HOME & GARDEN

TIPS FOR CREATING small garden spaces

KEEP IT SIMPLE AND WORK WITH THE SPACE YOU HAVE

By Abigail Thorpe

It may have been an awfully grey winter, but with spring just around the corner, we’re all getting a little anxious to get outside and start prepping our gardens for the warmer months—or at least to start thinking about it.

Don’t let the size of your outdoor space discourage you from planning your own spring garden. Whether you have a full backyard or just a porch, there are many ways to add a little color to your space. Here are some tips for creating a welcoming garden retreat, no matter the space you’re working with.

Stack and layer. Pots of every size are your friend if you’re working with a small space. If you can’t go out, go up, recommends Anne Gibson of The Micro Gardener. Stack and layer pots in tiers, on steps, terraces or even just a small deck or patio to add some dimension to your space and create growing room for veggies and flowers.

Work with your space. If you have a long, narrow space, then choose a planter that mirrors that shape and still allows room for you to work around. You can even utilize an outdoor table to build a small tabletop garden, or install brackets to plant a window box if space is very limited, says Gibson.

Think ahead. Succession plant, so you can enjoy fruits, veggies and flowers on a rotating basis, suggests Gibson. For example, if you have a large plant that takes time to mature and spread out, like zucchini, utilize the space around to grow something that matures at a faster rate and can be enjoyed in the meantime, like “cut and come again” lettuce.

Pair plants from the same family that you may not want alongside other veggies or plants—like bulb onions, chives and shallots—in a pot or small growing space. Opt for plants that can perform multiple functions, like lavender, sunflowers and chives.

Mini size it. If you don’t have the space for a full-sized fruit tree, opt for dwarf fruit trees that will still produce but take up much less space and can even be planted in a pot. Many varieties of veggies, herbs and shrubs or bushes also come in dwarf varieties, like miniature roses.

39 BonnersFerryLivingLocal.com Keep it bright! Brightly colored flowers will help lighten a small space and make it appear larger. If you’re including outdoor furniture in your space, make sure it is size appropriate, and don’t overcrowd the space. Compact furniture like a small bistro table and chairs can offer seating options and add to their surroundings without taking up precious space or looking out of place. Uniformity. Larger spaces can accommodate various styles and materials, but in a small space it’s key to keep it simple and uniform, recommends The Spruce. Limit the hardscape materials to a limited scheme that compliments its surroundings. Start small. Make your garden space personal. If you’re trying to decide where to start, choose a spot that will compliment your home, add a pop of color, and that you will enjoy on a daily basis, such as the entry-way to ton of space but still want a small garden to supply your kitchen. Think about the seasonality and maturity time of what you plant so you can succession grow to make the most of your space. Go vertical. Use height to create privacy. Varieties of creeping vines can cover trellis or existing fences, or you can use ladders, pallets and shelves to create a living wall that can give your small space some privacy while providing a beautiful backdrop and growing space for your backyard, porch or deck. It’s in the details. Even the way you place your pavers can have a big impact on how large a space feels, advises David Domoney, a British horticulturist and TV personality. Pave on the diagonal to make a space appear larger, and include trees, even in a small space, to add height and also create more privacy.

Merge garden and home. Utilize the placement of your home and yard to plan your garden. Plant up against the home to help compliment the architectural characteristics of your house and save space, and utilize the perimeter of your yard to help define the space and still preserve an open grass area. Some bright pops of color surrounding your home and yard can add some beautiful detail and space for growing fruit, veggies and flowers while not taking up valuable space to entertain or play.

Design with purpose. Plan your garden space with a specific purpose in mind. Create a focal point that draws the eye, suggests The Spruce, like a water feature, flower bed or garden island.

Little Tips: Use vertical, upright plants instead of those prone to spread out to save space. Look for veggies that reproduce fast, like “cut and come again” greens that require minimal space and have a high yield.

Have a fruit tree in a pot? Plant an edible living ground cover like thyme around the base that will act as a mulch for the tree and provide some herbs for your table.

It’s key to KEEP IT SIMPLE and uniform.

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Going Greener

SIMPLE ECO-FRIENDLY LANDSCAPING TIPS TO REDUCE YOUR ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT THIS YEAR By Taylor Shillam

As we enter another spring in the Northwest, so begins the preparation to revitalize our landscapes, lawns and gardens. Whether the spring of 2020 will find you starting from scratch or breathing new vitality into an existing landscape, there are many simple ways to increase the sustainability of your efforts.

With the goal of avoiding an excess use of resources, and allowing the local climate to naturally thrive, eco-friendly landscaping is growing in both popularity and practice. Including plant life in your landscaping provides a unique diversity to the look, smell and feel of your yard or garden. Beyond their aesthetic contributions, plants enrich the environment by providing shade, clean air, temperature regulation and a habitat for valuable organisms, among many other valuable functions.

Selecting plants that are native or adapted to the conditions of your residential area will require less resources and maintenance to ensure they thrive, since they won’t need to adapt to an unfamiliar environment.

Increasing the sustainability of your residential landscape or garden contributes to reduced energy waste, maintaining the cleanliness of the water and air, a healthier regional wildlife population, minimized atmospheric greenhouse gas and upholding a solid foundation for future generations to be able to experience the same benefits.

Reducing your environmental footprint and turning toward sustainable landscaping may seem like a daunting task—but it doesn’t need to be. At the heart of a thriving garden are greener practices that take just a little bit of extra care but, when done routinely, add up to a significantly positive impact.

Both novice gardeners and experienced green thumbs can easily implement a few tweaks to contribute to a more eco-friendly landscape this spring. Here are a few ways to reduce the environmental impact of your landscape practices while maintaining a landscape you love.

Plant Choice Green landscaping starts early on with the actual selection of your plants. Choosing plants appropriate to the local climate also reduces the risk of creating an environment prone to the damage of invasive species and instead allows the safety and promotion of healthy pollinators and beneficial microorganisms.

You can easily learn more about the selection of plants native to the region with online resources like the NWF Native Plant Finder and the Wildflower Center Native Plant Database.

Another factor to consider: Annual plants require the most water to maintain, making perennials and grasses the most efficient choice for water use.

Efficient Water Use As we head into summer and temperatures begin to creep up, intentional and efficient water use becomes critical. The most significant impacts of your “greener” efforts will be related to water conservation.

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The use of hardscapes in your landscape design (hardscapes being any selection of rocks, pavers, decks, etc.) allows you to diversify the look of your outdoor space and create interest while reducing the required amount of water to maintain the aesthetic. Hardscapes can be incorporated into pathways, stepping stones, fire pits and patios, providing more ways to enjoy your outdoor space while reducing the need for water.

Soil Health Healthy soil is a critical foundational element to a sustainable garden or landscape. According to Landscape for Life, healthy soil will remove pollutants, cleanse water and restore atmospheric carbon, along with the functions we’re most familiar with, such as water storage and plant nourishment.

In sustainable gardens, soils are healthy, living ecosystems, protected by vegetation or mulch, and best allow plants to thrive. Heavily mulching in plant beds can protect gardens from weeds, pests and disease. Mulch provides a protective layer to insulate roots and cover soil, which can reduce water evaporation and moderate soil temperature.

Using organic mulch in garden beds and surrounding trees helps to provide nourishing minerals when the mulch decomposes and can improve water retention. Inorganic mulches like crushed stones and rubber chips are best placed in hardscape settings.

Maintenance With a healthy landscape in place, it’s important to remember that maintenance practices are just as critical to ensuring the health of that landscape’s environmental

At the heart of a thriving garden are greener practices that take just a little bit of extra care.

footprint. Thoughtful maintenance practices work with nature, not against it, for a process that is more time-efficient, economically wise and environmentally friendly. One simple example is your choice of lawn mower. Compared to a gas-powered lawn mower, an electric lawn mower will emit significantly lower levels of air pollution.

Pesticides are another important consideration. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has reported that homeowners apply pesticides at a rate almost 20 times higher than farmers use on agricultural land. Pesticide exposure isn’t a new topic of conversation by any means, but it’s important to keep in mind the non-chemical options that are available.

Organic fertilizers (such as compost) and non-chemical pest control can reduce toxic chemical release into the air and water supply, reducing the possibility for the multitude of negative health effects that have been associated with toxic pesticide exposure.

With a goal in mind to choose the least chemically laden, most naturally derived pest-control products you can, you’ll find with a bit of research, there are a good amount of available options. Often these choices will use Neem, a plant known for its inherent pesticide qualities. More natural options will better target the true pests in your garden without spreading additional harm to beneficial insects, like traditional pesticides so often do.

Regardless of your level of experience with gardening, landscaping or sustainability, you can start small, and start today. By being intentional with your plant selection, prioritizing efficient water use and choosing safer maintenance methods, you can make your garden positively “greener” in 2020.

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