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What
Is Your Garden Plan? A garden plan is a good thing to have if you want to be in charge of your garden! Believe me, I know because my husband and I have never really had a plan. We did establish a framework with stone walls, raised berms, stepping stone pathways, and several water features. But we did not develop a plant list. Instead we bought pretty plants from the nursery without much thought about their real needs for light, water, space and upkeep. Perennials: We definitely favor perennials! Most of them are in bloom many weeks and some of them up to ten months a year. Roses provide great color in flowerbeds and climbing along fences. Carnations, clematis, ferns, geraniums, herbs, lillies (calla, oriental, Peruvian), peonies, Shasta Daises, dwarf morningglory, and dozens of different ivies fill all the flower beds and attempt to crawl into lawn areas. Baby tears climb over rocks, stepping stones, and garden ornaments in shady areas. Isotoma, Irish moss, and green carpet (Herniaria glabra) are three sun loving ground covers we successfully utilize. Weeds have a tough time coming up because there are no areas with exposed soil. Our fences are solid with blooming vines in addition to climbing roses. The white potato vine is almost constantly in bloom with delicate bunches of white flowers that last for weeks in floral arrangements. The pink and white bower, Mandevilla, and purple or red trumpet vines provide stunning colors and attract hummingbirds all through the hot summer. Annuals: We start our annuals from seed. Cosmos, petunia, phlox, and zinnia are easy to grow. It isn't necessarily cost effective, but it's fun and there are more plant varieties available. Volunteers: The real reason I wanted to write this article and stress the importance of having some sort of plan for your garden is the phenomenon called "volunteer plants." Volunteers are good things, right? Well, not necessarily. They can really wreak havoc with your garden plan! I have written about the glorious Mexican primrose before. We had a love affair for about three years. My neighbor and I even thought it was great when it migrated to her adjacent flowerbed and really put on a show. Well, now we have a love-hate situation going on and I'm trying to pull up every plant before it can flower. It spreads underground at an incredible rate and steals water and nutrients from everything in its path. Unfortunately, once one of them sneaks past me and blooms I can't bring myself to pull out the iridescent pink flower, and so the cycle begins again. I would not recommend this flower unless you have an acre to let it roam. Volunteers that reseed themselves include alyssum, columbine, cosmos, hollyhocks, white daisy-like Chrysanthemum frutescans, larkspur, poppies, salvia, Shasta and African daisies, and violas, just to name a few. They are wonderful, if you have a cottage style garden and don't mind a busy, eye-popping display six to nine months a year. However if you have a particular color scheme or a certain "look" in mind, you will want to pull these out or they will become weedy. After all, a weed is defined as any plant that comes up where you don't want it! Plant Swaps: We give away our "volunteers" by the hundreds. Sometimes I feel guilty when I give someone mint, daisies, or Mexican primrose. I always warn them about their volunteering habit, but people can't say no to the fragrance of a chocolate or pineapple mint or the feel of a wooly lamb's ear. They happily take the castoffs and so the saga continues in another garden across town. If you have a defined garden plan, beware of "volunteers" or plant them where they can't escape and spread. If you have lots of room or a slope needing erosion control, then investigate some of the plants I've listed. You are sure to get quick results. Plant swaps are a great place to obtain "volunteers" because gardeners always want to share with others. Within two or three short years you too will be giving plants away! May 8, 2003 |