses
Rudbeckias
Sedums

Those backbone species don’t need to be the entire composition of your own place, but can start out your short list of easy care plants. Use choices planted in berms and along roadways to give you ideas for what works well in your climate and/or urban conditions.

The Most Important Consideration

The garden should serve the home and the people in it. At the same time, recognizing that it fits in the greater ecology of the planet, the use of the earth surrounding our houses should be healthy for plants, animals, and humans alike.

Lower maintenance goals work alongside this greater one, since designing in tandem with nature means the garden will require less to look good. The plants are healthy when they have the soil, light, and moisture that is best for their needs. They will then need little to no interference of chemical support.

Thoughts from the Deep Freezer

January 9, 2017 by Ilona Erwin

It is a normal weather pattern for central Ohio to plumb the depths of single digit temperatures with little or no snow. It is equally expected for gardeners to go into planning mode during the deep freeze of January.

Reviewing the last year has made me realize that I’m more prone than ever to the unknown vagaries to mess up my well laid plans. It is enough to tempt me to have no plan at all, but to be ready for whatever capricious direction my weather takes me.

2016 Examples

The summer was so hot I could not even go outside for a period of time: no weeding, chores, or even cleaning up outside the air conditioned environs of a couple rooms.

On the other hand, the autumn was truly a gardener’s gift, with pleasant temperatures and clear skies which allowed for a bevy of those undone projects of summer to come to completion. Not all surprises are unpleasant ones.

Vacation Plans and Gardening

Another snafu (which I am not complaining about, simply stating) is how traveling can interfere with progress in the garden. Depending on the time, the weeds won’t wait, and attending new plantings may create a conflict. Should I order new plants knowing that I may not be able to properly care for them?

The best way to proceed seems to be lots of plan A, plan B, and Plan C scenarios.
Mindfully following lessons I have learned from a lifetime of gardening: get as much done as early as possible.
Look for late winter/early spring opportunities of preparing the ground, getting tools ready, and setting up the yard for summer enjoyment.

It may be too early to plant or pull out the patio furniture, but clearing last years growth, tilling when possible, winter sowing, even edging can be done. Pruning is a usual activity for that time of year.

On a Sad Note

Winter’s thrall is not only for hopeful planning, but to assess the past. My beautiful Bantam rooster met his demise as fall turned to winter last year. During broad daylight hours he became a meal for a predator who made off with his head. The hens were out in the yard, but he apparently was guarding the coop.

It is very sad because we loved his beauty and personality. He was the companion of our Banty hen, the pair of whom my husband liked to call “George and Martha”. Poor Martha… he had saved her from a Hawk early in the spring, but now his heroic days are done.

Speaking of the chickens, they are no longer laying with regularity. We have kept them cooped up since George’s demise, and they will be reaching their two year mark this spring; two possible reasons for their egg laying hiatus.

Back to Garden Planning

reseda odorata — Reseda is not a showy flower, but sweetly fragrant. I like to sow it in my containers.

Where was I? To order or not to order?

I have decided that I will order some seeds that I have had a notoriously difficult time finding in the past. I received a ‘Select Seeds’ catalog and several things that I want in this years garden are available there… one being Mignonette.
I will purchase a few trees this spring. Small ones.
I will need builders sand for some projects…. must remind husband, well before.
Since I ordered seeds, it makes sense to start some of my own plants indoors.
Considering whether to buy a replacement rooster.

I am trying very hard to keep my plans small, simple, do-able. Becoming overly ambitious and complicated is my Achilles heel. That lesson was relived over the holidays.

The Simple Life

We don’t really need to be entangled in the grandiose and complex. I don’t want to romanticize a simpler life, and I don’t mean the usual way it is understood. Old fashioned is not necessarily simpler, neither is homesteading or growing one’s own food. All that matters is what streamlines our lives in accordance with our own resources and means.

I think what I mean by a simpler life is one that is balanced, lived in moderation, lived well.

My plans will be influenced by that aim in 2017. Do you have plans, ambitious or otherwise? Have you ordered plants and seeds? I noticed that some selections are already being “sold out” for the season.

Lessons from this Post

Chores can be done during winter thaws
Simplify garden plans, take vacation absence into account
Order plants and seeds now, for best selection
Plan to enjoy life, as well as work

Landscaping 101, A Mini Course

November 28, 2015 by Ilona Erwin

Plan To Landscape Your Own Yard And Garden

Here is a quick course in planning your landscape- what to think about and where to find your information.

There is so much excellent tutorial information available that any homeowner can design and install their own beautiful landscape if they wish to do it on their own.

Why would you? Well, economic reasons for one – landscaping is one of the best ways to increase the value and sale-ability of your home, and it will save a great deal of expense to learn to do it yourself. You may just find it to be the beginning of your own gardening passion.

It also is very useful information if working with a professional landscaper- to better convey your wishes and enjoy the results.

Are you a homeowner? Are you interested in residential landscaping? This post is for you!

Landscape Basics – First things first

There are a few pieces of information to start out with when you are planning a landscape.

Know your climate zone.

This is fairly easy to find out in general. Look up your location on a climate zone map.

Additionally there are mini climate zones on your property, take time to observe these to know which areas are hardest hit by frost, or which are prone to dry conditions, etc.

Know your soil

A county extension agent can tell you the most information most easily, but you can also purchase a soil test kit and perform easy experiments. Explanation of the results are widely available once you know the pH and the consistency of your soil. This is important to know when choosing plants, and keeping them healthy.

National Resources Conservation Soil Survey

One very easy way to know more about your yard’s soil profile is to purchase a soil test kit. Run the tests for soil pH, and nutrients to find out the information you need for planting.

The simple ways to test your soil aren’t as scientifically accurate as those from your government agency, but they will give you a decent “ball park” understanding of the conditions of your garden.

Know your own limits.

A personal assessment only you can make.
From the size of your budget to the degree of energy you wish to invest in your yard, this is vital information that only you can determine.

Know How To Find Your Plants

You don’t need to know much about plants, but you should know good source of plant information for planning and planting, as well as maintaining your landscape. Start a garden bookshelf with a few good books. Keep a list of the website you find most informative. Start a garden journal to keep track of plant and tree ideas you want to put into your landscape plan.

Must have reference book: American Horticultural Society A to Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants (The American Horticultural Society)
Check this site: Plants of Merit, Plant Finder
Environmental Concepts 1662 Professional Soil Test Kit with 40 Tests

Figure Out What You Want

Write down a list of all the things you want -to do in your yard and what you want it to do for you. No matter how long the list, or how crazy the dream! It’s just a list- and you can put down everything you ever wanted in a yard. This will help you make decisions about putting your yard to work for you.

Next prioritize the features that are really important to you and your family. Is grilling an outdoor meal more important than a flower bed? Then arrange the ideas in the order you want to consider their implementation. You may still want a cutting garden, or one with fresh herbs, but allow the service areas of your landscape become evident.

This will also help you schedule projects, since most of us can’t have everything finished all at once.

What Do You Want From Your Yard?

Your property isn’t just land, it is living space, play space, and utility space.

A great landscape plan will incorporate everything into a cohesive plan to help you and your family get the most from it.

Plan your dream spaces: a firepit? Vegetable garden? Playground? Swimming pool? Outdoor kitchen?

The list of possibilities is quite long, but the priorities of your own lifestyle distills the plan into the important focus of the goals and layout.

Garden Plan The Easy Way

The Essential Garden Design Workbook: Second Edition

If you don’t know where to start and want to end up with professional quality results, you might find this workbook as good as taking a course in landscape design.

Yard Components – The Landscape Puzzle

Fit them together to make your plan.

The three main components of your yard are the hardscape, the fences, paths, walls, driveways, and lighting; the plantings, all the living growth in the garden; and the way you wish to use the space.

Fitting together the pieces to create the whole effect that you and your family will best enjoy is the finished product of your planning and efforts.

Hardscape
Plantings
Land use

Hardscaping

After deciding what you want, the hardscaping is installed… create the walkways, the patio, the walls, raised beds, whatever is needed to contain and move through the spaces you have planned. Place lighting, fences, arbors, and then you are ready for the fun part- planting.

Plantings

These range from the most permanent, trees to the least, annual flowers. A healthy mix of heights: trees, shrubbery, flowers, lawn, will give form and grace to the property. The planning for this is where you will induct the help of landscaping books, garden nursery advisers, county extension agents, landscapers, etc. to give input and information.

Preferably over several seasons, implement the plan with spring and fall installations of your chosen plants.

You will likely have more than a full impulse buys along the way- it is all part of the fun of the journey.

Lighting

Have you thought of how you will use your garden at night? Providing lighting might make it your favorite time to enjoy your yard. Consider safety lighting, but also mood lighting. Lights can play up a certain favorite tree or fountain.

Walkway Lighting

15310AZT Dome 1LT 21IN Incandescent/LED Hybrid LV Landscape Path & Spread Light, Textured Architectural Bronze Finish

The right lighting adds enjoyment to the whole landscape after dark.

Don’t overlook this important element when planning your landscape. Besides safety, the lighting along a path or a deck area gives ambiance and invites you to enjoy an evening in the garden.

An Arbor Can Look Amazing

Grow Vertically

When space is cramped or simply to provide another layer of plants and to give a bit of interest to your garden space, grow it vertically.

Creating structure and vertical interest is a way to really give your garden a professional look. It is a way to include flowering vines, a bit of romance, and often fragrance. Planting climbing roses, clematis, or honeysuckle vines would accomplish this as they are trained up your arbor, or on a trellis attached to the house or other building.

Made of premium weather-resistant vinyl, it should weather the elements well.

Garden Rooms

The Local Nursery

Make friends with your local plant nursery, and I don’t mean Lowes. the people working in a smaller locally owned nursery are more invested in you, the customer, and are likely knowledgeable about the growing conditions you will encounter in your area. They may turn out to be your garden’s best friend. Sometimes they offer free design help.

Plantings in three levels

Create privacy and visual interest

Create Rooms

To change the theme or color emphasis of your garden, to provide sanctuary or a little mystery, garden rooms can be part of your plan.

Design Concepts

3 VISUAL LEVELS

Plantings for the yard consist of three main levels. The topmost will be the trees, ranging from fifteen feet to house height, and more.

Mid-level is where the eye next rests: the ornamental trees and larger to medium size shrubs.

Lowest level is ground level and most of the perennial and annual plantings, groundcovers, flowering bulbs, and all such features are on this level.

GARDEN ROOMS

Another concept that is helpful in creating a pleasing landscape design is the idea of making “rooms”. These are garden spaces divided by hedges, wall, or trees- simply some sort of visual divider. Within the room created there can be a certain theme, color, or use.

A room for gatherings around a firepit, for example or for a patio to dine in. A children’s are or a cutting garden hidden away from the main part of the garden.

Structures And Features

Garden Paths
Examples of pretty garden paths made of varying materials.

Garden accessories

Birdbaths

Among the best garden ornaments, these artful features both decorate the garden and create necessary support for wildlife. Birds, butterflies, and other animals all need a source of water for drinking and bathing. There are many types of water features, some best for birds, others for insects or amphibians.

Don’t restrict your landscape plan to just one! These are wonderful focal points, too.

More about adding birdbaths to your garden.

14″ Joseph’s Studio Solar Powered Bird Bath Angel Outdoor Garden Statue

Bird Feeders and Houses

If you love birds, then many of the accessories you choose to add will cater to their needs for feeding stations, water, and housing. Luckily those accessories can some of the most charming objects imaginable!

I would want them to decorate the garden spaces even if they weren’t “for the birds”.

Yard Art

Garden ornaments are a topic all in themselves, and if you have a theme or style you wish to create it will give you ornament ideas.

The only rule is to not stuff too many into your space, although that may be tempting. Focus in on the ones you really love and highlight them within areas of the garden where they will get the attention they need.

Benches.

I believe every garden should have a bench or two. Places to sit and listen to sounds of the garden and to enjoy the scents and the view.

Basic Planting

Invest in Time-Saving Equipment

Not to mention how much effort they save, use tools like hedge trimmers, leaf vacuums, and tillers to help accomplish the work far more quickly and save time.

If you own your home, and plan to stay there for years, invest in yard maintenance equipment. If you are not sure how long you will remain there, rented equipment is available in most areas.

Be sure to take advantage of power tools, which will make your jobs much easier.

My review of a leaf vacuum tells the story of ‘Why I Can’t Live Without A Leaf Vacuum’.

How Did I Live Without A Leaf Vacuum?
Do you find raking leaves more of a chore than you bargained for? I love trees, and my property is a large one with grassy spaces and large trees- many of which I planted. I don’t regret any of the beautiful trees that grow in my landscape. …

Garden Landscaping Books

Books like “Understanding Garden Design” are the homeowners best friend. Tips, techniques, and ideas give guidance for projects and maintenance of the gardens.

The Best Garden Landscape Book – Resource Must

Read my thorough review of this book, ‘Understanding Garden Design.’

Understanding Garden Design: The Complete Handbook for Aspiring Designers

Think of this book as a “mini landscape design course”. It covers an amazing amount of design, how-to, and planting guidance to be the one book you should really have on your bookshelf if you have a home.

Design Inspiration – Learn from the Experts

One of the Best Books on Garden Plants – Knowing and Growing

The Well-Tended Perennial Garden: Planting and Pruning Techniques

Hands down, one of the best plant books for the home gardener. Great information and easy to follow instruction from a garden writer who has taste and skill in creating beautiful landscapes.

Gertrude Jekyll- Gertrude Jekyll and the Country House Garden: From the Archives of Country Life

Everyone loves English gardens, and the woman who designed the garden in the way we most recognize as an English garden was Gertrude Jekyll. One of her garden admonitions: Plant in drifts to mimic the natural manner of plants.

Christopher Lloyd- Succession Planting for Year-round Pleasure

Another English Garden writer who encouraged adventurous color combinations and imagination in planting. His purple and orange flowering harmonies still resound with modern excitement.

Tracy DiSabato-Aust – The Well-Tended Perennial Garden: Planting and Pruning Techniques

An American gardener-designer who advocates mixed plantings, and using plants that have good looks and healthy constitutions.

More about Garden Book Authors…

Landscape Ideas You Can Use: How to Choose Structures, Surfaces & Plants That Transform Your Yard

Sometimes you need to just find ideas to refresh your view of what you want in your landscape. This is a great idea book.

Home Landscaping Book – The best in my opinion

Read my full review of this book

It has moved to first place on my short list of the most helpful books to have on hand for your home landscaping library. If you garden, you will use this book often. It must be said that this is not a “how-to” book. There are very few plans for structures or steps to making paths or any of the other projects that some books like to incorporate. This is a book to help understand and plan a beautiful landscape.

Timeless Landscape Design: The Four-Part Master Plan

A book that is both interesting and beautiful, it will teach you about how to design your own landscape with plenty of illustrations, plans, and explanations. Inspiring , yet practical, not just a simple pretty book, but it certainly is pretty and filled with photos of great gardens,

#1 Tip For A Beautiful Landscape – Improve Your Soil With Compost

Making your own compost is not only a good way to recycle yard and kitchen waste, but it is an inexpensive way to amend your soil to give plants a boost with humus. I don’t know of any plant that isn’t improved with added compost, and this bin seems to be one of the most innovative and easy to handle. (I’m not an expert on all the types of compost bins, but look at the video and see for yourself).

Your Home Landscape Investment

Originally posted by Ilona Erwin as Ilona1 on Squidoo (now closed) on 10/10/11.

Brand New Post On The New Site

March 21, 2015 by Ilona Erwin

Here we are… the first post in a new season. It inspires me.

The first inspiration is to update my garden as well. For years I have renovated, and renovation is always somehow lacking. I want to return to some of the joy that comes from creating something new. My idea is to redo some of the gardens in a ways that identifies and places focal points inside the garden rooms, and indeed make more of a room from some of the gardens.

The entire place needs sprucing up, and I think adding more design and worrying less about weeds is the direction I want to take. This, of course, is secondary to my decision to concentrate on food gardening.

As always, my hope is to integrate the two, which is why I love ideals found in the French Potager and the English Kitchen Garden so intriguing. Somehow these types of garden combine beauty, landscape architecture, growing food for the table and a cutting garden all in one.

Focal Points In Food Gardens?

Why not? Although I have to admit that I am not sure how to do this. My plots have been in place a long time.

I already have raised beds in one and the other is placed against the back side of my garage with a stepping stone path along its side and backed with a fence. Maybe something against that fence as I look south?

Focal Points

Focal points are simply things that draw the eye and hold it. A centering of our attention. I have given concepts such as “full stops”, those plantings that allow the eye to realize the end of a flower bed, some thought in the past. (Mostly in the former border that I no longer have, it is given over to grass).

But focal points are not something that this landscape was easily given to… most of the paths and the driveway are somehow oblique in position. The photo with the urn is the one place I made a focal point. As one approaches the back of the house from the driveway.

I have a great deal of planning ahead of me if I am to make this inspiration into a reality.

The Challenge Of An Old Garden

When making new gardens, everything was much less challenging. Now I am stymied by the difficulty of moving established plants, and risking their loss. I am in need of fresh eyes for this place, too.

Perhaps I need time away in a vacation place to be able to return and truly see the improvements that need to be made. Yes! I love that idea. Not possible this year, so I need to crank up my mind’s eye to get a bead on what will give the gardens some renewed interest and form.