Blue Planet Garden Blog

Small Space Garden Design – Welcome to my Garden!

I’ve included photos from my own garden in posts from time to time, but I haven’t done a complete virtual tour since my last renovation in 2009. Ready for an update?

 The side yard view is still our favorite.

 

But the whole garden is shaping up nicely.

 

In January I replaced the original flagstone stepping stone and gravel path with flagstone set in DG. Although it’s not as artistic as the original (I mixed three different sizes of gravel and hand-set the largest), it IS much easier to keep free of debris. Placing high-maintenance hardscape under messy trees is a rookie mistake that I would never make with a client, but somehow my better judgment occasionally goes missing in my own garden.

 

 

I’ve continued to introduce bright splashes of color throughout the yard, both by adding colored panels and more containers. I still take a fearless approach to color, but admit to swapping out the original Purple Riot wall for a more subdued shade of acid green.

 

Five years ago I had three containers…today I counted 23. I might have been late to the container gardening craze, but I’m catching up with a vengeance. Succulents are my go to choice for spots not reached by drip, and as an added conservation bonus, the amount of excess shower water we collect in a week is more than enough to water all of them with.

There aren’t many places sunny enough for vegetables, but of course I make room for my favorite herbs and at least one cherry tomato.

 

 Overplanting is still a bit of an addiction for me. There really isn’t room for a Salvia ‘Amistad’ in front of the ‘Guardsman’ Phormium, but the carpenter bees have made it QUITE CLEAR it needs to stay.

 

Oh yeah, and the hummers like it, too.

 

A new fountain introduced this year has proven to be a HUGE hit with the birds. As many as four cutie pies at a time splash around here during the day. The flow rate is set low, and although the sound of water falling into the basin below is muted, it makes the fountain suitable for birds as small as hummers – as long as they are persistent.

 

Not everything has changed. Some of my favorite individual plants remain the same, including my most reliable fence tamer, flowering maple

 

And looooong blooming dwarf lion's tail.

The best thing about a garden that welcomes birds and bees? I might work at home most days, but I can always count on company. Thanks for visiting!

Trees for Small Gardens: Paul's Scarlet Hawthorn

Let me introduce you to one of my all-time favorite trees for small gardens: Crataegus laevigata 'Paul's Scarlet', commonly referred to as English Hawthorn.

Pronounced  kruh-TEE-gus lee-vih-GAY-tuh, Paul's Scarlet Hawthorn sports deep pink, showy flowers in spring, and bright green leaves that turn yellow in fall. In winter, this tree displays plump red berries, making it a showy specimen for all seasons.

 

 

Unfussy and well-behaved, Paul’s Scarlet English hawthorn is a reliable, easy-care tree well suited to both front and back yards. It puts on its best show in spring, when dark pink blossoms cover the branches. Highly adaptable, it tolerates a range of soils and thrives in both humid and semi-arid conditions. Its yellow fall color is not overly impressive, but pinkish-red berries persist into winter, providing some cold season interest. Crataegus phaenopyrum (Washington thorn) has showier fall color and more dramatic fall fruit, however, its thorny trunk may make it problematic for small-space gardeners.

 

 

A trouble-free tree for the most part, but premature leaf drop can be an issue in cold, wet climates. Maintenance is simple: prune occasionally to remove dead or crossing branches and to maintain shape. Other cultivar choices include  ‘Double White’, ‘Crimson Cloud’.

For you "just the facts" folks, here are the basics:

Height and Spread – 15-25 ft. x 12-18 ft.
USDA Zones 4-9
Sunset Zones A2, A3, 2-12, 14-17
Deciduous
Moderate water
Full sun to part sun

Interested in more small space plants? Check out my app, Foolproof Plants for Small Gardens on iTunes or in the Google Play store, where it goes by the name Plant Picks for Small Gardens.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Front Yard Design Strategies

 

Photo courtesy of Rebecca Sweet

A few days ago I attended an excellent seminar presented by the Garden Conservancy titled "Front Yard Gardens Take Center Stage." As I am acquainted with most of the speakers, I was a tad concerned all talks would center on replacing lawns with gardens. While this is a worthwhile topic I often blog about, five hours of lose-the-lawn ranting is a bit much, even for a true believer like me.

Happily for me, the seminar instead dished up a broad range of information on how to transform a front yard, presented by speakers with very distinct points of view. It would take many more posts than this lazy blogger is willing to write to pass on everything that I learned, but read on for one big idea from each of the five presenters.

Gordon Hayward - Houses should be in rather than on the landscape

Photo courtesy of Saxon Holt

Gordon's presentation focused on classic design principles, amply illustrated with front yard photos from around the country. Much of his talk centered on the importance of the relationship between home and garden, with the central idea that a front garden should be designed to support the house. Examples from his talk include using trees to balance the scale of the home or soften rooflines, fences to create context and pathways designed to roll out the red carpet for guests. Gordon is the author of numerous garden books, but should you wish to further explore how to maximize the connection between home and garden (and not just in the front) I recommend Your House, Your Garden: A Foolproof Approach to Garden Design.


John Greenlee - Meadow gardens aren't just for large properties; even small landscapes have room for a "meadowette."

Photo courtesy of Saxon Holt

Despite owning a copy of The American Meadow Garden: Creating a Natural Alternative to the Traditional Lawn and having heard John speak on more than one occasion, I confess I've never created a meadow garden for a client. Many of the gardens I design are small, and figuring out how to include a meadow has always seemed too daunting a task to tackle. But John pointed out that meadowettes are a practical solution for small spaces, whether used as a transition between lawn and a surrounding garden, or in place of small lawns (which in addition to being dull, are often too narrow or convoluted to be irrigated efficiently). The best part about tackling a baby meadow? An exciting effect can be achieved with a much smaller palette than may be required for a larger space. Some of John's favorite choices include Carex pansa, Poa arachnifera and Sesleria autumnalis or  S. 'Greenlee' (a personal favorite of mine).

Vera Gates - Every landscape project should begin with a goal
At Vera's firm Arterra Landscape Architects in San Francisco, their goal is to create gardens that are beautiful, memorable and sustainable. I love this mantra, as it so clearly addresses the complex potential of a garden. At its best, a garden speaks to the senses (beautiful) and creates a unique experience for both the owner and visitor (memorable), while also doing its own small part to support the wider world (sustainable). At the beginning of each practice, my yoga instructor sets an intention for the class and encourages us to either follow it or to set one of our own. If you are about to embark on a landscape renovation, begin by setting your own intention - or borrow Arterra's philosophy.

 

Ivette Soler - Front yard food is here to stay

Part celebration of the spreading movement to grow food instead of lawns and part thoughtful design commentary, Ivette Soler shared her passion and support for the expanding number of front yard edible gardens that are popping up across the country. While she believes no one should shy away from growing food because of design considerations, she also provided strategies for making a space filled with fruits and vegetables as attractive as possible. Her most valuable tip: Corral edible gardens with hardscape materials substantial enough to contain the inherently raucous nature of veggies. As Ivette says, front yard food doesn't have to turn into a front yard farm. Read more ideas, in particular creative ways to mix edibles with ornamentals in her book The Edible Front Yard: The Mow-Less, Grow-More Plan for a Beautiful, Bountiful Garden

Evelyn Hadden - Less lawn means more life

Photo courtesy of Saxon Holt

Books and lectures on the lawn-free lifestyle often focus on the evils of lawn, but Evelynís talk reminded me of everything we gain when we swap out grass for garden: More scents, more sounds, more seasonal changes and more diverse wild life.  Who wouldn't prefer a garden that attracts birds and butterflies to a lawn that mainly attracts chemicals and lawnmowers? At the end of her talk, she asked for a show of hands from those considering giving up at least a part of their lawn and received an enthusiastic response. No-lawn gardens are sometimes considered a western-only phenomenon, but check out the range of photos in Evelyn's book Beautiful No-Mow Yards: 50 Amazing Lawn Alternatives and you'll realize that gardeners all over the country are equally interested in bringing more life into their spaces.

If any of these speakers wind up in your area, donít miss the opportunity to hear them in person. I'll close by saying that even better than what I learned was the chance to spend time with several of the speakers after the seminar ended. Thanks for both the lessons and the stimulating dinner conversation!

 

 

Garden Design Inspiration—Illusion

 

Wear nude-colored shoes to make your legs look longer. Hang a mirror on a wall to make a room look larger. Tricking the eye to create the illusion that something is not quite what it seems is everywhere, including garden design. Small-space gardeners often seek to create the impression of more space, but illusion can take many forms.

 

Sun and Shadow

In March I enjoyed a much-needed vacation in Cancun. You may recall that the brilliant colors of Quintana Roo inspired me, but I was equally intrigued by how cultural and religious references were incorporated into the built environment, oftentimes for the purpose of creating illusions meant to evoke awe, reverence or fear.

In the ancient Mayan ruin of Chichen Itza, the Temple of Castillo is probably the most famous structure. Built to honor the serpent god Kukulcan, his presence is represented by the two stone serpents that flank either side of the staircase.

 

A true marvel of astronomy and mathematics, on the spring and autumn equinoxes, afternoon sunshine lights up a bright zigzag pattern made by the steps, creating the illusion that a giant serpent is slithering down the stairs.

 

While the complex calculations required to create a magical slight of hand of this magnitude are far beyond the tools of a simple garden designer, illusion is an important part of landscape lighting design. It’s easy to put a pathlight next to a walkway, or an uplight in front of a Japanese maple, but to create your own fantastical bit of garden trickery, take advantage of downlighting. In the natural world, light shines down from above, which is why lighting your landscape in the same way creates a much more realistic effect. One of my favorite techniques is moonlighting, achieved by hanging a small, low-watt fixture from a tree or other overhead structure, and allowing it to cast a gentle glow on the ground below.

Lighting photos courtesy of Pam Penick, taken at Zona Gardens Landscape Design in Tucson.

This type of softly dispersed light more closely mimics the effect of moonlight in a way that can’t be achieved by a focused beam, helping to feed the illusion that the light source is natural.

 

The Illusion of Movement

On a day trip to Isla Mujeres, Kukulcan in serpent shape appeared again, this time embedded in a concrete staircase. Easily one of the most artful staircases I’ve ever seen, the slithering serpent outlined in carefully chosen stones adds a subtle sense of movement to the landscape. Creating the illusion of movement makes a garden feel alive, and is a no-fail strategy for turning an ordinary space into something extraordinary.

If a hardscape upgrade isn't in the cards, an easier way to do this is with plants. With their delicate foliage that sparkles in the light and sways with the slightest breeze, finely-textured ornamental grasses are the go-to solution for many gardeners.

For large gardens, this effect is intensified when grasses are massed together to form a sinuous, wavy shape.

Photo courtesy of Tai Williams

But even in small gardens, one or two carefully placed grasses can achieve a similar effect. My favorite small-space grass for this particular design strategy is Pennisetum orientale (pictured here), but other grasses will work as well.

 

My time in Cancun reminded me that it is always worthwhile to look beyond obvious upgrades like hardscape and plants when rethinking your garden. In this instance, a few small illusions are all you need to bring the play of light, shadow and movement into your garden.

Book Review: Lawn Gone!

Not only is the lawn reform movement still going strong; I'm happy to report that it continues to gain momentum. Lawn Gone!: Low-Maintenance, Sustainable, Attractive Alternatives for Your Yard by popular blogger and garden designer Pam Penick  is the latest book to tackle the topic. Its soup-to-nuts approach, inspiring photos and emphasis on DIY solutions make it a must-have for anyone considering reducing or eliminating lawn.

The book is divided into three parts. “Part One: Beyond the Lawn” explores what to do with all the real estate eliminating or reducing a lawn makes available. Low-growing plant alternatives are discussed in detail, but Lawn Gone also makes a case for replacing lawn with new living spaces and garden features, such as patios, ponds and play spaces.

Mixed species lawn. Design and photograph by Rebecca Sweet

“Part Two: Out with the Grass, In with a Garden” gives step-by-step instructions on removing an existing lawn. This is an area where the book really shines, as Pam explores multiple methods, and provides the pros and cons of each. She knows her target audience of DIYers well, and also includes instructions on planning and creating a range of garden features, from how to edge pathways, to basics on bed preparation.

A welcoming space for entertaining. Photograph courtesy of Pam Penick

In “Part Three: The Politics, Health and Safety of Going Lawnless,” Pam provides tips on dealing with both man-made obstacles (think HOAs and city codes) and natural ones, such as lawn alternatives for fire prone areas.

Design and photograph by Kelly Kipatrick

 

What I liked

• The book is one of the most well-organized and thorough resources I have yet to read on on lawn alternatives. What isn’t addressed?  From removing lawn, to dealing with skeptical neighbors, Lawn Gone covers all your questions, including some you probably haven’t even thought of yet.

• I enjoyed the conversational tone of the book, which feels appropriate for both advanced and new gardeners. as even those with years of gardening under their belts don’t necessarily have experience with removing and replacing lawn.

• The inclusion of regional experts greatly broadens the Lawn Gone’s potential readership. In the final chapter, Pam taps garden experts from eleven regions of the country for suggestions on the best lawn alternatives for their specific area. Beyond that, throughout the book advice is regularly qualified as to what parts of the country the tips apply to.

• Lawn Gone paints an enticing picture of the lawn-free lifestyle without sugarcoating the realities of what’s involved to get there. While you may be thrilled to ditch the lawnmower, Pam makes it clear that a successful garden still requires an ongoing commitment.

 

Quibbles

No quibbles this time, but be sure to do your research before following any of the specific plant advice in the book. Many of the plants mentioned, in particular the ornamental grasses, are invasive in California and other regions of the country - I counted more than one plant  I would hesitate to recommend to my clients. This can’t really be avoided in a book geared towards a national audience, but follow the advice Pam includes in Lawn Gone, and be sure to check online or with your county’s extension program before choosing plants for your garden.

Confidential to California gardeners: The alternatives provided that most closely mimic a lawn are mainly those grown from seed or plugs. Since here in California we're addicted to the look of fresh sod rolled out in a new garden, I usually specify no-mow native grass mixes in sod form for my clients. Check out Delta Bluegrass for alternatives that work in a range of USDA zone 9 cultural conditions.

 A must read for anyone considering reducing or eliminating a lawn, Lawn Gone provides a thoughtful, well-researched mix of step-by-step solutions and troubleshooting tips.

 

I received this book as a review copy. Photos reprinted with permission from Lawn Gone! Low-Maintenance, Sustainable, Attractive Alternatives for Your Yard by Pam Penick (Ten Speed Press, 2013).