Small Space Design ideas –Winter planning

 backyard oasis  No Responses »
Jan 122010
 

The winter months when yard work and gardens slow down or come to a complete halt is the perfect time to plan small space design ideas.

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Creative Commons License photo credit: jessicareeder

There may have been areas of your garden and backyard what did not work as well as you intended or that just need an overhaul. I myself have noticed that when I make better use of my space I also have less work, and although I like working in the garden I also like relaxing too.

So what can you do to improve the use of your backyard and garden space?

  • The patio can serve as an entertainment area and children’s play area. Add storage benches to tuck away children toys and games when not in use.
  • Have a foldaway picnic table or have a movable table that can be used in another part of the yard.
  • Switch to vertical gardening, raised bed gardening or container gardening to make use of small spaces, patios and hillsides.
  • Look at areas near the house or garage to see if there is space that could be used that is setting unattended.
  • The use of a hammock that be put up or down, tents for the children, mini wading pool, or a badminton set can add hours of entertainment but all items can be taken down or traded to make use of small spaces.
  • Use small furniture in the backyard. It will give a feel of more space.
  • Tall plants will soften corners and add depth making your space feel larger.
  • Add night-lights and lanterns to extend your time in the backyard. The evening will add a new feel to your area and a feel off space. If you stagger your lights in layers you will also add the feel of more depth.
  • Use an online landscape planner or grab graph paper and lay out your backyard Make cutouts of the shape of your home, trees and any other backyard item. Move around your cutouts to see if you can make better use of your available space.

Most important, take time and think back to last summer. What worked in the yard and what did you miss or was a bit disappointing. This is the time to make plans and add comfort and atmosphere to your backyard oasis area.

Last year I noticed I needed to redo the patio area and make it more of an extension of the indoor living space. I also want to add more night lighting. So these are winter planning ideas I will be concentrating on for better use of my small space backyard and patio.

Posted by Denise at 8:56 pm  Tagged with: , , , ,

Selecting Shrubs for the Backyard Oasis

 backyard design  No Responses »
Jan 082010
 

January is a perfect time to select shrubs, trees, groundcover and any other ornamental for the backyard and garden areas.

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Creative Commons License photo credit: skypilot2005

Today I have been selecting shrubs for the yard. I will probably need to remove the trees by the road. I want a tree or shrub that will provide more privacy and act as a noise and wind barrier. It also needs to be tougher than the average plant.

I think I will go with Spartan Juniper. It grows 15 foot tall and 3 foot wide. I need a shrub that will not interfere with electrical lines and this should do well. It will also provide more privacy and act as a break for noise. My first search has not found any problems with this shrub but I will look one more time. It’s best to really research a new plant, shrub or tree before you add it to your yard.

Mountain Laurel
Creative Commons License photo credit: dougww

I also want to get a few Mountain Laurel shrubs. I have always liked the colors and look and they will be good for naturalizing the backyard down by the creek.

I will place my order this weekend so that my selection will still be available. They will ship my order in April.

I also started Rose of Sharon shrub seeds a few weeks ago. They are about one inch tall and look healthy.

Tip: for Rose of Sharon seeds I place then in a wet paper towel and let set for 3 days then plant in soil. This softens the seed casing and the seedling usually emerges in a week. My success rate is very high using this method.

Around the Spartan Juniper shrubs I will be growing a few ground covers so that will be my next backyard garden project this weekend. Selecting a few groundcovers that will grow well with junipers.

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Creative Commons License photo credit: cliff1066™

And after I have groundcovers and shrubs selected, its time to get the few fruit trees I need.

Even in the winter months there are garden projects that can be planned and taken care of.

Posted by Denise at 8:01 pm  Tagged with: , , ,

Start Perennial Shrub Seeds Indoors.

 Backyard Garden  No Responses »
Dec 222009
 

Perennial shrub seeds can be fun and an interesting challenge to grow. My first adventures with shrubs seeds were the different color varieties of the Rose of Sharon.

2009SpringSowing-8572
Creative Commons License photo credit: graibeard

I always liked this flowering shrub because of the color variety and the time it flowered, later than most bushes thus adding more color to the yard.

I was offered seeds in a seed swap so decided to look the shrub up and see its advantages and disadvantages and see if it would be a welcome addition to my landscape. It saw no red flags that indicated it would be a nuisance plant and made a deal.

I was lucky, seed planting instructions were included and over several tries I have added a few tips on my own. Below is a rough guide that will work with most perennial shrub seeds. When you get a shrub seed check online, at your local extension office or your local library for seed planting tips.

  • Check to see if your seed needs a clod treatment. (Time in the freezer or refrigerator to encourage the seed to wake up and start to grow when it warms up)
  • Either soak or nick the seed to help with germination
  • Prepare individual seed pots for the seeds and make sure there will be proper drainage. I always sit the pots on a tray of pebbles. This helps with drainage and adds humidity around the seedlings.
  • Water carefully from below and make sure the top of the soil does not get soggy.
  • After the seedling break the ground I will mist from the top and water from the bottom.

TIP: This was not mentioned in my Rose of Sharon growing instruction but it worked well with my seedling. I sat them on top of the television so they would have heat from beneath the soil. This will also work on top of the refrigerator or by using a waterbed heating mattress pad. By using heat beneath the soil my seedling germinated in less than a week.

Shrubs will grow slowly so I often plant them in decorative pots the first year and place outside on a patio or porch area.

In the fall you can either bring the shrub in for the winter months if you feel its so small to survive or plant outdoors. Often small shrubs like this I will place in a garden area I call the holding garden. It’s a place where small vulnerable plants can have more care and protection.

I planted most of my Rose of Sharon in a holding garden for two years then placed them in the backyard. They have grown well and have added beauty to the landscape.

I also gave a few bushes away or traded for other plants I wanted. And one other use for the Rose of Sharon bushes were bonsais. These shrubs make a very pretty bonsai.

I will be starting a new crop of Rose of Sharon after the holidays and will have a photo journal of their progress, which I will post. I will also be starting several other varieties of shrubs, trees and perennials for next years gardening projects in the next few weeks.

Posted by Denise at 10:41 pm  Tagged with: , , , ,

Backyard Winter Wonderland

 backyard oasis  No Responses »
Dec 192009
 

Your backyard can be a winter wonderland no matter what your weather conditions may be.


Creative Commons License photo credit: SarahMcD ॐ

I live in a zone 5 climate so I may have several feet of snow on the ground at any given time or a dusting. So far I have a dusting. This means my snow shovels are setting idly by but my outdoor activities are shortened. (I really don’t care for colder weather.)

But in the winter I have the most beautiful views of the Conewango creek and Akeley Swamp and all the wildlife activity it offers. This morning there was a fresh light dusting of snow on the branches and icicles were forming on the low branches on the creek bank. As the sun peaked over the hill the water sparkled. What a relaxing site.

And once in a while, even on a cold dreary day, a canoe will pass by the house.

Many people also have interesting bushes or trees that offer splashes of color in a winter landscape. Colored bark or twig and berries add to the backyard and any hardscape creates interesting patterns and forms in the winter.

If your lucky enough to be able to use the outdoors at night with only a sweater or coat outdoor kitchens and fire pits may be a wonderful; options to add activity and warmth to your winter days.

Ideas to add interest to your backyard in the winter months.

  • Sunrooms, enclosed patios, balconies and porches will add a place to enjoy the outdoors without the cold winds and weather.
  • A room that has a view of an interesting outdoor landscape will help give the feel of more room and bridge the indoors and outdoors.
  • The addition of more plants, particularly those with flowers will add color to your rooms and remind you of gardens.
  • Any warmer day is a perfect time to fire up the barbeque. It’s an amazing what a fire outdoors will do to add warmth and a change of pace to a day.
  • The addition of bird feeders and birdhouses will add activity and fun to your backyard. Your can watch the antics of the birds and try to identify the different varieties. And the varieties of houses available will add color to your backyard.

like a bird on a wire
Creative Commons License photo credit: nosha

I have always found winter the perfect time to evaluate your backyard and plant any changes for the following year. It’s a time to slow down and appreciate family, friends and nature. Of course I am still looking forward to spring.

Posted by Denise at 7:56 pm  Tagged with: ,

Why Do Perennial Plants Survive Through The Winter

 backyard design  1 Response »
Dec 032009
 

One reason why the perennial plant is sought after is because of its remarkable ability to survive year round through most weather conditions. Another reason is perennials save time and money.

My Favorite
Creative Commons License photo credit: Rowdy Rider

What is it about perennials that enables it’s winter survival abilities, whereas other plants will shrivel up and die as soon as the going get tough?

By understanding our plants in the backyard we can take better care of them and plan for further plants to add to our backyard oasis.

As with most things in the natural world, not all plants are created equal, however some biologists have succeeded in re-engineering annual and biennial plants to last longer.

Although stretching the life of a non-perennial would certainly make the plant and floral businesses flourish, marketing isn’t the only reason scientists and many others have this question. If we had vast amounts of plants that have medicinal and life saving properties, we could study their curing capabilities at an exponential rate. The longevity of the perennial plant is definitely an exciting curiosity for many people.

Withered, Weathered and Worn
Creative Commons License photo credit: prudencebrown121

Interestingly enough, the perennial plant is able to thrive year after year due to a few survival tricks it has up it’s sleeve. Trees and shrubs are a perfect example. These drop their leaves and protect their next year’s growth with waxy scales.

If you examine the bud of a perennial plant and you’ll see that it covered with a sticky looking waterproof wax. When the bud begins to bloom, it scars as its scales fall off and the distance between its scars are an indicator of how many times a year that perennial plant grows.

The perennial plant gears up for the winter by draining its own food supply from its leaves down inside its trunk, branches, and twigs. As the weather gets colder, the tissues of the perennial plant will slowly change and become cold resistant in a process called “hardening.”

During these changes, the chlorophyll of a perennial plant will decompose and lose its propensity to project a green hue – leaving the tree with its trademark red, yellow, orange, and brown autumn leaves.

At this time of year I am re-evaluating the backyard and plants. I plan to start several shrub seeds I have and work with perennials in the mini greenhouse. This will give me more shrubs and plants for the yard and a head start on changes for the backyard garden areas.

Posted by Denise at 8:33 pm  Tagged with: , , , ,
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