by Sharon Faircloth
We have all been told that adding landscaping can
significantly increase the value of our properties. A beautiful environment contributes to our
overall well-being and it’s one of the reasons we live where we live. Landscaping can be very daunting. It seems the more natural you want it, the
more complicated and expensive it can become.
Whether you want to enhance a problem area, attract wildlife or make it
look like you live in a field of wildflowers, all it takes is some planning! One consideration is to hire a professional
to work with you on your vision, budget and timeline. Another is to do all or parts of it yourself.
There are literally a zillion ideas on doing your own
landscaping. Use the internet for ideas
but stay on the 'edu' sites for science-based information on everything else. To create your vision, begin by taking photos
of your site. Consider what you have vs.
what you want. What can be changed by
adding rocks, landscaping timbers or water features, and what do you have to
work around driveways, rock outcroppings, slopes, mailboxes? Look at the big picture. How does the sunlight move across your
property? Do you have soil issues? Micro-climates? Gaps where nothing much grows?
Perhaps you’d like a little more privacy? Use your photos to observe and then
draw out the area to scale. Even if
you’re not an artist or an engineer, it doesn’t have to be perfect. You just need to have a good sense of space
to begin the next phase.
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| Courtesy
CMG Garden Notes #411 Water Wise Lands |
Consider what you see in the winter time. Would you like to incorporate more visual
interest throughout the year? A special
area to attract hummingbirds, bees and butterflies near your kitchen window? Do you want an area where the flowers are all
one color? How can colors be combined for the maximum impact and continuous
blooming? Consider form and texture and
what can be added to enhance what you already have or create a whole new
area. Perhaps a new path to your
entryway or a rock garden. What about a
challenging area where nothing much is growing?
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Building a rock
garden and water feature
Courtesy of Sharon Faircloth
|
Other major considerations are how much water you have
available and how much time do you want to devote. Picking the right plant for the right place,
amending your soil if necessary, mulching and establishing new plants will
improve your chances of success.
Breaking down your plan is a great idea.
Gardening can be hard work, not to mention expensive, so doing a bit at
time is totally fine. Making it a family
project gives everyone a sense of ownership and pride! Remember to keep a diary and note what worked
and what didn’t and what you’d like to add or never do again.
The http://www.cmg.colostate.edu/
website has organized a wide variety of landscape design subjects for you, from
choosing a landscape professional to design elements, the basics of building
retaining walls, and conserving energy.
Go to the website, enter landscape design and you will find fact sheets
and Planttalk ideas on these subjects,
and many more.
Another great resource is the http://plantselect.org website. Plant Select is a
collaboration between Colorado State University, the Denver Botanical Gardens
and local horticulturists.
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| Courtesy of Planttalk
Colorado© #1110 Using Color in Landscape |
The group chooses to test plants for the Rocky Mountain
region considering uniqueness, low water requirements, disease resistance, and
habitat friendliness (although many of these are not suitable for higher
elevations- check for hardiness). Look
for the PlantSelect© designation on plants at your local greenhouse. Another great resource on their website are
downloadable design ideas from professionals.
The designs provide scale, which you can adapt to your space. You can also just use the designs for an idea
of what plants go together and then you can research them for personal choice.
Take advantage of all the resources at your fingertips for
landscape design and jump in!
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| Photo courtesy of Sharon Faircloth, Vail, CO |
https://plantselect.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/FourSeason.pdf
https://plantselect.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/ButterHummer-FULL-sheet.pdf
https://plantselect.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Plant-Select-Phenology-report-by-Ann-Frazier-2012-2017.pdf
https://plantselect.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/RockGarden.pdf
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