Feature Article – for release week of September 21, 2008

Angela Sachson - Extension FYN Program

   Simple Tips for Florida Garden Design

Landscape design can be pretty intimidating.  And, believe me, it can go wrong.  This is a “do as I say, not as I did” article by someone who is now renovating a pretty messy garden.  Digging up large misplaced plants is less fun than planting. So here are some suggestions.  Heed them and you will be glad you did.

 

1.  Go Slow.  Don’t even think about plants at the beginning. It is not necessary, nor is it a good idea, to plan, plant and install everything at one time.  Take some time to think about several important things.  Develop a plan and the rest is easier. A plan will save you time, money and energy.

2.  Form follows Function.  This simply means that you want a garden that meets your needs and those of your family.  Think first about how you want to use your outdoor space.  Do you want a place for entertaining or a family play area?  How about creating an outdoor dining room?  Do the kids like to play ball?  Do you want a sandbox, a swing set or tree house?  How about your pets?  Some of us want to attract butterflies or birds and others want to grow vegetables. Maybe you like to sit outside and relax in the evening in a secluded spot.  It might help to think of your yard as having several “rooms” for the functions you want.  The most beautiful landscape in the world is not worth much if it isn’t useful.

3.  Find your personal style.  Do you have flowery prints all over your house?  Ruffles?  Or is your living room a place with couch, two chairs, lamps and no clutter?  You can guess this is about formal vs. informal looks in gardens.  If you are a person who loves neatness and symmetry you may want a formal style garden.  If you like lots of color and variety, a curvy informal place may be right for you.  The style of your house also influences the yard—especially the front.  An English garden might not look great with a Spanish-style house.  Or, it might look fine.  You decide. But once you pick your style stick with it. Sticking with your style helps create what designers call “unity” of design.  If you have trouble deciding, look at books and magazines or take a walk around the neighborhood.

4.  Use your pencil.  This sounds boring but you need that plan.  Again remember this is still not about plants—just make a simple drawing that shows where your various “rooms” will go.  How will you move from one room to another?  Where do you want privacy?  Be sure to shade your air conditioner—this is for looks and for efficiency.  And using that pencil allows you to make changes.

5.  Evaluate your site.  Where is the shade, where are your sunny areas?  You can bring a soil sample to the County Extension Service to be analyzed for soil pH.  (When you get to the “buying plants stage”, this information will be important.)  Is your area well drained, or does water stay there for a while?  All these factors influence the choice of plants as well.  Where is the septic tank?  The texture of your soil counts too.  If you are reading this your soil texture is probably sandy.  That means that when you actually plant you will want to add some organic matter.

6.  Think shapes, not plants.  Stay out of the nursery or grocery or any other purveyor of plants no matter how difficult.  It is easy to be seduced by a beautiful plant that won’t fit your needs and will die immediately or will take over the entire “south forty” when you turn your back on it. This goes also for kind friends and neighbors who want to give you beautiful divisions or starts.  You are not ready.   Now is the time to plan for sizes of plants and shapes of plants.  A good looking space usually has layers—some tall plants such as trees, some medium shrubs, and something on the ground.  Next you can think about hedges, arbors, trellises, even a deck or patio.  Designers call these “hardscape.”  This is also the time to think about a focal point.  Most appealing gardens have an accent that immediately catches your eye.  A large garden can have several but in a small garden it is often a pretty entrance accent like an arbor.

7.  Keep it simple.  This tip could also be called “Less is more” or, “More is a chore.”  The advice here is to limit the number of varieties of plants you choose.  Or, conversely, except for large trees or “specimen plants,” put in more of the same plant—the usual rule of thumb is plant in uneven numbers of 3, 5, 7 and up.  Masses of plants provide continuity as well as unity.  Another way to keep it simple is to limit the numbers of colors you use.  Aim for a planting bed wide enough to accommodate three layers.  A bed narrower than five feet won't allow for the layering effect that gives a flower garden design a lush look. Another simple principle is: the longer your bed, the wider it should be.

8.  Right Plant, Right Place.  There are hundreds of beautiful plants for our area.  It is important to choose those which are suited to your space.  Make sure your shady area is planted with shade loving plants and in the sunny areas plant those which can take the scorching Florida sun.  Choose plants that can tolerate the conditions you have.  If your soil test says the pH is high, resist the temptation to use acid loving plants like Azaleas and Ixora.  Sure, you can amend the soil to make it more acid, but you will have to continue to spend time energy and money keeping those plants going.

 

You can find a list of Florida Friendly plants on the FYN website, www.FloridaYards.org.  The plant database can be sorted by type of plant, area of Florida, plant size, native or non-native, needs sun or shade, water needs, or even by flower color.  There will be plants there exactly suited to your site, your needs, and your preference.

Follow these simple guidelines for a fool-proof garden design experience.  If you want to learn more about garden design, we will have a Garden Design Workshop on September 23 at our office here at Okeechobee Extension Service.  You can choose to come from 1-4 or 5:30 to 7 p.m.  Call 863-763-6469 to register.  

 If you need additional information on designing your Florida Yard, please email us at okeechobee@ifas.ufl.edu or call us at 863-763-6469. In Highlands County call 863-402-6540 and in Glades County call 863-946-0244.  Okeechobee residents can stop by our office at 458 Hwy 98 North in Okeechobee, and visit our Okeechobee County Master Gardeners from 1 to 3 PM on Tuesday afternoons. Enjoy the first day of Fall this week, and, Go Gators!

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