The Good Earth

Spring has sprung! And if you’re looking forward to months of dining al fresco (even at home) and spending extended time outdoors, don’t wait another day to plan and plant your gardens. The sooner you start, the longer you’ll be able to enjoy your flowers and shrubs.
[By Dorothy Creamer]

Plotting your plot of land

There are many options for homeowners who want to create a veritable Garden of Eden in their own backyards. From simple stone walkways and patios set among vibrant patches of flowers to more elaborate waterscapes complete with koi ponds and waterfalls, the choices are endless. Homeowners should consider how much upkeep they are willing to do, and invest in hiring professionals for maintenance services if necessary.

Joshua Dean, landscape designer for Merrifield Garden Center in Falls Church, recommends talking with a landscape artist about how much time, effort, and money you want to put into your al fresco project. “Dedicate a budget for what it will cost for someone else to care for it, and then decide how much maintenance you want to do yourself,” says Dean. “Some people like puttering in the garden, or don’t mind heavy lifting. Gardens need to be mulched, edged, and weeded multiple times a year. If you don’t want to do that, get some help.”

Seeds of change

Even a small garden can create a big impact, but don’t underestimate the value of professional guidance. Many landscape companies will help you sketch out what a patio area could look like in your backyard.
Patios, walkways, and low garden walls are all relatively easy to incorporate among a verdant mix of annuals and seasonal blooms. Architectural accents like arches or arbors also serve to separate a garden area and can serve as a method for creating an outdoor “room” to expand your living space. Patios can be bordered with flowers and shrubs; arbors or gates can be transformed with some crawling vines.

And any kind of water feature, whether it’s a professionally installed koi pond or a simple waterfall urn, adds allure and takes a plain backyard to another level. Some homeowners wish to create a smooth transition from indoor to outdoor. This can be done by integrating the garden into the home design with a screened porch or portico. Landscapers often can advise homeowners on how to make some remodeling modifications or can even do the job themselves.

Water, water everywhere

The single most important factor affecting your plants is water. Too much or too little of it can quickly determine the life or death of a plant. Proper watering procedures should be followed from the minute your seeds are in the ground. During the first year, new plants should be watered every two to three days during the growing season. This is especially important during long periods of hot, dry weather, and in the fall for evergreens.

You want to water just long enough for the roots to be soaked, with water saturating the soil to at least the bottom of the root balls. Don’t water for short periods of time, as this will lead to a shallow root system where all of the roots are close to the surface. You need a deep root system for plants to survive (especially during periods of drought). Sprinkler systems are a good way to ensure that your lawn and plants are regularly watered, but Dean issues a warning. “We ask people to do good job of monitoring their outside spaces themselves,” he says. “We do install automatic sprinkler systems, but sometimes they can water too much. We generally recommend long, deep waterings spread further apart for our area.”

Dean encourages people to operate their irrigation systems manually and to give gardens water only when they need it. He also recommends that sprinklers are operated on timers only when homeowners are away on vacation. “I’m a fan of irrigation systems,” he says, “but don’t just turn them on and forget about them.”

Oh, deer!

In some areas of Virginia, homeowners are all too aware of the havoc that the deer population can wreak on gardens. “In my area, 75 percent of installations have to be mindful of the deer population,” Dean says. In order to combat these woodland visitors, gravitate toward plants that are deer-resistant. One such plant is miscanthus, which works very well in gardens because it is low-maintenance and blooms for long periods.

“Don’t give deer things that are known to be food sources,” Dean advises. “In many cases, you might need to look around or ask professionals what the deer are eating, like azaleas. I’ll substitute some shade plants for others, like hostas or boxwood, because the deer hate them. They are almost like a repellent; the deer dislike them so much.”

Deer aren’t the only uninvited guests that invade gardens, so try to find blooms that are resilient and resistant to whatever armies of insects and bugs that might attack. Knockout roses are very easy to control, they are drought-resistant, and they bloom six months of the year. They also come in a variety of colors, so there is something for everyone. Peonies produce wonderful blossoms in May and June, making excellent cut flowers.

Late bloomers

If you’re a tardy gardener and tend to put off your outdoor artistry, you’re not alone—and there is still plenty you can do. “I always have customers coming into the garden center to see what’s seasonal,” Dean acknowledges. “I even do a lot of my own planting in June and August. There are wonderful flowers in bloom and in stock at that point.”

Some of the best times to pick perennials are in June and August. If you’d prefer to see what’s seasonal, you can pick what you like and see how you can arrange it in your outdoor space. Ask a professional at your local garden center to help you determine if certain seasonals will thrive in your space. If you haven’t planned out a landscape design, there are easy solutions. A small garden area or flowerbed is easy enough to plot out on your own and won’t take that much time. To create a simple outdoor living space, all you need is a couple of chairs paired with a coffee table. Even just a couple of large outdoor planters or urns can turn the most austere concrete patio into a place where people will want to sit to eat.