2007 Year in Review

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Spring Landscape Design Considerations


Feather Celosia-Celosia “Fresh Look Gold”


Petunia F1 “Opera Supreme Pink Morn”


Vinca “Pacifica Burgundy Halo”


Begonia “Nightlife Red”


Petunia “Lavender Wave”


Zinnia “Profusion Coral Pink”

When creating a sustainable landscape design, plant selection, implementation, and maintenance are important considerations, said a University of Illinois Extension horticulture educator.

“This takes into account exploring new ideas to develop a landscape that is attractive, functional, and low in maintenance,” said Anne Gachuhi. “For most home owners, spring is a time to experiment with the latest, newest, or most trendy annual flowers. These include the 2007 All American Selection bedding plants award winner.”

That group includes Feather Celosia-Celosia “Fresh Look Gold,” Petunia F1 “Opera Supreme Pink Morn,” or Vinca “Pacifica Burgundy Halo.” Other top performing annuals include: Begonia “Nightlife Red,” Petunia “Lavender Wave,” and Zinnia “Profusion Coral Pink.”

“Knowing the plant’s structure, growth habits, and cultural requirements will allow placing plants that work well together and provide color and texture schemes that will enhance the landscape,” she noted.

The type of flowerbed or plant arrangement selected will add to the overall attraction as much as the flowers themselves. Formal designs and geometric patterns are generally suitable for certain architectural home styles, such as Victorian or Georgian.

"These often require a lot more space and are high in maintenance," she noted. "Most urban residences have informal designs featuring long, sweeping curves outlining the flower beds, curvilinear in style. These are much more relaxed and casual and reflect the forms found in nature. Short, choppy lines should be avoided as they make mowing difficult and give a confused, overdone look."

In designing planting beds, she suggested the following: mass or group plants of one kind together rather than alternating them and incorporate variety to ensure interest in the design.

"Variety can be achieved by using plants with different blooming dates, flower, or leaf colors as well as different maturity dates, textures, and heights," she explained. "Create unity by repeating plants throughout the design. Maximize seasonal interest by providing planting beds of annuals that transition well in continuous colors, raised planters, window boxes and flowerpots.

"Plant summer annuals such as marigold, zinnia, dahlia, begonia, and cosmos, before the spring bulbs such as Alliums--Allium gigantium, anemones, crocus, snowdrops-Galanthus nivalis, hyacinths, daffodils, and tulips--are done flowering."

Gachuhi said it is important to develop focal points in the design. Focal points can be areas that are well planned, statuary, natural features such as streams, or plants with unique features that instantly catch the eye, such as specimen plants.

"These have specific seasonal interests such as flower color, fruits, or leaves," she said.

The first step in the design process is to divide the landscape into organized functional spaces: public area (front yard), and a private area or backyard and service area. The public area should be given the highest priority in order to give a favorable impression.

"The public area includes the lawn, walks, foundation plantings, and drives/parking," she said. "Curb appeal is certainly important and should be carefully planned for. "The arrangement of the private area should meet the family's needs. The service area is normally located in the back or side yard and should be easily accessible. The service area includes features such as clotheslines, vegetable garden, pet facilities, compost bins, firewood, garbage bins, etc. Screen off the service/utility area with fencing, vines, shrubs, or planting beds."

Landscape challenges such as wet soils, shade from mature trees, or thinning lawn spots should be considered in the planning process. Provide drainage in low-lying areas and redesign the lawn areas to incorporate larger flower borders and ground covers.

"The private area is the outdoor extension of the indoor living area," she noted. "Most homeowners are looking for a landscape that offers quiet refuge without complicated maintenance. Security and screening for privacy is an important consideration in the backyard."

This can be achieved by the use of shrubs like privet, viburnums, and witch-hazel; hedges like glossy, abelia, Japanese barberry, Korean boxwood, and arborvitae; fences or walls.

"Circulation of traffic within the landscape should be considered as well by use of garden paths, walkways, and driveways," she added. "Plant materials, walls, fences, and overhead structures are important elements within the landscape that require consideration. The construction materials used will depend on the function, form, style and/or pattern desired, and the budget.

"Pavement materials for paths, patios, walkways, etc., include gravel, crushed stone, stone, brick, concrete pavers, and wood. There is a wide selection of stone materials such as flagstone, cut stone, river stone, field stone, and cobblestone."

Retaining walls, she added, are gaining popularity in landscape areas with considerable slopes. The construction materials used for these retaining walls are as varied in design and style as in function.

"Boulders often used as focal points are also becoming popular," she said. "Boulders should be placed in such a manner so as to appear as natural as possible."

by  Editor, theCity1.com
March 1, 2007

 

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