Perhaps the most desired aspect of today’s garden clientele is “low-maintenance.” This can have a variety of different meanings when told to the ear of a Garden Designer. For one, it can mean “I want it to look pretty on its own,” or “I want to spend time relaxing in my garden, not working.” But whatever the interpretation, one thing is key to a low maintenance garden, design. Yes, design. My favorite thing.

Effective low-maintenance is all about design. Design provides structure for your plants and your hardscape that will last. A low-maintenance landscape is a lasting landscape. Whether or not you hire a Garden Designer or Landscape Architect, it is important to have a plan for your garden space, and make it your own. Your style and taste should be realized in your garden. It is your space!

So, here are some key ideas to use and remember when working towards a low-maintenance garden.

1. Garden with nature. Select plants that will work with your site conditions. Use soil amendments and fertilizers that have long term benefits for your plants and soil.

2. Don’t be shy, use design! Consult with one of us at Father Nature or buy a book. Grab your paper and pencil and see what shapes come out of your hand.

3. Remember to add design elements such as: walls, pillars, arbors, decks, patios, and pathways. They all aid in shaping and defining your garden space. Hardscapes help anchor your design, and can carry it through the seasons. It doesn’t change as your plants do, but remains constant.

4. Geometry is important. Circles are soft, rectangles are contemporary, and squares are formal. Shapes define plant space and hardscape. Figure out which works best for you. Keep it simple! Too many combined different shapes can take more maintenance depending on plant material and paving material.

5. The more livable the space, the easier it will be to care for. You want to be able to sit and enjoy your garden, not spend countless hours tending to and babying your plants. There is nothing wrong with careful plant tending. You can do that no matter what garden you have, but low maintenance is about achieving maximum levels of enjoyment with less garden toil.

6. Your plant palette can be as simple or complex as you want. Keep in mind, though, to choose plants that will work within your site conditions. They will need less attention the closer they are to their natural environment. A simple, easy plant palette is the best option. But there is no reason you can’t incorporate some of your favorites. Remember, it can be simple or complex as you want. (see below for more tips)

7. Surprise! Water features are actually pretty low-maintenance. They achieve several goals at once: lovely natural music, attracts birds, and serve as a stunning focal point.

General design tips, should you choose to strike out on your own:

- If you choose a complex (it can be complex and low-maintenance, the two aren’t always mutually exclusive) plant palette, go for simple hardscape and materials. Too much complexity creates massive visual clutter. It is almost as if your eye has no where to settle, and is tossed around in a pin ball machine. Graphic, I know, but just trust me.

- If you choose simple, note that every detail seems to stand out. Balancing the details is the trick for simple low-maintenance plant palettes.

- Materials that pull “double-duty” are extremely valuable. For example, pebble mosaic on the ground plain creates interest and serves as a pathway or patio space. Plants with a strong consistent form are a good way to at structure without it appearing as hard as stone materials.

- Think about: 1. Repetition (textures, shapes, forms, materials) creates unity. Too much variety is a maintenance headache. 2. Personality! Make it your own. 3. Editing. Low-maintenance may cause you to have to pare down a bit. But that’s ok! Choose what you like and what works, it doesn’t have to be boring and ugly.

Excited? Ready to get started? There is plenty of time to research and design before the spring starts. Below is a list of resources and books that might inspire you further.

“The New Low-Maintenance Garden,” by Valerie Easton. This book was the primary inspiration for this blog entry. It contains much more information about most of the above topics, and even wanders into the world of garden maintenance.

“Architecture in the Garden,” by James Van Sweden. Written by an extremely talented designer and Landscape Architect. This book will help the hardscape challenged designer in you.

“Gardens are for People,” by Thomas Church. One of my all-time favorites, and probably mentioned in previous posts. Valerie Easton says in her book, “…plants are great, but gardens are for people.” I bet she has read this book!

“A Pattern Language: Towns, Buildings, and Construction,” by Christopher Alexander. This book pertains more to the urban landscape, but the insight on patters in design is inspiring no matter the niche. A very valuable fireside read. Another one of my favorites.

Lastly, some eye candy!

When you garden with nature, choose to garden with Father Nature. We are always happy to be included!

Yesterday was Groundhog day, and Phil said six more weeks of Winter. Six more weeks is plenty of time to prepare your garden for Spring. In order to help you get started, I have compiled a list of beneficial garden chores.

get out your tools!

Save up for a warm (60’s hopefully) sunny day to begin to tend to your garden, you have six more weeks after all (thanks Phil). On a day with less favorable conditions, scrounge around in your garden supplies and tools to make sure you are prepared. You can fix or replace tools, locate your gloves, and update your garden journal.

Once you make it outside, consider the following:

- Remove any dead annuals that made it through the Winter, and pick out what you intend to plant next

- If you did not prune your perennials in the fall, it is generally safe to prune them once you start to see new growth. Of course, there are exceptions. Contact Father Nature to learn more.

- Be mindful of your herbaceous perennials. They generally die back during the winter and should emerge in the Spring

- Prune your woody shrubs to encourage new growth

- Other plants just may need a little sprucing up. Trim away tattered and warn foliage for a fresh Spring look.

- Ornamental grasses can be cut back to a few inches above the ground with no sign of new growth. New growth will occur when the plant is ready. (There are some exceptions)

For more specific information about plant requirements or pruning technique, send us an email and we would be happy to help you! Remember,

“Gardening is a labor of love. Exercise is just plain labor.” Horticulturalist Steve Upson

Happy Gardening!

Holiday Lighting

The holiday season has come and gone with the speed of Santa’s sleigh. Before we knew it, the sounds of carols and familiar smell of Christmas trees that permeated the air have left our homes. With the exit of the holiday season brings that familiar chore of taking down the Christmas lights. When you installed them you where filled with anticipation and probably didn’t mind the cold weather or rain. Now is a different story, the rain and cold are still here and your fingers are going to get cold and numb along with the rest of you.To save yourself the time, hassle, and pain of hanging, removing, and storing your lights think of Father Nature Tacoma as the holidays approach in 2010. We are now offering this service to existing clients and would be happy to give you an estimate for seasonal lighting on your home and landscape. We are going to offer the new environmentally-friendly energy efficient LED lights and the standard incandescent lights. Both will be high quality lights that last for multiple seasons. Once again think of Father Nature Tacoma for your holiday lighting needs. - Chris Scheer

Winter Clean-up

With Spring around the corner, it is a great time to prepare early for the growing season. An important part of maintaining the health and beauty of your gardens is winter clean-up. Certain fungi and plant pathogens can overwinter in leaf litter, old pine straw, and mulch. There are a few things that can be done to help keep these nuisances from returning: Prune off dead or rotten limbs from trees and shrubs, cut back any dormant perennial foliage, and remove old leaves and pin straw/mulch from bed areas. Other applications, like copper sulfate, can also be used to help protect plant tissue. Remember, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Happy gardening! - Andrew Robinson

Ponds

Have a pond? Need some help? In all parts of the states, we have experienced some extremely cold temperatures this year. Keeping the water flowing in ponds and streams definitely helps keep ice from forming. Small pond heaters is an option to stop ice formation. My favorite solution for keeping ice at bay is aerators. Aerators not only keep the water moving, preventing ice build up, but also provide oxygen necessary for healthy fish and aids in the decomposition of organics at the bottom of your pond. If the duration of temperatures under freezing last for extended periods of time, and water begins the leave the cavity of your pond or stream because of ice build up, remove your pump and drain your filter to prevent them from freezing and needing replacement in the Spring. Stay posted for other helpful pond tips in the Spring newsletter! -Andrew McCurry

Design Importance

In general, design shows intent and gives purpose. Designed landscapes have the ability to accomplish numerous objectives. Outside of adding value to your property, designed landscapes have the ability to save you money in the long run. Whether it is a single installation or a mulit-phased installation, we can help you save by making it a seamless transition from project to project. This helps you avoid addressing your landscape issues more than necessary. A design also helps to create a sense of place and extend livable areas to the outdoors. For more information, see the previous blog entry. - Marguerite Logan

So you are thinking about remodeling your home? You may venture a few steps into the process and realize you need help, professional help. Perhaps you decide to hire a contractor/builder, an architect, and maybe an interior designer. They all work together to make a reality of your vision and desires in a functional, successful space. The result is a happier you, energized by a new kitchen, a cozy living room, and a welcoming front hall.

Have you ever thought about remodeling your landscape?

There are many ways to achieve a successful landscape and a happy client. Many ponder why even hire a professional garden designer or landscape architect? Before the answer can be given, it is important to understand the difference between many of the job titles that are hovering around in the landscape industry.

“Yardman” is the guy, or your neighbor’s neighbor’s son’s friend, who happens to own a lawn mower and a pair of pruning sheers. They are happy to stop by to handle the basics, and are almost always pleasant people.

“Landscapers” can range from good ‘ol boys to educated horticulturalists. Though you probably won’t hire a horticulturalist to mow your grass. He can, instead, fix the herbicide issue caused by your yardman.They also may have a few more tools, and probably can efficiently install a variety of plants.

“Landscape Designers” are an assortment of the previous “Landscaper” category. Hopefully if you hire them, they are horticulturalists with an eye for design. Their qualifications are either experience or education based, and generally can offer the services of plant installation, design, and maintenance in a complete package.

“Garden Designers” tend to fall more into the category of “boutique” when it comes to your lovely yard. (hence the use of the term ‘garden’ rather than ‘landscape’ in the title)  More than likely, trained hands will prune your boxwood hedge rather than overzealous topiary inspired Edward Scissor hands. When it comes to design they are slightly more trend savvy, and perhaps a little more educated in the design arena. You can tell them apart from “Landscape Designers” by their attire. They won’t usually be seen in carhartts. Too stiff.

“Landscape Contractor” can install most if not all landscape features. Hopefully, they have a well rounded knowledge base of horticulture, hardscapes, building, water features, and a general understanding of how to read plans and details. They might also specialize in irrigation or lighting installations. If you are a landscape or garden designer, they are a very handy sort to have around. The collaboration of the two jobs makes the odds for a successful landscape higher. By a different name, the two join to become a “design-build” company.

“Landscape Architect” are similar to “landscape contractors” in some degree, and have a wide knowledge base. Almost all states require Landscape Architects to be licensed with a 4-5 year degree from an accredited college, and a varying time period of apprenticeship. Landscape Architects can have their hand in any of the following concentrations: residential gardens, public parks and playgrounds, residential developments, college campuses, shopping centers, golf courses, and parkways. On a different scale they collaborate with a variety of other professions (architects, surveyors, engineers, environmental scientists, ecologists, and certified planners) to achieve a common, unified goal. In the very least, you can expect an education in design, engineering/construction, and horticulture.

Now that you may have a better understanding of job duties, which one will you hire when you decide to remodel your landscape? Some companies (like Father Nature Landscapes) has a talented assortment of all of the above, and should be considered over individuals. Obviously, I am biased.

Perhaps a more important question relates to the design aspect of your landscape. Trained professionals will work the same way inside your house as out. Wouldn’t it be nice to extend the quality of comfort from your home into your landscape? That is why you need a designer. There is a language of materials and details that go into transforming or refining your backyard into a functional, livable, enjoyable place.  Thomas Church in his book “Gardens are for People,” writes a great piece on the function of a garden:

“Landscaping is not a complex and difficult art to be practiced only by high priests. It is logical, down-to-earth, and aimed at making your plot of ground produced exactly what you want and need from it. What do you want and need? Take a long and earnest look into your crystal ball. You will see that economic pressures have reduced the average house to a minimum and that the functions of the house have spilled over into the garden. You will see that you need additional space for lounging, eating, and entertaining; you will see that your closets and garage are bulging with a miscellany of personal belongings, tools, play equipment, ad infinitum, which the site must provide for. Yet it must also preform its primary function of being a garden in the true sense of providing trees and flowers, fruits and vegetables; a place where man can recapture his affinity with the soil, if only on Saturday afternoons. It must be a green oasis where memories of his bumper-to-bumper ride from work will be erased.”

Church is understandably responsible for a successful number of well thought out and designed spaces. Remodeling your landscape requires a professional if, like Thomas Church suggests, you desire a design that meets your wants and needs, and functions as both a garden and an extension of your home. So when you think about remodeling your landscape, approach it as if you are remodeling your home or even building an addition. It is another room, another valuable space worthy of special attention and deserves someone who will design it with the same understanding.

Landscape lighting is a unique feature of your home that should not be overlooked. Other than providing the benefits of safety and security, lighting gives your home and garden night time character. If designed correctly, it extends the livability of your garden spaces and offers a dynamic presentation of your landscape. It is completely customizable varying from pools of light jumping across your pathway to a mood setting ambient glow.

Author Junichiro Tanizaki says, “We find beauty not only in the thing itself but in the patterns of shadows, the light and the darkness, that one thing against another creates.”

In the daylight, your landscape is living and dynamic. That living and dynamic canvas can only be fully enjoyed by the addition of a lighting system. It is well known among designers that lighting creates dark spots. The biggest problem with most installations is the home being either under lit or over lit. It takes design professionals, like Father Nature, who understand not only plant material but architecture when it comes to lighting a residence. It is an ability to control where the light should shine, and where the dark spots should be. We are passionate about creating outdoor spaces. But what use is such a space if you cannot enjoy it to its fullest potential? What if you leave for work in the dark and return in the dark, and never have a chance to walk through your garden or sit under the stars? These are just a few reasons why we offer landscape lighting on our list of services. We want you to enjoy your outdoor space no matter the time of year, and no matter the time of day.

Outdoor lighting is much more than a system of  low voltage lighting fixtures, it is a warm welcome home.  

We recently mailed out a seasonal newsletter! Here are a few words of advice from several Father Nature representatives.

Fall Transplanting: Andrew McCurry, Birmingham AL

“If you have been thinking of moving anything in your garden, now is the time! With temperatures dropping and days getting shorter, the metabolism of your favorite plants will begin to slow, transporting carbohydrates to the root zone where nutrients are stored during the winter. Reduced metabolism means reduced stress on the plant. Keep a heavy layer of mulch around your plants to insulate, buffer temperature extremes and reduce winter desiccation by consuming moisture in the soil. Don’t forget to fertilize your under nourished plants once the leaves begin to fall.”

Landscape Lighting: Andrew Robinson, Mobile Bay AL

“With the days getting shorter, it is a great time to think about landscape lighting. Outdoor lighting can create an artistic element in your garden, and allows you to enjoy your outdoor spaces for a longer period of time. Low voltage lighting fixtures do not use as much energy as typical incandescent outdoor fixtures. A dusk till dawn sensor and lighting timer can be used to make sure the system will only come on when needed, optimizing energy usage, and creating a greener solution for lighting up your home.”

Proper Drainage: Chris Scheer, Tacoma WA

“As you may know, water poses the greatest threat to your most expensive investment, your home. With this in mind draining water away from your home through the use of downspouts, entire house drains, French drains, and driveway drains is of highest priority. Through effectively managing water runoff you can greatly improve the ability of your home to shed water away from it, thus keeping it safe for years to come.”

Home Improvement: Daniel McCurry, Birmingham AL

“Improve the value of your home through proper landscaping. To help sell a home or increase the value of your home, there are a few small ticket items that you can administer in your landscape. Top priority is cleanliness. Make sure you have clean bed lines. Your planting beds should be cleaned out of noxious weeds and debris, and your plants should be trimmed properly. Second, the front door is the central focus. Your plants should be arranged to encourage the eye to the front door. Lastly, attempt to separate property lines with groupings of plants to help convey the size and boundaries of your property.”

Email us or post a comment to find out more information about any of the above topics. Also, check out the rest of our website to see our other areas of knowledge and expertise.

As a Landscape Architecture student, you learn about the so called “greats” of the field: Fredrick Law Olmsted, Thomas Church, Ian McHarg, and Lawrence Halprin just to name a few. You take notes on their design style, theory, career, and projects only to regurgitate them into A, B, C, or D on a multiple choice test. You hear about them every year,in almost every class, so much so that they become common. But we must not forget why they are “Great.” Especially one, Lawrence Halprin who died on the 25 of October this year.

Halprin was the ultimate sculptor of the environment. His sphere of achievement and influence extends not only to residential works but to memorials, parks, plazas, environmental planning, and urban design. He understood the connections between environment and design, social interactions in space and environment, and creativity and ingenuity. Like the other “Greats,” Halprin solved problems not by words but design in its most ingenious form.

There are countless reasons to be inspired by Lawrence Halprin and others like him. For one, he was a master at figuring and communicating with his clients. On working with clients he stated,

“One is that they will feel about you that you’re going to make something wonderful for them. And they help you by expressing themselves. Not telling you how to do it but encouraging you and accepting your vision and working with you on that kind of level.”

He understood this unique connection between designer and client, and how important it is to the success of the design.

His ability to process information from people combined with a talent for reading the landscape resulted in a long list of designs, books, and awards . His wife, Anna, describes his legacy perfectly:

“He believed the most important thing about designing is to generate creativity in others, and be inclusive- to include the needs and experiences of people interacting with the environment, and to let them be a part of its creation. That doesn’t mean that you don’t use your own artistic sensibilities to shape and contain and incorporate your own vision, but it means that vision must connect with people’s feelings, experiences, and needs. That’s his legacy.”

This is why he is Great.

Make sure and look up some of his projects listed below.

Yosemite Falls, Yosemite National Park

Freeway Park, Seattle WA

Ira Keller Fountain and Lovejoy Plaza Fountain, Portland OR

FDR Memorial, Washington D.C.

Autumn is upon us. It is a great time to be outside, plant bulbs in the garden, and rake the leaves. If the Fall season excites you, then let it show in your landscape! There are countless ways to decorate your containers, window boxes, and front porch to celebrate the cooler weather.

Try these plants in your containers and window boxes for a beautiful fall effect:

New England Aster, Black mondo & Dwarf mondo, Sedum (‘autumn joy’ is a beautiful choice) Heuchera, Creeping Wire Vine, Sedge (‘red rooster’ has great coloring for the fall), Phlox, and many more! Email us if you would like any other plant suggestions.

Don’t forget about container and porch accessories! Try some of the following:

Place pumpkins on your front steps, porch, and even in your containers. I went to a local nursery and was overwhelmed with all the different pumpkin varieties. There are so many to choose from: regular pumpkins of all sizes, white  pumpkins of all sizes, pumpkins with bumps, ‘tiger striped’ pumpkins for the serious Auburn fans, and gray colored pumpkins, only to name a few! All of which would be a great addition to your landscape decor.

Try using pine cones, reindeer moss (if you can find it!), Indian corn, and bittersweet. A general warning for bittersweet is that the berries are poisonous, and ‘American bittersweet’ is the only one that is not an exotic invasive. Nevertheless, the beautiful orange and red coloring is hard to resist!

Once you finish with the outdoors, bring your landscape inside! Use colorful leaves, twigs and branches, dried flower heads, and dried grasses in combination with the above accessories.

Use these ideas and let us know how it goes! Don’t forget to turn on your landscape lighting to show off your creative handy work.

Happy decorating.

The famed “Manual of Woody Landscape Plants” by Michael Dirr, “Southern Plants for Landscaping” by Odenwald and Turner, an old LEED New Construction manual, countless saved and dog-eared Garden Design, Fine Gardening, and Landscape Architecture magazines, and “10,000 Garden Questions answered by Experts” put together by the American Garden Guild are all stacked on my bookshelf. The last known copyright date of the garden questions book is somewhere between 1950 and 1975. Apparently, some garden secrets transcend time.

Despite what you do or don’t have on your bookshelf, there is always room to add more to your shelves. But, what to add? If you peruse the gardening/landscape section of Boarders or Barnes and Noble, you will find countless books with shiny covers and crisp pages. Do not be fooled, however, some of the less appealing covers can have the most valuable information. As is the case for most of Michael Dirr’s books. The information inside is valued by many if not all of the people in this profession. A fellow Father Nature plant nerd claims it’s like “reading sandpaper.” There is truth behind his humor, but nonetheless if you want accurate and quality information about plants, Michael Dirr is the author for you.

Other recommended books include:

• “Gardens are for People” Thomas Church
• “Color in the Flower Garden” Gertrude Jekyll
• “The Education of a Gardener” Russell Page

For a read more along the lines of “eye candy,” flip through magazines such as “Garden Design,” “Fine Gardening,” and “Organic Gardening.” This month, “Fine Gardening” provides you with “100 skills to make you a better gardener.” I won’t give anything away, but you just might learn something.

Don’t hesitate to call or email us here at Father Nature. After looking through “Garden Design” you will probably be inspired to do so. We can help. It is what we love to do.

Also, don’t hesitate to ask for other book suggestions or to consult with the office book nerd.

Happy reading.

Water has always been an important resource. The manipulation of water in the landscape is determined by a number of professionals in a variety of fields. As a result, different technologies crop up to address water issues as we continue to control and employ water in the landscape.

You might have heard about the wonder that is “pervious concrete.” Do not be fooled by the fact that it resembles a rice-crispy treat. One can confidently empty a bottle of water onto its surface, and watch the water percolate through the concrete. Large quantities of impermeable surfaces are responsible for many storm water issues. What makes pervious concrete so appealing is that it has the ability to solve these some of these issues. By design, it reduces runoff and recharges groundwater. A special mixture of materials creates a web of interconnected voids allowing water to pass through rather than pool on the surface.

For more information, I would suggest you Google “Bruce Ferguson pervious concrete” (Ferguson is the leading researcher in the field)

In your search, you may come across several humorous tag-lines. For example: “When it rains, it’s porous” or “When it rains, it drains.”

At least these people don’t have a dry sense of humor.