By Pam Roy, Special to The Herald
What a dreary February it’s been! By Feb. 16, we had already received well over the average total rainfall for the month. The dark skies and copious rainfall have made getting out into the yard less than appealing for even the most optimistic. What’s a gardener to do?
Grab a mug of your favorite warm beverage, curl up in a cozy spot, perhaps by the fireplace, and indulge in some creative brainstorming about adding new life to your garden.
To get you started, here are a few ideas.
Think outside the box
We’re talking edibles. Edibles do not have to be grown in square raised boxes. A large yard is not necessary to enjoy crisp fresh vegetables harvested from your garden. A simple container on the patio or the deck can be the perfect spot for easy-to-grow herbs such as oregano, marjoram, sage or rosemary.
Do you love berries, but have little room in the yard? Try “Raspberry Shortcake” a compact, thornless variety of raspberry offering sweet berries midsummer that can be container grown. Put it in a sunny spot along a path for easy munching.
A dwarf fruit tree can be planted in one of the landscape beds and serve a dual purpose as an ornamental feature. Choose from a variety of apple, cherry, pear and more. Is your garden too shady? A stock tank can offer just enough height to bring needed sunshine to an area that otherwise might be too shady for edibles.
Change your focus
Turn a neglected part of the yard into something fun. Clean up or remove straggly, unhealthy looking plants and add a focal point to this area. This could be as simple as a colorful container. Let the container be the focal point on its own or add plants.
Set an accent plant such as Chamaecyparis lawsoniana “Wissel’s Saguaro” or Phormium “Shiraz” in the container. Change it up by adding seasonal color around the edges of the container. A few spring bulbs, some bright flowers spilling over the edges in summer followed by winter heather.
If you’ve dreamed about garden art, consider upgrading this corner of the yard to highlight a piece of garden sculpture, blown glass or a creation of your own. Visit one of the excellent garden art festivals in our area and support a local artist. Some of my clients have had lots of fun finding little nooks and crannies for eye-catching art throughout their landscape.
Retreat
That same neglected or underused area of the garden could also become a mini retreat. Even if it’s an area that may not get any actual use, it can become a visual retreat. Set a stone bench on a few large slabs of flagstone. On a rainy day, this can become an opportunity to take a deep breath and relax while viewing the bench from a window.
Throughout the year, a bench draws the eye out into the garden, offering a sense of destination while connecting the inside of the house to nature and the outdoors. Or go all out, build a pergola, a patio, add a fire pit or a circle of flat-topped rocks as seating. A garden benefits from a place free of work, a place to relax and enjoy.
Lighten up
Really! What an appealing thought on a late winter day. The addition of low-voltage lighting to a yard can create a pleasing ambience and extend enjoyment of the space into the evening hours. LED lights have a long lifespan and use small amounts of electricity.
Add a few path lights to invitingly lead guests to the patio for an evening soiree. A few well-placed accent lights can illuminate an interesting tree or piece of garden art to enjoy from inside the house. Enjoy moonlight effects on even a cloudy night with a few hanging low-voltage fixtures in a tree canopy or overhead structure that casts a soft glow. A little planning will maximize the effectiveness of the lighting system. Invest in some quality lighting products for long-term enjoyment.
Get colorful
Try a new color. Go ahead! This could be the year for expanding your color palette. Many of us seem naturally drawn to a particular color or group of colors. I’ve historically not been drawn to orange color.
Four years ago, however, after putting together a display for a garden arts festival, I was surprised at the compliments on how people enjoyed the orange hues in my garden. I blamed it on the very long winter and an unconscious need for the sun. Orange has now become a favorite accent color that I enjoy.
Other ideas: Try some white flowering plants in a dark area. Add foliage colors of gold or burgundy to a mostly green garden.
Need more inspiration? Visit your local nursery and treat yourself to a pot of forced bulbs — bright yellow narcissus or bold deep-pink mini tulips. Get inspired and have fun dreaming.
Pam Roy of Planscapes is an award-winning landscape designer with over 30 years of experience. Email her at info@planscapesdesign.com, call her at 425-252-9469 or go to www.planscapesdesign.com for more.
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