How To Landscape Patios And Small Gardens
Bill Watson
Due to the small area available to some homeowners and
apartment dwellers, patios and small gardens may seem like a
challenge to landscape.
What follows are a few simple tips and strategies designed to
maximize space, and help you create a lush and vibrant outdoor
living area.
Container Gardening
Examine your patio or small garden, and you will probably see
nothing but straight lines and right angles.
One trick used by professional landscapers is to “soften" these
lines, or “round" the corners with vines or trees grown in large
containers and placed tightly against walls, in corners, or at
the edge of patios.
A good rule of thumb is the old adage, “There are no straight
lines in nature". While many people may enjoy a more formal or
symmetrical landscape, small gardens tend to benefit from a
more natural, less structured design.
Both large and small, containers come in a wide variety of
shapes, colors, and designs. By placing a small tree, vine, or
flowering shrub, planted in a large container in a corner, and
placing around it a variety of smaller plants in pots and
containers, you can create a multi-tiered effect with a great
deal of texture and color.
In addition, you can achieve the same affect along walls or the
edge of a patio.
Imagine a painters canvas, taller objects will stand in the
background with progressively shorter objects working their way
into the foreground. This creates a sense of depth, and in
smaller gardens this can give the illusion of more depth than
actually exists.
One method used to create this illusion of depth, is to employ
plants with darker foliage (greens or purples) in the
background and place plants with multi-colored, or variegated
leaves ("variegated" is a horticultural term for plants who's
leaves naturally possess more than one color), or brightly
colored flowers in the foreground.
Vines, grown in a large container, and trained to cover walls
or a trellis, will allow you to cover large areas of your
"canvas" and still maximize space in smaller gardens or patios.
This will also serve to soften, the rigid box-like feel of
smaller areas.
Also, a small, self-contained fountain, waterfall or pond
placed against walls, or in corners, can become a focal point,
or point of interest from which to build out from.
Low growing plants with multi-colored foliage (variegated), are
excellent choices for small gardens. These types of plants, many
possessing leaves with striking reds, creams, and pleasant
shades of green all on a single leaf, can add interest,
variety, and texture to areas where they are planted.
Many plants referred to as "house-plants" will have variegated
foliage or interesting flowers. Most house-plants are native to
tropical or semi-tropical regions of the world and in
warm-winter areas will do well outside year-round.
Most house-plants tend to be shade-loving and so do best in
shade gardens or beneath larger plantings. In regions with
heavy frost or snow, you will need to bring the plant indoors
until the weather warms again.
Dwarf varieties of trees are an excellent choice for large pots
or ground planting in small gardens.
There are literally hundreds of fruiting or flowering dwarf
varieties available to the home gardener. Many will also
possess leaves with interesting shapes, patterns, or colors,
that are sure to add interest and variety to any landscape.
Patio Trees: The term, Patio Tree, is used to describe trees
that are generally small, as trees go, and are also quite
attractive at close range. Their branches will not shed
annoying quantities of leaves, or drop messy fruit that will
litter, or stain patio surfaces.
In addition, all will have “tame" root systems that do well in
large containers, or if planted in the ground will not crack
pavement or greedily take water and nutrients from surrounding
plants.
Finally, fragrant herbs and low-growing plants with colorful
flowers make good choices for containers in small gardens.
(e.g., Gardenias, Lavender, Jasmine).
Tips on planting in containers
When planting in containers, remember that the root system,
cannot search beyond the container for food and water. This
means the plant will be totally dependent on the nutrients and
water you provide.
Remember to always use a good quality potting soil, and add an
appropriate amount of granulated or slow-release fertilizer
when planting.
All plants grown in containers will over time, need an
application of a good quality liquid fertilizer. Also, when
planting in containers, pack the potting soil in tightly to
ensure there are no air pockets, or voids that could harm the
roots.
Finally, always choose a container with drainage holes in the
bottom. Without good drainage, fertilizer salts will build up
in the soil and can then harm the plant.
Container gardening is an excellent way to maximize space, and
enliven
small gardens or patios.
A wide array of plants suitable for container culture are
available to the home gardener, and with a little care and
planning are sure to enrich any outdoor living space.
The types of patio trees available to you will depend upon
which area or region of the country you live in. Some options
include:
Acer (Maple): Patio types are: Acer buergeranum (Trident
Maple), A. cercinatum (Vine Maple), A. davidii (David's Maple),
A. palmatum (Japanese Maple).
Lagerstroemia Indica (Crepe Myrtle): with attractive foliage
and large clusters of flowers that can range in color from pink
to cranberry to a deep or hot red depending upon variety.
Magnolias: available in many regions both hot and cool, have
showy displays of tulip to saucer-shaped flowers with a wide
selection of colors.
Prunus: (Flowering Cherry) (Flowering Plum).
Dwarf Citrus: such as lemon, lime or orange, make good
additions to small gardens and tend to hold their fruit for
many months.
Good Luck and Happy Gardening!
About The Author: With over 20 years of gardening and
landscaping experience, Bill now shares his tips and advice on
creating and maintaining lush and healthy home gardens. Visit
his website at
http://www.your-healthy-gardens.com/
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