Backyard Postage Stamp Garden Design

 backyard design  No Responses »
Apr 212009
 

In a Postage Stamp garden, a garden that uses a barest possible amount of space, the placement of your plants is critical. You need to utilize every square inch of space but leave room for the plants to breath and receive enough nutrients to grow healthy and produce large crops. Freesia
Creative Commons License photo credit: The Marmot

Below are a few suggestions for plant placement

Its best if you had time in the winter to plan a garden but you may have decided to plant at the last moment or you have just created a space for a garden. If you haven’t planned a garden it is helpful to lay a design out on paper.  You will have a better plant placement plus you won’t forget a plant or two.

One important part of a postage stamp garden is to use as much of the air space as possible. Some call this layering the plants. Train tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, and vining plants up trellises, arbors, fences, poles, walls or what ever is available. This keeps the plants off the ground, saves space and promotes healthier plants. Sprawling plants will also choke out over smaller plants and makes weeding more difficult.

I have also found I have less insect problems growing certain plants vertical. One more additional plus is that it is pretty. Mix a flowering vine in with the vertical vegetables and it’s stunning. The flowering vine will also help pollination.

For your small backyard design postage stamp garden it’s not necessary to use rows. As a matter of fact rows use more space. I divide the garden into rectangular, square or circular spaces and plant a certain vegetable in that space. The same applies to seedling that you buy. Plant them randomly leaving enough space between the plants. Plants need enough space to grow and like to touch when mature. Spacing will depend on the plant.

For example tomatoes need one foot on both sides when trellised, lettuce like six inches and you can space beans four inches apart. . The Square Foot Garden book by Mel Bartholomew has a great section on plant spacing.

Its best to leave pathways in your garden if you have to reach more than a couple of feet. This way you can get to all the plants easily. This layout will also give you garden an artistic look. And if you have room on the garden place a small bench to rest. I also place a rain barrel in the center of my garden that I fill with water for quick watering or plants.

I also mix flower, herbs and vegetable all in the same plot. They benefit each other, many flowers have natural insect repelling characteristics and it just makes the garden prettier. I am a firm believer in a garden should be fun.

One other important consideration in your small backyard postage stamp garden design is to make sure you plant tall vegetable on the north end of you garden. Taller plants will shade the smaller plants that need sun. Plant the other vegetables in a descending order according to their size down to the south section of the garden. I do occasionally break this rule during the hot summer months with spinach and lettuce plants to give them a little shade in the afternoon hours.

With intensive gardening and the Postage Stamp Gardening method for using space you should be able to design a small backyard garden for any area, even balconies and patios. Gardens add to the development of a backyard oasis paradise.

Posted by Denise at 11:12 am  Tagged with: , , , , , , ,

Postage Stamp Gardening

 Small Space Garden  No Responses »
Apr 202009
 

With the increased interest in gardening, gardening space has become an issue. You may have a large backyard but other areas also need space or you may have a balcony and only a few feet of gardening space available. But with small backyard designs and creativity you can make the best use out the space you have. abundance
Creative Commons License photo credit: ginnerobot

Another issue with gardening and backyard maintenance is time. Everyone wants a lush backyard with shrubs, trees, fruit and vegetables and room for family activities but backyard gardening can take time so setting up a small garden or Postage stamp garden as they are often referred to makes sense.

A postage stamp garden is considered a small area that can produce abundant herbs, flowers and vegetables. It can also be an ornamental garden of annuals, perennials and shrubs planted in the ground or in containers making full use of a very small space. How is a postage stamp garden possible? With careful planning, using intensive gardening practices and careful selection of the plants you grow.

In the last few years’ small growing shrubs and fruit trees have been developed. Fruit tree can also be espaliers and grown on a wall. Grapes and other fruit can be trained for arbors and trellises.

Many vegetables are available in a mini size that will be perfect for the small garden and saving space. And even with larger plants if you grow them vertically you will save an amazing amount of space and I find it helps with insect control too. There are fewer places for the insects to hide. My one word of advice with vertical growing is to make sure your trellised, posts or way you fix for the produce to grow on a wall is firm. Theses plants can get heavy when laden with produce so take extra care to ensure they are sturdy.

There are flowers that also stay compact and if you chose carefully many flowers are edible and serve two purposes, beauty and use. And don’t forget potted shrubs, which can be placed outdoors in the summer months and if the right shrub is chosen brought indoors in the colder months for more enjoyment. Shrubs left outdoors may need to be winterized depending on your climate.

Container gardening and vertical growing are two perfect solutions for the balcony gardener or apartment renter with very limited space. Between hanging baskets and containers you should be able to grow flower and produce and create a nice secret garden oasis. And by trying to combine the style of the indoor space with outdoor space you can create a large feel of space in both areas.

If you feel you don’t have a lot of space for a garden look into postage stamp gardening and intensive gardening for ideas on how to grow in a smaller space and how to save time working in your garden area.

Posted by Denise at 11:36 am  Tagged with: , , , , ,

Small Space Garden Design Ideas

 backyard design  4 Responses »
Apr 192009
 

Gardening and backyard trends and design have been changing in the few years. For quite some time pastel colors were in but this year bright fiery colors and garden art made of recycled items are making a statement in many yards. Bold and exciting is in this year, along with Small Backyard Designs . Mexico City Downtown: Vertical Garden
Creative Commons License photo credit: SanGatiche

The downward turn in the economy has also made people reevaluate their backyards and design their space making the most use of every available inch of space. This is particularly important for those who rent or live in a city. It is possible to have a garden or mini retreat even on a porch, deck or balcony.

One way to do make more use of you space and make it look larger by extending the home living space into the backyard and making better use of whatever outdoor space is available. Vertical gardening and container gardening are also increasingly popular, even in the bigger backyard.

Larger backyards are being broken up into outdoor rooms with each area having its own use or activity. These open rooms are then designed to flow together to create an overall backyard. This technique helps to create a backyard that is functional to all family members. The entertaining area is one of the more important area followed by a recreational area that could be a child’s pay area, a pool or even a min golf putting area.

Bold and flashy are in and Gardeners are focusing more on foliage and less on flowers. The use of ornamental grasses has doubled in landscape design. They make a wonderful backdrop for flowers with vibrant colors such as reds, oranges and yellows. And for the small space garden layering your flowers and plants make better use of space and creates depth, thus creating the feeling of more space. Red Camelia
Creative Commons License photo credit: tomsaint11

Green gardening methods using fewer chemicals, better use of space and water conservation is setting the design for all backyard spaces. And the addition of many vegetable gardens, with the emphasis being compact and easy to care for, has made home gardening increase by 20%. This summer you will notice many windowsill, curbside, container and vertical gardens.

This trend in home gardening has lead to creating gardens with less work and the return of Victory gardens and Recession gardens. The most successful small space gardens are combining ornamental plants with vegetables and fruits. Commercial growers have been stocking petite annuals, perennials, shrubs and garden vegetable that require less space to grow. So buy your garden supplies as early as possible as many places are experiencing shortages this year with the increase in gardening.

This is “Small Backyard Designs Week” at the Backyard Oasis. Ideas for garden rooms, small space gardening, garden art and many more useful backyard design ideas will be covered.

Posted by Denise at 7:48 pm  Tagged with: , , , , , , ,

Grow Fruit in Small Spaces

 Backyard Garden  No Responses »
Apr 172009
 

There is a trend in backyard design and gardening to work with small space to get the most use out of an area. This is particularly good news for renters and city dwellers. The other plus to small space gardening is the smaller the area, the less work you will have. Backyards are to be enjoyed – not to be all work.  Barossa Valley. SA
Creative Commons License photo credit: amandabhslater

When people think of a small garden they think of a few flowers and vegetables in a container but the truth is herbs, flowers, vegetables, fruits and even fruit trees can easily be grown in a small space and produce enough to supply a family with fresh produce. Containers, soil, a trellis or wall are all you need.

Strawberries adapt well to growing in containers. Put a strawberry jar in a corner along with a few small plants for a nice floral arrangement. If you have more room set up a strawberry barrel or a tower container. If you keep these watered they will produce a plentiful supply of berries.

My personal favorite is growing strawberries in hanging baskets. If you water and fertilize regularly its possible to have fresh homegrown berries all season long.

Rhubarb is very ornamental and I grow it in with my flowers. You can grow it in a large pot as a foliage plant for the patio or balcony. But the rhubarb will not produce as large of a crop in a container.

One other fruit I grow is the vine peach. It’s an heirloom seed that produces a small fruit somewhat like a melon in texture. I have grown it for years and it makes wonderful jams and jellies.

And if you have space on a patio you can even grow a few melons in a large container. You need a container that will hold a lot of dirt and fertilizer. Melons are heavy feeds and I put about one foot of compost and fertilizer in the bottom of a container to make sure the plants will have an ample supply of nutrients for the season. This container also has a trellis so that the melons grow vertical.

If you have a trellis or available wall, Blackberries, Raspberries, gooseberries and grapes can be trained to grow on a trellis, fence or wall. You will need to keep the vines trimmed to increase the plants fruit production and to control the vines from encroaching into living space.

Kiwi grows very well in a container or on a trellis. Just check to see the hardiness or the kiwi variety you have chosen. The kiwi plant is very beautiful and I like to mix the container in with other flowering containers. It makes a nice focal point when arranged this way. Kiwis
Creative Commons License photo credit: Sheep purple

You can grow fruit trees in containers but you need to check the rootstock to purchase the right fruit variety and you will need to prune the fruit trees to keep them small and manageable.

Posted by Denise at 9:52 pm  Tagged with: , , , , , ,

More Backyard Design Ideas

 backyard design  No Responses »
Apr 162009
 

As you plan your backyard design keep in mind the steps previously mentioned in Backyard Design Ideas. And as you move into the next phase of design remember there’s still time to change your plans you have on paper. I myself usually have three of four designs on paper before I select the final landscape design to use. Cat at rest - Heather Lenkin Garden
Creative Commons License photo credit: brewbooks

Once you have check for any City or State building codes, Home Association rules if they apply and know your property boundaries its time to start to create you backyard oasis paradise.

These are the final steps you will want to consider when finalizing your plan.

Colors

By landscaping with the colors you like, you will reduce the number of plants that you have to consider and your finished landscape will be more pleasing to you.

Natural lighting

This is critical in pool, pond and plant selection. Pools and ponds need enough light to warm and be a healthy environment. Plants will need to be selected by choosing the right plant for sun or shade. This will control the plants health and growth. If you have gardens you will need six to eight hours of natural sunlight.

Landscape Lighting

If you are planning to use the backyard at night or are adding special effect lighting this is the time to install it, before the entire backyard design is finalized. You don’t want to work around added hardscape and new plants. You may also want to look into solar lighting. It’s less work and going green is good for the environment.

Soil

Improve your soil before you add plants, trees and shrubs. Good soil promotes healthy plants and healthy plants take less maintenance. You can usually tell by the look of your soil if it needs compost or additives to make it drain better. But a test for the proper soil for the plants is not as obvious. Most County extensions will do a soil test for you or you can pick up a soil tester kit at hardware stores and farm supply centers.

My soil is a heavy clay base, rich in nutrients but usually need to have lime added. I also compost the ground heavily to help with drainage.

Plants

Plants add beauty and relaxation to a yard. It’s one of the final steps in creating a backyard oasis paradise. Besides knowing your growing climate and hardiness when you select plants you will need to take into consideration plant maintenance, and one of the most overlooked design in plants: Growth.

Plants may start out small but can quickly grow and you realize the plant, tree or shrub will need moved or cut down. So read the plant tag or research the plant to take into account how large it will grow.

Focal Points

Any yard benefits from having a focal point. These can be Arbors, Gazebos Pergolas, Patios, Unique Plants or Water features. A backyard pool is always a focal point. A backyard theme is also a wonderful focal point and you have room to experiment and change the theme. Most backyards benefit from one or two focal points depending on the size of the yard.

Plan for all Seasons

Plan you landscape design to look stunning in all seasons. Just because flowers are not in bloom does not mean you backyard has to lack color or design. Choose a few plants that won’t lose their foliage or where the structure of the plant or tree has an interesting look. Hardscape also adds form and texture to garden and backyard areas.

As a final thought when planning your backyard design, plan for change.

Families grow and so will the needs of the backyard. Keep this in mind when planning a children’s area, add water features or a pet area. You may find you want less mowing or gardens to tend to or that you want a Koi pond or patio area. The backyard area is meant to be an oasis for relaxation and will need to adjust to your needs in the years to come.

Posted by Denise at 11:52 am  Tagged with: , , , , , ,
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