This page contains some common garden design questions (and some not so common) answered by Garden Designer, Mark Rayner.
Note: This section is now in the archives and the advice service has finished but feel welcome to look over previously posted questions and answers and/or
articles.
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Q#13:
I am landscaping our front yard and would like to have some pathway lights. I am looking to put in solar lights.
How good are these solar lights?How effective are they?
Chella.
A:
I have to say that I am in two minds regarding solar lighting. As they run on solar power much of the efficiency depends on light levels throughout the day (especially in the darker, winter months), so in a shady area, there will be insufficient light to keep the bulbs at an adequate level after dark - even in a sunny area, light levels can be low on an overcast day in the winter months.
I have some solar lights out front and they are so dim at the moment (even at dusk) that they are next to useless.
They are ok if they are merely providing a bit of ambient light, but if you need them to be at a reliable level (ie: to light pathways, steps or entrance ways) I would always recommend electric lighting.
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Q#12:
Hello Mark, We had our 20ft. x 40ft. in-ground pool filled
in with good top soil on top. I plan to use it for a flower and vegetable
garden. It is a kidney shaped pool. What would you suggest as to what,
how, and where to plant the plants? Any information will be greatly
appreciated.
A:
Hi there.
Thanks for your garden query.
I assume that there is good drainage through the soil in the pool, in which case you have a great choice as to what to plant.
When designing a large planted area like this it is important to first decide where your paths are going to go. As you need regular access (as you intend to grow vegetables) I would recommend one main path sweeping through the center of the pool - about 1 - 1.5m wide and curved to echo the shape of the pool with several minor paths or even stepping stones to allow access to either bed. You could even have a wider area of paving in the center in which you could incorporate an informal raised herb garden.
With the planted areas it is best to divide the space up into separate beds - it's important when growing vegetables to 'rotate the crops' (ie: don't plant the same crops in the same place year after year as it can greatly increase the chance of pest and diseases.
In it's simplest format I would use a three bed system - one for Brassicas (eg cabbages, greens etc) one for Root vegetables (Carrots, potatoes etc) and one for legumes (peas and beans). The brassicas should go in the bed that the legumes were in the previous year, so your rotation would be
Year 1. BED 1 Legumes; BED 2 Brassicas; BED 3 Root veg:
Year 2. BED 1 Brassicas; BED 2 Root veg; BED 3 Legumes:
Year 3. BED 1 Root veg; BED 2 Legumes; BED 3 Brassicas:
I would also recommend turning the whole area into what is known as a potager. That is a garden which contains a mixture of vegetables and perennial and annual flowers (and herbs) all planted in a seemingly informal, attractive way rather than regimented lines of cabbages and peas. In this way you can grow a few ornamental vegetables (like red cabbages or ruby chard) which may look too good to eat!
Remember most vegetables prefer a sunny spot with protection from wind.
Some good flowering plants to include are -
lavender,
marigolds,
echinacea (coneflower),
rudbeckia,
asters,
sweet peas,
salvia,
nepeta,
helichrysum,
rosemary,
scented leaved and straight pelargoniums,
Hope this has been of some help!
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Q#11:
I have recently cleared out an area of my yard which contain
several Oklahoma red cedars. I am looking to plant some sort of Ground cover,
flowers, etc. to plant under the Humus rich soil of the cedars and would be
interested in your thoughts of what might grow well under these trees.
Although plantings will be under the trees they will be receiving quite a
bit of sun and is on the top up a hill, so I need to consider wind also. I
prefer perennial plantings. Any suggestions??? Thanks!
A:
Humus rich soil is a wonderful growing medium for many plants, as it is full of nutrients, has plenty of air and is good for retaining moisture for healthy plant growth, so you're off to a very good start. As far as I can see there are two major considerations to bear in mind when planting under the cedars.
Firstly these trees will deplete the soil of nutrients and moisture (double fold if the planting is at the top of a hill), so it's a good idea to keep the new planting area well irrigated (and mulch the soil to further reduce evaporation) and carry out a regular fertilizing routine (this should be done as a matter of course in every garden).
Secondly with a regular blanket of needles over the years the soil is very likely to be acidic. Rather than trying to change the conditions of the soil in this respect (you're fighting an uphill battle) it's far better to chose plants which will thrive in acidic soil.
Here are a few of my choice perennials which tolerate/prefer acidic conditions -
Alchemilla mollis (Ladies Mantle),
Anemone blanda,
Aquilegias,
Astilbes,
Bergenias,
Campanula,
Convallaria,
Galium odoratum,
Hemerocallis,
Iris germanica,
Lamium maculatum,
Mahonia aquifolium,
Meconopsis betonicifolia (Blue Poppy),
Myosotis,
Penstemon,
Primula,
Vinca minor.
Also Daffodils and cyclamen should do well for a bit of early seasonal color.
If you wanted to you could also consider expanding the coniferous theme and plant a few low-growing evergreen (coniferous) ground cover shrubs such as Juniperus squamata 'Blue Carpet' (Ground cover juniper) or Picea pungens glauca prostrata (low growing spruce).
Hope this has been of some help!
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Q#10:
I have seen numerous garden designs where there are concrete
paths with rocks 'submerged' in them - how would you go about constructing
something like that?
A:
I assume with the submerged rocks in concrete that you mean a cobbled type effect (or with smaller stones pebble mosaic?).
I have found the best way to do this is to embed the stones directly into a layer of wet cement.
Firstly I would recommend building a low wooden frame (shuttering) to contain the cement and form the edges of your path (this will help to create a straight edge) and a layer of wire mesh (even chicken wire will do) laid within the concrete will help to give some additional strength. Wash the stones before you begin. Work on a small area at a time, trowelling on a layer of wet cement around 70-100mm deep (depending on the size of stone you are using) then push the wet stones firmly down into the wet cement so that they won't dislodge once the concrete is dry. If this is done with care, there should be no wet cement to clean off the stones! Place the stones fairly close together and try to use similarly sized stones (or vary the depth that they are embedded to create a relatively flat surface). Once the concrete is thoroughly dry, the wooden side frames can be removed and your path can be used.
There are a number of considerations to bear in mind with these types of paths.
Although they are very attractive, they are inevitably uneven, so can be awkward in an area where you have tables and chairs (they can sometimes be a little uncomfortable to walk on too). Also, in a damp shady area they are likely to attract moss which may become slippery (they can always be washed down periodically).
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Q#9:
Hi, I was curious to find out what would be necessary to make plant holders out of wooden boxes -Nail boxes with the name Hurricane stamped over them, nails and the nail measurements. Had for years and I thought they would be a little different if used as planters! Also could you use leather cases for planting?
Would very much appreciate some advice and perhaps the steps to obtain this.
Thanking you.
Jan Farrington
A:
Nail boxes and other wooden containers make ideal planter boxes - there are just two things which have you have to bear in mind -
...... more >>>
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Q#8:
My wife and I just bought our first home, unfortunately, it didn't come
with a garden. Our entire backyard slopes down toward a small creek so the
entire yard drains well. What are some rules of thumb regarding the best
location for a garden??
Steve
A:
There are two key factors when it comes to the best location for a garden. Firstly, conditions that will make the garden a pleasurable space for the owners
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Q#7:
We are currently trying to re-design our front garden with
a subtropical sort of theme. Our problem however is that the front section
is quite soggy with a clay base. (Rock hard in Summer, boggy mess in
winter). What types of things can be do to overcome this and do you have
some planting suggestions of plants that would go well together in this
theme and this environment?
Michelle
A:
There are a number of problems to overcome here, and first and foremost is the condition of your soil. There are plants which will thrive
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Q#6:
What is meant by container gardening and why is it so popular?
C.C. Auck
A:
Any plant grown with roots contained within anything other than open soil is said to be container grown. It's a great way to introduce change...... more >>>
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Q#5:
My garden gets full sun for most of the day and I'd like to incorporate some shaded area. What's the best way of doing this?
Tony. Hamilton
A:
There's nothing like sitting outside on a hot sunny day, but for comfort (and safety), it really does make sense to incorporate a shaded........ more >>>
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Q#4:
Can you recommend a feature plant for beside a pond? I want something that's happy in soggy soil and a bit dramatic.
J Jackson, Palmerston North
A:
For my money you can't beat the Gunnera family for sheer drama. Gunnera manicata (or giant rhubarb) is the best known with huge coarse leaves up to 1m plus in diameter. It makes a wonderful focal point and will love living in soggy soil.
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Q#3:
How can I encourage birds into my garden?
Betty G. Whakatane
A:
Plant Native trees and shrubs which are bird friendly. All of the following will appeal to your feathered friends.
Aristotelia serrata (Wineberry)
Carpodetus serratus (Putaputaweta)
Coprosma species
Corokia species
Macropiper excelsum (Kawakawa)
Pittosporum species
Prumnopitys ferruginea (Miro)
Clianthus KakaKing (Kakabeak)
Fuchia excorticata (Konini)
Metrosideros carminea (Crimson Rata)
Metrosideros excelsa (Pohutakawa)
Metrosideros umbellate (Southern Rata)
Phormium species (NZ Flax)
Sophora species (Kowhai)
Pittosporum eugenioides (Tarata)
Pseudopanax species (Five Finger)
Vitex lucens (Puriri)
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Q#2: How can I make my garden more secure? Alice. New Lynn
A: An important aspect of garden design, which is often overlooked, is the placing of certain plants or features to make.....
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Q#1:
I'd like to create a sensory garden, but don't know where to start. Help! Jim and Anne
A:
I love sensory gardens - somehow the pleasure of the garden is heightened by the stimulation of all five senses......... more >>>
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