Garden Design IdeasGarden Ideas, Photos and Tips for Gardening at Home
For the past 18 eld , horticultural writer , marketer , and speaker Susan Martin of Gardener Sue ’s News has gardened on a shady 1/3 - Accho wooded sand sand dune near Lake Michigan . Despite the shady conditions , she has fashioned a vivacious landscape painting that ’s full of eye - catching vignettes .
Susan is currently in the summons of build a Modern home on 15 acres—20 miles from her current home . Though she will be make a new garden from scratch , there are a match things she ’ll definitely bring along with her : her appreciation for everything in her garden ( heavy and small ) , and her power to maximise the potential of every place .
1. Go Big with Container Plantings
dark glasses of lime green and maroon from Flame Thrower ™ Chipotle flame nettle , Plum Dandy ™ alternanthera , and gold Boston fern add to the picturesque prospect of this front porch . picture by : Susan Martin .
Many gardeners lean to gravitate toward smaller plant life for container combination , but originative gardeners like Susan literally believe outside the loge . It ’s not often that you see big plants in ledge and window box , but why not make the most of these growing areas ?
Here , Alternanthera , coleus , and fern burst from their containers , but their size is such that the combination does not appear top - heavy . Rather , these sill boxes expect vivacious and healthy , contributing to the welcoming vibration of Susan ’s nursing home ’s front entrance . Their large comportment is n’t their only benefit . “ I chose those plants because they are all foliation and they do n’t have heyday that will drop and sully the white paint on the pack of cards revile , ” Susan says .
2. Find the “Golden Hour” for Your Favorite Plants
Tuff Stuff ™ tidy sum hydrangea has a drear chromaticity that looks especially gorgeous in sunset lighting . Photo by : Susan Martin
ThoughTuff Stuff ™ mountain hydrangeafrom Proven Winners is beautiful all Clarence Day , Susan incur it specially eye - take in just after the Sunday goes down . That ’s when “ it looks the most blue , ” Susan says .
For a reflective experience , figure out what clip of twenty-four hours your favorite plants count their best — when the light shine through them or on them just right — and then be knowing about visiting them during those times . SeeSusan ’s video of Tuff Stuff , which she took during its gilt hr .
3. Pay Attention to Details
A trail of water drops on a pale green tulip leafage would go unnoticed to most everyone — except the dandy eye of an observant gardener . Photo by : Susan Martin .
Too often , we ’re so focused on whatever task we ’re completing in the garden ( or whatever we have n’t had the chance to carry out yet ) that we fail to observe the ravisher that palisade us . Have you ever had a guest sojourn your garden space and comment on something that strike them as beautiful — and it ’s something you had n’t noticed ? Do n’t forget to set aside time to meander in your garden and appreciate the wonderment of it all .
“ One drill that helps me notice the magic detail of my garden is to use the macro lens on my tv camera , ” Susan says . “ It will only focus on close - up details — it literally ca n’t see the big impression clearly . Observing my garden through that genus Lens serve me see that it is the little thing that really matter . ”
4. View “Tedious” Tasks with Fresh Eyes
Deadheading and pruning expired branches and flowers is just one way to quickly spruce up your garden . Photo by : Susan Martin .
For many nurseryman , the thought of pass clip deadheading and pruning vocalize like a nightmare of a task , but for Susan , “ It ’s relaxing and uber gratify to gain away the former , unproductive offshoot to make fashion for new growth . ” In fact , Susan asseverate that it ’s the fastest way to feel better about your garden . “ Pick up your trimmer and a bucket and trim away the rubble . It ’s the garden combining weight of straighten out up your house before Edgar Albert Guest come over . ”
5. Make it Personal
A frog statue , Susan ’s garden mascot , ride on an honest-to-god tree dais among Incrediball ® hydrangea , Epimedium , hostas , and ostrich fern . Photo by : Susan Martin .
include this frog statue as her “ garden mascot ” is just one way Susan has made her garden space unambiguously hers . Because the frog is in her front K by the street , it also provides passersby with a delightful detail to observe as they walk by her sign .
“ There are two class in the neighborhood with little boys who always go by by on their nightly walk of life before bedtime to say goodnight to my anuran , ” Susan says . She plans to leave it there when she move next twelvemonth so the children do n’t overlook it when she is go .
6. Brighten Up Shady Spots
In this planter loge on her terrace , Susan packed in several shadowiness - tolerant stunners . fertile Santa Cruz ® Begonia boliviensisoffers bright orangish - red-faced blooms , ColorBlaze ® Wicked Witch ™ and Wasabi coleus add color contrast while variegatedIresineand Heart of the Jungle ® Elephants Ear soar above the compounding . Photo by : Susan Martin .
Add color to darker areas in your garden by focusing on including spook - tolerant plants with flashy foliation . “ I ’m a leafage junkie , ” Susan says . “ I run to choose plants for interesting leaf first and flowers second . Flowers are fleeting while foliage is forever . ” She also points out that foliage plants tend to not require as much fertilizer as flower flora — yet another vantage to sharpen on foliation over blossom .
Here , in addition to flame nettle and elephant ’s ear , Susan has included a blooming flora that does in particular well in tincture : Santa Cruz ® Begonia boliviensis . By livening up these shady spots , which are often miss in many gardens , you could create a strike sketch within your large garden .
And , come after along with Susan on Instagram@gardenersuesnewsand FacebookGardener Sue ’s News .
