Good-Enough TheGarden

By Mary Klest

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who, rather than putting me to shame, are glad to share their “what works” wisdom.

Dennis Gardino, my friend and former neighbor, begins reading garden catalogs in January. In February he germinates the seeds in his basement lab, puts them in a greenhouse in March, and plants them in late May. He runs a business, heads a family, and plays bass in a band, but when summer comes he finds solace in his backyard garden. So he plans ahead.

He says 80 percent of his garden is no trouble at all, while 20 percent pos-es a challenge and is high-maintenance. This 20 percent includes his roses, some of which he has been cultivating since moving to Barrington ten years

B ut then summer arrives. My beds are filled with knee-high weeds. My impulse plant-shopping has created a chaos of color, height, and texture. I

don’t want to spend any more time on mulch. I need help, but I’m not look-ing for an expensive, long-term project or an award-winning display. I want a garden that doesn’t stress me out or demand too much of my time. There are all sorts of names for gardens and the plants who live there, but I just want the good-enough garden. It is low-maintenance, colorful with lasting blooms, and in harmony with the existing landscape.

Such a pursuit may seem frivolous to some, but not to others. From a practical standpoint, any realtor will agree that flowers make a difference. A nicely landscaped house presents well to would-be buyers. Neighbors enjoy gardens, and so do butterflies, bees, birds, and dragonflies.

Gardens can be good for the environment and for your spirit. In our com-munity, there is a civic call for us to be good stewards of the land. Plus, stud-ies find that gardening is one of the best physical activities for preventing or improving chronic health conditions – it helps bones, heart, and mind. Following are some tips for creating the good-enough garden in your own backyard.

Ask around. There are lots of choices, but the secret is to keep from being overwhelmed. I could read catalogs, visit web sites, or go to garden club meetings. I decide to find inspiration by walking through nearby nature areas, talking with a few pros, and visiting some neighborhood gardeners

Every year in early spring I see a deep purple spiky plant growing in the yards of

others, and I want to have it. I don’t know what it’s called or how much care it

needs, so this cyclical yearning is left unrewarded. I look out my bedroom win-

dow and see that the previous owner once had a garden there; I imagine colorful

small clumps of flowers but never get around to planting any. Three years ago, I

had some native grasses and gooseneck plants with sedum planted at the entry of

our home. This year I think I need to separate them because they have gotten so

dense, but it makes me anxious to think of such a maneuver. Then my daffodils

come up…and all is well again.

creating low-maintenance beau t y in your own backyard

Hydrangeas and pachysandra fill out your garden and create beautiful color.

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ago. “When we first moved here, I put a hammock out back. There was a slab of concrete, woods, and grass,” he says. “I thought it would be nice to have some flowers, so I started planting.” He spends a couple of hours a week plucking and pruning.

Closest to his house are containers connected to an irrigation system he built. He hooks up drip hoses to a main line and sets a timer to water his plants twice a day. He fills the system with a liquid fertilizer once a week. As you move through the garden, water fountains, geraniums, and marigolds draw you closer. He plants perennials in the far reaches of the yard and waits for their return each year. He names plants he has had success with: echina-cea, Shasta daisies, lavender, salvia, and anything from the aster family. After sunset, a string of tiny white lights outlines the multi-tiered deck.

Dennis likes buying plants at the annual May sale sponsored by Citizens for Conservation. “These plants are very easy to grow because they are in their native habitat,” he says.

Meredith Tucker, the co-chair for adult education at Citizens for Conserva-tion, agrees. She says native prairie plants don’t need to be mulched and sug-gests prairie drop seed, milkweed, black-eyed Susan, and purple cone flowers for the low-maintenance garden. When mulch is needed to help retain mois-ture and control weed growth, she recommends using wood chips from pine or cypress trees. If you’re willing to shovel the mulch yourself (and this is a big if for me!), you can get it free from the Cuba Township offices or ComEd.

“Nothing can replace the hands-on experience of the gardener,” says Meredith. So even the good-enough garden will not happen overnight. All gardeners have different recommendations based on their experience and preference. For instance, when asking about a good ground cover, I received these diverse suggestions:

•Wintercreeper:itgrowsquicklyandishardy;youcanwalkonit.

•Jacobs’ladderandwildgingerforshadyareas.

•Prairieforbsforsunnyareas.

•Pachysandraforshadyareas.

•Purpleleafwintercreeperforsunny,partialshadeareas.

•Sweetwoodruff:it’sdelicateandsmellsgoodinthespring.

It may seem intimidating to talk with professional plant people or sea-soned gardeners because they’re aware of the infinite possibilities, while nov-ices may not know the difference between a daffodil and a daisy. Yet we are surrounded by generous garden mavens.

Members of the Garden Club of Barrington and the Inverness Garden Club know how to make flowers flourish without a lot of fuss, and they’re willing to share their ideas. “You don’t have to be a landscaper or an artist to paint with flowers and vegetables,” says Peg Olsen, a resident of Barrington Hills and a member of the Garden Club of Barrington as well as the Country Home and Garden Club. Her garden is nonstop beautiful. “There are rules of thumb that anyone at a garden center can explain, but the real creativity is left up to you,” she says. “There is no right answer. You get to choose the type of landscape you wish to create.”

Keepers of the Land is an award-winning conservation-minded book pub-lished by the Garden Club of Barrington. It is given free to new homeowners in the area. In addition, nursery sales staff at Goebberts in South Barrington and Pasquesi’s in Lake Barrington are happy to answer questions and help solve dilemmas. They give excellent advice on how to design a garden or how to care for plants. And as always, information about various local resources is easy to find on the Internet.

Never stop learning. Pulling up groundcover because it is mistaken for a weed or trimming bushes and trees at the wrong time will cause dam-age. “Without knowledge, people can destroy landscapes in a few hours,” says Mike SanFilippo of SanFilippo Landscape. He is not a big fan of sprinkler systems. Research shows that deep, infrequent watering is better for plants than light, frequent watering. Fungus growth can also be a concern if plants are overwatered.

Heather Moister manages the perennial and annuals department at the Barn Nursery in Cary. She says people most frequently ask about what’s new and want recommendations on the best varieties for wet or dry areas, sun or shade. Her most important suggestion for do-it-yourselfers? “Prep the soil properly. We have lots of clay in this area, so you need compost. Also, add supplements.”

Purpleconeflowerscanhelpcreatebeauty in a low-maintenance garden.

Withtheirlongbloomtimes,DoubleKnock-Outrosesadd long-lasting color to any garden.

P h o t o : B a r n n u r s e r y

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Most people want color without having to plant annuals. She recom-mends Endless Summer hydrangea and Knock-Out roses because they have a long bloom time. She says there are colorful plants for shade areas, too. For example, the Pinky Winky hydrangea with 14-inch blooms grows in shade. She also recommends succulents such as sedum for dry areas. For multi-ple-season interest, cranesbill blooms in spring and then shows red-orange leaves in fall.

Observe to discover your own preferences. Within our village limits, beautiful residential gardens grow simple and grand. The foun-dation of Peg Olsen’s family garden consists of a few favorite standbys. The striking crimson bloom of the Knock-Out Rose remains until frost and re-quires no pruning. Calamagrostis, or “Karl Foerster,” is a drought-tolerant, deer-resistant upright grass that grows five feet tall and produces a golden plume during winter. All salvias are deer-resistant, drought-tolerant re-bloomers that make colorful borders for a perennial bed, as Peg Olsen has done. “Understated but invaluable is the evergreen boxwood shrub,” she says. Multiple varieties can create a striking yet subtle foundation for a home or define evergreen garden parameters.

Public gardens are also good sources for ideas. Some successful examples of drought-tolerant, easily maintained plants can be found at Barrington’s Veterans Park on Main Street at Cook. Included are Shasta daisies, Endless Summer hydrangeas, May Night salvia, sedum ground cover, Karl Foerster grass, Dwarf Fountain grass, sedum Autumn Joy, Gold Flame spirea, cone flowers, daylilies, and some annual flower tuck-ins.

Wandering through our nature preserves provides a lesson on what is native to the area. A walk through Grigsby Prairie Preserve in Barrington Hills (at Buckley and Oak Knoll roads) with a guide from Citizens for Con-

servation allows you to see Little Blue Stem and Porcupine grass in their na-tive habitat. Explore Crabtree Nature Center (on Palatine Road) with a pair of binoculars to spot plants without traipsing over them. Bring a camera to capture wildflowers blooming in abundance on the west side of Baker’s Lake in Barrington (near Route 14 and Hillside Avenue).

Plan before you plant. Ask questions such as, Where should I put my garden? What windows do we look out most often? How will it look from the patio? Should we try to hide that tree stump out back? Or enhance the front door? And then there’s always the mowing question: Is it easy to mow around? You may also want to check out the views from inside the house, since many people spend time looking at their gardens through the windows of their homes.

Lots of people give up on gardening because they believe it’s too much work, when in reality they may not have prepared the soil properly, or they may have planted the right plant variety in the wrong location. When some-thing fails, you can just pull it out of the ground and try again with some-thing different.

Expect challenges. Mike SanFilippo says we all must struggle with inconsistent weather. “Last year’s rain damaged a lot of plants,” he says. “The root systems were under water and topsoil washed away.” There are droughts, deer that graze on flowers and shrubs, and warm days in winter that can fool plants into thinking, It’s time!

So why garden at all? Surveys show people garden for personal satisfac-tion, for utilitarian reasons such as harvesting vegetables, dried or cut flow-ers, and herbs, and for health benefits. “It’s the best mental health care you can get,” says Meredith Tucker. “It makes me feel better digging in the dirt.” After having knee surgery she did just that, kneeling on one knee while she

CoralSunsetdayliliesaredrought-resistantandeasilymaintainedforendlesssummercolor. Tulips add spice to springtime and remind us that warm weather is upon us.

Mary Klest is a freelance writer andfrequentcontributortoQuintessential Barrington magazine.

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Every garden location is different and every gardener is unique. Those looking for exact instructions may get frustrated. Be patient. Governed by very few rules, most gardens are pleasantly unpredictable. Do some research and you may be surprised how much you can enjoy with little effort. Here are some tips:

Set goals. Goals will keep you focused. For example: Are you looking for a nice view or to cover an unsightly spot? Is it a private garden or for public display?

If you’re looking for a long bloom time, purchase plants with that characteristic. When properly situated, Blue Wonder and May Night will bloom from May to Octo-ber.

Determine how much time you want to spend in the garden. Limit your ambitions or delegate any chores that exceed that limit to a landscape maintenance service, a teenager, or a supportive spouse.

Decide on an appropriate location. This should be a place that you like and is easy to get to. Match plants to the location’s conditions and your preferences. Watch the sunlight in your yard throughout the day.

Fill unplanted areas with gravel, brick, or a deck.

Prepare the soil by adding compost and loosening the dirt. In the long run this saves time. If you don’t want to do this yourself, hire someone.

Buy only a few varieties of hardy perennials. Keep it simple by planting in quantity. Mass plants in one location to reduce weed growth.

For long-lived plants that practically grow themselves, choose daylilies, geraniums, peonies, and hosta. Other hardy perennials that need very little division or deadhead-ing and can withstand summer heat are ornamental grasses, Fringed Bleeding Heart, echinacea, Lady’s Mantle, sedum, Coreopsis (tickseed), and Yarrow.

Plant perennials in prepared soil no deeper than the container they came in.

Mulch. It limits weed growth and holds moisture. A two- to three-inch mulch layer is recommended for most plants. Bark, pine needles, and shredded leaves are common organic mulches that decompose over time and add nutrients and organic matter to the soil. Apply the mulch after plants are well-established and the soil is reasonably moist.

If you’d rather not mulch, a non-invasive ground cover is another effective and attrac-tive way to keep the weeds out.

Gardens should receive one inch of water per week during the growing season. If it doesn’t rain, water the garden or supply irrigation with drip hoses. Put a one-inch deep can outside to measure rainfall.

To decorate a patio or deck, use large containers with a polymer crystals mix to keep soil moist. Bring containers to a local garden center and have them plant it for you.

Decorate a window with a flower box. Grace outdoor tables with potted succulent plants that won’t wilt in the dry, hot days of summer.

Keep a sense of humor. Need we say more?

Take time to sit in a shady spot and admire your creation.

For plants of wonderful quality for a wonderful cause, take advantage of Citizens for Conservation’s Tree, Plant, and Shrub Sale, which will be held on May 3 from 9 a.m. to noon at the CFC headquarters on Route 22 across from Good Shepherd Hospital.

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planted 600 native plants in her yard. Dennis Gardino says, “Everyone wants to create some form of beauty.” And Peg Olsen adds, “The unexpected arrays of colors, textures, aromas, and even tastes and sounds spring forth with a promise I can feel after a long winter.”

A recent favorite garden saying is: To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow. “So true,” says Meredith. At 66, she decided to plant oak trees. “I won’t see them mature, but someone will,” she says.

I decide not to buy the deep purple spiky plant I have longed for. Instead I admire it in other peoples’ yards. Like my daffodils, it lets me know that spring has finally ar-rived. This year, I’m going to plant something with a lon-ger bloom time in that forgotten garden outside my bed-room window. Every morning it will remind me of not only what is good, but what is good enough.

Tips for a Low- Maintenance Garden

By Mar y K lest

QBarr ing ton.com • Quintessent ia l Barr ington 93

Anyone growing flowers may want to know the meanings that different colors convey and the reactions they can evoke. Humans sense light through their skin and visually, and as advertis-ers and scientists know, seeing different colors can affect moods or thoughts. In the garden, color can create excitement, set a mood, and draw the eye. Common color connotations in our culture include the following:

RED conveys excitement, passion, vitality, and aggressiveness.

ORANGE connotes joy, enthusiasm, determi-nation, excitement, and ambition.

YELLOW conveys warmth, sunshine, happi-ness, and energy.

GREEN suggests health, fertility, freshness, and harmony.

BLUE means security, authority, confidence, and wisdom, and is used to represent heaven.

PURPLE combines the stability of blue with the energy of red, suggesting spirituality, sophistication, luxury, and authority. Purple is one of the most universally preferred colors by all ages. Purple flowers attract bumblebees because they hold higher levels of nectar than other colored flowers.

WHITE is the color of purity, formality, elegance, and neutrality.

BROWN symbolizes earth, order, convention, dependability, simplicity, and friendliness.

PINK shows gratitude, admiration, femininity, and love.

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Blue and purple are cool, while yellow and red are considered warm colors. Neutrals are green and white. In the garden you can use warm colors to create vivid displays that can be easily seen from a distance. They are most vibrant during early morning and dusk.

Cool colors recede, increasing the feeling of space in a small area. You may need up to four times as many cool-colored plants as warm-colored plants if viewing the garden from a distance.

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