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“Common Sense Landscape Design for the Homeowner”
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Importance of landscaping
(It’s much more than you may think)
As I sit down to write about “landscaping” I hesitate even at the word. “Landscaping” can mean so much. It’s actually a way of life for many people who value gardening as a hobby. The term may bring to mind images of outdoor entertaining, fine dining or even travel to exotic locations and famous gardens. “Landscaping” means many different things to different people. It’s not just mowing grass, shearing hedges or even planting “bushes” across the front of the house. It’s more than just trees and lawns. To some the term “landscape” might conjure up visions of rolling hills and golden sunsets in an imaginary land.
Actually, when I talk about landscaping, I’m thinking about something between these two extremes. Yes, you should dream a bit when planning your home garden, but of course your plans must be rooted in reality. The landscape is actually all of the above. It’s the total outdoor environment. The landscape might refer to large parks and open spaces or smaller urban areas. As individuals we don’t have much control over design of the larger landscape. However, we have total control over our “yard” or the immediate environment around our home. Why not make the most of it? Make it more appealing, more enjoyable. Make it special !
Actually, I prefer the term “home garden” to “yard” or “landscape”. My idea of a garden is not just a vegetable bed. When speaking of the home garden I picture images of walkways, outdoor seating areas, open views or privacy screens, interesting small spaces with eye catching features such as statuary, a novelty plant or a water fountain. It’s all that and more. It’s the view from the street or the view from the kitchen window. With this in mind, landscaping is MUCH more than just decoration. We can make it whatever we want. Your outdoor living spaces should be a continuation of the home’s interior and should not only match, but add to the style of the home. Your outdoor spaces should be as unique as you are.
Our typical American style of landscaping puts emphasis on the appearance of the house from the street. The “public area”, the perspective from the street, is typically designed to decorate the home creating “curb appeal”. However, in many other countries around the world, there would be a wall near the street with the plantings inside the wall creating a garden view from inside the house. Think about it. Your home is your castle. It’s your biggest asset. It is your refuge from the “jungle”. It’s where you relax, recuperate and entertain friends. It’s where you live! Make the most of it. Make your home environment welcoming to visitors. Make it comfortable, pleasant and interesting. Make it exciting!
OK………..now that we’re starting to see the big picture, how about this “rooted in reality” idea? A well designed landscape should do more than just decorate your house. Properly placed trees will cool or warm your house as needed. Well designed beds will make mowing and maintenance much simpler. Walkways should facilitate movement around your home and welcome guests. Are you starting to get the picture? Landscape features can either be an asset or a liability. It’s all a matter of what you do with that space. I think you’d agree it’s important enough to deserve a well thought out plan.
As mentioned above, the well designed garden space should provide beauty, privacy, relaxation, entertainment and enjoyment for many years to come. It’s not a short term proposition. Garden development takes years. We’re dealing with trees here. Unfortunately, in our mobile American society many people think in the near term. We often plan on moving in a few short years for various reasons. But, even in this case, proper landscaping will provide a few years of enjoyment and a return on investment when you sell. However, the big rewards come after many years of growth and development of a properly planned, installed and maintained garden. More than just increasing your property value, “the right plant in the right place” can truly result in an increase in your enjoyment and quality of life!
Sadly when driving down just about any residential street in America I see many cases of plantings done with little or no forethought. Often potentially large trees are positioned where they will crowd the house, walks or driveway. I see shrubs sheared into boxes and balls to keep them in bounds. You’ll also see shrubs growing up into the windows or plants that are colorful for only a short time in summer located in the public area where they are seen year around, even when they are dormant and not very attractive (more on this later). Or maybe it’s combinations of plants with no thought to their flower colors, flowering sequence or the general appearance in all seasons of the year. With better knowledge of plant material and a well thought out design, this picture could be pleasant in every season with far less maintenance. One secret to low maintenance is to strive for a natural appearance. A natural look can be a little “loose on the edges” and not so structured or “man made”. With the right plant in the right place heavy shearing isn’t necessary. The chosen plants should fill in their allotted space, choking out the weeds in the process.
Basic design
(Some things to consider)
Just what is a well designed landscape? In a nutshell, a well designed landscape is one that has a pleasant appearance all year around with minimal maintenance. You may have heard the expression “simple design is the best design”. It’s true! Even the knowledgeable gardeners among us are guilty of trying to “overachieve” in a given space making it too “busy”. Too many different plants, too much vibrant color, too many “eye catchers” or garden ornaments can be distracting. A solid background massing of green with a colorful specimen or original garden art to accent can be much more effective and simpler to maintain.
Another thumb rule is “natural design is the best design”. One of the greatest compliments a garden designer could receive is that his creation “looks natural”. It should blend in or complement the native environment. In fact we have an opportunity here to improve upon the natural environment. We can choose the more decorative plants and eliminate the ones with negative features such as thorns, floppiness, invasiveness or seasonal poor appearance. We can also select the placement of features to best enhance appearance and use of the given space. You might say that a garden is “designed nature”. Good design is timeless. It is classic. To quote the 19th Century designer Antoni Gaudi, “Nothing is art if it does not come from nature”. Or according to the Spanish architectural scholar Juan Bassegoda, we should “look to nature for inspiration……..nature does not go out of fashion.”
So what’s the “take home” on design? Natural design is best. It utilizes curving beds, odd number plant groups, natural mulching materials, pruning to maintain a plant’s natural shape. Unfortunately, the converse of this is the norm in America today. Straight bed lines following the foundation of the house, plants in rows, pruning every plant into boxes and globes to fit in a space that’s much too small for the plant’s natural habit or worse yet, mulching with colorful gravel. With a little basic information you can make your home environment much more appealing and easier to maintain.
So what am I talking about? Plants should be in beds rather than “spot planted” around the yard. Beds will eliminate mowing in the little odd spaces and inside corners around the house. Mowing lines should be smooth, gently curving and unbroken. Use something low and maybe colorful under the windows. Consider something interesting near the front door to draw the visitor’s eye to the entrance. You might want to frame your house with a small tree on the corner, planted in a bed that comes out and rounds the sharp corner of the house. Plants should be carefully selected for the best qualities to fit the areas intended. This would mean shade and screening where needed, low growing plants under windows and in the foreground, pleasant winter appearance on the street side of the house with a balance of summer color and evergreens. Of course other considerations include ease of movement around the property and designated uses for the various areas.
Landscape design might be as basic as where to plant a tree given as a gift or as complex as where to situate a new home on a 50 acre wooded site. A large custom built home will usually have a more complex landscape, but any home can be “customized” and made special with a well designed landscape garden. In the case of a new home on a wooded site, you must give careful thought to which of the existing trees should be saved and which to cut down. This will impact where you put the house and how your driveway will run. Of course the topography and water flow will also have to be considered. A sloping site or a site with large existing trees might call for bigger beds to eliminate grass or terrace walls for leveling the beds. More often than not, with proper design, a seemingly “difficult” situation such as a steep slope, ravine, extreme shade or wetness can be made into an interesting feature.
Do you have a problem with a difficult slope or neighboring noise? You might consider covering a steep slope with a “groundcover” to eliminate mowing. Don’t think of groundcover as just a low growing substitute for turf. A groundcover is anything that covers the ground, regardless of its height. Certain perennials and grasses make excellent spreading groundcovers. There are shrubs that grow 2, 4 or 6’ high that will spread, cover a bank, choke out the weeds and eliminate mowing. Depending on the situation you might even add trees to shade a large, steep bank and reduce potential weeds. As for shielding from a noisy area, consider large leaved plants which make good sound absorbers.
People often ask what they can do with an extremely shaded site. While the shade might be too dense for a successful lawn, this is not a problem! Many plants thrive in the shade. It’s just a matter of selecting plants that prefer shade and this would include many nice groundcovers. Typically flowers aren’t as abundant in shade, but neither are weeds!
The simple act of planting a tree should be given a lot of thought considering that the tree will likely be there for many generations to come. All too often we see trees planted in the center of the front yard just because it seems logical. That tree might eventually hide your house or at least, fail to provide shade in the most optimal location. Shade trees should be situated to shade and cool the house from the south or southwest sun in the northern hemisphere. More specifically a shade tree could be used to block the glare of the late afternoon sun from blinding diners at the dining room table in the evening. Consider where shade is needed, whether it is the bedroom or living area or maybe the patio and place shade trees accordingly. Put your practical “thinking hat” on here. Of course nature has this wonderful way of allowing the warming sun rays to shine through a leafless tree in the wintertime while providing shade in the summer. Now, that’s a great idea!
Screens and Windbreaks
Where a windbreak is desired or a year round screen, large evergreens such as pine and spruce (conifers) should be planted. Consider using conifers (cone bearing trees) on the perimeter of the property to block undesirable views or winds. Generally such a screen planting would be used to shelter and warm the house by blocking the cold winter winds. Consider hiding a bad view with a dense evergreen tree while leaving desirable views open.
This is a topic near and dear to my heart. I grew up in an urban “subdivision” with neighbors just 20’ away from our patio. I always thought about how the quality of life in this situation could be so much better with some privacy screening. Good fences make good neighbors! Just one or two, or better yet, three evergreen trees strategically planted can make a huge difference in the enjoyment of your back yard. I’ve even seen hot tubs placed on a patio with no fence or screening of any kind and wide open to the view of 8 or 10 neighboring houses. Does that make sense? In fact, what I’m about to tell you regarding screen and windbreak plantings is really just good common sense.
For example, as always, keep it natural. Don’t plant the trees in straight rows. This will just set you up for disappointment when one tree dies or grows more slowly than the others. Trees aren’t bricks. They are individuals. Regardless how badly we want them to all grow identically, they will be slightly different. You should spend a lot of time placing flags in the area to represent the trees. You might start by standing on your patio or at your kitchen window and place flags to hide the bad views. Look at your flags from all directions to see that it looks pleasant and natural. Be sure you are covering the bad views. Check that no 3 trees are in a straight row. Large Pines and Spruce should be planted about 15’ apart for best coverage when they mature.
There are a couple of exceptions to the “don’t plant trees in a straight line” rule. It’s a different circumstance when space is limited such as along a fence in a narrow yard or when lining a driveway. In this case a straight row might make sense. Just be aware that your trees should be planted at least 12-15 feet from the property line to avoid crowding. Branches growing across your neighbor’s property belong to your neighbor and might get pruned off. When planting along a driveway, you need to allow plenty of room for the trees to grow and not crowd the driveway. Little spruce trees planted 5 feet from the driveway will someday have to be taken down or “limbed up” to allow passage down the drive. I’d suggest at least 20’ of space between the edge of the driveway and the trunk of any tree. Shade trees might even be given more room. Low branched shade trees like willows and pin oak should never be used to line a driveway. This is a prime example of what I’m talking about when I say you could be planting a “liability”. Another problem with planting evergreens along a driveway is trapping snow. A line of evergreens will work just like a snow fence. This is good if they are planted 150’ from the driveway keeping the snow drift away. But if your “snow fence” is close to the driveway, that’s where the snow will be also.
Regarding plant selection, it’s a good idea to mix several species to guard against attack by potential insect or disease problems. Pest problems on plants are usually the result of a specific insect or disease attacking a specific type of tree. By mixing various species of Pine, Spruce, Fir etc, you will reduce the likelihood of an epidemic destroying your screen planting. If you are trying to cover a large area, you might even mix in some deciduous trees or shrubs to further enhance your barrier planting. Shrubs planted on the inside of a screen of evergreens will help with the density in summer as well as adding flower color against the dark green background.
You might also consider mixing the sizes of the trees you are planting. Think about it. This would enhance the natural appearance of your planting, while averaging out the cost of the entire project! One rule of thumb when planting trees is that it takes about 1 year per inch trunk diameter for a newly planted tree to become established and resume growth. In other words, the larger the tree that’s being transplanted, the longer it will take for it to recover from the transplanting, get its roots established and start to grow again. In fact, it’s common that a smaller tree will often start to grow sooner and eventually catch up with a larger tree. This doesn’t mean that seedlings will surpass a larger transplanted tree. But a 3’ Pine tree might catch up to a 6’ Pine tree planted at the same time after a few years. It takes about 5 years for a small seedling to grow into a bushy little 3’ tree. Of course with small seedlings planted out in a large lawn many other problems come into play such as weed competition, lawn mower decapitation and rabbit or rodent damage.
Avoid planting evergreens in low spots! This is generally true of all plants when planting in heavy clay soil. Clay soil is “tight” and poorly drained with little air space. Roots require aeration. When planted in low areas most plants will be stunted at best but will normally suffer and eventually die. Of course there are exceptions. Plants that would normally grow in low swampy areas or stream courses, like willows or swamp cypress, will do well in wet spots. If done properly, this could be a storm water retention area and result in a nice feature in your garden. However pines and spruce in screens will require good drainage. One or two feet of mounding is helpful if the area is flat. If your screen planting goes through a low spot you’ll notice the trees in that area will not do so well.
Screens and Windbreak review:
Keep it natural (don’t plant in straight rows)
Use 15’ spacing
Mix species (avoid future pest problems)
Mix in some deciduous plants?
Mix sizes (save money!)
Keep windbreaks back from driveways
Avoid planting in low spots
Private vs. public space
(It’s my yard isn’t it?)
Yes, it’s your yard, but the street side creates an impression to everyone who drives by your house. It makes a statement about who you are. What is it they say, “you only get one chance to make a first impression?” Generally speaking, the front of your house is the public area. You might be interested to know that the tree lawn (that space between a sidewalk and the street), is actually not your property. This area is normally owned by the city. Of course it’s yours to maintain but not to plant trees on without the permission of the city. Most cities want to control what types of trees are planted in the tree lawn since they will ultimately be the ones pruning and caring for those trees. Cities also prefer uniformity in the types of trees planted along a given street. They also want to avoid messy or wide trees which might interfere with traffic flow.
The public area is generally viewed from the street all year round and therefore should be pleasant to look at in every season. This would require a moderate amount of evergreens for winter color. Of course evergreens are available in all shapes, sizes, colors and textures. But even deciduous shrubs and perennials can add winter interest, provided there are a few evergreens for background and companion planting. Winter interest in deciduous material might come from their structure, winter branch color, persistent fruits or vertical accent. Dormant ornamental grasses have excellent winter interest. Don’t prune them to the ground in the fall!!! Deciduous plants do have a place in the public area and can add interest. However, the bulk of the flowering plants belong in the private area.
The back is the private space, although this could vary depending on your specific situation. In colder climates, the private area is generally not used in the winter. Of course it’s viewed from the windows of the house and can be very interesting with winter features and visiting wildlife. But the private area doesn’t need to be as clean and neat with winter green color as the public area. The back yard should have more summer color, pools or fountains, fragrance and songbirds, all things that relax and entertain the senses in an intimate setting. This is where you can go wild with annuals and perennials that you enjoy in the summer. Of course you still need to consider the maintenance required by herbaceous plants such as deadheading and dividing or replanting annually. Low maintenance is critical to the enjoyment of your outdoor rooms.
Basic Design Review
Front of house (public area) should be simple and pleasant in all seasons
Strike a balance between summer color and evergreens
Consider the winter appearance
Back (private area) can be more colorful for summer use
Consider fragrance
Attract songbirds?
Climate
Your particular climate and soil will dictate what will succeed in your home garden. Save yourself a lot of heartache and expense, choose hardy plants for your area. When I say “hardy”, I’m not just talking about cold hardiness. I’m referring to the toughness it takes to survive your summer heat, soil, exposure etc. Don’t just choose plants from pictures in books or what you’ve seen on vacation or planted at a previous home in another climate. Choose plants that will work for the climate in which you are planting. Most of the same design principles apply in every climatic region. It’s just a matter of using the appropriate plants for your area.
Of course there are the major climatic regions of arctic, northern boreal, temperate, subtropical and tropical. Within those latitudes we also have alpine zones, lowlands, deserts and maritime regions. These divisions will obviously reflect major differences in the flora and fauna that succeed there. But within these regions you’ll also find variability in soil, rain and snowfall, sunlight, temperature, humidity, etc.
Desert zones are pretty self explanatory. The plants of this region tolerate heat and dryness well. Unfortunately retirees from temperate climates move into this region and long for the green grass of home. It makes more sense to use gravel mulch and cacti in a desert environment. Of course those retired golfers in the desert require grass fairways, so man finds a way to get it done.
Similarly when I see gravel mulch used in our green, eastern temperate region, I wonder what the designer was thinking. I understand that gravel doesn’t require mowing and the intention is usually to reduce maintenance. But there’s also the problem of reflected heat under the summer sun on plants that are better adapted to the moist temperate climate. Too much heat in this case can desiccate the plants and encourage pest problems. Heat loving groundcovers like Sedum would be a good choice instead of gravel. This is more environmentally sound since, unlike gravel, plants will perform their magic of producing oxygen, cooling the environment and filtering storm water.
Alpine zones are more extreme. I’m sure you’ve heard the weather man talk about Denver weather when it’s 70 degrees one day and they get a foot of snow the next. The weather in an alpine area can change rapidly with a shift in the wind. Alpine plants are usually tough, low, durable and cold hardy. This makes it sound like they’d be excellent selections for our Midwestern climate, but our poorly drained soil would be a problem. Alpine plants prefer sharp drainage. They often grow in rock crevices. They can tolerate dryness and cold but not poor drainage or excessive heat. Of course we can build an alpine garden in the Midwest by stacking up rocks and planting alpine plants in the cracks and crevices. An alpine garden can be a nice feature for a small sunny space with relatively little maintenance requirements.
Continental climates also vary as the wind blows. While not as extreme as the alpine climate, a continental climate is more variable than a maritime climate. Without the moderating effect of a large body of water and a generally flat topography, the center of a large continent, such as the American Midwest, will have extremes of weather. Our weather is extremely hot and dry in the summer, and extremely cold and wet in the winter. This would appear to be a difficult scenario for living things, which it is! But of course many plants have adapted to these conditions as well and we have many wonderful plant choices available to us here in the Midwest.
A more moderate climatic region is the maritime climate. A maritime climate is influenced by the cooling effects of a large body of water in summer including moisture and humidity in the atmosphere. A maritime climate in winter is typically warmer with more atmospheric moisture, when the water is not frozen! It’s hard for most people to understand why they can’t grow Rhododendron, for example, in central Ohio when they grow just fine further north along Lake Erie. This is because the problem involves much more than just the winter temperatures. The soil along Lake Erie is typically more sandy and acidic which is preferred by the “ericaceous” plants (an acid loving plant group which are typically broadleaved evergreens including Rhododendron and Azalea). Another aspect to consider with an ocean side location is the salt in the air requiring salt tolerant plants. This may also be the case for plantings near a major highway that gets salted in the winter for ice control.
Now lets get down to your home environment and you’ll find that there are widely varying microclimates even there. The west and south side of your house is normally much harsher for the heat and drying effects of the summer sun or freezing and thawing in winter. This freezing and thawing cycle will “heave” small plants right out of the ground. It will also cause bark splitting on trees and desiccation to broadleaved evergreen shrubs. Desiccation or drying and burning of foliage will happen in winter when the ground is frozen, preventing water uptake, while the sun and wind are taking moisture from the leaves. This is not the place for Boxwood, Rhododendrons, Azaleas, Pieris, etc. These broadleaved evergreens, would much prefer the north or east side of your house. The north and east exposure is usually more protected from the wind and afternoon sun. This is the place for tender plants with broad leaves but a bad place for the sun loving, tough, fleshy leafed plants. Microclimate would also take into account such things as proximity to the air blowing from a heat pump, reflected heat off a wall or window, nearness of water in a fountain or garden pool or just protection from wind and sun from neighboring buildings or trees.
Soil types
OK, let’s talk about soils. Soils will vary almost as much as climates. We’ve got the extremes of beach sand to hard pan clay and everything in between. Of course there are plants that thrive in each of these extremes but many others which will tolerate neither. Most plants prefer the happy medium of a well drained sandy loam. If you live in an area with a sandy loam soil and a maritime climate you are in the minority and you are blessed! We can’t change our climate, but we can all improve our soil by a few simple steps.
First of all, most people in a clay soil area are envious of those with sandy soils. While a sandy soil is easier to dig into, it does have it’s down side. Sandy soils have better drainage, but will also dry out more quickly in summer. Sandy soils are typically less fertile requiring additional fertilizer throughout the growing season. This is particularly true when trying to grow a lawn on sandy soil.
Clay soil, on the other hand is quite fertile. The problem with clay is that it’s poorly drained and becomes physically hard packed when dry. The key to improving a clay soil is to incorporate composted organic matter in the top 6”. One might think that adding sand to clay would improve it. Not so! The farmers say “sand on clay is money thrown away!” Adding sand to clay actually is a good way to make a rudimentary form of concrete! Adding compost to clay will break up the hard packed clay particles while raising the area making it better drained. Mounding is actually a good idea. This topic will be covered under the installation section.
It is often suggested that you should “test” your soil before planting to see what amendments are needed for each particular crop grown. This is always a good idea to see where you stand with soil type and fertility. But the vast majority of landscape plants in the Midwest will thrive in any well drained clay loam. On the other hand, the “ericaceous” plants, which are generally the broadleaved evergreens, such as boxwood, azalea, holly, etc. prefer a well drained acidic soil. Other plants requiring acid soils include the blue hydrangeas and blueberries. To grow acid loving plants, folks in a heavy clay area will have to improve their soil by raising the beds and incorporating acidifying amendments such as sphagnum peat moss and acidifying fertilizer. Periodic top dressing with sulphur compounds such as ammonium sulphate will maintain a low pH and keep ericaceous plants green.
Creating your design
Plan your work and work your plan
OK, now that I’ve laid out some of the possibilities to consider in designing your home landscape. Let’s get down to the nuts and bolts. You’ll want to walk around your house with a tape measure, a piece of graph paper and a pencil. Note down the lengths of all the walls, the heights and locations of the windows, as well as location, shape and dimensions of existing patios, walkways, fences, walls and utilities. Note also the existing plants that you want to keep and topographical features such as slopes and depressions. You might take some pictures for easy reference later. Make a note of which direction is north. You may also make notes of desirable or undesirable views that you wish to either enhance or block.
You’ve probably already done the dreaming part, but it’s good to have some ideas in mind while drawing your plan. Winter is a good time to dream and sketch the plans with a warm fire and a hot cup of coffee. You might have gotten these ideas from books or gardens you’ve visited or maybe a house you’ve seen. But of course you’ll need to temper your plans by considering such details as local ordinances, the climate where you live and your budget. So, take your measurements and make a scale drawing from an overhead perspective of your house, walks, patios and property lines as well as the existing features. A scale of 1 inch = 10 ft usually works well for the immediate vicinity of the house. A larger property might require 1 inch = 20 ft or maybe make more than one drawing. After you’ve got a drawing of the existing features that you will be keeping, you can begin to add new features and plants.
The next step after you’ve got a scale drawing of the existing features, is to add the “bones” of the garden. This would be the main features such as large trees and walks or patios. The same will be true when it comes to the installation. You’ll place the large features first and then work around them for the details. Make your mistakes on paper! That’s why we’re making a plan. It’s much less expensive than making mistakes on the ground. For example think about the dimensions of your patio. How much space will you need for furniture or features? Will you need a fire pit? What about a hot tub or barbecue grill? You might want a total outdoor kitchen. How many people will you normally entertain at one time? Consider all these factors when determining whether you want a patio or deck and it’s dimensions.
That brings up another point. Do you want a patio or a deck? One of the main considerations to help you with that decision is, how much slope there is to deal with. If you’ve got much of a slope it might make more sense to use a deck. It’s still possible to make a patio but you’ll need to level the site with walls and do some cut and fill which would certainly be more expensive and possibly lead to some settling later. Another consideration is how high your doorway is above the ground leading to the entertaining area. If your door is low and the yard is flat, a patio of concrete or concrete pavers will make more sense. But if your door is 4’ above the ground you might consider at least a small deck as a landing area to get you easily out the door before going down steps to a lower level. It’s always a good idea to have the outdoor surface at the same level as the indoor floor for ease of transition to the outside. Picture yourself carrying a tray full of drinks out the door and immediately down a flight of steps!
Decks used to be very popular but lately have fallen off in popularity for various reasons. One reason is the introduction of concrete pavers. Concrete pavers are quite versatile, attractive and very durable.
Concrete itself used to be popular and is comparatively inexpensive. Stamped concrete is very nice, but concrete will eventually crack unless it is poured very thick. No exceptions. The soil is constantly moving. Decks on the other hand often require building permits, paint or staining and are about 4 times the cost of concrete and 2 times the cost of concrete pavers. But don’t give up on the deck idea. As mentioned a deck might be more appropriate than a patio given a slope or high doorway. Decks are also very attractive and versatile. Some of the newer “composite” materials can eliminate the paint or staining problem. Although, in fact, you might find that the composite material fades and can’t be stained to give it that new look of freshly stained wood. Maintenance of a wood deck isn’t quite as bad as it seems. Stains can be easily sprayed on and even that job need only be done every 3 to 5 years. Ok, let’s get back to the fun part of dreaming and planning and talk about a few rules of thumb.
Take advantage of existing features. You might recall I asked you to note down features that you might want to retain in your new garden. I love working with older houses which have some existing trees or other features to work with. It’s actually harder to get creative with a bare slate than when given a gnarly old tree or hedgerow to work with. As mentioned before, what might appear on the surface as a problem area such as a steep slope, wet area or dense woods, could become a main object to feature in your new garden.
Simple design is the best design. Many hobby gardeners have a problem here in that we are collectors. We want to try every “new plant” that comes along and our gardens become a “hodge podge” with no overall design theme. Referring back to “curb appeal”, imagine yourself driving past a house at 35 mph and glancing at the front yard. With a wide collection of different colors and textures it will be hard to take in that scene and process it as a pretty image. But with a common groundcover, a few tall tree accents framing the house, and consistent color for highlights you’ve got a pleasant scene that’s probably much easier for the homeowner to maintain.
Use massing for best effect. Remember the last time you saw a large floral display in a public garden? It was probably large beds of the same color bulbs, annuals or perennials that caught your eye with its mass of color and texture. This massing works not only for herbaceous color but for larger trees and shrubs as well. It’s just a matter of scale and how much room we are working with. Trees look nicer in groups. A grove of trees has much more impact than a single tree. This is especially true with evergreens. When you are trying to screen the wind or a view with evergreens, more is always better. Furthermore, when planting in groups, use odd numbers. Informal groups of 3 or 5 look more natural than groups of 2 or 4. Along with this discussion of massing I should mention a phenomenon that occurs with regularity. I’ll see that 3 or 5 shrubs are planted in a group which is intended by the designer to grow together forming a mass. But after a few years the homeowner starts pruning them into individual balls or squares. This is unnecessary maintenance. These plants should be allowed to grow together forming a large mass. If you want it to look neat you can prune the edges and top of the whole group but allow the group to grow together. This is the natural effect you are looking for which reduces pruning. The larger mass will cover more ground reducing the space for weeds to grow.
Natural design is best. This statement could get me in trouble when thinking of the geometric designs in famous old European formal gardens. But for popular taste in gardens and certainly for the average homeowner I’ll stick by this statement. The natural element refers to curving walkways and beds as opposed to straight lines. Avoid planting in straight rows. Landscaping is meant to soften the straight lines of the building architecture. Use gentle curves that are easy to walk and mow along. On the other hand, extremely curvy lines are equally inappropriate as it looks too contrived and lacks purpose. As mentioned above, the natural element also encourages massing and group plantings. A natural design doesn’t require constant shearing and manicuring. The natural woodlands look pretty good without constant care. Of course low maintenance doesn’t mean “no maintenance”. Particularly where turf is involved you’ll need to do some mowing and trimming or removal of sticks and leaves. But a natural design allows for the plants to grow to their natural dimensions and fill in their given spaces with a minimum of pruning.
We’ve discussed many major issues to consider in your design. Let’s talk now about some of the finer points. What about contrasting colors and textures? To make a certain group of plants stand out they should be located next to something contrasting. This might refer to tall things behind lower things or coarse texture next to fine texture. Of course contrasting colored flowers will enhance each other. Red against yellow will stand out much more than pink against white. And then you must also consider when these flowers will be in bloom. It does no good to have two contrasting flower colors if they don’t bloom at the same time. On the other hand, it’s good to have something in the garden blooming at all times. Generally, only annuals bloom all summer and of course annuals must be planted each year. So you’ll want to select something for color in each season. Colorful foliage is an easy way to bring color into the garden for the entire summer. Many plants have yellow or purple foliage. However, you’ll soon learn that colorful foliage on most plants, like flowers, will have a peak season and then fade. Fresh color is always best so don’t count on that bright yellow foliage being attractive when it fades to a dirty yellow/green or the dark purple becomes a washed out rusty brown. Of course you’ll also need to consider the winter appearance and therefore incorporate some things for winter color. Winter color isn’t always green, nor is it only achieved with evergreens. Conifer gardens can be very colorful with the various shades of green, yellow and blue foliage available. Besides foliage and flowers, winter color might come in the form of colorful bark or persistent colorful berries. Winter interest might also be achieved in the coarse naked branching of a tree. The bottom line is that you’ll have to try to visualize your garden in every season of the year for best results.
Plant selection
(Why shouldn’t I just go to the garden center and buy what I like? )
As I’ve elaborated above much forethought should be given to plant selection. This is perhaps the most important part of your landscape design. It’s easy to jot down plants you like in locations where you’d like to see them. But we’ve got to consider what will actually perform best in these locations. Of course this will require a significant knowledge of suitable plant material for your area. You might simply make notes of plants you like which are performing well in your area. If you see a plant you like in someone’s yard, don’t be afraid to ask the owner what it is. They may not know but they’ll probably be flattered that you asked! It’s very helpful to visit gardens or garden centers where the plants are labeled. One word of caution, however, when looking around a garden center. It’s easy to fall in love with whatever looks good in the garden center at a given time. But what will that plant look like 2 months from now, or in the dormant season. You will undoubtedly see many beautiful plants on display that have special requirements which might not work for your application. You will also see some cute small plants that have the potential of becoming very large in time. All these things must be taken into account. Learning all about the plant material alone is a pretty daunting task. There are literally thousands of plants that are suitable to just about any climate. But of course you should only consider those species and varieties that will do well in your climate, soil and microclimate. It’s very tempting to select plants that are beautiful but hard to grow in your area. On the other hand there are also many plants that are very attractive, interesting and adaptable but little used due to their lack of availability in the nursery trade. It may be worth the effort to find an unusual specimen to make your garden stand out from the ordinary. Please refer to the plant section in the back of this book for a list of plant suggestions for the American midwest. Of course, there are many fine plant reference books available but bear in mind, books often cover a large region and might mislead you as to the suitability of a particular plant to your microclimate or situation.
Location, location, location!
(right plant, right place)
This real estate mantra is also true for designing and planting landscape plants. There is a plant for just about every situation. It is truly amazing how some trees will grow in standing water while others will grow in a rock crevice on a dry mountainside. Putting the right plant in the right place is indeed the key to success in landscaping. Our job is to pick the plant best suited for the situation.
One of the first considerations is the ultimate size of the plant. It is obvious that you don’t want to choose a six foot shrub to place under a two foot window. Or to place a five foot tall perennial in front of one that grows to only one foot. However, it can be very tempting to plant something that looks good today without considering how big that item might be in 5 or 10 years. Furthermore, the books don’t always tell us how big that plant might get under our particular conditions. The size listed for a tree growing under ideal conditions in its native habitat will differ from its ultimate size when planted in a confined tree pit along a busy street. That tree’s height will also differ from a location with heavy soil, harsh winds and less than ideal fertility. Of course it may be said that a particular plant can be used in a confined space if we only prune or shear it annually. Yes, that’s true but it also requires maintenance. Our objective is low maintenance. There will be plenty to do in keeping your landscape garden looking good even when properly designed. Don’t underestimate the work it will take to keep plants under control when they are trying to grow out of bounds. Not to mention the appearance of those plants after getting a yearly haircut! Remember we are trying to keep things looking natural. They won’t look natural after being hard pruned every year.
What about dwarf plants? Surely they’ll stay in bounds. Here are a couple of notes about dwarf plants. Dwarf or compact is a relative term. Let’s say that the original species could grow to 10 feet tall whereas the dwarf form will get only 5 feet tall. This plant will probably get 5 or 6 feet tall in time. It’s still not a small plant. Dwarf forms of trees which normally get 60’ tall might grow eventually to 20 or 30’. Even dwarf plants will continue to grow, albeit slowly, but as long as they are alive, they are still growing! Another thing to keep in mind about dwarf forms is that they are typically smaller and more expensive when you buy them. This is just economics. They are slower to produce and therefore cost more money. Consequently, when you go to buy them they’ll be awfully small, but they will grow! You may be surprised one day at how big that cute little critter becomes!
So to recap, when choosing the plants for your garden you must consider the climate, the amount of sun or shade, the soil type, the moisture available and the degree of protection from the wind. The climate is often defined simply in terms of the average winter low temperatures, but as covered in the climate section, it’s much more than that. Climatic conditions must take into account the summer high temperatures, the average amount of rainfall, the humidity (which impacts diseases) and wind conditions both summer and winter. You’ll see hardiness zones listed for various plants. This generally indicates the minimum winter temperatures which a particular plant can tolerate. But it usually doesn’t take into account the heat tolerance of plants to summer high temperatures. Of course it also doesn’t reference at all the other climatic conditions mentioned. Furthermore, there are at least 2 different climate zone maps in use in the nursery trade. One is produced by the US Department of Agriculture and the other by the Arnold Arboretum in Boston, Massachusetts. Zone 5 on the USDA map is actually zone 4 on the Arnold Arboretum map. However in recent years, the USDA map has been updated and is more commonly used.
Designing with Trees
Trees are the “bones of the garden”. They are, of course, major features with long term consequences. They are one of the first things you should consider in your design and their selection and placement must we well thought out. A tree is truly a long term investment.
What is a tree? The difference between a tree and a shrub can be a foggy area when a shrub gets large and drops its lower branches thereby resembling a tree. In fact I advocate large shrubs when someone requests a small tree because they’ll usually stay between 10 and 20 feet even at maturity. A small tree, by shade tree standards, can easily reach 30-40 feet. A tree, on the other hand, can resemble a shrub when it has multiple stems which can actually be quite nice and natural in appearance. The definition of a tree is typically a perennial plant having a single, woody stem with relatively few low branches. The actual size of a tree can range from a little bonsai to the giant Redwoods at over 300’ tall. With this in mind, one of the first considerations when choosing a tree is it’s ultimate size. Are you looking for a large shade tree for the yard or a 15’ accent tree for the corner of the house? Are there power lines or other obstructions that would limit the desired size of the tree? Think forward and choose appropriately.
Consider soil type and available moisture. Some trees will grow well over a wide range of soil, moisture and habitats. It’s actually quite amazing but the common American baldcypress (Taxodium distichum) ranges naturally from the swamps of Florida to the plains of Illinois. It will tolerate perennial standing water in the bayou swamps of Louisiana, but will grow equally well in heavy clay in your front yard in Indiana. Actually there is a similarity between heavy clay and a swamp. Heavy clay has very little air space between the finely packed clay particles. Likewise there is little air available to roots underwater. Therefore, trees that grow in wet spots also typically do well in heavy clay. Red maple (Acer rubrum) ranges widely from Florida to Minnesota. Although the species does have geographical varieties that are better adaptable to Florida verses Minnesota so you’ll want to buy your trees locally. In any case, red maple is a good choice for heavy soil that’s been disturbed, such as a commercial site or housing development that’s been recently graded by a bulldozer.
Conversely, well drained high spots have somewhat similar characteristics to well drained sandy soils. Pine trees are commonly found on rocky outcrops in the mountains so they will need good drainage. Sugar maples (Acer sacharum) are typically found on the tops of hills so they will require better drainage than the red maples. (Quercus bicolor) will tolerate wet spots, hence the common name “swamp white oak”, but a white oak (Q. alba) prefers better drainage. Poor drainage is the number one reason for failure of trees planted in heavy clay soil. Be sure to choose appropriate trees for your site or you will be wasting money and time.
Some trees require the protection and loamy soil of a woodland site while others are very adaptable to disturbed sites in an urban setting. It’s hard for people to understand why something that grows wild in the woods won’t succeed in their front yard. For example, common eastern white dogwood (Cornus florida) is found in the woodland margins around the Midwestern United States but is very problematic when planted in the heavy disturbed soil of a new housing development. This is a prime example of a woodland tree that requires an organic, woodsy loam soil and the protection of a woodland environment. There’s been much discussion lately about the need for “micorrhizal fungus” which is a beneficial microorganism typically found in a woodland soil that helps the roots to take up water and nutrients. It’s been suggested that mycorrhiza should be added to improve a poor soil but another problem often occurs. This beneficial fungus can’t survive in a poor soil so it dies when added to heavy clay. Consequently, the soil must be improved first by mixing in organic matter before adding the mycorrhiza.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention something here about the growth rate of trees. Regardless what type of tree you are planting, you probably want it to grow fast. You are either looking for shade or screening and in both cases fast growth is desirable. The problem is that fast growing trees are typically short lived and result in fast dying trees. A fast growing tree is typically a “pioneer species”. One that establishes itself quickly after a woodland is burned over or otherwise destroyed. Their purpose is to establish a canopy over the grassland providing a protected habitat for more desirable, longer lived tree species. Some examples of short lived fast growers are Poplar and Willow. They typically do well in wet spots because they suck up lots of water and grow fast. Unfortunately this fast growth is weak wood full of water. These types of trees easily break apart in storms and actually die out after about 20 years. It’s not a bad idea to use a pioneer species to provide a quick cover but a longer lived tree should be planted in front or behind the short lived tree to eventually provide the protection you seek when the fast grower is gone. An example of a more desirable tree which typically grows slower is the Oak. But an oak will become a stately old tree that will last for generations. There are many great compromises between fast growing and slow growing trees. And any tree will grow surprisingly fast if you get it planted properly in the right spot and give it the proper care. Of course it will take time to grow a nice tree. I’m often asked, What is the best time to plant a tree? The correct answer is 25 years ago! That being impossible…..the next best time is today. Seasonally, fall and spring are preferred since they are generally cool, moist seasons. Summer is OK if the tree can be watered periodically. Winter also works if the ground is not solid from frost. Yesterday is even better!
A more important consideration than how fast the tree will grow is what kind of tree it is. Does it have nice fall color? Does it flower? Are the leaves glossy? Is the bark attractive? Can the tree become messy? Are their big leaves or messy fruits? Big leaves provide deep shade but also present a raking problem. As I’ve said before and will continue to assert, “low maintenance” doesn’t mean “no maintenance”. There may be some leaf raking or fruit taking involved. Any tree will have something dropping periodically. It’s a living, breathing, changing organism. In some sites big leaves or messy fruits won’t present a problem. They might even provide food for wildlife. But just make sure the tree you choose is the one you want to live with for a long time.
Deciduous trees are usually sold by trunk caliper (diameter). What size tree should you start with? Of course smaller trees are usually less expensive to purchase, but bigger trees will provide instant impact. Again you should consider a compromise. As mentioned in the windbreak section, a tiny seedling can be easily damaged by rodents, weeds or lawnmowers. A large tree, 3” diameter trunk or larger, will take several years to recover from the transplanting, become established and resume growing. On the other hand, something in the 1” to 2” range (about 8-10’ tall) will be large enough to look appropriate and establish itself rather quickly. You might actually find that a 1-2” tree will start growing and surpass a 3-5” tree planted at the same time.
So to recap, the trees are not only the bones of your garden, they are probably the most dominant feature. They form the roof and the walls. It’s well worth taking the time to research the trees you’re considering. You won’t regret it.
Bricks of the garden
So if trees are the bones or foundation of the garden, shrubs and herbaceous plants must be the bricks. The smaller plants make up the building blocks of the garden. They should also be chosen thoughtfully to achieve seasonal interest through contrasting colors and textures. Consider color combinations. While, flowers are generally always attractive, you have an opportunity to make the colors compliment each other and stretch the color out over most of the growing season by using plants that flower in sequence. Neighboring plants should compliment each other by providing contrast in color, texture and height. Of course you must also consider depth of field. Narrow beds aren’t as interesting as a wider bed with taller material in the back and shorter plants in the foreground. One of my pet peeves is a sidewalk that is only 2 feet away from a wall creating a long, narrow bed space. Of course that sidewalk is also usually narrow preventing a couple from walking side by side, but that’s another topic.
Annuals verses perennials
Perennials have become very popular in recent years due to their ability to survive the winter and come back each year. Annuals, on the other hand, will die “annually” with the first frost at the end of the growing season. Of course it’s good when you don’t have to purchase new plants each year. But they serve an entirely different purpose from their annual cousins. If a mass of bright color is needed all summer long it’s hard to beat annuals. Actually it can also be a benefit that annuals die back in the winter. That allows rototilling of the beds and planting with a clean slate each spring. Public garden displays are often cleaned out in the fall, bulbs planted for early color and then removed when the annuals are planted in the spring.
Perennials are great to fill in the spaces between woody shrubs and trees. Some spreading perennials make great groundcovers under trees or covering a bank. But perennials might require “deadheading” or removal of the spent flowers to keep them looking good. They might also require dividing to keep them rejuvenated after a few years. This is particularly true if neighboring perennials tend to crowd each other, which is precisely why I like to use perennials to fill in the spaces between woody plants. This way they can fill in a niche without competing with their neighbors. That is about as low maintenance as you can get.
What about the Natives?
We hear so much today about “sustainable” landscapes and the benefits of using “native” plant material. While I’m a great advocate of working with nature, a natural appearance and using native flora in general, I have some reservations about the “all natives movement”. America’s favorite pastime, gardening, is based on collecting and growing interesting, colorful and purposeful plants which often originate from exotic regions throughout the world. In the process it has occurred that an exotic plant will grow too well in its new home and multiply by seeding itself or otherwise spreading to the point of becoming a nuisance. But we shouldn’t restrict ourselves to native plants only. Not all natives are good garden plants. Poison Ivy is a native plant! First of all, how do we define “native plants”? Are native plants only those indigenous to a particular property, city, county, state, country? Obviously when you include such a large area as a state you’ll find wide variability in plants, climate, soils, temperature etc. What about improved varieties of natives? Just like improvements that have been made to the taste or desirability of food crops, ornamentals have been developed that improve upon the desirable features of certain native plants. An example would be thorn less varieties of various thorny species. How many people would enjoy a Thorny Honeylocust in their yard? Of course another argument in favor of natives would be the genetic diversity of a seedling produced species verses the monoculture of a cloned variety. Genetic variability is important to help a species resist detrimental changes in the environment such as disease or insect attack. To this extent variability is a good thing. But if one is looking for a particular shape, color or uniformity as in a hedgerow or a tree lined street, genetic unity is desirable. The benefit of variability can be attained by using different species and varieties on different streets and locations. For our objective here, I’ll dispense with further technical discussion of the definition of a native plant.
Some “exotics” are wonderful garden plants which are not invasive. By the same token, not all “natives” are desirable garden plants. Some natives are difficult to grow, some are messy in the landscape, many have insect and disease problems and some are even invasive themselves. Obviously there are exotic plants that have escaped cultivation and have made a nuisance of themselves. Some examples would be the common dandelion, honeysuckle, multiflora rose and autumn olive. These plants should be discouraged as they’ve shown a tendency to spread themselves through wind blown seed or birds eating the fruits and dispersing seed. But certainly, not all exotics are nuisance plants. I suppose that would depend on what you’d describe as a nuisance, but many plants have become “naturalized” which are quite decorative. Some examples of this might be Vinca minor as a woodland groundcover or European Black Alder (Alnus glutinosa) which makes an attractive wooded area in low wetlands reducing erosion. The iconic tropical tree, coconut, has been planted throughout the tropics and subtropical regions of the world benefitting many areas to which it is a non-native. All things considered, a blanket statement or law that would eliminate all non natives would be counter productive.
Planting to attract wildlife.
Speaking of plants being spread by birds, many folks create interest by attracting wildlife into their gardens. Planting certain fruit and seed producing plants will attract songbirds. It is beyond the scope of this book to list all those plants and the birds they attract but this is something to take into consideration in your design.
Squirrels and rabbits will readily come to your garden just for the habitat it provides.
Deer might be one form of wildlife you’d prefer not visit your garden. Certain plants are more or less attractive to deer. Although a hungry deer will browse on just about anything. One of the biggest deer problems is their rubbing on tree trunks. Multiple trunks also help guard against deer damage since a deer isn’t likely to rub all the trunks while a single trunk tree can easily be killed when it’s “girdled” by the rubbing of a deer. Deer like to rub the velvet off their antlers on small trees but in the process they knock off the thin bark layer. Just beneath this thin bark is the vascular tissue which conducts water and food up and down the tree. When this layer is destroyed all around the tree, the tree will die. This is precisely how most boring insects can kill trees. They bore around under the bark cutting off these same vascular tissues interrupting the flow of food and water.
Edible landscape
What about planting things that you can eat? Why not??? Paw Paw is a wonderful small tree that is both decorative and edible. So are persimmons. Some vegetable garden plants can also be attractive ornamentals such as rhubarb which is a great bold glossy foliage plant for the edge of a shrub bed or background for low perennials. Asparagus would be a good choice massed for fine textured foliage.
There are, however a few things to keep in mind when planting fruit trees as ornamentals. For instance, fruit trees require hard pruning for best fruit production. They are, therefore, not natural in appearance nor are they particularly attractive to look at. They also require frequent spraying for insects and disease to produce blemish free fruit. As a result, fruit trees are certainly not low maintenance. The resulting fruit, if not collected and eaten will be messy and attractive to undesirable wildlife.
Service area
So far we’ve been talking about areas for decoration and entertainment but a very important consideration in your plan would be the service area. You will no doubt need a space for storing the lawn mower, firewood, trash cans, etc. This area should be hidden from view but easily accessible and adequate for storage. This area might include a tool or potting shed, or maybe a compost pile. It is always a good idea to allow for access to this area with at least a small tractor or mower if not a dump truck. If you fence in your back yard, you should have a wide gate somewhere for this purpose.
Design review :
Plan your work and work your plan
Make your mistakes on paper
Simple design is the best design! Naturally!
Avoid straight rows
Curve the beds
Use massing for best effect
Odd numbers are more interesting than even numbers
Use contrasting colors and textures
Stagger flowering times
Consider winter appearance
Right plant, right place (location, location, location)
Provide a service area
send email to: mikeepp@mindspring.com
