Small spaces work perfectly for mini perennial gardens. I spent today moving some of my perennials and planning out my small space terraced gardens on graft paper, then on the computer.

photo credit: echoforsberg

My front yard is going to be small terraced gardens, seven mini gardens in all. One will only be two foot by 3 foot and the largest, a rose garden; will be 4 foot by 8 foot.

As I spent most of the day moving a perennial garden, my two areas for perennials will be the first areas I work on.

The one small space garden will have rock cress and a moss ground cover in the front. Behind that I will plant a few varieties of herbs and small variety hosta plants. The last section in the back will be red sedum on the sides, bee balm in the center and one other taller perennial flower. I haven’t decided which one yet.

The other perennial garden is located near a tree so I will need to set up a shade garden in this area.

I dug up close to 150 perennials today. I put them in my transplant garden area overnight until I fix their new home or repot them for sale or trading for other new plant varieties.

You don’t want your plants you moved to have the opportunity to get dry roots so you need to make sure the roots are wet and that they are placed in soil as fast as possible.  That’s were a transplant garden can come in handy if you cannot plant them on the same day.

My terraces areas are set up on a hillside with a 30-degree slope. The area is being terraced to help redirect and prevent any runoff flooding from across the road. The road drains are all clogged and they said they would not replace them for 15 years so prevention is the best step to take. I say this after the downstairs of the house was ruined last year.

I am also place a mini mound garden area with shrubs and very hard perennials up by the road to help redirect any water if I have this problem again.

I am planning hardscape stairs in two places and laying them out in such a way that if I have any rain problems the rain will be carried away from the house and any gardens areas.  I think think the look of stairways curving through gardens will also add interest to the gardens and landscape.

The other small space gardens will be an herb garden, a flower garden and two veggie/flower garden mixes. The vegetable gardens are being planned for near the patio area and near the kitchen area. This will be a perfect location to run outdoors and select a few fresh vegetables to add to a meal.

These garden areas should be easy to maintain. They will make a problem yard less work and they will also help control any future water problems.  And above all they will add color and interest to a rather ordinary yard.

Technorati Tags: garden planning, hardscape, herbs, landscaping, mini terraced gardens, perennial garden ideas, perennials, rose garden, small space perennial garden, terraced gardens

Perennial flowers have an advantage over annuals if you’re looking for low maintenance gardens. I often place perennials in tucked away areas of the yard or on hillsides. I also find a perennial garden work perfectly for a small space garden.

photo credit: DubyDub2009

But just because a flower is a perennial does not mean they take no care. I also add a few annuals to a perennial garden area to fill in holes and give you those bright splashed of continuous color annuals are known for.

Perennial planting tips:

1. Perennial flowers are best planted in mid to late spring. This gives them time to adjust to their new home and get a solid roothold before the heat of summer.
2. Perennials are generally in a root ball form. You will not see many roots unless the plant is root bound and this will create problems with the plant growing properly. You may have to divide the plant to loosen the roots.
3. Plan ahead and count how many plants you plan on putting into the ground. If there are more than 5 medium sized plants, you want an area about 7 1/2 feet to plant in. Measure out the area of your yard that gets good morning light and evening shade. Perennials thrive in this lighting situation.
4. Find the area in your yard that will accommodate the area needed for your number and size of plants. If your perennials were bought in a store, refer to the tag as to how much water and light each plant will need. You may want to research the perennial plant varieties more to aid you in plant placement.
5. When planning your garden area create the garden in an oval or flowing shape instead of square or rectangular, unless you are setting up a formal garden look. Flowing lines create a more natural look.
6. Plant you perennials varieties in groups of 3, 5 or 7. Odd planting numbers look more natural.
7. Group perennial varieties instead of spacing them out one by one have a richer fuller look in the garden.
8. A good rule is for small plants are to plant them 6 to 12 inches apart. For medium plants, space them 12 to 18 inches apart and for large or tall plants 1 1/2 to 3 foot apart. This will give the plants ample room for roots to expand and grow.
9. Remember that if you plant your perennials too close, you will have to divide them up later so the roots do not become overgrown.  If you must divide, do so in the late spring and early summer with plenty of water available. As a rule of thumb most perennial varieties will need divided every 3 to 5 years.
10. After you have divided the plants move them to a portion of the yard that has ample light and room for the plants to grow. If you have more plants than you want you can always trade them with neighbors for new perennial varieties you may not have.
11. If you are planting seeds and have no plant tag, read the instructions on the seed pack for the type of flower you are raising or research online.
12. When I plant perennial seeds I always add annuals to the garden area. Perennials grow slow form seeds and will not be as showy the first year so annuals will add color and a full look while the new plants take root.

Each perennial has different specifications for light and water. Check with a local greenhouse for more information on specific flowers, or use the Internet to search your perennial plants needs.

Technorati Tags: Backyard Garden, Perennial Garden, perennial gardening tips, perennial plant care, perennials, Small Space Garden

Rock Gardens have several valuable uses. They can make use of a hillside, save time in a backyard or help to create a garden in an area that need a lot of soil improvement. So a rock garden can simplify a problem area in the yard quickly while adding beauty.

photo credit: Nathan150
Rock gardens can also be used to stop soil erosion or cut back on weeds and time spent in the garden area. Once a rock garden is created it takes less time than most gardens. And one other benefit of a rock garden it that it can be quite small and still be very impressive. This makes a rock garden a perfect choice for the small space gardener.

Rock Gardens are not only made up of rocks. They contain garden plants, garden art and a variety or rock in different colors and sizes.

Rock Garden suggestions

You can do almost anything with a rock garden. A few suggestions would be to add plants, flowers, shrubs, trees, fountains, and even a fishpond. These selections are based on the size of the garden and on cost.

When adding plants or flowers you will need to arrange the flatter rocks around the plants or flowers to that they will help the flow or water to the roots of you plants and hold it at the roots. You can do this by arranging the rocks so they are partly in the dirt and partly layered onto the rows of rocks beside them.

photo credit: cliff1066™

Tip: When you plan out your garden try to make sure to leave room to be able to weed out the unwanted growth and to reach your plants to water them if needed.

Rock Garden Design Ideas

• Water fountains and birdbaths add interest to your rock garden. It’s also interesting to watch the birds and see which birds come to your backyard retreat.
• Waterfalls also add to your garden and are soothing. They will also drown out neighborhood noise, which is a benefit if you live in a town or city.
• If you are making a sizable garden design you will good pathways for people to follow and places for people to sit and look or relax.
• Garden art tucked in your rock garden will add interest and the element of surprise.

Rock gardens will add a different look to your backyard and can often be used in hard to grow areas. They can also make use of small corners that has been overlooked before in backyard design.

Technorati Tags: backyard design, rock garden, rock garden design ideas

Pond lilies add beauty and grace to a pond that cannot be matched by other water plants. They also help keep the pond water healthy and give fish and other aquatic animals a place to hide or cool down on hot days.

photo credit: dtsomp

Pond lilies are easy to care for and reproduce freely. By dividing the plants you will have a constant supply of new plants that are quick and easy to transplant into new holding pots. And if you have too many it’s the perfect excuse to trade plants with the neighbors.

How to divide water lilies

If you’re not that familiar with water lilies you may not know they are planted in water baskets. Begin by lifting the entire basket of water lilies from your pond in the early spring. You will want to do this before they flower, but after new leaves have developed.

Set the basket on a tarp, plastic or the grass. This can get messy so I prefer a tarp to make cleaning up easier and the lawn or work area clean.

Begin by pulling the plant out of the holding basket by the base of the stalk. You will need to be careful not to damage any young shoots when removing the plant. Provide support to the plant with your free hand.

Next cut through the root ball with a large sharp knife. When you make a cut check first to make sure each section has new growing tips attached. Make as many cuts as necessary to return the lily root ball to the original size.

Each section can now be replanted to create a new lily.

How to plant the new water lily plant

1. Line the new basket or pot with hessian to prevent the soil from being washed away.
2. Fill the pot with aquatic soil mixture and insert the new lily plant.
3. Carefully cover the rootball with soil and fold the hessian over the top of the pot. Make sure you allow the stem and leaves to emerge from the top.
4. Add a layer of gravel on top of the hessian to prevent it from floating. Pack the soil and gravel in place.
5. Submerge the pot or basket in shallow water. The new shoots on the pond lily should rest at the surface of the water.

You will want to move the potted plant to a deeper section of the pond once the leaves and stems have grown long enough to reach the surface.

Your new lily plant should begin blooming in June. To keep you pond healthy and clean check the plant and remove deep leaves to prevent debris in your pond. This step will save you time later on.

Stunning shows of color floating on the water in you pond will add peace and tranquility to your own backyard. And the varieties of lilies available will give you a wide choice of color to add to you lawn and pond garden area.

Note: Do not use regular potting soil in the baskets for aquatic plants. The nutrients in the soil will cause algae to grow in your pond. This will cause you problems later on and also expense of trying to rid the pond of algae.

Technorati Tags: Backyard Pond, divide water lilies, replanting water lilies, water garden, water lilies, water plants

Inexpensive garden décor is in and one reasonably priced backyard project is a Shabby Chic garden wall. Am old window door will make a great DIY project for your garden areas at a reasonable cost.

photo credit: Pink Sherbet Photography

A garden wall adds color, privacy and beauty to a patio, garden area or yard. It can be set up in a few hours but totally change the look of your backyard. You could even bring it indoors for winter use if you live in a cold climate and want to extend your gardening.

I have found that if you use an old door that has the windowpanes and build a planter box on the bottom you have a beautiful garden wall that can be made to match any décor style.

I can find old windowpane door in my area for free or up to $10. The average price is usually $2. I carefully remove the glass from the windowpanes and save the glass for other projects. (Make sure all pieces of glass are gone from the frame)

Sand the door down a bit to get an older look. You can add another color to the door to emphasis your colors in the yard or house.

Make a planter box, or buy one if the door measures the same length. I make my planter about 9 to 12 inches tall and one foot deep. I also use old barn board or recycled boards and paint the box to match the door.

Attach the old door onto the back of the planter with nails or screws. Screws work better if you plan to take the garden wall apart or move it much.

Put the garden wall in place and fill the planter with soil.

A garden wall looks great with vines in the back that will travel up the wall and lower flowers or herbs planted in the front of the planter.

This planter will also make a great mini small space garden with beans; cucumbers or tomatoes planted in the back and trained to grow vertical. In the front you could plants greens, onions, and other smaller vegetable crops.

This project ranges anywhere in price from free if you do some “scrounging” to $10 0r $15 dollars. And when it’s done it adds priceless beauty and many comments to your backyard décor.

Note: If you can’t find an old door windowpane windows will work. Thyew just make a smaller garden wall. Or you can use an old screen door.

Technorati Tags: Backyard Garden, DIY projects, inexpensive garden decor, shabby chic garden wall, Small Space Garden