Blue Planet Garden Blog

Garden Designers Roundtable: Four Ways to Make a Small Garden Feel Like a Big One

 

 

This month’s Garden Designers Roundtable topic is our own home gardens. I thought about going with my favorite lazy-day post option and showing a montage of images – like a Wordless Wednesday but delivered on a Tuesday. Instead, I’m using my pint-sized garden to share some of the solutions to a question that comes up over and over again with my clients: how do you make a small garden seem larger?

I fondly refer to my tiny back yard as my 50 Foot Garden, since it’s not much wider than that. At a mere 20 feet deep, achieving a look that’s cozy rather than closed-in is a challenge. Here are four strategies I’ve used in my own little retreat that are easily translated into just about any space in need of a spacious feel.

 

Use every square inch

In our book Garden Up! Smart Vertical Gardening for Small and Large Spaces, my co-author Rebecca Sweet and I dedicated a large section to the over-looked opportunity of gardening in side yards. Yes, the narrow space and odd sun-shade patterns can be a challenge, but side yards give you the chance to create a space strictly to be gazed on – a rare occurrence in a small garden, where many features must do double or even triple duty.

 

 

Include a road less traveled

You know that famous infomercial line: But wait - there’s more!  Well, that’s what your pathways should be saying to visitors in your garden.

 When I’m designing a back yard garden, I never stop the path flush with the edges of the house. Doing so not only reinforces the typically boxy shape of a backyard, but it tells visitors that they’ve seen all there is to see. In a small space, it is particularly important to give the impression the garden continues around the next corner. The fact that that intriguing path leads to nowhere more exciting than compost and extra gardening supplies is my little secret. (And now it’s yours, too.)

 

 

 

Have a few tricks up your sleeve

 

You may be familiar with the design strategy of adding a mirror to a wall to create the illusion of a window to another part of the garden. If you’ve never considered this idea because you scornfully think no one will be fooled, I’m here to tell you that EVERYONE is fooled. I purchased a set of porthole-shaped mirrors at Target for $15.00 a few years back, and despite the obvious fact that nothing exists on the other side but a tiny strip of green and the street, almost everyone walks down the path and tries to look through them. As a side note, use caution when adding mirrors to gardens, and avoid placing them in such a way that might confuse birds.

 

Bury your treasure (or at least tuck it away)

What can be disappointing about a small garden is the sensation that in one quick glance, a visitor has already seen everything there is to see. That’s why I like to tuck in a few surprises that require a more thoughtful and leisurely stroll through the garden. Containers, particularly those tucked discretely in the back of a bed where they aren’t immediately on display work well.

But don’t stop there. My three ceramic starfish have been known to pack up and visit spots all around my garden, delighting the patient guests who take the time to admire not just the flowers and foliage, but the unexpected treasures hidden throughout.

For those of who would have preferred a Wordless Wednesday tour of my garden, here's a one minute Animoto video for your viewing pleasure.

 

To see what other Roundtable members have to say on the topic, check out these posts:

Rebecca Sweet : Gossip In The Garden : Los Altos, CA

Pam Penick : Digging : Austin, TX

Mary Gallagher Gray : Black Walnut Dispatch : Washington, D.C.

Jocelyn Chilvers : The Art Garden : Denver, CO

Deborah Silver : Dirt Simple : Detroit, MI

Debbie Roberts : A Garden of Possibilities : Stamford, CT

Christina Salwitz : Personal Garden Coach : Renton, WA

Andrew Keys : Garden Smackdown : Boston, MA

Rochelle Greayer: Studio G: Boston, MA

Growing Tomatoes in Containers

Slow Roasted Cherry Tomato Pesto. For more delicious tomato recipes, check out From Seed to Table

According to my mother, when I was very young I once ate so many tomatoes that I developed a temporary allergic reaction. This story may be true, or it may just be her way of discouraging me from filching the last few heirlooms from her garden when production winds down in September. Either way, my love of tomatoes continues to this day, and I look forward to tomato season the way a bargain hunter wakes up at 3 a.m., anxious to score the best Black Friday deals.

 

Unfortunately, I no longer have enough sunny space for a dedicated tomato bed, so like small space gardeners everywhere, I’ve turned to containers as my solution. Last year I had great success with Sun Gold cherry tomatoes, but while I admired their well-behaved good looks in a pot, the truth is, they’re a little too sweet for me. I prefer a tomato with a bit more acidity and bite. Bring it on, full-flavored tomatoes; I can take it!

 

That’s why I’m excited about the Contra Costa Master Gardener’s first annual tomato sale, going on from 10:00 to 3:00 April 4, 5 and 6. Located in “Our Garden” in the parking lot of the Contra Costa Times at 2640 Shadelands Drive in Walnut Creek, the sale features over 30 varieties of tomatoes, available for only $2.00 for each 4” pot. Rumor has it worm compost will be available as well. All varieties have  been field tested by master gardeners, taking the guess work out of the selection process. Better still, the following three heirloom tomato varieties are well-suited to containers:*

 

Black Krim Tomato

Indeterminate - 78 days

Image courtesy of Patsy Bell Hobson

Originally from the Isle of Krim in the Black Sea, this rare Russian beefsteak turns almost black with sufficient sunlight and heat. Fantastic intense, slightly salty flavor. Suitable for container/patio gardens.

 

Black Sea Man

Determinate - 75 days

Image courtesy of the San Diego Master Gardeners

Russian heirloom which produces in 75 days and does well in containers. The master gardener who field tested it wrote: "It has a delicious sweet-tart, complex tomato flavor. With mahogany brown, medium-sized fruit that is the most unusual and beautiful tomato when sliced. It hasa combination of red, ink, green and mahogay flesh. A smallish plant, but a very good producer."

 

Silvery Fir Tree

Determinate - 58 Days

Image courtesy of Golden Harvest Organics

A traditional Russian variety which all feel the threat of Siberian winters at their roots, it yields heavy crops of round, slightly flatted 3" fruits...a real eye catcher. Does well in hanging baskets where tomatoes hang like oraments on a fir tree an on patios in containers.

Last year the cherry tomatoes stayed upright easily with the help of a small cage, but since I'm going bigger and bolder this time, I'm trying these pruning tips for keeping tomatoes vertical, courtesy of Peaceful Valley, to keep my tomatoes in check. They also have a terrific video on how to plant in containers or in the ground.

I'll be at the Tomato Sale helping out Wednesday and Thursday afternoon, so if you're in the neighborhood, drop by and test my knowledge! Speaking of which, if you're new to growing your own tomatoes, determinate means your crop will ripen at the same time - a great option if you plan on freezing, canning or making large batches of sauce. Indeterminate plants produce fewer tomatoes at any given time, but continue producing throughout the growing season. In general, heirloom tomatoes produce fewer overall tomatoes than newer varieties.

I'm leaning towards the Black Krim. What do y'all think?

 

*All tomato descriptions courtesy of the Contra Costa County Master Gardeners.

Book Review: Small-Space Container Gardens

Instead of my usual attempt at a witty opening sentence, for once I’m cutting right to the chase: I absolutely love Small-Space Container Gardens: Transform Your Balcony, Porch, or Patio with Fruits, Flowers, Foliage, and Herbs!

Written by Fern Richardson, author of the hugely popular blog Life on the Balcony, Small-Space Container Gardens covers just about everything you want to know about container gardening. Filled with useful information, but written in a relaxed, chatty style, it’s a great cover-to-cover read, while also working well as a reference guide if you’re looking for specific tips, such as container plants that attract butterflies or how to choose the correct potting soil.

The book is divided into 8 chapters. The first chapters cover the basics of container gardening, going beyond the containers themselves to share design tips on furniture, lighting and flooring, as well as suggestions on coping with environmental conditions such as windy balconies. Fern’s personal experience with balcony gardening strongly informs this section of the book, and although anyone interested in container gardening will find plenty of useful information, cash-strapped apartment dwellers with a crafty streak will undoubtedly feel they’ve hit the mother lode. Two things I particularly liked in these chapters: an easy-to-understand section on combining colors and a clever and affordable idea for adding modular flooring to balcony gardens.

 

Awesome interpretation of the color wheel for gardeners

Later chapters cover different styles of container gardening, including potager gardens (fancy French term for a kitchen garden with a structured design, pronounced puh ta zhay), planting for privacy, succulents and attracting wildlife, a chapter I particularly enjoyed.

 

The muse for this balcony garden is the path of succulents and the shabby chic urn at the Huntington Botanical Gardens.

A monarch butterfly enjoys a meal, courtesy of a thoughtful container gardener

Sprinkled throughout are DIY ideas geared towards saving money and adding a personal touch to a garden. One of my favorites is the homemade birdbath pictured below, which is shallow enough for bees and other insects to use. I’m thinking of trying this one in my own garden, although my obsession with purple suggests I’ll be painting it a different color.

 

 

What I liked:

• The book has a good mix of professionally researched information and personal preferences. I like the fact that Fern recommends not only a category of plants (like calendula for edible flowers) but then tells us her favorite cultivar – in this case ‘Zeolights’, because it starts out bronze-orange then fades to light pink.
• Designs! Several of the chapters feature layouts for small balconies or courtyards. Since this is my profession, I realize I"m a little biased, but I know I’m not the only one who finds it much easier to grasp the design intent when there is a picture to go along with the description.
• Situational plant recommendations that go beyond most publications. For example, instead of a general category of plants that attract wildlife, there are specific lists for birds, butterflies and bees.

 

Unusually for me, I don’t really have quibbles for this review, but I do have a few caveats.

This book focuses more on designing and gardening WITH containers, rather than IN containers. That’s one of the main reasons I like it, but if you are looking for an illustrated roadmap on specific plant combinations, a good companion to Small-Space Container Gardens is Container Gardening: 250 Design Ideas & Step-By-Step Techniques

Athough it includes plants for all USDA zones and addresses issues that gardeners in colder parts of the country face (such as dealing with freezing temperatures and mosquitos), with its emphasis on succulents, flowers and edibles, the book favors warm-weather gardeners and those with the ability to overwinter indoors or who don’t mind relying more on annuals.

Filled with practical advice, design ideas and DIY projects, Small-Space Container Gardens is a must-have resource for space-challenged gardeners.

Meet the Author: Northern California friends, if you'd like to learn more and meet the author in person, Fern will be speaking at the San Francisco Flower and Garden Show, Saturday, March 24th at 11 a.m.

Plants for Small Gardens: Weeping Trees go Vertical

Snow Fountains 'Weeping Cherry'

all images courtesy of Maria Zampini

Just as there’s more than one way to skin a cat (I’m taking this on faith, of course, as I prefer my kitties fully-furred), there’s more than one way to fit a beloved plant into a small space. In Garden Up! Smart Vertical Gardening For Small and Large Spaces, Rebecca and I describe many strategies for working in small, tight spaces: choosing vertical plants; layering up, not out; and using your walls, fences or arbors as another place to garden. A classic way to achieve the last example is through the practice of espalier.
 

Ring in 2012 with these New Plant Introductions

Eat less, volunteer more, draw or write daily in my journal – all examples of past New Year’s resolutions that were quietly discarded as the everyday pressures of work and life took precedence. This year, I’m making only one resolution and I know I’ll enjoy keeping it: to experiment with as many new plants as possible.

One thing making my resolution easier is the APLD-sponsored new plant presentation I attended late last year, courtesy of Ryan Hall of Pacific Plug and Liner.  I’ll be sharing more of the plants I learned about as I try them out in my garden designs, but here are three that I’m particularly excited about – and you won’t be surprised to learn they are all perfect for small gardens.


Astelia ‘Silver Shadow’ lights up the dark