theseedlady

looking for some design ideas for low maintenance front garden to replace a 15'x50' rectangle of turf bisected by a skinny "contractor's special" 28" wide walkway. Need to jack it out, make decent-depth beds along the front of the house and replace walk with some sort of hardscaping. I NEED IDEAS that won't break the bank but add scads to curb appeal. Also water use needs to be low, low, low as the local water purveyor is pushing for vastly increased water fees.

can you tell us something about the quality of the seed, the germination rates, customer service, pricing, etc? These are things what gardeners want to know.

catchy design but those are expensive garden tools. Who can afford to waste them like this?

ONLY in Napa!

Don't forget, when planning your arbor, that roses will grow toward daylight, usually toward the west and south, and also, away from a building. Don't expect roses to grow to the east or north, just to fill in the arbor you've already built.

I agree, that with proper pruning and cane arching, buds will break at lower levels. Problem is most of us are impatient and are training the first long canes up to cover the top first. Should be the reverse. Begin arching canes as soon as they start up the sides, they will eventually climb over the top as well.

it's not the sink, but those cinder blocks. any way to get them out of sight?

In my area of coastal California, grafted roses with bud unions buried by soil dramatically under-perform when compared to roses whose bud unions are exposed to the stimulation of sunlight. I find this true in my own garden and in those I care for. Planting with the union 2" high to accommodates settling so the ultimate bud union hight is about 1" above ground. I also use a soft brush to remove any loose bark covering the crown to better expose dormant buds.

Further, if the BU is covered, it's impossible to tell if a new cane is coming from grafted tissue or from the (undesirable)root stock. Digging around near the graft to try to make that determination can damage/sever newly emerging canes and buds.

The American Rose Society has Consulting Rosarians--rose experts--in every area of the country, easily located with a google search. They can help with advice specifically tailored to local soils and weather. Refining technique hones a gardener's skill, as well as enhancing appreciation of effort.

Oh, and I killed my lost sought Leptospermum Manning's Choice by torturing it in a pot for too long before transplanting. I've turned into Jim Wentzel, noted plantkiller extraordinaire.

what the...what's this about Buddleyia being illegal in California?? huh? tell it to the growers, for gosh sakes.
Can't imagine that it is illegal, and Stipa tenuissima is Not??? or Geranium incanum, the plant that ate Chicago.

My favorite plant this year has been a lovely single fuchsia, don't know the name. Couldn't find Tinker Bell, so settled for this cute 4" long cerise/white bloom. Absolutely covered in blossoms.

I killed my bed of maidenhair fern--didn't realinze my irrigation system was malfunctioning this summer when I was away; came back to black dried-up fern. sniff.

A good resource to augment understanding of landscape mechanics and hardscaping is the Calif Landscape Contractors' Ass'n. Here at Cal Poly SLO they hold 'competitions' for certifying landscapers in design and contstruction details.

There should be an active SD chapter. Check them out! They also have social dinner meetings monthly where you can network and meet others in the field, local educators, vendors, etc. Good place to make all kinds of contacts.

Trade shows are another networking spot. The Calif Assn of Nursery Professionals (aka C.A.N. in the old days)sponsors one in San Mateo (the "NorCal" show), and one in Pomona, usually early in spring, Jan-Feb. Also the national 'Hort Pro' assn. org has a Las Vegas show, a big one!

Best of luck and good wishes.

If you do suffer from One-Of-itis, you can still blend them into your existing landscape or container groupings by utilizing a favorite color or texture element already established elsewhere in the garden.

I buy cool new plants that I see in my sales travels. Gotta try 'em! Back home, I look for a spot where they'll be shown off to their best (while finding the correct growing conditions, of course). Sometimes that means removing a plant that's rather lack-luster in order to make room. Then I'll divide a grass or perennial clump to surround it with 'friends' to show it off. I love that part. Not all plantings have to be newly purchased. Many times dividing and moving plants will get them a better location, design-wise and more habit-friendly.

Billy, how about a perennial-dividing tutorial? It's so easy, and will show folks that plants are a lot tougher than we often think. Not enough new gardeners are convinced they can do it sucessfully.

Billy

are the Carex mentioned above self-seeding, like the monster C. tumulicola? I planted that years ago and if left to mature seeds, becomes a terrifying invader with thick roots that defy mattocks, shovels, and prybars. I patrol my borders regularly to pull out seedlings before they become intractible. Maybe I should try a flamethrower, or a Gophernator to blow them out of my sandy soil?

That one, along with G. incanum is the bane of my gardens.

Oh wait, add Erigeron karvinskianus...(sorry)

theseedlady