Nature Band-Aids

Here is a presentation given by James Howard Kunstler titled “The Tragedy of Suburbia.”  Kunstler is the author of The Geography of Nowhere, a history of suburbia and urban development in the U.S.  Kunstler is a proponent of New Urbanism, which strives to reform many aspects of real estate development and urban planning, from urban retrofits to suburban infill.  New urbanist neighborhoods are designed to contain a diverse range of housing and jobs, and to be walkable.  Worth a look, with some of my comments below.

* Possibly NSFW:  Kunstler takes a provocative stance in this presentation, and occasionally uses some adult language.

Kustler spoke of how defining space is critical to creating a place of character and quality.  With regard to landscaping, this means avoiding the temptation to install a “Nature Band-Aid”- a random or ill-planned planting intended to compensate for an otherwise vacant or dismal area.  While there may not be much we can do about the location or architecture of our homes, we can use landscaping to define space and create character and quality for our homes.

The use of space is one of my first considerations when designing a project.  This goes beyond whether there is enough room for a particular plant to grow, mature and thrive, but whether the planting compliments the surrounding environment and/or serves a purpose, be it aesthetic or utilitarian.

Perhaps the biggest problem I encounter when evaluating an existing landscape is poor planning.  For instance, too often I see trees planted within several feet of a foundation… this might seem fine when the plant is six feet tall, but what happens when they grow to thirty feet tall and are eating the second story gutter and cracking the foundation?  My own home features a white pine planted within six feet of the foundation– it was a Christmas tree 30 years ago and probably looked charming when it was planted.  I’m sure the original homeowners thought (correctly) that the corner of the house needed “something,” and they did manage to save a cute little tree from the mulch shredder.   Today, that white pine is easily over sixty feet tall, drips sap all over the driveway and sends limbs crashing down on the garage roof after nearly every storm.  Not to mention the deluge of pine needles in the Fall.  White pines are excellent trees and certainly have a place in landscape design, but the tree in question is destined to become mulch someday because of poor planning.  The tree (and the property) would have been better served had it been located in a space where it had room to grow.

Good landscape planning should, in my view, mature gracefully.  The planting should improve with age and help define the space in which we live.

Spring Renewal

That green organic smell is back in the air- a welcome change after a snowy winter.  We are looking forward to the new landscaping season and warmer days ahead.  We’ve been busy during the winter months- we have a redesigned website at a new address… www.helioslandscaping.com.

We also have a new service this year called Mow On-Demand.  This new service is for anyone who only needs occasional mowing service.  There are no contracts, and you can order and pay online.  Mow On-Demand is fast, easy and affordable.

Please visit our new website and be sure to see our Spring Specials.  Have a great Spring!

More photos

Some more photos from the garden.

Liatris

Cucumber Flower

Perilla

Granada

Granada ready to open.  Liatris is pictured at left.  Photo from the Helios gardens..

Perennial Color

It seems that many landscapers overlook perennials. There may be some reasons for this- larger plants are more profitable and generally have a more immediate impact (and by immediate, I mean when the job is completed). Perennials, on the other hand, are typically less expensive but take some time to develop. They usually come in four-inch pots, and can look a little lost when first installed. I suspect many landscapers want to avoid the “Believe me, they will grow” conversation when doing a final walk-through with the client. That is too bad, because perennials have much to offer in the landscape.

Pros:

One of the best things about perennials is that the are just that- perennial… they come back year after year. Annuals, like petunias and impatiens, have much to offer too, but they must be replaced every year and add ongoing expense to the landscape budget. Even the most cursory cost benefit analysis clearly favors the perennial.

There is a perennial for every season. Some perennials are active in spring and early summer, while others start in summer and go through fall. Some feature colorful autumn foliage, and others retain attractive seed pods in winter or are evergreens. It is possible to orchestrate your perennials so there is bloom activity throughout the warmer months and still maintain winter interest.

Colors: Perennials offer an amazing palette of color which can be coordinated with an existing color theme or create a new one. They can add contrast and depth to a landscape, and brighten shady areas. One well-known designer* created a design using perennials which followed the progression of color on a color wheel. The possibilities are endless.

Landscape conditions: Dry shade? Intense afternoon sun? Poor soil? Excessive heat? There are perennials which will thrive under almost any growing condition.

Size and textures: Perennials range from groundcovers to background plants, and can easily compliment existing trees and shrubs. They offer a wide range of foliage textures to compliment their neighbors and add depth, contrast and interest.

Maintenance: While no plant is completely maintenance free, some require substantially less attention and are exceedingly forgiving. For those who enjoy spending a few hours in the garden, there are perennials that appreciate occasional pruning and deadheading. The reward often outweighs the time invested.

Cons:

Admittedly, perennials require more maintenance that annuals. They usually need some attention in spring (removing old growth) and occasionally need trimming or pruning during the growing season. Some perennials can look a little rough after flowering or need staking to keep them upright. Others can self-seed or become invasive. These are all issues that can be dealt with and should be considered carefully in the design phase.

The big advantage of annuals is the ability to change color schemes from season to season. For those who are always seeking a different look in the landscape, annuals are a great option and provide flexibility that perennials can’t.

* Tracy DiSabato-Aust is a highly regarded authority on perennial gardening and design. Some of her books include The Well Tended Perennial Garden and The Well Designed Mixed Garden. She was recently featured on WFPL’s Home Grown

Rice Field Art

Things have gotten quite busy this year, and my blogging efforts have suffered. So it goes. In any event, I came across some interesting photos of plant art… Farmers in the rural town Inakadate, Japan create rice field art by using red rice in with their regular rice in special patterns. it is really quite amazing. The following photos replicate, with astonishing accuracy, some well known paintings by Japanese artist Hokusai. Enjoy!

Planting the fields

Red and Green Rice

Hokusai

A Rose is a Rose…

A commonly held opinion of roses is that they are a high maintenance nightmare requiring constant fertilization and attention to keep bugs and diseases at bay while waiting for the fleeting reward of a perfect flower or two. Not to mention the wicked thorns which make working with these plants a pure joy, right?

Well, I suppose this is partly true. There are, in point of fact, several rose varieties which are notoriously difficult (i.e. the JFK) that are probably best left to the dedicated rosarian. Beware, though… roses can be highly addictive and the slope leading to rosarian status is a slippery one indeed.

For those of us who want all the benefits of roses without the intensive care there are some wonderful options. Just as there are roses which require constant attention, there are roses which flourish with benign neglect. Perhaps the most common of these low maintenance roses is the Knockout family.

The Knockout roses are as close to bullet-proof as a rose can be. They do not have insect problems, are disease resistant, are drought tolerant once established, grow quickly, bloom constantly, and require no dead-heading. Also, when they get too large, these shrub roses can be sheared with clippers rather than with hand pruners. These roses are tough enough to be used in commercial plantings (where they get no love). They were even planted in the median strip of a freeway near the exit for Churchill Downs!

Knockout roses fall into two general categories- the single and double Knockouts. The Double Knockout blooms have twice as many petals and have an appearance resembling the standard roses. They come in several colors, including cerise (cherry red), pink, blush and new for 2008, yellow. For big rose color without the maintenance, the Knockout is a good choice. The only drawbacks are limited colors and a light/non-existent fragrance.

Although the Knockout sets the standard for nearly maintenance-free roses, there is still a whole world of roses which work well in the landscape with only a modicum of care. For those willing to take the next step, the rewards can be spectacular. Many of today’s modern roses, particularly AARS (All America Rose Selections) roses are great choices for the residential landscape. First, some rose basics and terminology.

Classes of roses:

Climbing Roses are often featured on arbors, trellises, or fences. They include large-flowered climbers, ramblers and sports of other roses such as Hybrid Teas. Many of the modern large-flowered climbers have good repeat blooms in a wide variety of colors.

Floribundas are typically smaller plants producing clusters of smaller blooms. Floribundas can create a colorful impact on the landscape and are usually good repeat bloomers.

Grandiflora describes a group of roses sharing the characteristics of Floribundas and Hybrid tea roses. Some Grandifloras produce clusters of flowers, others single blooms.

Hybrid Tea roses are the roses we think of on Valentine’s day. They produce the long-stemmed roses and have upright habits. The first hybrid tea was introduced in 1867, and has continued to set the standard. Hybrid teas are usually the most fragrant roses and can add a new dimension to the garden. Gamble Award winners are particularly fragrant and just a few blooms can perfume a whole room or section of a garden.

Miniature roses are low-growing plants producing smaller blooms. They can be grown in containers or used as a groundcover. Some miniatures do well cascading over a wall. A new variety marketed as Drift Rose are particularly hardy and share many of the same characteristics as the Knockout.

Old Garden Roses include the classes of roses predating the first hybrid tea. They include albas, bourbons, centifolias, chinas, damasks, gallicas, noisettes and ayrshires, to name a few. Many of these roses are quite impressive and would be a great addition to a vintage home.

Roses have been neglected in landscape design for too long, and there is no good reason for them to be enjoyed only by rosarians– why should they have all the fun?! With proper planning and preparation, roses can be a wonderful addition to the landscape, and their rewards can even make a little maintenance *gasp* worth the effort.

Fresia aka ‘Sunsprite’ – Floribunda. Gamble Fragrance Award winner

‘Granada’- Hybrid Tea. AARS winner and Gamble Fragrance Award winner

Pieris japonica

Pieris japonica, also known as Japanese Andromeda, is another one of my favorite plants. I treat it like a rhododendron or azalea… it likes part to full shade, rich, acidic well-drained soil and protection from harsh winter winds. It is an evergreen, and is truly an all-season plant. New growth is striking fire-red to orange, and is followed by strings of small white, fragrant bell-like flowers. The pink flower buds remain on the plant during winter before blooming in spring.

Some common varieties include ‘Mountain Fire’, ‘Forest Flame’ and ‘Valley Valentine’, which has pink flowers.  There is also a variegated variety (‘White Rim’)which is quite striking– I saw one at a trade show last winter that was nearly 10′ tall and very impressive.  Pieris is very slow growing and it must have taken decades for the plant to reach that size.

I have three Pieris, and all were salvaged in poor condition from landscape renovations two years ago. I moved two of the plants again last spring and they are still getting re-established (read “struggling”). The third is doing well near my rhododendrons- it is on a hill and gets a couple hours of morning sun. The leaf color is a dark, glossy green and the pink flower buds really stand out. I took the photo below this afternoon after the snow- how’s that for “winter interest”?

pieris_japonica.jpg

March Snow

 Snowy photos from the front yard this morning… winter makes a last stand:

clethera.jpg (large photo)

Rhododenron & Azalea Care

Rhododendrons and azaleas are very rewarding plants that can be quite hardy once established.  The trick is finding a “sweet spot” in the landscape where the plants will thrive.  I have found there are no guarantees when it comes to planting rhododendrons/azaleas… you can take every precaution and execute perfect site preparation and still get mixed results.  I have had healthy new stock collapse in a matter of days and salvaged transplants (which languished with exposed roots on the truck) thrive.  I am a self-confessed sucker for these plants, and will include them in a landscape design when many of my competitors no longer consider them viable (mostly for warranty issues).  Some tips I have learned the hard way:

First, azaleas are rhododendrons– same family of plants.  Both generally like the same conditions.

1. Proper location is critical.  Rhodies/Azaleas like to be protected from dry winter wind.  If possible, they should be located on the south or east side of a house, or in some other protected area.  Mine are located on the north side of the house, but are in a low area of the yard and do not get west winter wind.

2.  Rhodies/Azaleas like well-drained soil.  Wet feet will result in a quick end for these plants.  When planting, I sometimes use pea gravel in the bottom of the hole to help with drainage.  Another technique is to place the plant on the ground and mound a mixture of compost/mulch/soil around the root ball– don’t even dig a hole.

3. Rhodies/Azaleas have very fine, fibrous roots and like soil rich in organic matter (they are woodland plants).  They will struggle in clay (which will also trap water) or compacted soil.  I like to use a mixture of topsoil, peat moss, and organic compost to backfill.  Dig a big hole- substantially larger than the root ball.  Also, be sure to “tickle” the roots.. that is, loosen them with your fingers before planting to help them branch out into the surrounding soil.

4.  Rhodies/Azaleas can handle some sun if other conditions are met.  My neighbor has a Rhodie that gets full afternoon sun and is beautiful.  Some nurseries grow/keep Rhodies in full sun and they do fine.  That said, I think morning sun is ideal with some protection from full afternoon sun.  Azaleas seem to handle full sun a little better than broad-leaf Rhodies.

5.  Prune Rhodies/Azaleas after they flower and before they set new buds.  Timing is important on this… if you prune too late, do so with the understanding that there won’t be blooms next year.

6.  Rhodies/Azaleas like acidic soil.  Using mulches like pine straw or fine pine bark will help keep the soil acidic.  When in doubt, do a soil test to find out what amendments are needed.  As a rule of thumb, healthy Rhodies/Azaleas do not need much fertilizer… maybe every 2 years or so.  Use a targeted fertilizer for acid-loving plants.  I like Espoma’s Holly-Tone– it is organic and will not cause rapid growth.  Less is more when it comes to adding fertilizer unless the plants are clearly nutrient starved.

7. Finally, don’t take it personally.  Rhodies/Azaleas can be picky, and even if everything else seems perfect, the plant can still fail.  It is always difficult to know what stress the plant has been through before it arrived at the nursery (even if it looks good).  Buy stock from reputable nurseries and look for healthy, robust plants.  Rhodies/Azaleas are expensive and it is worth the effort to find a strong plant that has received competent care.  .

Despite the work involved, I love to take a chance on these plants.  Nothing quite beats a Rhodie/Azalea in bloom.