garden smarter not harder…

a lot of people are transitioning from growing lawns to growing food.  depending on where you live this can be a very tricky subject.  some municipalities require you to acquire a variance or special permit to grow things higher than 12 inches (in your front yard).  here in denver height isn’t so much the issue as is the use of water.  if you choose to go this route, my suggestion is, plan your garden and the watering zones with sensitivity and caution.  plan(t) smarter don’t work harder.

one method that is simple to design for the diy folks out there is the square foot gardening method.  square foot gardening combines several methods; bio-intensive planting, composting, organic gardening and is often planted in raised beds.  there are many books and websites on this subject and it can be as plain as a square bed or as intricate as you can dream up.

when you start to design your space plant things close together that have similar watering requirements to help eliminate over or under usage of water.  planting and watering in zones is a good method to follow, especially in the desert or other places experiencing droughts.  get creative when watering; use olla’s, drip systems and rain barrels if you location allows it.  the more efficient your garden is started, the more time you will have to enjoy it.  using simple methods such as these will help streamline your gardening time and use your resources more efficiently.  

if you have any questions on square foot gardening or setting up watering zones send me a message.

resources on square foot gardening and watering methods:
http://www.squarefootgardening.org/
http://www.denverwater.org/Conservation/TipsTools/Outdoor/WateringYourLawn/
http://www.rainbird.com/homeowner/education/watersavingtips.htm

happy gardening…

getting ideas…

whenever i am meeting clients for the first time, it is exciting and can be overwhelming at the same time.  some clients know exactly what they want but want a professional to make it come to fruition.  some clients have a bunch of ideas but not a clear or cohesive vision.  this is where i come in as a designer.  it is my job to marry the desires of the client(s), the budget and constraints into a master plan.  still other client have no direction as to what it is they want other than to make it look pretty or to function a certain way.  i have a few suggestions for those of you that are having a hard go of it in figuring out what is the best fit for you, your space and your lifestyle.

start a journal of the things listed below.

first i would suggest looking in your own neighborhood or city for things you like and just as important the things you don’t.  chances are if it grows for your neighbor it will grow for you.  start noticing types of materials that you enjoy and why you enjoy them.  for example if you like a retention wall, what is it about this wall that you like…is it the color, the texture, the shape, the height or its function.  really start to notice and take in your surroundings.  if nothing strikes your fancy in your neighborhood start to venture out to other neighborhoods or places.

the denver botanic gardens are a great place to go if you want to capture ideas that work great for this climate.  if you aren’t in denver then visit your local garden(s) or conservatory.  again take note of what it is you like or dislike and why or the feeling it evokes for you.  get up close and personal to the elements and touch and smell them if you can.  really start to experience the landscape and take it all in.  remember that you want your space to reflect you and your lifestyle. 

if sightseeing and sauntering through your neighborhood or city is not your thing, then try the internet or magazines.  there are tons of home, gardening and lifestyle magazines to sort through.  go to your local book store, grab a beverage and start flipping through pages.  if you don’t want to purchase dozens of magazines, write down the name and page number and take a photo of the design.  again note what you like/dislike and why.  same with the internet, start capturing images or book marking pages you like.

take special note on seasonality if you live in a climate with distinct seasonal changes.  what might look great in the spring might not be your cup of tea during other seasons.  while not everything looks great all year long, multi season appeal is not that difficult to achieve.

you will be glad you kept the journal when you sit down with your designer, trust me.  this will save you time, energy, money and a few headaches in the end.  you don’t have to know exactly what you want or how to get there, that is why you are looking for a professional after all.  for those of you that are having some anxiety, a little direction will go a long way in facilitating this process and easing your mind.     

happy gardening…


http://www.botanicgardens.org/
photo courtesy of the Denver Botanic Gardens

growing native…

when most people ask me questions about landscaping it’s because they need advice on what to do with their space.  i tell them it is very similar to real estate; location is everything.  not only the location of where you live, it is also the location of where you want to put elements.  you can, in theory, grow almost anything almost anywhere.  this method however requires a lot of resources, like water and great soil to name a couple.  this does not guarantee that your garden will thrive.  and you don’t want your landscaping to merely exist… you want it to thrive!

the right plant for the right place is the mantra we are taught in landscape architecture.  so it stands to reason that different climates call for different requirements as far as resources and plant palate selection.  one common method to minimize the use of resources, such as water, is to choose a plant palate that is considered native and non-invasive.  a native plant, tree or shrub can best be described as one that is indigenous or naturalized to an area and usually refers to species that were there before colonization.  invasive species can wreak havoc on something as small as a yard to something as large as an ecological system.  so when designing a space, environmental sensitivity should be considered if you wish to conserve resources and want your landscape to thrive.

resources on native and non-invasive species in colorado:
http://www.slideshare.net/Fujita64g/a1o351
http://jeffco.us/coopext/intro.jsp
http://www.ext.colostate.edu/ptlk/1710.html

happy gardening…