As we enjoy Fall, conserving water remains a priority.    Here are some easy ways to get the biggest bangs for your water bucks. 

Less Lawn. I write about this all the time.  Reduce your lawn areas by half.  The average American uses 200 gallons each day they water their lawn. Consider replacing some of that grass with an attractive groundcover which is drought resistant, covers a large area, and requires zero mowing.

Super Soak. Up to a third of all water from yoru irrigation system can evaporate during the heat of the day. Give your plants fewer, heavy soakings. If your watering routine includes using sprinklers, think about only using them in only use them in the morning.

Grey Is Good. Recapturing grey water or rainwater can provide a free source of garden irrigation. These systems can be easily installed and even incorporated into irrigation systems.

Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip irrigation systems water plants right at the root and serve as an efficient alternative to sprinkler systems. Be sure to get a timer for maximum effectiveness.

As winter weather arrives, the threat of snow storms and ice arrive as well.  When snow piles up it can break and bend branches and cause serious damage.  If your tree hasn’t been maintained well, the threat of damage can extend to your cars and home if they fall due to the weight of the snow and ice.  High winds will also compound any damage to ice-covered trees and shrubs. 

A great way to prevent these problems is to take a tour of your landscapes and gardens before the first snow fall and make sure your trees are healthy and in shape for winter.   Be sure to trim them well.  If you need help, your local tree services can be out quickly to help get landscape in order.  A healthy tree can help keep your home safe, and save you thousands of dollars in emergency landscape services.            

Avoid the urge to cut back your lavender  plants this  winter in spite of their visual decline with the cold — wait for new growth to emerge in Spring before trimming and tidying up your lavender.   It does not react well to hard pruning and may even rot if given a thick layer of organic mulch in winter.  So be patient through this season, and the payoff will be beautiful and healthy Spring lavender! 

Introduce new shrubs that will add colorful stems to your landscape. One of my favorites is the Yellow Twig Dogwood for its display of the most beautiful shade of gold in winter.

Display colorful containers.  Add additional winter interest in unique and eye-catching containers in garden areas that may look barren during winter.  Also add colorful containers in strategic areas that will enhance your winter landscape views from your home.  

Add Garden Accents.  While one of my favorite garden accents is a nice colorful shrub, think about adding a plant with colorful berries, such as Nandina.  A metal sculpture, such as the penguin we sent to my in-laws in Los Angeles,  can introduce some whimsical fun, while adding a new focal point.

Add beauty and curb appeal to your front yard with a sidewalk garden. The most  productive  gardens in smaller spaces use  layering, combining layers of plants  that  grow  at  different heights. This bottom  garden is  a great example;  each plant and flower plays its part, and the sum of the whole creates  an  optical illusion  that  gives  your entire property  so much  more depth while adding a significant amount of space between your home and the street.  

The white alyssum and purple-leafed lobelia in the front set the stage  for taller  tulips and butterfly flowers, which are in turn backed by society garlic and a wall topped by glowing pink bougainvillea.

And even if you don’t live in a warm-climate area, you can still take advantage of tropicals such as bougainvillea. Just treat them as annuals, or grow them in containers and bring them indoors for the winter.

]]> http://gardenwise.wordpress.com/2011/12/16/dcs-gardenwise-on-using-layers-in-a-sidewalk-garden/feed/ 0 gardenwise BHG http://gardenwise.wordpress.com/2011/12/09/your-garden-in-winter/ http://gardenwise.wordpress.com/2011/12/09/your-garden-in-winter/#comments Fri, 09 Dec 2011 14:36:43 +0000 GardenWise http://gardenwise.wordpress.com/?p=4313 ]]> Help Your Garden Survive Winter    

As cold fronts start to roll through, don’t turn your back on your garden!  Our gardens are to be used and enjoyed year round, and you can take pleasure in  your landscape and its healthy plants and various bright colors during all parts of the year.      

An added bonus?  The mulch will decompose and add vital nutirients to the soil, feeding your plants during the winter.

Plants play a very important role in a healthy ecosystem. They reduce  pollutants,  oxygenate the atmosphere,  and are important to overall human health.  By using a comprehensive approach to sustainable  landscape  design, Sustainable Residential Landscape Architecture (SRLA) practices can improve water and energy efficiency while using  plants to eliminate chemical fertilizers, produce food, and clean the air. 

Homeowners can use plants to recreate healthy ecosystems and reduce  some  of the negative  effects of residential buildings. There are many simple ways to experience  the benefits of plants – restoring native plants to residential  landscapes,  using plants as food sources, creating wildlife habitats through the strategic use of plantings, and adding indoor plants to improve air quality inside your home.    

If included as part of your master landscape design plan, SRLA can help you use plants to cut down on the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides.  And as we all know, cutting outr chemicals in our residential gardens will make for a healthier home, and life. 

I like to be inspired, especially when I’m creating new garden spaces.  

I recently found a nice healthy dose of inspiration and some great new ideas from an old and familiar place - the U.S. National Arboretum.   It was a beautiful day, and the plants, flowers, shrubs, and trees were working away as winter approaches. 

 I could spend the entire weekend at the Arboretum, and still want more.  Here are a few pictures from my visit.  

Now is a good time to add storing clay pots to your list of garden chores to do before the cold weather sets in.  It’s important to empty, clean and sterilize your clay pots for winter storage to give them a longer life.  Clay pots must be stored in a dry environment to prevent cracking –  old soil can be used for compost, but don’t save it for next year’s pots.  Be sure to scrub your pots with a bleach solution to remove salts, algae and any lingering plant germs before storing.  A cold location is fine as long as the pots stay dry.  If you take care of your clay pots now, you’ll enjoy them for many years to come. 

A thoughtful way to live a greener life is to make your landscape eco-friendly and  plant trees.  Planting a tree is one of the most immediate green steps you can take as trees absorb CO2 and other dangerous gasses while replenishing the atmosphere with oxygen.

Canopy trees, and Deciduous trees that  grow tall and full in the summer, will add shade to your home and help it stay cool in the summer months.  They will also allow your home to absorb warm sun light in winter.   In  addition to being good for the environment, adding  these trees to your landscape is an  energy saving step that will lower the cost of cooling and heating your home.   

Another group of trees to think about planting are Fruit bearing trees which will also absorb dangerous gasses while replenishing oxygen.  A big plus in adding some fruit trees to your garden space?  Your garden will become much more  productive.   While  enjoying your favorite fruits and saving a little money at the grocery store, you can also  donate any extra fruit you grow to those in need. Not only will you help others in your immediate community, but you’ll show by example how Green Living can give back, both locally and globally.