| NW
Natural Yard Days April 15-May 15 |
 |
 Yard
Days is back again with deep discounts on products for
environmentally-friendly gardening. Participating home
and garden stores will offer discounts up to 25% on compost,
organic fertilizers, push or electric mulch mowers, soaker
hoses, safe slug and moss controls and much more. For
a list of retailers and products, visit www.yarddays.com
or call (206) 633-0224. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Drought Tolerant Beauties for Dry Soil
Peggy Campbell
Saturday, April 14th - 1:00 to 2:30 p.m.
Swansons Nursery at 9701 15th Ave. NW in Seattle
Favorite Northwest Natives for Sun and Shade
Peggy Campbell
Saturday, April 21st - 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Swansons Nursery at 9701 15th Ave. NW in Seattle
Plant Marriages that Go Wild with Marianne Binetti
Saturday, April 28th - 10:00 to 11:00 a.m.
Molbak's at 13625 NE 175th in Woodinville
Natural Gardening for an Urban Landscape
Saturday, May 5th - 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. OR 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
At the home of Jennifer Carlson in Seattle
Pre-registration required. Attendees must reside in Saving
Water Partnership service area. Click here to see service area: http://savingwater.org/about_partners.htm.
Spring Garden Fair in Bothell
Hear favorite gardening speakers such as Marianne Binetti and Ciscoe Morris,
pick up spring perennials at the plant sale, buy a rainbarrel or compost bin
and maybe win a door prize. Admission is free.
Saturday, April 21, from 9:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. at Woodmoor Elementary School.
For the complete fair schedule, visit the Woodinville Water District website
http://www.woodinvillewater.com.
|
|
|
 |
|
Planning
and Designing a Low-Maintenance Garden
Jennifer Carlson, Haven Illustrated,
LLC
With spring's arrival, you're likely pondering small and big changes in your
garden. Lately, I have noticed more clients asking for "low-maintenance" gardens
that don't sacrifice beauty. To me, a low-maintenance garden means I avoid waste
of all kinds – my time, my plants and natural resources. It does not require
supplemental summer water once it is established. Nor does it need pesticides,
herbicides or fertilizers. The plants require little pruning, deadheading or
cutting back. And for families with pets or children, the garden is especially
resilient to a flying ball and light foot traffic. If this describes your desires
for outdoor living spaces, then incorporate as many of these steps as possible
this spring.
My key steps to a low-maintenance garden are:
Step 1: Determine your soil and growing conditions
(See the Get to Know Your Soil factsheet)
Sandy soil
Clay soil
Dry shade
Naturally moist year 'round
Exposed – windy, direct sun all day
Step 2: Create a
plan and save some heartache
Pull out the graph paper for a reality check. Map out the growing conditions on this plan and determine how many plants you need in any given space before you go to the nursery and before you walk around the garden searching for a planting spot. Keep the mature size of plants in mind. The plan may change once you start buying, but it will be a valuable reference point for decisions. Focusing on a color scheme may simplify your choices while tying in with your house colors and the colors you enjoy.
Step 3: Select the
right mix of plants
Right plant, right place
Match the soil, sun and other microclimate conditions of your garden to the plants
that thrive in those conditions. See my plant list under Featured Resources for
ideas.
Type of plants
Determine how much time you're able to spend caring for your garden after
it is planted. Annuals need the most care with deadheading, watering and replacing.
Perennials may need deadheading and some pruning. Some ornamental grasses need
to be cut back each year. Shrubs require the least amount of care if planted
in a location that fits their mature size.
Balance harmony with diversity
Avoid the temptation to buy one of everything. Instead, create groupings of
three to five plants. When you select plants, choose a variety of heights so
that you can create layers of trees, shrubs, perennials and grasses. By doing
this, you'll gain a diversity of species, color, texture, shape and height. Start
with the bones (plants that anchor the garden year 'round), and then fill in
around them.
Plan for mature size
Look for the plant’s mature size (in spread and height). Buying something
that will outgrow its space in two to four years is setting you up for high
maintenance. While nursery plants may look small and you may have lots of bare
ground initially, these plants can triple in size in three years. Avoid the headache
of removing plants later by giving your plants space to mature.
Research – see
sidebars for resources
Whether you’re a novice or a plant-aholic, public gardens, on-line plant
lists, books, garden tours and nurseries will give you plenty of plant ideas
throughout the year.
Step 4: Simplify
maintenance steps for more play time later on
Amend soil with compost before planting for healthier
plants later. Mulch after you plant. The mulch will feed soil over time, mitigate
summer heat and winter cold, hold in moisture and make weeding easier. Water
consistently for the first two to three years. Invest time in laying out soaker
hoses or drip irrigation to get water straight to roots and avoid hose dragging
when you’d rather enjoy lemonade.
Step 5: Edit for easier care and visual beauty
Remove struggling plants that aren’t thriving in
the soil and sun that your garden is providing. Take out plants that clash in
their shape, texture or color.
Step 6: Make allowances
for changes in your garden
As trees and shrubs mature, shade will replace
some sunny spots. Know in advance that you may need to change out understory
plants and probably move plants around for other reasons. Gardens are never planted
just once.
By following these simple steps this spring and learning how to work with nature, you too can be a savvy
gardener, with an easy-care, beautiful garden all year long.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| Spring
Featured Factsheets
Get to Know Your Soil
|
 Identify
your soil type, solve soil problems and learn how to water
"deeply." |
Natural Yard Care in Spanish
"El Cuidado Natural del Jardín"
|
Natural Yard Care, the introduction to the Natural Guides series,
is now available in Spanish. |
 |
| Featured
Resources
Low-Maintenance Plant List
|
View the plant list here:
Link
OR use Excel to sort the same List: Link |
Public garden examples:
|
Center for Urban Horticulture: Soest Herbaceous Display Garden
 Displays
perennials and bulbs in eight different common urban conditions,
with variable soil textures, watering regimes, and sun/shade
environments so visitors will be able to determine which
plants are most appropriate for particular home garden conditions.
Visit Soest
website
Bellevue Botanic Garden
 Comprises
53 acres of display gardens, woodlands, meadows and wetlands, including a waterwise
garden.
Visit
Bellevue Botanic Garden website |
|
|
Natural Lawn & Garden Series
Learn how to have a healthy and beautiful garden with our guides.
• Growing Healthy Soil
• Choosing the Right Plants
• The Plant List
• Smart Watering
• Composting at Home
• Natural Pest, Weed & Disease
Control
• Natural Lawn Care
• Natural Yard Care (summary of above)
View these guides online or to request a Natural Lawn & Garden Guide, contact
the Natural Lawn & Garden Hotline at (206) 633-0224 or at info@lawnandgardenhotline.org |
|
Saving Water
Partnership List:
Cedar River Water and Sewer District
City of Bothell
City of Duvall
Coal Creek Utility District
Highline Water District
Water District 20
Water District 45
Water District 49
Water District 90
Water District 119
Water District 125
City of Mercer Island
Northshore Utility District
Olympic View Water and Sewer
Seattle Public Utilities
Shoreline Water District
Soos Creek Water and Sewer District
Woodinville Water District |
|
The Natural Lawn &
Garden
Hotline
For environmentally friendly
answers to your garden questons
(206) 633-0224 or at
info@lawnandgardenhotline.org |
|
| We welcome your suggestions. Please share them by emailing
Liz Fikejs, Seattle Public Utilities at liz.fikejs@seattle.gov |
|
Photo & garden credits:
Photos by Jacqui James Photography taken in the gardens of Stacie Crooks
Garden Design and Jennifer Carlson of Haven Illustrated. |
|
How to subscribe or remove name:
To add or remove your name from our subscription list, please go to:
http://seattle.gov/lists/gardening.htm |
|
View our fall
edition:
http://www.savingwater.org/
savvygardener\archive\fall_2006\default.htm |
|
| |
|
