---

Urban Planting and Design Ideas

Watching the Water

Many homeowners allow their gardens to be over-watered. In the interest of conserving water, the first thing we can do is to pay attention to our irrigation systems with an eye for leaks and/or zones that receive too much water. Secondly we can make a habit to do things like set the program timer back when it’s cool in the spring and fall, or off during wetter spells, and keep some basic spare parts to fix a leak in a pipe. Often an enormous amount of water is lost from being inattentive to the irrigation system or letting leaks persist. Irrigation is almost always essential for the long-term success of native and water-wise gardens in the west. In your landscape plan you may decide on a combination of spray heads and drip irrigation if your yard has a mix of lawn and areas of native plants, trees and other groundcovers. Both of these types of irrigation systems have their benefits in certain applications and it is worth the time to think this through and have a plan before starting.

Drip Irrigation

Drip irrigation is well suited for plantings of trees and shrubs, clump grasses, and mass plantings of groundcover and other perennials, therefore drip can be perfect for native and waterwise areas in your yard. Small areas can be sprayed using a drip system, however drip is not well suited for large areas of lawn. Advantages of drip irrigation are: versatility, deep watering penetration through slow application, low evaporation, and delivery of water directly to the roots of desirable plants. Drip Irrigation is very versatile and can be customized to water only the plants that you specify with slow release (.5 - 1 gallon/hour) emitters. Applying water this way limits the water available to invasive plants and weeds. Leaks in the tubes can be fixed easily, and emitters can be added to new plants, or to increase the flow to an existing plant.

Spray Irrigation

Much water is lost in some areas where wind carries airborne water from the spray heads and away from the target area, the result can be no water on your lawn. Spray heads are good for broad areas with low-lying plant cover such as lawn or groundcover; water is delivered quickly, but with higher potential for runoff/evaporation. Plants with shallow roots like Kentucky Bluegrass can capitalize on this delivery system. Deeper rooted plants such as trees and shrubs and some grasses won’t get watered efficiently by a spray, because the water can’t penetrate the soil deep enough to reach the roots, and much water is lost to runoff. Spray heads are not particularly accurate and they can encourage weeds more than with a drip system.

Soil

A healthy soil profile should have an airy layer of topsoil, rich in organic material at the surface. This composting layer holds lots of moisture and encourages drainage, good circulation and bioturbation. The opposite of good topsoil is a compact clay soil, with poor drainage, or even hardpan where the soil may become very difficult to work. Enriching soil takes time effort and resources so it is good to do a little each year, working with what you have, and making small improvements when it is convenient. Some plants may only tolerate what we consider to be poor soil, that which is saline, rocky or clay. These plants may be especially difficult to grow in a landscape with very rich, improved soil. To understand the soil conditions that are required for the native plants you want to grow, take note of the conditions exhibited in their native habitat. Research your choices thoroughly or see a native plant/landscape professional.

Mulch

Mulch is a coarser grade organic material such as bark chips, shredded bark, or soil pep. The latter contains nitrogen-rich manure and will replenish key nutrients in the soil. The mulch layer holds more moisture in the soil and near the roots of desired plants. A combination of good topsoil, mulch and amendments such as composted manures can replace chemical fertilizers, which end up polluting the ground water. Planting natives and fertilizing with compost/manure can eliminate the need for many of the usual garden chemicals.

Plant Selection

In planning a native garden consider the climate and elevation where you live: what kinds of plants might have once grown on your home-site? Consider your basic knowledge of native plants, places you have visited where wild, native plants grow undisturbed; what are the aesthetic qualities that speak to you from these wild areas that you may be able to reproduce in your garden? Think of the interplay of rock and plant, contours, sun and shade. Think of your yard as a 3-dimensional canvas, with trees, shrubs, grasses, flowers, groundcovers and rocks your basic building blocks. If you find that you are lacking in the ideas you need to get started, come see us at Grow Wild Nursery for a free one-on-one consultation with an experienced professional.

---