The Destination in the Garden

Your garden may be large, small, medium, divided, split, on the side, in the back, or in a courtyard. Where ever your garden grows, there is a reason for visiting it. This is the focal point, or destination. It is the attraction that draws your neighbors to meet you, to stop on their walk and admire, to sit a spell.

Pictured here are a couple more examples of focal points in the garden landscape. To the left is a simple stone bench with a piece of stone the garden owner considered important. The gardener set the white stone off, i.e. highlighted the white, with the dramatic dark green spikes of coral yucca and its coral, hummingbird attracting flowers. Imagine you are looking at this garden from the street on your evening walk and you are caught by the stone and yucca. You slow down, if you know your neighbors, you stop to sit at the bench-exactly what it is for. By sitting on the bench you can enjoy the rest of this bountiful garden. You want to enjoy it to learn what these great hearty plants are blooming in the heat of Austin's summer. In the foreground from left to right: lipstick red canna lily, fall aster (to bloom end of summer), a single purple coneflower in the foreground with the flower above the purple heart, purple heart, sago palm, datura (night blooming for moonlit garden strolls).

Also notice in this plan the ample pathway. The path serves as a way to move through the garden as well as a line of sight or "axis." More on axis and line of sight to come. But understand this, the path or line of sight generally leads your eye to the focal point.

Here is another example of a focal point. What is drawing your attention in this garden? Not only from the point of view of the photo, but from the house. The house is on the right, imagine you are looking into the garden from the back porch of the house, what would you be looking at? The blue pot on the pedestal with a pindo palm planted in it. The focal point is something very different from the rest of the garden. This object is clearly important and an object that most of us would want to inspect more closely. What kind of palm is that-you don't see one of those everyday? What is that pot sitting on (a block of limestone)? Is that a ceramic pot or plastic pot? All questions subliminally worked into the wonderful plan to get you into the garden.

Again, with this example, there is a nice wide path to maneuver through the garden. The path also allows a line of sight to the entertaining area as well as space to move food and/or drinks to the dinning area. Another basic idea of garden design is the 'gateway' effect, demonstrated here with the two fan palms flanking the entrance to the dinning area. This gate, or door way delineates one space from another. Thus, the idea of outdoor 'rooms.'

In most garden designs, the focal point, or destination, is where the plan begins. Think about what you want to do in your garden. Do you want a dinning area, a reading bench, or a water feature? Or, have you received a piece of garden art that needs a home. Walk around your yard, feel where you want that destination to be. Stand or sit in the rooms of the house you use most and look out the windows. Are there spots in the yard that you watch the most? Or are there spots on the other side of your yard you want to disguise or draw attention away from? This spot may be the place where you build your gazebo, pond, or plant that beautiful flowering tree. Mark that element on your site plan and then work your garden around that.

The Water Quality Makes a Difference

By Plantsy Drew

Did you notice how the grass greened up after the rain? Even after watering restrictions, which included the city of Austin limiting landscape irrigation to 1 day a week? Does that tell you anything? Using all that treated water in your landscapes was not necessary. Most of our plants are resilient to environmental stressors. Think about it, the plants are also somewhat resilient to all that treated water with its salts, chlorine and chlorine by-products. Lawns that had gone dormant and turned brown immediately turned green, practically the day after the rains began. This is due to two factors.

The first of which is natural rainwater. Rain is a slight bit acidic, it has a slight bit lower ph than our treated water and local water after it has sat in the lake or from our wells. Our lake and well water is higher in ph due to the limestone container. In addition, the ground around central Texas is more alkaline (higher ph) so a slight elevation of acidity in the form of rainwater is excellent nourishment to our landscapes. As a result of a wonderful rain, our plants returned to a vibrant healthy green glow.

Secondly, with the rain came reduced temperatures, day and night time. The lower night-time temperature really makes a difference. Most of our natives are thoroughly adapted to the climate, no matter what. Some natives are happier with a lower night-time temperature. Most of the non-native plants we use greatly appreciate a lower night-time temperature. With the prolonged heat this summer, everything was warmed up: soil, roads, buildings and plants. If the temperature does not drop a reasonable amount at night, then the stress in greatly increased on the plant’s living system. Think about it, weren’t you stressed, angry, more tired than usual because of the extended hot temperatures this summer? (oh, was that just me?) Weren’t you confounded when you walked outside at 10pm expecting to enjoy night air, or take that evening stroll but it was still 95 degrees? It makes a huge difference, physiologically and psychologically.

Although all the rain has improved the appearance of our surroundings, it has not significantly raised our lake levels which provide our drinking water. Therefore, water restrictions are still in effect. But it is my advice, that you not worry about watering at all. Save the money and energy needed to treat water. With the lower temperatures there is far less evaporation from the ground and plants and therefore more water remaining available in the landscape.

Enjoy the weather!

© 2009 Ginger Hudson

The Tale of the Tough Tecoma
Tecoma stans, Yellow Bells, Esperanza

Trumpets of yellow in tortuous heat

Here is a question I receive every year. “What is the plant with all the yellow flowers on it?” I teach classes on garden design and maintenance through out the year. Therefore, this question can arise summer, fall, and even into winter if Central Texas is late to freeze. This is good for landscape choices, a long-lived bloomer. However, it can be a challenge for the plant person, as there are numerous hardy yellow bloomers in Central Texas. Additionally, the description of the plant in question can be as varied as the number of people asking the question. In defense of the queryier, the plant itself can vary greatly in size.

Searching for clues to help define the plant begins with first asking if there is one nearby we can see. If not, what condition was the plant growing in? What other plants was it near? How long has it been blooming? Usually, the description of the cluster of bright yellow, trumpet shaped flowers defines the suspect as yellow bells, Tecoma stans, AKA Esperanza.

How did this bright yellow gem become such a reliable landscape item? Its all in the genes, yellow bells is a Texas native. The Austin area is at the center of the range for Tecoma stans. It grows to the west as far as Arizona, the east as far as Florida, and to the south into Mexico. Our yellow trumpeted flowering small tree sometimes is a large shrub. Yellow bells, as with most plants, will respond to environmental conditions by growing larger, more water, or staying small, less water. The fabulous attribute of yellow bells is its flowers. It will flower profusely regardless of size and in a wide range of rainfall amounts.

As it was moved around and adored in landscapes at its fringe, Tecoma stans became accustomed to its new homes. Sometimes, when the winters are really cold, the little tree will freeze to the ground. Sometimes, just parts of the tree freeze. As we have populated the continent, and temperatures have risen, the Tecoma has found winters to be more and more comfortable. In years of mild winters, yellow bells rewards aficionados with mid to late spring flowers. It will go through a regeneration period, then bloom profusely summer through to frost. No matter how mild the winter, the little tree will lose its leaves.

In its wild habitat, Tecoma is found in ground drains well. These areas are usually semi- to desert-like, gravelly and sandy. And since areas of low rainfall tend to be alkaline, the soil composition of Central Texas suits the little tree just fine. Rarely does it need any soil amendment, but giving it a good helping of compost during planting will only benefit growth. Though it has lived for generations in the desert climes, moving into areas with more rainfall has not hurt it a bit. Having the genes of the hot, dry origins gives us the confidence to welcome it into our landscapes without the need of regimented watering.

Having grown up with neighbors such as mesquite and Texas persimmon, Tecoma was passed over as fodder for deer. These friends are not the shadiest of trees, so Tecoma was not overly protected from the sun. In fact, the more sun it can enjoy, the more it will bloom, and the fluffier it will grow. During the summers (and years) of 2008-2009, Yellow bells has been one of the hardiest bloomers around. Its brilliant yellow clusters of trumpets stand tall in the heat of the relentless 100 plus degree days of Central Texas. Low water consumer, profuse bloomer, tough sun bather, deer resistant–this plant is definitely on the Hardier than Heck for Texas list. Plant it, love yellow, enjoy hummingbirds, and relax!


© 2009 Virginia Lee Hudson

The Story of the Sick Spirea

© Ginger Hudson

Spirea, Bridal wreath, Spirea cantoniensis, S. japonica, S. nipponica, S. prunifolia, S. thunbergii

Spirea in full sun, thin alkaline soil

Once upon a time, before air conditioners, before water conservation, there were fabulous homestead gardens that boasted plants brought from home (the east or Midwest) or attempted to replicate English gardens. The replication effect came from garden books of the time, written by the English or by successful gardeners along the east coast of the U. S. As gardening expanded to become a show of aesthetics not just food production, the homes wanted a rich display of vegetative color and life. Homeowners in the central United States and Texas in particular wanted to have ‘fluffy’ lush gardens just like homes in the longer established states and towns of the time. My once-upon-a-time is ambiguous because this could be the late nineteenth century, the early turn of the century, or classic mid-century landscaping practices.

One of the mainstays of the old fashioned garden was Spirea, also known as bridal wreath with its arching, cascading white flowers. This member of the rose family is usually implemented as a shrub. Most varieties originate from Europe, China and Japan–regions with much more even keeled weather than that of Central to North Texas (note the latin names above for obvious clues). Although many gardening books produced in the U.S. claim Spirea are not particular about soil, I am going to disagree with that claim.

As evidence, I present the story of the sick Spirea which inhabit Central Texas. These subjects do grace the garden with wreaths of white flowers in the early to mid spring. Paired with a purple lorapetalum the combination is spectacular. However, as the year wears on temperatures climb, water supply weakens, and the alkaline affects of the soil eat into the plants causing their health to decline. The leaves of the Spirea yellow through their life with the classic sign of chlorosis, lack of access to iron in the soil. Yellow leaves with green veins. This can be corrected and symptoms treated in the short term with addition of ironite to the soil. Acidic compost blends or sulfur can be added to the beds and results will be seen in weeks to months after application. But the symptoms re-appear year after year.

Additionally, the heat stress exacerbates the yellowing effect as days on end of 90 to 100 plus degree temperatures stress the shrubs. With low rainfall totals in the Texas areas of question, the Spirea struggle to maintain their whole. They will let entire branches die off in the effort to save the heart of the plant. The summer gardener will rotate between watering and trimming of dead plant parts for three to four months of the year. This becomes a difficult chore in communities where water conservation efforts restrict landscape water usage to twice a week and eventually to once per week. Some communities on well-based water supplies may out-law landscape water usage altogether. In the end, the sickly Spirea are leaf-bare, and dried out. A wet winter may bring about new suckers and shoots for a season of spring blooms. But the headache of routine fertilization and watering is not worth the effort in a region where tougher plants should be selected for their adaptability.

In closing the case, gardeners have two choices in a soil and water challenged environment. First is to build up garden beds with rich, well-rounded composts. This can be accomplished with the addition of locally produced and blended garden soils, or with creation of the gardener’s own compost. Also, try to place the specimen in a zone of the landscape that naturally collects water you will face less of a heat stress issue. After a few seasons or couple years of build-up of a balanced soil, the Spirea will enjoy a healthy life in the garden. The second choice is to opt out of the Spirea selection altogether. If, however, you live in an area with higher rainfall, such as generally east of I-35 in Central Texas–Elgin, Bastrop, Columbus, and on into the Houston area, your soil may naturally be a little more acidic. Also, these areas tend to contain pine trees or the like that have produced a slightly lower ph soil base. In these regions the gardener will have more success with the Spirea family.