Landscape Ideas
In shaded areas, Armillei planted native wild bleeding heart (Dicentra eximia) alongside existing transplanted dwarf crested iris (Iris cristata), ‘Green Spice’ coral bells (Heuchera ‘Green Spice’) and ‘Running Tapestry’ foamflower (Tiarella cordifolia ‘Running Tapestry’). Reusing the existing plants was both an environmental choice and one that saved the client’s budget.
Plant a Cover Crop Plants such as red clover, legumes, hairy vetch and many cereal grains are grown as “green manure” to return nitrogen and organic materials to the soil. In mild winter climates, fall can be a perfect time to seed a fallow garden bed with a cover crop. To do so, sprinkle a cleared bed with seeds from either a single variety of cover crop or a mixture, allow the plants to grow to maturity and then cut with a mower before the plants set seeds. You can either turn the “green manure” into the bed with a shovel or simply allow the materials to decompose covering the ground.
Create a Pinch Point to Home in on a Sightline This idea works for gardens of nearly any size and isn’t dependent on having a stunning vista. By narrowing the view, you can more clearly direct a viewer’s gaze just where you want it and emphasize a focal point. Place a pair of midsize structural evergreen plants — like clipped boxwoods, pittosporum or privet — on either side of a sightline. You can do the same with walls, hedges or fences. In this Mediterranean-style garden, two mature boxwoods framing the path help define the sightline to the cafe table set on the terrace.
placement of plant material
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