Anne Smith
Limited Space
PROBLEM: We downsized to a house with a tiny yard. How do we get maximum impact in the landscape without overwhelming it?
SOLUTION: In a word: containers.
That's the specialty of Tammy Behm's design firm, Tendril.
"When you have limited space for planting, containers are ideal," she says.
She starts by considering the overall environment. She breaks the landscape into zones, similar to those in a house— thresholds, foyer, hallways, even walls.
"Walls can be short or tall, real or implied by using plant material and flower beds in addition to structures," she says. Stilted hedges are a twofer because they create privacy by screening from above while leaving space to plant underneath. "It's like a living fence," she says.
Ms. Behm advises homeowners with small yards to draw attention to the farthest corners of their space with a focal point— sculpture, bright colors, or textures. That makes a limited space seem larger, she says.
She also tries to maximize the space by using plants with four seasons of interest. In addition to evergreens, she uses shrubs and trees with ornamental bark or berries during the winter, such as oakleaf hydrangeas, paperbark maples, serviceberries, Chinese dogwoods, and winterberries.
Planted containers can also add drama and impact to the landscape. Ms. Behm pulls an inspirational color from the environment and reuses it in the container color and plant selection. She calls it color echoing.
"You can match your front door, some of the fabrics that are in the patio furniture, or some other part of the environment, such as a red-leafed Japanese maple," she says. She may add a tropical or other multihued plant.
From there, she'll repeat the colors in plants for companion pots she's assembled in varying shapes and sizes. She looks to the veins and undersides of foliage for color options and considers the plants' textures when she pulls them all together.
It's clear that containers aren't just for annuals anymore. Ms. Behm uses small shrubs, large tropicals, perennials, and even small trees in her pots.
"Anything is fair game," she says.
She groups the pots to create a focal point. She'll use a taller, larger pot in the corner. It will anchor an odd-numbered group of companions that step down in size.
Many designers who plant containers follow a design principle of using a "thriller" plant for height, a "filler" plant for form, and a "spiller" to soften the hard edge of the container. Ms. Behm does just that and says that rule can also be applied in a broader way to the grouping.
Containers can have many homes in a garden, whether they're small or large. The front door, deck, and patio are obvious choices. But pots may enhance a turn in a path or a convergence of two paths, perch atop a column in a shrub border, or frame a sitting area. Window boxes may be mounted on deck and porch railings.
Where you place the container will determine, in large part, what you want to put in it. That's because the correct growing conditions—including the plant's need for sun vs. shade or wet vs. dry soil— are paramount.
Lantana, for instance, likes little water and needs little supplemental fertilization. So you wouldn't want to pair that with a petunia that likes both of those.
Some of Ms. Behm's favorite annuals that provide height are banana trees, elephant ears (both Colocasia and Alocasia), and cannas. "I love 'Lime Zinger' for its big, bold textures," she says of the chartreuse-colored elephant ear.
She often uses Dragon Wing begonias, torenias, and million bells (Calibrachoa) for fillers and spillers. Wire vine (Muehlenbeckia) handles the full range of hot to cold temperatures in St. Louis' growing season. Lotus vine provides fine, silvery texture, and creeping Jenny a shock of yellow-green.
For a full, fine-textured look, asparagus fern contrasts sharply against the broadleaved foliage of many annuals.
"It makes the others really show," she says.
Tammy Behm, tammy@tendrildesignstudio.com.
Deer-Resistant Plants
PROBLEM: How can I keep deer from making a meal of the plants in my West County backyard?
SOLUTION: Cindy Gilberg has lived in the Wildwood area for 30 years and has seen her share of Bambis munching on hostas like they were crudités at an all-you-can-eat buffet.
For homeowners who coexist with deer, she has three suggestions:
- Pick plants that deer don't eat.
- Use repellents to keep them away from plants they like.
- Use mechanical or physical controls such as netting or an electrical fence to keep them out of specific areas.
Mrs. Gilberg, a horticulturist and landscape designer, says she aims for landscapes in which 75 percent of the plant material is deer-repellant.
Her rule of thumb is less limiting than one might think. Some quirks of nature offer a few obvious choices.
Deer steer clear of daffodil bulbs and plants such as hellebores and foxglove because they're poisonous.
They avoid others because of the texture or scent. They shun Siberian bugloss (Brunnera macrophylla) and lungwort (Pulmonaria) because the foliage feels scratchy. They also find the odors of catmint and many ornamental herbs unappealing.
But there are many more plants a gardener can choose. For shady spots, Mrs. Gilberg suggests such perennials as epimedium, ajuga, true geranium, wild ginger, astilbe, Japanese painted fern, Christmas fern, columbine, dwarf crested iris, and three-leaved stonecrop, a native. Among the sun perennials she uses are lavender, Berggarten sage, thyme, oregano, allium, salvia, Russian sage, lamb's ear, artemisia, veronica, iris, butterfly weed, yarrow, agastache, Joe Pye weed, and carex.
"They don't even look at peonies," she says. "They walk right by them and go for the shasta daisies and day lilies. They eat day lilies till there are no more. They love roses, thorns and all."
Impatiens and begonias are among deer's favorite annuals, but they can't be bothered with lantana, petunias, marigolds, and snapdragons. Mrs. Gilberg has also had success with spicebush, boxwood, Japanese kerria, witch hazel, holly, lilac, juniper, smoke bush, beautyberry, and ornamental grasses.
"Part is being prepared with a repellent and to be observant," says Mrs. Gilberg. "I go out in the evening and walk through the garden to see if there is any evidence of eating."
If so, apply a repellent. Spraying Liquid Fence or Bobbex directly on foliage can last three to four weeks in the summer and fall; these need more frequent application in the spring when plants are growing rapidly.
Mrs. Gilberg uses hosta sparingly. Even then, she's diligent about keeping them sprayed. She is also watchful the first year a plant goes in the ground because deer seem to like them at a tender age. Sometimes she spreads an organic nitrogen fertilizer, Milorganite, around the perimeter of a garden to ward off visitors.
She suggests several mechanical devices for more serious deer problems. One, called ScareCrow, looks like a funky bird on a stick. It's a batteryoperated, motion-activated sprinkler that attaches to a garden hose. When movement is detected, it fires off a high-powered blast of water. (Don't forget to disconnect it before your next evening garden party!)
Barriers such as deer netting or an electric post or fence can work, too.
"Nothing's for sure," she says. "I try to use two or three things in combination. They'll get the picture and move to some other property."
Gilberg Perennial Farms, cindy.gilberg@gmail.com.
Poor Drainage
PROBLEM: One area of my backyard is washed out from the gutter downspout. Another area has a low spot that stays wet. The soil has so much clay I could sell it to a pottery studio. What can I do?
SOLUTION: You've got multiple problems here with a common thread: drainage. Slopes often drain too quickly, causing a washout in the landscape. Clay soil drains too slowly or sometimes not at all, resulting in root rot.
We turned to Sundown Landscape Contracting owner Dave Haring and landscape designer Barbara Riney for some ideas.
Mr. Haring says that where clay is present, it's important to change the basic structure of the soil by adding a soil conditioner.
"We fracture the soil and add Turface—calcinated clay—to make the soil porous enough that it can drain and the roots can breathe," he says.
When it comes to low spots, Mr. Haring says that raising the bed with a free-standing berm or using a walled planter allows a gardener to put in an effective drainage system. A dry creek bed can also transform an unsightly stretch of barren, washed-out land.
"If you create an area for the water to settle in, you can put some water-loving plants there, a bench, some pots with flowers, and you've created a focal point," Mr. Haring says.
He also adds that a creek bed can function as a walkway when it's dry and a short-term water-retention zone when it's wet. First, his crew excavates to create a swale, or low area. Then they spread sand and top it with landscape cloth or a liner. They put fieldstones in place to form stepping stones. The crew fills the gaps with gravel or rocks of differing sizes.
Ms. Riney notes that dry creek beds are frequently in shade, and that requires a plant palette that tolerates dry and wet conditions as well as shade.
"We've used ferns, grasses, liriope, and carex grasses that will take shade. We tend to use monocultures rather than a lot of jazzy plants," she says. "The hardscaping makes it look nice."
When there's a low spot that has no place to drain, a rain garden—or bog—can be a viable option. Mr. Haring suggests excavating the area to a level base, laying down mesh cloth to keep voles and moles from entering the area, spreading sand and peat moss mixed at a 30—70 percent ratio to a depth of 2 to 3 inches, and tamping it down.
Water-loving perennials include Siberian iris, creeping Jenny, yellow flags, bee balm, cardinal flower, cattails, hibiscus, and Joe Pye weed. For water-tolerant shrubs, Ms. Riney opts for elderberry, spicebush, or Virginia sweetspire. She notes that these plants will have a very natural look "that might not be tidy enough for some." However, it can be an acceptable solution compared to others in a poorly draining lot.
Sundown Landscape Contracting, 314-821-4857, sundownlandscaping.net.
Too Much Shade
PROBLEM: Much of my sideyard is shady, and I have little more than hosta growing there. I want to add some variety. What would you suggest?
SOLUTION: Horticulturist and aborist MaryAnn Fink cautions gardeners not to rely solely on a plant tag that says the plant tolerates shade. In our climate, shady areas often have dry soil. Gentle rain doesn't filter through a heavy tree canopy, and an excess of supplemental watering—necessary to satisfy the thirst of, say, hybrid impatiens—may harm the tree. Your plant choices will be further limited by other landscape traits.
WET SHADE: Fringe tree (Chionanthus virginicus) is a small tree that thrives in moist, rich soil and can tolerate some shade. Ms. Fink describes it as "perfect for any garden." Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis) is a Missouri Botanical Garden Plant of Merit shrub that can be trimmed into a small tree form. It is perfect for a rain garden, attracts butterflies, and often holds its fruit through the winter. Virginia sweetspire (Itea virginica) is another Plant of Merit that prefers moist soil but can tolerate poor drainage and competition with roots. A good perennial in this category is zigzag spiderwort (Tradescantia subaspera), with a three-petaled purple flower that blooms in the summer; it retains nice foliage better than other spiderworts, and trimming it after blooming may encourage a fall re-bloom. Polygonatum biflorum is a type of Solomon's seal that tolerates wet to average conditions and is well suited for shady rain gardens. Wild ginger (Asarum canadense) is a pretty ground cover of dense, heart-shaped foliage, which prefers moist shade but tolerates a range of conditions.
DRY SHADE: Blackhaw viburnum (Viburnum prunifolium) can be used in shade as a multistemmed shrub or a small tree. It has attractive flowers and fruit that butterflies and songbirds enjoy. Ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius) is another shrub that does well in dry shade, with pretty foliage, flowers, and fruit. Christmas fern (Polystichum acrostichoides) is an evergreen perennial that will rot in soil that doesn't drain well.
HEAVY SHADE: Many plants struggle in full shade, such as under an elevated deck. But Iris cristata, or dwarf crested iris, can tolerate close to complete shade. Its soft purple blooms brighten a dark spot in April. Another spring bloomer that can tolerate heavy shade is celandine poppy (Stylophorum diphyllum), a Missouri native wildflower. It features fernlike foliage and buttercupyellow flowers. For a ground cover, Ms. Fink suggests Dutchman's breeches (Dicentra cucullaria), a spring bloomer that dies out by early summer.
MORNING SUN WITH AFTERNOON SHADE: Hymenocallis caroliniana is a spider lily that can take sun to partial shade. It sports a showy white, spiderlike flower atop a 2-foot scape (or stalk) in midsummer. Skullcap (Scutellaria incana) is a perennial that stands 2 to 3 feet tall and produces a pretty, helmetlike blue flower from July to September. Zizia aurea, or golden Alexander, is a clump-forming member of the carrot family that produces a yellow flower in spring. Three-leaved stonecrop (Sedum ternatum) is a spring-blooming ground cover that tolerates sun and shade. Yellow honeysuckle (Lonicera flava) is a vine that would do well in these conditions. It is attractive to hummingbirds and is not invasive like its Japanese cousin.
Plant fanatics always have their top 10 plants (although usually they will list many more than 10). On Ms. Fink's list is a littleknown Missouri native called Indian pink (Spigelia marilandica).
You won't find it at your average nursery, and it's slow to grow. But the clump-shaped plant features glossy, arrow-shaped foliage and the prettiest little red flower with yellow interior.
Even in a culture that wants instant gratification, Ms. Fink says, "This is worth the wait."
MaryAnn Fink, maryannfink.com.
