*Gardening with Mary
A Weekly Column by:
Mary Strayer, Master Gardener, Firelands Garden Club
Questions? Email Mary at rmstrayer@msn.com
Ok, it's already summertime, but you have been hoping to find the time and the know-how to plan your garden on your wooded property. So get your mind set on planning your garden, and let's get growing.
If your garden spot is large, or small, it really doesn't matter, just get out pen and paper and start to sketch your ideas. Don't worry about skill level; this sketch is for you, not your art teacher.
First, plot out the approximate size of your garden on graph paper. Use one square to equal 1 yard if possible. Make the paper as big as you need by simply use transparent tape and attach your sheets together, and cut to size. This is very important, because it will give you a perspective from which to work.
Sketch in your existing trees and shrubs. Don't forget to mark off any deck or pool areas or really any area not up for grabs when planning your garden. Once this is done, gather together garden catalogs either from a stack already accumulating, or borrow from the library or from gardening friends. Look for plants in your USDA Zone 5, and look for shade plants.
The one thing you want in a wooded garden is color. Japanese Maples work well, and have their bright colors in lower light situations. There are spreading Japanese Maples, and they are lovely as a background. Under plant the garden with blue wood hyacinths, and iris's. You can plant azaleas, rhododendrons, and other shrubs to bloom just a little later. Follow up for summer bloom with perennials such as Asiatic lilies, Astilbe, and bearded iris. Don't forget to check the shade loving perennials in your catalogs as well.
Be sure to make a focal point (or many if the garden is large), and by this I mean make a walkway, stone path, mulch path, whatever you desire, and let it lead to something. This something could be a bench, a birdbath, trellis, or a host of other things. This is where the fun comes in; you get to design on paper what you want to see in your garden...and if you don't like what you see, change it.
Another idea is to plant small evergreens near the house for winter color, and for summer splashes of color, add annuals that love the shade. Impatiens and coleus are just a few that come to mind, and you can find a host of others in catalogs, and better yet at our local garden selling businesses.
Now with all of this figured out, start working out in the area by laying out your design. Translate your design to the site by using landscape spray paint, an orange extension cord, or garden hose to mark pathways and beds. Don't worry if you can't do the entire plan in a year, do what you can when you can. This is the best way to insure that you will continue to love your garden. In other words, eliminate the stress.
This year, my trees have encroached on my sunny garden, and turned a large piece of it into a woodland garden. If this has happened to you, simply remove the sun plants, and replace them with shade plants. You can tell which plants which need to be removed by simply watching them grow. If they look smaller or lanky because they are reaching for the sun, then you can exchange those plants with shade plants. Most of all have fun in your garden and enjoy it's changes. Happy Gardening.
