How to design a terraced yard or garden

 landscaping  No Responses »
Sep 042010
 

I have been working this summer in the front yard creating a terraced garden on a  sloped yard. My terraced garden started when the bank across the road decided to move itself and a ton of rock and water across the road.

The front yard had become difficult to mow with the slope it has and tree roots popping up, so I decided to move the rock around and create a terraced garden to hopefully prevent more flooding and make the yard easier to work with.

Tomorrow I am going to get perennials for the garden area. It’s not ready to plant yet but I will get the plants now at a reduced price and pot some up and put the rest in a holding garden until I am ready to plant.

If your thinking of creating a terraced garden first you need to identify the slope of you yard and plan accordingly.

There are four basic yard slopes.

Easy slopes are slopes less than 1-foot vertical to 4 feet horizontal (25 degree slope or angle). Such a slope will not require special landscape treatment. You can terrace the area without steps or walls, unless you feel its necessary for safety. Riding mowers may be used safely and efficiently.

A moderate slope ranges from 1-foot vertical to 4 feet horizontal (25%) to 1 foot vertical on 3 feet horizontal (33%). A slope with this range creates a bank where only hand movers are manageable. Its best to plant grass where accessible and use mulch and ground covers for difficult areas.

Avoid single specimens of trees and shrubs on these grades in the grass due to the problems of mowing around them. They can be use only in groups or in mulched bed areas.

Steep slopes will take the most planning but make stunning terraced gardens. A steep slope has a range from 1 foot vertical to 3 feet horizontal (33%) to 1 foot vertical on 2 feet horizontal (50%). Gradients of that kind create banks where only hand movers are not easily manageable. These areas are usually weed wacked, covered with ground cover or have built in terraces.

When dealing with a severely sloped site you have to remember to consider where you want excess water to flow. Make sure it does not flow towards your home, garage or into the neighbor’s property.

If the area you are landscaping has a steep slope, you may want to build terraces or steps made of logs or old railroad ties across the slope to divert water and prevent soil erosion. Between the steps spread a thick layer of wood chips to protect the soil. If the slope is gentle, seeding grass may, using ground cover or using rock may be the answer.

Severe Slopes are slopes 1 foot vertical to 2 feet horizontal (50%) and steeper. Vegetation and plants, including grass and groundcovers, are difficult to establish and demand frequent and skilled maintenance to prevent erosion and unsightliness.

Its best to build terraces if possible and you may want to consider a landscape of hardscape.

My yard is a cross between a sleep slope and a moderate slope. I have had challenges working the design between the two slopes but soon I will have a finished terrace and photographs to show you.

Posted by Denise at 8:00 pm  Tagged with: , , , ,

Check your trees and shrubs in the fall

 landscaping  No Responses »
Aug 102010
 

Fall is the time to take a look at your trees and shrubs and see what care they need. Depending on your summer they may need pruning or tender loving care to make up for a stressful summer. In my area we had intense heat and lack of rain so I know my plants need new compost and additional fertilizer to help with the strain of the summer temperatures.

My first plan is to check the plants for any damaged branches and remove them. Then it’s time to give them a good soaking and a liquid fertilizer. I prefer my own compost tea mix. It’s chemical free and packed with nutrients.

Next after the ground is thoroughly soaked I will apply a new thick ground cover to keep the moisture in and add additional nutrients to the soil.

If my plants look weak or tired I will check them over for any disease or root problems.

So far my trees and shrubs seem fine but a few seem to be heading for an early leaf loss. I have noticed this in many trees and shrubs in this area.

If you have a plant that really looks sad contact your local Master Gardens group or an Extension Office for help.

This is also a great time to analyze your backyard landscape and add any new shrubs or trees. If you plant them now they will have time to acclimate to their new surroundings and begin to grow roots.

And one final note: If you need to prune trees or shrubs, do it in late fall or winter before the new growth of spring has started. The exception to this general rule is spring-flowering shrubs like lilacs that should be pruned immediately after flowering

Posted by Denise at 9:24 pm  Tagged with: , , , ,

How to age Hardscape

 landscaping  No Responses »
Jul 122010
 

New hardscaping has that bright look that can be rather stark when the sun shines down on it. Stone can be dazzling in the light and wood may appear too new for the softscaping or the house. Even garden ornaments like birdbaths, statues, and outbuildings may look too clean to fit into the surroundings. But with a little planning there are ways to make your landscaping blend in more naturally. It will look like its been part of the landscape for years.

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Creative Commons License photo credit: maskroskurbits

One way to create an older look is when creating the hardscape. Select old but quality materials. You can scour salvage companies for stones, bricks, fountains, benches, gazebos, and other materials and structures that have been removed from antique and vintage homes. Besides selecting materials that are aged you may save money and you will definitely have stories to tell about the scavenging adventures. Weathered materials will help make your hardscaping look like it’s been there for years.

Choose natural materials that are found in the area. For example, I live in an area rich on slab rock and polished river rock. By adding these rocks into my hardscape design they look like they have been in place for years. I also used recycled posts from a 13-foot wood fence that was torn down. The posts are weathered and fit in well with my raised beam flowerbed and the rock walls that were recently added. I will add a little natural moss in the rock walls for more of an aged look. All areas have some sort of natural materials. Just study your landscape to see what’s available.

You can paint concrete or new stone with equal parts buttermilk and plain yogurt. While this mixture is still wet, rub moss over it. This will encourage an aged, mossy surface. This takes about two weeks to start to grow. During this time keep the area moist by covering it with heavy clear plastic until the moss is established.

My neighbor drizzled latex paint over new areas of their concrete. They used a grayish-green color of paint. Dilute the paint with equal parts water and mix well. Use a large paintbrush and use a sloppy style to apply the paint. You try to create a natural look. While the paint is still wet, wipe off areas with a clean rag. Next rub down the surface with green grass or weeds for an old mossy look.

Plant mosses, lichen, rock cress and creeping plants between rocks, on walls or among stones on pathways. They will grow quickly and give your hardscaping a softer, older feel.

Partially bury the larger rocks that you place in the yard. Setting large rocks on top of the soil gives them an unnatural look and they could even move under the right circumstance. But if you dig a hole and bury the rocks a quarter of the way into the soil, they’ll look like they’ve been there many years

You can age wood by hammering it, painting it a grayish-tan color or grayish green, and then adding another layer of darker gray paint. After you apply the darker paint, wipe away areas with a clean rag. Make sure to leave the dented and grooved areas in the wood with plenty of dark paint. This will give an antique look to the wood.

And if you live in an area with old barns you may be able to harvest unwanted wood for you hardscape projects. Just make sure its weather proofed so that it will hold up the climate.

One way to make your hardscape fit right into your landscape is to surround it with larger plants. Use mature or nearly mature plants around your hardscaping to create an aged look. If you can’t afford to buy or don’t already have such plants, try planting younger, cheaper plants, but plant them closer together than you normally would. (You’ll have to thin out the plants in a year or two, but in the meantime, your hardscaping will have that “grown in” look.) You can also add perennials and annual flowers to soften a new landscape look. Blend the same flowers and plants around the yard to create a flow in pattern and design.

Posted by Denise at 8:04 pm  Tagged with: , ,

How to Build Hardscape

 landscaping  No Responses »
Jul 112010
 

Hardscaping, the use of landscaping that is more permanent, is a project that needs to be thought out and planned well for success in your landscape

Here are 3 tips to help you get started with any hardscaping plan.

1.  Draw out all hardscape construction plans
If you are planning to include permanent features in your landscape it is imperative to think things through thoroughly. The only way to make any piece of hardscape successful in the landscape is to plan it out carefully. Sketch ideas out on paper or on computer software where you can change your mind and move things around cheaply. Study your property and think on any possible problem or additional work the hardscape could add to your yard. I walk the property and ask family and friends if they see any possible problems with the new hardscape plans. Remember, anything that will be permanent will be very costly to change later. So take you time with your plans.

2.  Check into local laws, regulations and codes.
Most cities require specific codes and inspections for most permanent structures, so check with your township or city before you start a hardscape design. Many cities have a wall height or you may have to abide by a road right or way. You also need to check with a landlord if you rent.

3.  Do any hardscape project the right way the first time.
That means make sure you think of any problems your new hardscape could create. Do proper preparation and select quality materials. Check referrals of any construction companies and make sure whoever does the work is experienced and knowledgeable.

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Creative Commons License photo credit: GardenFocus

If you are qualified to do the work yourself that’s great but if not, hire help. Keeping costs down is always a plus but make sure quality does not suffer. A poor job will only cost more for maintenance and repairs.

Any building project you want to endure should be done properly and within any town and county regulations. It may be tempting to take short cuts or price the job out to the lowest bidder. I myself prefer to hire local companies that need to do the best job they can for their reputation and future work. Just remember when hiring a company, you usually get what you pay for.

A well-done hardscape, whether it is in the form of a patio, terrace, built-in grill, walkway, wall, driveway or anything else, should increase the value of your property and require minimum maintenance. Make the effort to go slowly and carefully and whatever hardscape you build in your landscape can turn into an asset that you can enjoy for years to come. Hardscape can add value to your home if done professionally and built well.

Posted by Denise at 6:01 pm  Tagged with: , , , ,

Tips for creating a new flower garden area

 landscaping  No Responses »
Jun 252010
 

These are a few tips that will help you create a new flower garden area. Using a few tips to get the flowerbed started properly will help create a successful and easy to care for garden.

Botanic Garden Cluj-Napoca
Creative Commons License photo credit: bortescristian

Direct sun flower gardens

For example, if your flowerbed is in direct sunlight for the majority of the day, you will want to choose hardy, heat-resistant plants. Some of the better choices for full sun are marigolds, zinnias and petunias.

Choose a variety of heat-resistant plants, as some of these full-sun varieties are prone to diseases, especially marigolds. Your garden center will be able to help you choose the proper plants. You will want several types of flowers in your flowerbed not only for contrast and interest, but in the event that one variety does poorly or becomes diseased, you can simply pull the plants (roots and all) and cultivate your remaining varieties.

Keep in mind that if any of your plants are diseased, you should pull them immediately. This prevents the sick plant spreading the disease to your other plants or the soil. A new plant can always be added to fill in an empty space in a garden. I keep a few extra plants on hand in a hold garden or container garden for just such an emergency.

Also consider using what many refer to as “naturalizing flowers”. These are wild flowers that are natural to your area. In my zone daisies and black-eyed Susan’s are two plants that hold up well to heat and almost any weather condition.

One other consideration for a garden located in direct sun. Locate the garden  near a source of water. Gardens in full sun will require more water. The use of a mulch in a direct sunlight garden will also help with moisture retention.

Partial to full shade gardens

For areas that are in partial to full shade, consider impatiens, begonias, and vinca. These flowers come in a variety of colors and grow quite well in shady areas. In choosing the colors for your flowering plants, remember that red colors make the plant seem closer and larger, while blue will give the illusion of smallness and distance. And pastel colors seem to blend a garden area together.

Planting a single color of flowers will draw more attention to your flowerbed. Moonlight theme gardens are often flower gardens that are all in white or silver colors. Moonlight gardens are stunning at night and really make a statement if night lighting is used to accent the garden, garden art and walkways.

If you want several colors in your garden design make sure the flowers compliment one another. Purple goes well with pink and white will blend in nicely with any other color. Also, red goes very well with violet as odd as this may seem. Silver plants and foliage accent other plants and bring out color.

Flowerbeds need not be large to create a wonderful focal point in your backyard or patio area. They just need a little planning and hopefully easy to maintain plants. After all you want to be able to enjoy your gardens.

Posted by Denise at 11:34 pm  Tagged with: , , , , ,
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