Monday, May 20, 2013

By Abigail Higgins
Published: July 30, 2009

Gardens built on habitat-based design are different sorts of places from those based on the concept of highly maintained, cultivated flower beds fronted by neatly edged, highly maintained green turf. Gardens that attempt, or exemplify, the principles set forth in "Plant Driven Design," (the book by Lauren Springer Ogden and Scott Ogden that I mentioned favorably a couple of columns ago) are likely to depart from the "gardenesque" stereotype. They head for a different destination, the plant guild of naturalized planting.

A Hybrid xeriscape/sandplain/rock garden on an Island shore property. Photo by Susan Safford

It might be assumed that a large area is required. Not so, even if most gardeners in their wilder dreams would like all garden spaces to be more generous than what they have. It includes developing a sense of inquiry that can be likened to a matching service: What would like to grow here, and what would like to grow with it? Assessing "what is" rather than "what can be made" by heroic measures (the classic clean-slate, earth-moving repertoire of the landscape designer) is a central element.

The photograph illustrates a hybrid xeriscape/ sandplain/rock garden planting, an artificial, created plant guild. It is on a hummocky area of old dune within the garden of an Island shore property. It is no more than perhaps 15 feet from side to side and seven feet from top to bottom. Pure sand, steep, not very stable, and in constant danger of mini-landslides, it could never support ordinary turf. It formerly contained a scruffy covering of sorrel with a few straggly little bluestem grasses and seaside goldenrod.

We first planted mugho pine, Pinus mugo, which seemed quite happy, and followed that with prostrate junipers, J. horizontalis 'Wiltonii' and 'Bar Harbor,' and J. squamata 'Blue Star.' It was a struggle to establish them. However, surplus nepeta plants needing a home easily established themselves in the perfect drainage, with a minimum of fuss. Persistent editing of the sorrel, difficult to do without disastrously disturbing the sand, allowed the seaside goldenrod (Solidago sempervirens) to expand and flourish. Four seasons back, we planted a 'Thunderhead' Japanese black pine (not visible) at the low edge of the dune as a focal specimen.

More recently, other colorful perennials have been added: Siberian iris, Euphorbia polychroma 'Bonfire,' Asclepias tuberosa (butterflyweed), and Coreopsis verticillata 'Moonbeam.' The orange butterfly weed has been allowed to self-sow and last year we added a self-sowing annual, the electric pink Silene armeria, for a little garish fun.

Variegated acorus, M.V. Wildtype switch grass and little bluestem grass from Polly Hill Arboretum, and surplus lambs' ears (Stachys byzantina) from elsewhere in the garden have joined the mix, until now there is very little bare surface and it seems stabilized. It has been quite challenging at times, and was done over a period of a decade or more. It now takes care of itself quite well (not counting that bratty sorrel) and contains colorful contrasts throughout the year.

Attempting to garden this way may create gardens that eventually require fewer inputs and less fussing over, which, depending on the gardener and the style of the property, may be welcome. I recall my surprise, when Cassian Schmidt of the Hermannshof Garden in Germany spoke at New England Grows, as he described how the habitat-based plantings at Hermannshof receive neither mulch, compost, nor fertilizer after their initial period of establishment. In general, these are going to be gardens of a less formal nature, with shorter, tighter planting that is self-tending. But casual does not mean haphazard or lacking careful planning: plant-driven designs may contain as many periods of climax as conventional gardens.

Beth Chatto, Henk Gerritsen, Noel Kingsbury, Piet Oudolf, James van Sweden, and Wolfgang Oehme, and Keith Wiley are some other authors and sources of inspiration, in addition to the Ogdens and Cassian Schmidt, for this gardening style. Look for their work and books for further guidance.

In the garden

Soil-borne problems continue to plague both ornamental and vegetable gardens. An array of sprayable products is available, all of which deliver less than they promise; or perhaps in a season like this one, it is a tall order to achieve Total Control. I want to mention compost teas and to encourage experimenting with them because they seem to offer protection in ways that have not been achieved with chemical preparations; but I myself am a complete neophyte in this department.

To add to the misery, Japanese beetles have finally emerged to join their cousins, the plentiful oriental beetles. There was a lengthy delusional period there when it seemed plausible - just maybe - that we would not see any Japanese beetles this season.

Tasks include deadheading and trimming back lavender, nepeta, chives, astilbe, and touching up mulches and top-dressings. Continue to deadhead and deadleaf daylilies to keep them from looking ratty. Feed roses and prune them for another flush of bloom - even if the beetles do ruin it. Set seedling foxglove plants where you want them to grow next year, or pot them up to transplant later. Prune off black raspberry canes that have finished fruiting.

Clear areas of vegetable crops that have gone by, top-dress the garden soil with an organic soil food fertilizer, cultivate, and get the plants or seeds for late season crops into the ground. For best selection, order spring bulbs, paperwhites, and garlic now. Plan entries for the Fair, the dates of which are August 20 to 23. Keep up with crabgrass patrol. Those innocuous little grasses with the red tint at the base of the leaf-blades become many-tentacled menaces that not only set myriad seed for next year, but release toxins into the soil that help crabgrass out-compete non-weeds.

Michael van Valkenburgh speaks at Polly Hill Arboretum Wednesday, August 5, at 7:30 pm.