FERGUS – “I love your gardens and wish ours looked like yours,” I said to a neighbour one afternoon.
“Be careful what you wish for,” he replied.
I thought about his comment for a minute and then realized he was in his gardens almost every day.
EVERY DAY!
That works for some people and I love to see gardeners that are that passionate but that does not fit my lifestyle.
So what should you be looking for when creating a garden that works best for you? A garden that takes minimal time and effort to keep looking good all summer long.
Ask yourself these questions – How much time are you willing to spend each week? Gardens do take work so you must be willing to make some effort.
Do you go away on weekends in the summer, let’s say to a cottage up on a lake?
How much watering do you want to do to keep everything looking great, healthy and growing?
How about deadheading, pruning, weeding. These are all considerations.
So here are some tips.
Perennials versus annuals
The beauty of perennials is that once you have them established, they are easier to look after than annuals. They don’t require watering as much and they come up every year. (I love plants I can rely on).
Include plants that are hardy and easy to look after
I know you see hostas, hydrangea and lilies in many gardens but they are excellent, beautiful and there are many different varieties to choose from.
There are 70 species of hostas and 3,000 registered varieties. There are over 90 species of hybrid lilies for full sun and shaded areas in your garden.
Think about watering
You might want to add some annuals. They provide colour and flower all summer long and a sprinkling of them can accent your garden. But they will need to be watered more often.
Hanging plants and planters
I love these and we use them strategically on our back deck and front steps. But remember these are plants that must be watered everyday. So if you are not around for periods of time, consider either having a good friend water them or reconsider using these. And every time you add a planter or hanging plant you add more watering time every day. All of this is to be considered.
Remember to mulch
Weeding is ongoing but you can reduce the amount and difficulty of weeding by covering your gardens with a good layer of mulch. It will also reduce the amount of watering required because mulch helps hold moisture in the soil.
Other plant maintenance
Then there are petunias. I love petunias but deadheading them everyday can be arduous. I found a solution. They are called wave petunias. They keep on flowering all summer and do not need any deadheading; just an occasional pruning.
Edging your garden also helps keep weeds at bay. Edge your garden about 10 centimetres (5 inches) into the soil. Permanent edging makes life even easier.
Hopefully these tips will help you create a breathtaking garden that is easy to care for. Just remember to be careful what you wish for.
Gardening should be a joy. There’s nothing better than sitting down with a glass of wine and enjoying nature in your yard.
Written by Ken Johnston
Fergus and District Horticultural Society
