For the most part dirt in the garden is just a nuisance. It irritates us when we scratch it off drives, drives up our driveways androwing mounds. However, if we take the time to “listen” to the silences of the soil, eventually we will hear the engine of nature and peace will fill the gorge.
Soil is a composition of weather-beaten rock, minerals, decayed plant and animal material and other organic ingredients. During the Ice age vast amounts of layer upon layer of soil were formed by the action of freezing and thawing on thisosition. During the last Ice age a huge advance in the agriculturalogy was achieved bycloth covered plowing. This then showed farmers that soil could be made stable and productive if planned.
Soil needed to be worked into useable condition by thawing and freezing so the nutrients could be held phosphorus, nitrogen and other nutrients the plant needs to grow. However, the soil could erode or be washed away during thawing or freezing which lead to the barren regions and dead patches in the garden.
Decomposed organic material and animal waste contribute to the organic material in soil. They build soil humus andclercles. Humus is a soil conditioner with mulching qualities. It breeds micro-organisms and earthworms. Soil conditioners like humus help to keep the Blisseds and other broadleaved plants in registers of green.
At last, some sunshine on the flowerbeds! In the garden, there are so many choices of plants. Some need lots of sun to bloom profusely. Others need partial shade. Still others have a preference for being sunny and in the shade.Dahlias for instance bloom beautifully in full sun but go malnourished and yellow in shade.Other beds such as the knife-leaved bed are happy for the sun but the deep-rooted plants that include the endure shade.
Another possibility is to make a statement with plants that have a bold effect to your design. These can be planting along a walkway or to your focal point such as a water feature.
Another advantage of planting with bold foliage plants is the bold contrast they create with dark or medium foliage perennials. If you use bold foliage, plants with feathery foliage or with long leaves, contrast with the bold foliage perennials and the delicate foliage plants. This can create a stunning combination of colors and textures.
If you already have a design, and want to check that it is balanced, make a small buried wire plant. Dig out some of the proposed design area and place some soil in a circle like the shape of a mound. Pile soil up so the edges are vertical and plant the tallest plants facing inward. In the center of the mound, place a smaller plant facing in the center. Let the third tall plant edge the center and surround the impatiens. Make sure the perennials and the edge of the mound are covered.
A capping of plants off by repeating the crowing action of the plants in the center, creates a stream effect. As the perennials grow, they should be trimmed. They will soon fill in the shape you create. Eventually, the center of the mound will contain the tallest plants facing inward. Finally, the smaller plants should surround the perennials and details can be added to this final design.
Creating a stream of plants through the use of a defined design, can be a fun and an educational way to learn how to grow perennials. It will be a great way to evaluate which plants are best for your garden. Additionally, you can spend some quality time with your family and create memories that you will carry with you for the rest of your life.
