|
|
By David Berle
University of Georgia
Creating a functional and attractive landscape can be rewarding
in many ways. Unfortunately, so many landscape design articles
and books abound that the task can be daunting.
Simply choosing which information source to follow can drive you
to hire a professional to make all the decisions. Somewhere
between the glossy magazine pictures and a hired professional is
the well-informed, creative homeowner: you.
An old saying, “there is no such thing as a bad plant, only one
that is misplaced,” is true to a large extent. No matter how bad
the overall design, it will look good if the plants are happy.
Another old expression is, “I never met a plant I didn’t like.”
Everyone has his own preferences for colors, shapes and texture.
It’s easy
Given the diversity in the plant world, it’s not hard to find
home landscape plants that suit anyone’s tastes, no matter what
the trends are in California.
The best place to start is your neighborhood. Drive around and
look for both good and bad examples of your ideal landscape.
Visit some of the many public gardens and displays, too,
throughout Georgia and the Southeast. Make a trip to local
nurseries and garden centers to see what’s available. Make a
folder that includes pictures and articles that describe a look
that suits both your location and your own taste.
With some idea of how you want your landscape to look, these
plant-selection guidelines will help ensure your landscape is
happy.
Plant the right stuff
First, always use plants suited to the local environment. That
includes concerns about cold hardiness, frost dates, soil
drainage, rainfall and even site-specific problems like deer and
salt water. Having locally adapted plants is better than any
plant guarantee the nursery can offer.
Second, become familiar with the site and the individual
requirements of your favorite plants. Observe the pattern of the
sun and the movement of water during a heavy rain. Locating a
plant in the wrong light or drainage situation can be the kiss of
death and ruin any good landscape design.
A plant requiring full sun means at least six hours of direct
sunlight per day. A shade-loving plant can tolerate no more than
four hours of direct sunlight. A plant that is tolerant of “wet
feet” may not like growing on a dry hillside.
How big will they grow?
Third, consider the mature size of the plants you’re using and
locate them accordingly.
One of the biggest mistakes in landscape design comes when it’s
time to place the plants in the ground. Every landscape plant
looks small in a tiny nursery pot. Sometimes that little round
shrub in the pot turns into a giant beanstalk, growing taller
than a two-story house.
There’s always a temptation to bunch small container plants close
together or up close to a house to make it look fuller in the
beginning. But the result is overcrowding and serious maintenance
concerns down the road.
Knowing how tall and wide a plant will grow must be coupled with
a willingness to give the plant time to reach that size. Some
plants grow so fast they must be pruned constantly. Others take
years to grow a few inches.
Trust your instincts
If any landscape design trend were ever worth following, it would
be the trend toward personalized gardens. Your landscape should
be a reflection of what you like and how you want to express
yourself.
The landscape is an open palette, waiting to be filled with your
favorite plants and landscape features. As long as the plants you
use thrive where you place them, you alone can decide what looks
best.
You can find more information about locally adapted plants and
guidelines for plant selection at your county University of
Georgia Extension Service office.
(David Berle is an Extension Service horticulturist with the
University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental
Sciences.)
