Natural Lawn Care for a Healthier Lawn

I don't personally care for lawns, and I'm in favor of digging them up to plant gardens wherever possible! But many people do have lawns, and the health of your lawn can actually affect the health of your garden (and your family) - especially if you treat it with dangerous chemicals. Some people garden organically, but don't think about the harmful effects of the chemicals used on the nearby lawn, which actually could be contaminating your garden. Natural lawn care is actually not difficult, and can lead to a prettier and healthier lawn - if that's your thing.

As well as drainage and irrigation there are other considerations that can enhance your lawn and make it look more beautiful and more enjoyable. Regular mowing, catching of the grass clippings (which you can use as mulch in your garden, or add to your compost) and also rolling will help to maintain the condition of your lawn.

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

There are people who believe that cutting the lawn at particular phases of the moon can slow it's growth and increase the time between mowing. There doesn't appear to be any evidence to support this but there is no harm in trying. If you are interested in experimenting on your own lawn try mowing during the waxing or full moon. Just don't do it while the neighbors are sleeping. :-)

Getting rid of insects in the lawn will help with its condition and this can be achieved with the use of insecticides that are commonly sold through garden stores or - preferably - with the use of natural methods.

Using natural methods is the healthiest solution as it won't affect children and pets, and more often than not the natural methods work better for longer than the insecticides as well. Without the toxic contents that are used in the commercial insecticides you will be happier to walk on the lawn and know that you won't be putting any of the toxic residues into your system. You'll also keep the harmful residues out of your garden, where if used they often can drift in through the air, or be tracked in on your shoes - and then end up in your food!

Some people still use soap as a natural insecticide in the garden but you need to be careful that you are using the correct soap, as some household soaps can be harmful to plants. Obviously you won't want to be flooding your lawn with soapy water and in fact this is banned in many areas where soap can cause problems if it enters in to the waterways.

More and more insecticides are also getting banned so it makes sense to look at the natural lawn care alternatives that are available.

Garden Planning: Paving and Walkways

Laying good paving and walkways around your garden can add considerably to the number of months during the year when you will be able to enjoy your garden and whether or not you will be able to work in it comfortably.

During the wet season, unless you have suitable areas to walk without the ground turning to mush and mud, you won't be able to access your garden to do the necessary maintenance.

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Paving can also add to the style of your garden by adding a border that will set off the plants. It also allows you to add drainage and redirect water that could end up flowing into the garden and causing damage to the plants by letting them get waterlogged.

Paving is also a good alternative for people who don't like mowing lawn as it is virtually maintenance free if it has been prepared and laid correctly.

Another advantage of paving pathways is the fact that you can transport all your garden supplies around the garden more easily when you have a firm surface to run wheel barrows and trolleys on.

You can also place garden furniture on paving if you allow for a little more area and this will enhance your outdoor living space, allowing for excellent and dry entertaining areas throughout the year.

You can get paving quite cheap particularly if you use second-hand materials such as bricks. While this might not sound very appealing, secondhand bricks already have that chipped and weathered look that can look really good when laid as a path and can often blend in with the garden better than new pavers.

One thing that you will need to consider when laying pavers, and particularly when using seconds, is to ensure that the walking surface doesn't have any areas where someone might trip and fall when they are walking.

Having a few paved walkways through your garden area can add functionality and ease of use, as well as looking quite lovely.


More Garden Design Ideas:
   

Garden Planning: Where To Put Your Garden

Generally the location of your garden will be determined by many factors that cannot be changed such as the location of any buildings on the property, low-lying areas prone to wetness, etc.

Aside from the obvious constraints that you will need to work with, you will also need to take other factors into consideration.

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

These factors will include the lay of the land, where the land is shaded or how much sun it gets during the day, the view from the rooms of the house, privacy factors and more.

Before the first plant goes into the garden you need to have a plan of what you want and what you want the garden to do for you in terms of display, privacy, shade etc. Without a plan the garden won't have a cohesive flow and that will show when the plants have matured.

You will also need to consider irrigation and drainage as these will determine how well you will be able to manage the soil and whether you will be able to supply the plants with the necessary nutrients over time.

Your decisions might even determine whether your plants will survive and as some plants can be quite expensive, you need to get your research right from the start.

You might even need to consider the proximity of the plants on your neighbors side of the fence as these can also affect the growth of your garden if they are shading your property from the sun, or their roots are taking the nutrition from your soil.

When buying plants, also consider their height when mature as a large tree blocking the view can actually devalue your property.

Once you have a good plan that is well thought out for the long term of your garden you will be ready to start digging, and that's when the fun starts.

Video - Garden Landscaping Tips

This short video gives you some helpful ideas for landscaping when planning your garden. Planning out your garden ahead of time can save you time and problems in the spring, so now is a great time to plan out the layout of your garden for next year, and get some of your landscaping in ahead of time if possible.

GARDEN PLANNING TIPS
Some helpful garden landscape planning tips that will save you a lot of time, money and heartache.

Backyard Landscaping Ideas

This time of year, when your garden has died down and you're thinking about planning next year's garden, is a great time to do a bit of landscaping, and map out a plan for what you would like your yard or garden to look like next time around. There are many different backyard landscaping ideas and most of them are pretty good but to find the one that is right for you and that is just what your yard needs may take a bit of planning and research.

Close up of hoarfrost and snow on several evergreen trees (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

One good backyard landscaping idea is to use evergreens. The use of these fabulous trees will do much for most any yard. They will add a stately nature to the feel of your home while keeping it welcoming and warm. Many people like to use deciduous trees in the yard and this is great for some areas, but it is the evergreens that will give the yard the structure and the stability that it needs.

Deciduous trees will not be gorgeous in all seasons, most perhaps, but not all. Evergreens on the other hand are always fantastic and they look as beautiful in the winter as they do in the summer and this is why they make for such a great backyard landscaping idea. The key to any great landscaping design is to find ideas like this that will keep your yard interesting no matter what time of the year it is.

Another good backyard landscaping idea is to use hardscape. This is the use of things like rocks, fences and walls. These can make your yard look very interesting during all seasons. You can train climbing plants on these in the summer and spring, and plant pretty trees and shrubs around them that will look great in the winter.

Backyard landscaping underway! (Photo credit: ranjan.banerji)

When looking for a good backyard landscaping idea, look for other options besides just plants. There is more to landscaping than just plants and trees.

Walls and fences can frame your property beautifully and using them is a great way to accent your yard and home because they will just accent all of your other landscaping ideas. They will frame your yard as a picture frame frames a gorgeous painting. Try some of these tips to get your yard looking tip-top this winter, in preparation for next spring's growing season!

Convert Your Manicured Lawn to a Wildlife-Friendly Garden

I know we talk a lot about vegetable gardening here, but what if you want a lower-maintenance garden that is still sustainable and eco-friendly? Today we're discussing a slightly different type of garden - one that's wildlife-friendly. Keep in mind you probably won't want to grow edible vegetables in your wildlife garden, unless you are just growing them for the animals to eat! But it can be a fun way to try a new kind of gardening that is a lot less resource-intensive than maintaining a lawn.

wildlife garden (Photo credit: helen.2006)

Homeowners tend to have a great sense of pride associated with their lawns. They keep them cut short, use pesticides to keep them weed-free, and water them during dry spells. It takes a lot of work, but many feel that it's worth it to maintain a neat and tidy appearance.

But a growing number of homeowners are deciding to forgo mainstream lawn care practices and make their lawns more wildlife-friendly. This requires some work, too – it's not as easy as just ceasing to mow. A good wildlife garden has flowers and plants that attract and feed native species. But for those who enjoy watching nature up close, they are certainly worth the effort.

There are many advantages to turning your lawn into a wildlife garden. Here are a few to think about.

* Wildlife gardens are easy to care for. There is some work involved in getting them started, but once the plants are growing, you don't have to do much in the way of maintenance. You never have to mow, and watering requirements are minimal. Even when the weather is dry, the long grasses and weeds will retain more water than a manicured lawn.

* The native plants used in a wildlife garden are beautiful, and they tend to do very well since they are in their natural habitat. You don't have to worry much about them becoming diseased or needing extra attention, because they are already adapted to the weather and conditions in your area.

* A good wildlife garden attracts all types of species. Some plants attract insects, which in turn attract birds and other animals that feed on them. Other plants directly attract small animals, which in turn attract larger animals that are their natural predators.

English: Wildlife Garden The Derwen Garden Centre display (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

* Wildlife gardens provide an unparalleled learning experience for children. They learn about plants and animals in school, but getting to see them up close and personal makes much more of an impression than looking at pictures in books. It also encourages them to ask questions and interact with their surroundings.

* Wildlife gardens are very environmentally friendly. Since you won't be mowing, you will create much less air pollution. And the absence of pesticides is not only good for the animals that visit and live in your garden, it's also good for soil and groundwater quality - and for your family.

A wildlife garden is much more interesting than a stretch of short, perfectly uniform grass. And it's also good for the animals that inhabit your surroundings. It provides them with food and shelter, and it provides you with a wealth of natural beauty right in your own yard.

Creating A Garden For The Whole Family

You can have the most elaborate back yard from the entire neighborhood, but if it isn’t functional you have built it in vain. We all want to have beautiful and flourishing gardens, but when we have a family, we must also take into consideration the needs of the other members of it. One helpful tip is to start by dividing the space of your yard in two or three visual spaces, one for play and relaxation, one for gardening and maybe one for pets. (Drawing out a diagram, as in the picture to the left, can be very helpful.)

2009 garden plan (Photo credit: lauracreekmore)An open space, perhaps covered by grass & flowers, is ideal for your children. Here you can install a picnic table for open air lunches or for a romantic summer evening dinner.

How about pets? You can build special spaces for these little members of your family, so they have a place where they can play and exercise. Before you plant bushes and ornamental plants, you may want to fence in or build a border around the area. Cats and dogs tend to be attracted exactly by the things we try to keep them away from.

Keep the by-passers’ eyes away from your personal life. Before planning the scenery, designate a place for things like garbage cans. It wouldn’t be very nice to have a wonderful garden right next to the garbage cans. These can be efficiently hidden in some kind of surrounded space, or create a living fence with shrubs and vining flowers on a trellis - lovely!

Functionality is an important factor in your garden, so you have to think about children, little pets and family assets before you plant anything. Save a portion of the yard especially for you, in which you can plant whatever you want and leave for the others some space to do what they want as well. If you have kids, you may even want to create a little garden space for them to plant in as well - teach them early how rewarding it can be to grow things, and getting them involved with their own food production can really help with the picky eaters!

You may also find great satisfaction in building a nice pathway, and perhaps place some benches under an arbor, from which you can relax and admire your work.

Video - Building Greenhouses From Recycled Materials

This one isn't so much an instructional video, but it does show a couple of really neat little greenhouses constructed by hand from recycled materials. I really like the idea of the old tires filled with dirt for holding the heat - I had heard of using water barrels, but this technique was new to me - and gives you a great and functional way to hide those old unsightly tires at the same time. Anyway, there are a couple of other cool ideas here that you may want to incorporate into your own greenhouse, so check it out!

How To Build A Greenhouse From Recycled Materials
Learn how an eastern New Mexico gardener constructed a greenhouse from recycled materials. From the Southwest Yard & Garden series.


More Helpful Resources for Building Your Own Greenhouse:
   

Improving Your Garden by Adding a Fountain

A great way to spice up your garden is to add a water feature. These can be both soothing and aesthetically appealing. Many find that there’s nothing more relaxing than sitting on a bench next to a garden and listening to a fountain while you read a good book or do some studying. Putting in a water feature is fairly easy and relatively inexpensive, and will add immensely to the pleasantness of your garden. Also, the maintenance level is minimal.

Image via WikipediaUsually, people install fountains for the benefit of the natural ambiance it provides. For some reason, being around a gorgeous scene of water gives you a positive energy. This is also good if you practice Tai Chi or some form of yoga or meditation. The constant drone of the water is exactly what most people need to concentrate on what they are doing. Even if you're not into that kind of stuff, just being in a garden with a fountain has a sort of meditative quality to it, whether you are actually trying to meditate or not.

When you first decide to put in a fountain, you need to put great care into picking out one that will go well with the rest of your garden. If you have any other decorations, you want to consider if it goes well with your motif. Does the fountain you're considering stand out in your garden like a sore thumb, or does it look like it was meant to be there? If you don't have a landscaper's eye, you may wish to consult a friend who does - they can be very helpful in this.

Another issue you might run into is supplying your fountain with power. This may especially be a problem if your garden isn't that close to your house. A solution that can work for this is to use an extension cord meant for being buried. All it will take is a few hours of digging a small trench to place the cord in, and you will have power to your fountain without an unsightly cord running across the yard. (Another option is to buy one of the newer solar-powered fountains, and then you won't have to mess with a cord at all.)

So if you're looking for a way to make your garden a more classy and beautiful place to be, you may want to consider installing a fountain. The whole process is surprisingly inexpensive, and I think that you will be very happy with the results. Having a fountain in your garden is not only soothing, but it also adds a lot of character to an otherwise bland garden. Remember, gardens are not just for giving us vegetables! A garden is a place to go when you want to retreat from the outside world and dwell in your own thoughts with no disturbances.

Using Vines to Decorate your Garden

A great way to decorate your garden is the use of vines. They are very low maintenance and look good on almost anything. If you’ve got a fence or separator that really stands out in the field of green that is your garden, then growing a vine over it can be a quick and aesthetically pleasing solution. However, there are many types of vines for different situations, whether you are trying to grow it up the side of a house, along the ground, or up a tree.

Image via WikipediaMany different ground vines are available. These types grow fast and strong, and just inch their ways along the ground. They are very easy to direct, so they can make a border around your garden, or just weave in and out of the plants. I suggest using these as a hardy ground cover if you just want some green on your dirt or mulch. Usually you can find a variety that is resistant to being stepped on. It’s like a leafy, nice alternative to grass. Even if you have kids and a dog, it should have no problems staying alive.

Another type of vine that is available is a “twining” vine. This refers to their method of climbing. Twining vines require a lattice or equally porous surface to climb up, since they are not sticky at all. They just climb by sending out small tendrils to loop around whatever is nearby. I suggest using this type of vine for climbing up trees, or any type of mesh. Usually you have to guide them a lot more during their early stages, and after that they will go wherever you want them to.

Vines not only look good on the ground or on lattices, you can blend them in to the very architecture of your house. This is usually achieved through the use of vines with small tendrils that have adhesive tips. They extend from the vine and attach themselves to almost any surface. If your garden is adjacent to your house and you Image via Wikipediawant something to camouflage the big unsightly wall, it’s a great idea to start out a few vines near the base. If you have a vine like the Virginia Creeper growing, then your entire wall will be covered in a matter of months. However I have seen situations where the vine got out of control. After that, you have no choice but to watch the vine take over your entire house.

One of the vines that you would probably recognize is Ivy. You see it around a lot, generally because it is so adaptable. Out of the types I mentioned above (ground, twining, and sticky pads), Ivy can fill in for pretty much anything. It makes a great ground cover, and will grow up about any surface you put it on. Although it grows quick and strong, I wouldn’t suggest growing it up your house. This is because recently, buildings which have had ivy for many years have found that it has been deteriorating the building.

So no matter what you want to do with a vine, you should have no problem getting it to grow. You should always do your research beforehand and find out about any negative qualities the vine has (such as its ability to destroy buildings, in Ivy’s case.)

Low Water Summer Gardens

If you live in a desert community or in an area that often experiences seasons of drought or extremely dry times during the year then it is quite likely that you would be best served by considering a summer garden that requires a little less water than the average summer garden by avoiding the lush greens and big 'drinking' plants that many people prefer to keep in their gardens in favor of plants that consumer water more economically and employing water saving methods to maximize the benefit of water that is used in your garden.

Image via WikipediaThere are several things you can do in order to insure that your garden is water friendly and doesn't over tax water systems that are often overburdened in attempts to keep them lush and green. One of the first, and most responsible things you can do is scale back your idea of what a summer garden should be. You do not need a huge garden filled with lush greenery in order to make a good impression. In fact, a responsible garden that conserves the natural resources and highlights the natural plant life is often a garden that is much more deserving of accolades than one that uses too many of the limited natural resources that are available.

The second thing you should do is think local rather than global when finding suitable plants for your low water summer garden. Dessert plants and flowers are accustomed to the dessert climate and can survive with low amounts of water and flourish. If you must have some of the more lush greenery or a few more exotic plants in your garden consider using them sparingly and supplementing your garden with local plants and flowers.

Image via WikipediaThird, you should use things that aren't plants in order to fill in gaping holes in the landscaping. For this you could use rocks, stones, nice lawn ornaments and a wide array of other things to fill in the holes that you feel are left behind by the absence of greenery and create borders and boundaries for your low water summer garden.

Finally, if you must have a lawn, keep it green by using low water grass mixes. This is a great way in almost any climate to combat drier than normal summer seasons and keep lawns lush and green without investing a great deal of time and effort watering it. The savings in water costs alone are often quickly cover the cost of the investment in the new grass for your lawn and will help the focus remain on your bright and beautiful lawn to the point that many homeowners do not lament the absence of a huge summer garden.

Living in an area that doesn't have the natural resources necessary to create a beautiful and lush summer garden should not eliminate the possibility of having any sort of garden at all. By making wise decisions in regards to the type and volume of plants to include in your summer garden you can take matters into your own hands and insure the ability to maintain a low water sustainable garden that will be the envy of the neighborhood. Combine these efforts with water conservation methods inside your home for amazing results and a beautiful summer garden no matter how dry the area in which you live may be.

A Few Good Low-Water Gardening Resources:
    

Landscaping Your Garden with Layering

It's spring, and our thoughts are turning to gardening.... If your garden needs a bit of landscaping, now is the time to do it, before you get a bunch of stuff planted. But don't get discouraged at the thought of all the work ahead - this can be an exciting project, because there is nothing more fun than garden landscaping -- it will get your imagination working overtime and you will have a ball planting and rearranging your plants and flowers!

Image via WikipediaLayering is a great way to landscape your garden in an effective and attractive way. By layering your garden landscaping beds you will be able to add a whole other level of beauty to your landscaping design. Your yard is the first thing that people will see when they come to your house, and giving a grand tour that includes a fabulous garden is always fun and exciting.

Layering your garden landscaping design is easy to do. You need to know the flowers that you are going to plant first however. The choices that you make as far as the flowers and other plants will affect the way your garden landscaping is laid out. For example you do not want to have the taller plants in front of the shorter ones. This is obvious but you should still make a rough sketch of where you want things laid out before you begin. This will help you to keep things as simple as possible. Your garden landscaping will go a lot faster this way and you will run into fewer problems as you go.

Image by ukgardenphotos via FlickrWhen layering you should have about three layers. Your back row should face north, if it can, and the back row should have the tallest plants and as the rows descend so should the heights of the plants and flowers. The trick of this kind of garden landscaping is that oftentimes the plants we buy are baby plants. So you will need to talk to those working at your local gardening store about how large the plants will grow to be. (If planting from seed, be sure to check the packages for approximate plant heights.) This is key to successful garden landscaping. If the front or middle row of your garden landscaping design is going to grow much higher than the last row, then you will have to do some rearranging.

The layering affect of your garden landscaping design will add depth and make your garden much more interesting to look at. This is what will make your garden landscaping a success. So build some layers, and have some fun!

Recent News on Xeriscaping

Image via WikipediaTo wrap up our short series this week on xeriscaping, here are some helpful articles on the topic. From description and benefits, to good plant choices, to gorgeous pictures of some lovely options for your xeriscape, you’re sure to find some good resources in the list below.

And feel free to post your own tips and ideas for xeriscaping or sustainable gardening below!

Xeriscaping Basics
In fact, you’re probably familiar with xeriscaping or you wouldn’t have found our site and this article you’re about to read, but just in case you stumbled here in some other way, let’s take a moment to talk about what xeriscaping is …
Publish Date: 11/12/2010 2:12
http://patiocoversplace.com/xeriscaping-basics/

10 Best Plants for Xeriscaping – EcoSalon | Organic Green Fashion …
You’re the perfect candidate for xeriscaping.As a desert dweller, I know firsthand that this eco-friendly method of gardening conserves water, requires minimal upkeep, significantly reduces your water bills and yields stunning greenery …
Publish Date: 03/23/2009 8:00
http://ecosalon.com/10-best-plants-for-xeriscaping/

Bring the Green: Xeriscaping
Xeriscaping your yard or garden means reducing or eliminating the need for irrigation. Here are some ways you can save water outside. Use native and adaptive plants for your region- use plants known to thrive naturally in your climate. …
Publish Date: 11/09/2010 11:07
http://www.phoenixenergyproducts.com/blog/?p=110

The Principles of Xeriscaping
I have to admit that when I first moved to the desert and heard the word “Xeriscape“, I didn’t want anything to do with it. To me, at the time, I thought it meant zero plants and more rock. The fact of the matter is that xeriscaping can …
Publish Date: 11/03/2010 22:42
http://gardeningandthespanishway-rohrerbot.blogspot.com/2010/11/principles-of-xeriscaping.html

Xeriscaping and Stunning Desert Gardens that Save Water
Xeriscaping, commonly known as drought tolerant gardening, can be spectacular and resource friendly if planned properly and maintained regularly.
Publish Date: 07/06/2010 23:55
http://www.suite101.com/content/xeriscaping-and-stunning-desert-gardens-that-save-water-a258458

Video – Benefits of Xeriscaping

For those new to xeriscaping, this video provides a nice introduction, a description of some of the benefits to be gained, as well as some good ideas for incorporating xeriscaping into your own garden.

Xeriscaping can be a great addition to our sustainable gardening practices, conserving water as well as other resources, while still providing an attractive and productive garden. (If video does not appear below, please click link to view.)

Xeriscaping Basics-HGTV Pro
Xeriscaping uses drought-tolerant native plants for a water-efficient yard. This video is part of Best Practices show . SHOW DESCRIPTION :The best techniques for building and remodeling homes.




(For more sustainable gardening ideas and resources, please visit http://www.newholisticliving.com/sustainablegardening.html.)

Using Xeriscaping to Save Time and Water

While having a full fledged garden is rewarding and enjoyable, lots of people simply don’t have the time that is required to maintain it. Whether you have too much going on at work or too many kids to take care of, you should never try to operate a garden if you don’t think you can handle it.

Image via WikipediaHowever, for those people who are just too busy for a normal garden, I would suggest a somewhat recent method of gardening, which you may not have heard of, known as Xeriscaping. This minimal yet stylish theory first emerged in Colorado when water levels were at an all time low. It is a great method of having a great looking yard or garden, without having to maintain it or water it very often at all.

If you live in a dry climate such as Colorado, many places now offer free Xeriscaping lessons in order to encourage the conservation of water. If your area is undergoing a drought, you should check with the water suppliers and see if they are offering lessons. If you attend those, you will be able to get advice specific to your region (IE types of plants to grow, how much to water them, etc).

To some, the name Xeriscaping conjures the image of a yard that consists of a giant rock bed. However, this is known as “zero scaping”, and it is a considerably different concept. It focuses on reducing your yard to nothing that requires any maintenance whatsoever.

Unfortunately this is usually just rocks. But this shouldn’t be your goal. While keeping maintenance at a minimum, it is still possibly to retain a nice looking yard that won’t attract the negative attention of everyone who passes by.

Image via WikipediaThis might sound like it would be hard to implement without making your yard into a hideous mess, but this is not so at all. The theory basically involves choosing plants which are low maintenance to begin with, then putting them each in environments that are ideal. It is usually applied by figuring out what side of the house to place it on to get the best amount of shade, and figuring out how to group it with plants with similar water needs.

To get started in your Xeriscaping renovation, you first need to pick out all the plants you will be using. They should for the most part require a low amount of water. This doesn’t mean you can only grow cactuses in your yard. Just cut back on the really thirsty plants that you have to water every day to keep alive. You’ll want to stick with local plants for the most part, and don’t go with anything too exotic as these generally require larger amounts of water.

The second most important principle of xeriscaping is placing the plants in ideal areas. If you place them all together with plants that require essentially the same amount of water, then you will end up saving lots of water. Also place the plants in areas where they will be protected from wind or excessive sun, depending on the needs of the plants. Xeriscaping is almost the same thing as microclimating, just with more of a focus on adaptation to harsh conditions rather than avoiding them. So if it sounds good to you and you’re looking to save time and water by renovating your garden, you should look for xeriscaping lessons.

3 Garden Landscaping Tips

Welcome back!

We are continuing through a 4-week step-by-step guide to starting your own sustainable garden.

This week, we are going to cover some landscaping options for your new garden.

3 Tips for Landscaping your Garden
Landscaping is usually a fairly big task, consuming much time and energy. But before you hire that professional, here are some tips that could save both time and money.

1. Spend some time thinking about exactly how you want the final design to look. You need to take account of the style and function of your general space. Do you want to include an area for entertaining in the same space? Is there to be an area for children to play, a fishpond or a pool? If so, you will want to be sure to plan good “buffer zones” to avoid harm to sensitive plants. An idea of the plants you want to be there will also help. Focus on the area where you spend most of your time. That’s a good place to start.

Image via WikipediaA good place for a flower garden is generally at the side or rear of the house. The flower garden may be laid out formally in neat little beds, or it may be more of a careless, hit-or-miss sort. Both have their good points.

Great masses of blooms can be lovely, but you should have in mind some feeling of the blending of color. Nature appears not to consider this at all, and still gets wondrous effects. This is because of the tremendous amount of her perfect background of green, and the limitlessness of her space, while we are confined at the best to comparatively contained areas. So we should endeavor not to blind the eyes with clashes of colors which do not blend well at close range. (In order to break up extremes of colors you can always use multitudes of white flowers, or something green like mignonette.)

2. The style of your home must be taken into account. If you have a rural cottage, formal gardens surrounding it could look out of place.

In terms of landscaping a garden that runs alongside your house or other building, a building often needs the help of vines or flowers or both to tie it to the grounds in such a way as to form a harmonious whole. Vines lend themselves well to this work. It is often best to plant a perennial vine, and so let it form a lasting part of your landscape scheme. The Virginia creeper, wisteria, honeysuckle, a climbing rose, the clematis and trumpet vine are all very satisfactory for this use.

Of course, the morning-glory is an annual vine, as is the moon-vine and wild cucumber, and these work as well, if you just want a temporary cover, while on an old fence a hop vine is a thing of beauty.

Flowers may go well along the side of the building, or bordering a walk. What Image via Wikipedialovelier in early spring than a bed of daffodils close to the house? Hyacinths and tulips, too, form a blaze of glory. Bulbs such as these are little or no bother, and start the spring off in a lovely way.

3. Think also about your lifestyle. Do you want to spend hours caring for many beds of annuals or pruning beds of roses? If so, go ahead and plant them, but if you’d rather spend your free time at the beach, then go for an easy-care garden and landscape, as discussed in our recent newsletter on plant choice.

Here are some different landscape styles you can choose for your own garden:

a. Formal. This style uses lots of straight lines and perfect geometrical shapes. Orderly arrangement of plants instead of random positioning is employed. Close arrangement and pruning is seen on many landscaped gardens with this style.

b. Informal. This kind of landscape gardening works well with cozy cottages. Beds with curved edges instead of straight lines and random placement of plants suit this landscape style.

c. English Garden. This style emphasizes the harmony between the house's architecture and the garden.

d. Formal/Informal Garden. This style often comes with a brick walkway that exudes formality. This walkway leads to the rear with a circle of plants. The organization of plants resembles the English garden style but it has no formal borders.

e. Oriental. This is often the kind of garden found in small backyards. It often uses lots of rocks, evergreens and water. A wide variety of plants create several interesting angles with this style.

f. Woodland. This landscaping suits a house that has a wooded backyard and sloping ground. It is more wild and unruly, but can look quite sensational if done well.

Image via WikipediaA Note on Paths:
As far as paths go in general, keep this in mind: a path should always lead somewhere. That is its business — to direct one to a definite place. Straight, even paths are not unpleasing if the effect is to be that of a formal garden. The danger in the curved path is an abrupt curve, or an uneven effect. It can be better for you to stick to straight paths, unless you can make a really beautiful curve.

Garden paths may be of gravel, of dirt, or of grass. One sees grass paths in some very lovely gardens. I doubt, however, if they would serve as well in your small gardens. Small garden areas are so limited that they should be re-spaded each season, and the grass paths are a great bother in this work.

Of course, a gravel path makes a fine appearance, but again you may not have gravel at your command.

If you have the space and will not be re-digging your paths each year, it may be a good idea to put in semi-permanent paths. It’s a bit of work, but offers good and lasting results. To do this, you would scoop out the path for about two feet in depth. Then put in six inches of stone or clinker. Over this, fill in the dirt, rounding it slightly toward the center of the path. There should never be depressions through the central part of paths, since these form convenient places for water to stand. The under layer of stone in this method makes a natural drainage system.

So there you have some choices for your landscaping.

Next time, we’ll be discussing raised beds, which can be a great way to make even a troublesome garden much more successful. You especially won’t want to miss this if you have a poorly drained area, or difficult soil.

So be sure to check back shortly for the next post!
Rose.

P.S. For more resources to help make your own sustainable garden the best it can be, please visit http://www.newholisticliving.com/sustainablegardening.html. You can also subscribe to our free Sustainable Gardening Newsletter, and get these lessons delivered directly to your inbox!