Matthew Allison, an experienced landscape architect who holds a B.E.D. in Landscape Architecture and a minor in Horticulture from North Carolina State University shares common pitfalls to avoid when creating a flower garden.
Mr. Allison, who also claims to have ‚”a degree in hard knocks from many years of experience,”* has a down-to-earth approach that allows for more time to enjoy the natural beauty of the garden rather than needing to do damage control for a poorly thought out design.
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A designer can eye plants with the future in mind. Mr. Allison says that most homeowners mistakenly place plants too close together or too near the house. The plants may look perfectly spaced when planted, but as they begin to grow, they become crowded and may need to be thinned or removed. Plants that are too close to the house may cause problems with drainage, obstruct views through windows, or damage a house’s foundation. ‚”I generally design with placing the plants where they should be once they are five years old.”
Few people can afford full-grown plants and may not realize the full-grown height of the young plant that was bought. Small plants may not be seen if taller plants begin to rise in front of them. Tall plants can obstruct the view from windows if not placed carefully.
Homeowners may love many elements of many gardens they have seen in magazines, books, at botanical gardens, on the internet, or other places. It might be tempting to choose many focal points to give a flower garden eye appeal, but this may have the opposite effect on the design. ‚”Be careful that you don’t have too many design statements in your yard. When your eye can’t decide what to focus on, your outdoor area is too busy!”
Gardeners that already have the gazing ball, flamingoes, gazebo, bird feeder and matching bird bath, boulder, bench, and multiple statues may wish to pick favorite pieces that work well together and move other pieces to different areas. A good garden plan may help the gardener to make the statement that he or she wishes to make.
Plants that love the sun will not perform well if planted in full shade. Conversely, a shade-loving plant will tend to wilt or die in full sun. Plants that need a combination of sun and shade may grow better in certain parts of the yard.
Moisture, acidity, and nutrients in the soil can also make the difference between a plant that becomes beautiful and one that looks woeful. Some plants require more water than others, and strategically placing them may help save time, water, and energy.
Some people like to carefully plan colors in the flower garden. It helps to know the color and blooming season for each plant so that the hue and texture combinations can be distributed accordingly.
The plants have arrived, and the soil has been prepared. Great garden tools are in hand, and the weather is beautiful. After planting the flowers, shrubs, and trees, they begin to grow nicely at first, but then seem to fizzle and stagnate. What could be wrong?
Many gardeners just want to get the plant in the ground and may dig a shallow and/or narrow hole that allows for inadequate expansion of the plant’s roots as it begins to grow. If funds are limited and the homeowner wants the best bang for the buck, Mr. Allison says, ‚”It is better to dig a $50 hole and get a $5 plant rather than buying a $50 plant and digging a $5 hole. You get more for your money that way.”
According to Mr. Allison, ‚”The rule of thumb is digging a hole twice as wide as the current container or root ball. The depth should generally be the same as the plant’s current depth. If you dig a hole a lot deeper and place the soil back at ground level, it usually settles and ends up lower than the current ground level and can cause the plant to drown.
‚”The other big mistake is making the backfill to fill the hole back too rich. If the soil is a lot more rich than the surrounding soil, the roots will not grow out of the immediate area and will be less healthy. This is especially appropriate when there is a drought and the roots have not ventured out to the surrounding poorer soil.
‚”I believe that 75% of roots are in the top 6″ of soil, 90% of roots are in the top 12″. Preparing a larger area with plenty of soil amendment is the best for an area. Our top soil amendment is composted leaves.” Even an inexpensive plant may begin to thrive and turn into a beautiful masterpiece with excellent soil preparation and a hole that is properly dug.
Gardening can be enjoyable and showcase a person’s tastes, but a poorly planned garden may create unnecessary work and frustration and can waste money. Before purchasing plants, it is important to create a blueprint, or plan, for the garden with careful consideration for placement of the plants, keeping in mind the plant characteristics. Taking the time to carefully prepare the soil can also help to produce the fabulous results that can have great porch appeal for the homeowner and curb appeal for others.
Readers may also wish to read quick and easy tips to save money grocery shopping.
*Quotes are from an interview with Mr. Matthew Allison from December 12, 2009.
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