Landscaping Design
29 Apr 2021 09:09 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ursulas_alcoveLong before the trend of edible landscaping, there were herb gardens. And all the books with diagrams and specific plant breeds were based in the UK. So little was available in the US before the internet became a thing. If your local garden plant and nursery didn't have it, you couldn't get it or even figure out who to ask to obtain it. During that time, I picked up the book Herb Garden Design, which was horribly expensive in 1995 at $25, hardcover. It is a beautiful book, covering layout, colors, heights, and even container gardening. Of course their gardens were extensive, meaning large places to fill with many plants, space, benches, etc. This book has been my inspiration over the years.
Another place I've found recently is on Instagram, bgreen_dk. They are based in Denmark. I love their containers, all shapes and sizes. I think the metric aspect ratios appeal to me. We have a place in Pittsburgh called Roxanne's Dried Flowers that sometimes has interesting pots and garden art, not quite the same.
Pittsburgh Center for the Arts:
Where am I going with this? I want to up my game. I need shape and texture in the garden. I need art. The garden is not a static place, nor should it look the same year after year. Art should not cost an arm and a leg, although an unlimited budget is a nice thought. I don't want cheap Chinese constructs. Mostly, the goal is to make a cohesive picture when seen from afar. One neighbor uses a fake wooden wheelbarrow and fills it with new annuals each year while the rest of the garden is perennials. Other neighbors use the traditional bean monolith to create height and interest. This one's round. https://www.gardeners.com/buy/decorative-freestanding-trellis/8610411.html
Arches can play a role too as well as wishing wells, French flower carts, garden gnomes, statuary, and interesting containers.
One thing I've learned is that perennials are hard to change out if you don't like the color scheme. Unfortunately, our garden has changed over time because a shade tree went down. The unique micro-climate was gone so the perennials and original design was forced to change. This applies specifically to my front terrace, a feature people walk by every day. I lost two English Lavender plants and some Blue Fescue. The original design was silver plant/ green plant, alternating, and above them red plant/blue plant with herbs on the top. We settled for replacing the lavender with Santolina (Lavender Cotton) and the other side has White Lavender. These plants are no longer centered within their squares.
Last year I came up with this scheme:
You certainly could not see my house, which was the point. The portions of woodwork need paint. The quotes I got assumed all the wood needed to be replaced. Not happening. No spare $30,000. I just don't have a scaffold. Anyway, the house is basically an orange brick, with aged cedar in brown. It should be offset by dark green foliage, burgundies, and pops of orange. It has a storybook quality to it as a mock Tudor. We have calendula and marigolds in fall. Purples, Burgundies, Reds, and Orange would be where I'd start if I had to do it over.
I hate the barberry bushes even if they do look good. I hate the thorns and constant trimming. Chrono nixed one bush last year. I think this year it's my turn to take out a bush. The Autumn Glory sedum works but the overall effect is too geometric. I have no idea where to put the remaining blue fescue. The white lavender stinks as a flower. It's pretty, but stinky. I grew one traditional Lavender from seed last year. I need to look if it survived.
I think I'd like burgundy sunflowers, perhaps a little further back. We need to have sunflowers because they feed the birds so that the birds don't eat the blueberries. I'm looking at interesting shaped flowers too, like a feathery poppy or cockscomb, even thistle-like flowers Mandarin Orange Gomphrena, https://www.rareseeds.com/store/vegetables/new-items-2021/mandarin-orange-gomphrena
So hard to tell what would grow here. We've had success with Bee Balm and nasturtiums, not so much with poppies. Maybe a unique color of dianthus?
The other thing to consider is when things bloom. It's no good planning burgundy violets with nasturtiums because they bloom at two different times. I am also stuck with the yellow in the coreopsis, for dyeing, the light purple in the oregano blooms, the skirret, and more. I am wondering if it's just better to do a hodgepodge rainbow explosion instead. The Santolina will always be silver and yellow. I'd like to add mugwort (a type of artemisia) and more herbs to the mix, staying away from the yellows. If only I could get Lupine to grow. Maybe some foxgloves? I killed my lady's mantle. The deer ate the coral bells. We love coral bells!
I have two new-to-me flowers this year. I got ahold of native Marshmallow for medicinals, and am adding a cut flower called Scabiosa. https://www.fruitionseeds.com/shop/flowers/organic-black-beauty-scabiosa/
Hopi sunflowers have just been planted inside too. A lot of these are dye plants. I want to continue with dye plants, but I'd like some artwork in the garden too. I have a bird bath and garden gnomes. But something new would be nice. I plan to try hanging baskets on the porch. I just don't know what to plant in them yet. I also added the pansy baskets. I've no idea if the Phipps will be hosting the plant sale this year. By and large, it was our access to all kinds of herbs. Obelisks would help keep the deer out of some areas and look better than surrounding the apple tree with tomato cages. I may try to rebuild the wattle. for interest. Lots of things to think about.
Another place I've found recently is on Instagram, bgreen_dk. They are based in Denmark. I love their containers, all shapes and sizes. I think the metric aspect ratios appeal to me. We have a place in Pittsburgh called Roxanne's Dried Flowers that sometimes has interesting pots and garden art, not quite the same.
Pittsburgh Center for the Arts:
Where am I going with this? I want to up my game. I need shape and texture in the garden. I need art. The garden is not a static place, nor should it look the same year after year. Art should not cost an arm and a leg, although an unlimited budget is a nice thought. I don't want cheap Chinese constructs. Mostly, the goal is to make a cohesive picture when seen from afar. One neighbor uses a fake wooden wheelbarrow and fills it with new annuals each year while the rest of the garden is perennials. Other neighbors use the traditional bean monolith to create height and interest. This one's round. https://www.gardeners.com/buy/decorative-freestanding-trellis/8610411.html
Arches can play a role too as well as wishing wells, French flower carts, garden gnomes, statuary, and interesting containers.
One thing I've learned is that perennials are hard to change out if you don't like the color scheme. Unfortunately, our garden has changed over time because a shade tree went down. The unique micro-climate was gone so the perennials and original design was forced to change. This applies specifically to my front terrace, a feature people walk by every day. I lost two English Lavender plants and some Blue Fescue. The original design was silver plant/ green plant, alternating, and above them red plant/blue plant with herbs on the top. We settled for replacing the lavender with Santolina (Lavender Cotton) and the other side has White Lavender. These plants are no longer centered within their squares.
Last year I came up with this scheme:
You certainly could not see my house, which was the point. The portions of woodwork need paint. The quotes I got assumed all the wood needed to be replaced. Not happening. No spare $30,000. I just don't have a scaffold. Anyway, the house is basically an orange brick, with aged cedar in brown. It should be offset by dark green foliage, burgundies, and pops of orange. It has a storybook quality to it as a mock Tudor. We have calendula and marigolds in fall. Purples, Burgundies, Reds, and Orange would be where I'd start if I had to do it over.
I hate the barberry bushes even if they do look good. I hate the thorns and constant trimming. Chrono nixed one bush last year. I think this year it's my turn to take out a bush. The Autumn Glory sedum works but the overall effect is too geometric. I have no idea where to put the remaining blue fescue. The white lavender stinks as a flower. It's pretty, but stinky. I grew one traditional Lavender from seed last year. I need to look if it survived.
I think I'd like burgundy sunflowers, perhaps a little further back. We need to have sunflowers because they feed the birds so that the birds don't eat the blueberries. I'm looking at interesting shaped flowers too, like a feathery poppy or cockscomb, even thistle-like flowers Mandarin Orange Gomphrena, https://www.rareseeds.com/store/vegetables/new-items-2021/mandarin-orange-gomphrena
So hard to tell what would grow here. We've had success with Bee Balm and nasturtiums, not so much with poppies. Maybe a unique color of dianthus?
The other thing to consider is when things bloom. It's no good planning burgundy violets with nasturtiums because they bloom at two different times. I am also stuck with the yellow in the coreopsis, for dyeing, the light purple in the oregano blooms, the skirret, and more. I am wondering if it's just better to do a hodgepodge rainbow explosion instead. The Santolina will always be silver and yellow. I'd like to add mugwort (a type of artemisia) and more herbs to the mix, staying away from the yellows. If only I could get Lupine to grow. Maybe some foxgloves? I killed my lady's mantle. The deer ate the coral bells. We love coral bells!
I have two new-to-me flowers this year. I got ahold of native Marshmallow for medicinals, and am adding a cut flower called Scabiosa. https://www.fruitionseeds.com/shop/flowers/organic-black-beauty-scabiosa/
Hopi sunflowers have just been planted inside too. A lot of these are dye plants. I want to continue with dye plants, but I'd like some artwork in the garden too. I have a bird bath and garden gnomes. But something new would be nice. I plan to try hanging baskets on the porch. I just don't know what to plant in them yet. I also added the pansy baskets. I've no idea if the Phipps will be hosting the plant sale this year. By and large, it was our access to all kinds of herbs. Obelisks would help keep the deer out of some areas and look better than surrounding the apple tree with tomato cages. I may try to rebuild the wattle. for interest. Lots of things to think about.
garden art
Date: 7 May 2021 06:30 pm (UTC)