The Master Gardener Articles

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SO, YOU WANT A PERENNIAL FLOWER GARDEN?
Written by Mary McCord, Union County Master Gardener

Part I

Whether you are a veteran or a brand new gardener, creating a perennial garden from scratch can be overwhelming.  The secret to winding up with a finished project that is exciting for you and spectacular to all who view it is a simple matter of asking the right questions.

1. Determine your style – do you want a casual-style cottage garden or a manicured formal Victorian look?  If you are not sure, look for ideas – they are all around you.  Find pictures in magazines that really inspire you, go on local garden tours and see what others have created, visit your local nurseries, drive around town & take pictures (and notes) of plants that you really like (or dislike).

2. Identify your purpose - do you want to attract butterflies & hummingbirds, cover a problem area in your yard, create a “living wall” along your property line, or lay out a “welcome mat” of color up to your front door? 

3. Understand the commitment - do you plan to spend happy hours in the garden with all your plants or do you want to complete the seasonal “check-up and oil change” and be done with it.  How much time do you have to trim, prune, weed, water, etc. - determining this up front will help you select the right plants for your new garden.

The first step requires walking – walk slowly around your property and look closely at your yard – where do you want to put your new garden?  Once you have decided this, it is time to track & measure.  Look at this area several times during a sunny day – you need to determine how much total sunlight it will get, and from what direction.  If the answer is “none”, that’s OK too; there are plenty of shade loving plants that grow well in this area.  Get a tape measure or yardstick and determine the measurements of the area you want to plant.

The second step requires drawing – this just has to be a sketch, and you don’t have to let anyone else see it.  Take a sheet of paper and outline the basic shape of your area.  Is it going to be square, round, rectangular, oblong, kidney shaped………Will your garden line the driveway, back up to an existing structure, or be out in the open?  All of this will come into play later when we talk about height, color, and texture.

The next step is to get dirty – you need to know what type of soil you have to work with. Push a spade into the chosen area and turn up some soil – pick up a handful and rub it between your fingers. Does it feel gritty? Does it stick together when you squeeze it?  Will it crumble when you tap on it?  Soil can go from extremely dry and sandy to heavy, wet and sticky.  The latter is more common in this area – it is called clay soil and it can be a little trickier to work with.  Clay clumps together and holds moisture – you may need to amend this soil with some organic matter (compost, peat, seasoned manure, decayed leaves, builder’s sand, etc..) to help lighten it up and improve drainage.  You also will want to look for plants that will grow well in clay soil. 

Record your area measurements and add notes about the soil and light levels.  Since no one is going to see this, go ahead and sketch in any buildings, walls, fences, etc. that are close to your planting area.  Now, draw arrows showing compass direction (north, south, east & west) and add notes about the background that will be behind your garden.

Time to think about color  – if you know the color palate you want, jot this down as well.   You now have all of the information that you need to start selecting plant material.

No matter where you purchase your plants, there is certain information that must come with them in order for you to make wise choices.  The minimum you will need to know is:

    Height – how tall will this plant grow?
    Spread – how wide will it grow?
    Sun Exposure – does it need full sun, partial shade, shade…
    Hardiness zone – you are in zone 5, If it says zone 7 – 9, leave it at the nursery.
    Flower color – pink, white, etc… (sometimes the picture is missing).
    Flowering Date – late spring, mid-summer, early fall…..
    Soil requirements – well drained loose soil, grows well in clay soils**, needs moist, fertile soil, etc….

This is probably all of the information you will get from the average local nursery, but you do have other resources.  If you have joined the cybernet generation, go surfing for online nursery catalogs; they all have a wealth of information.  If not, then borrow your neighbor’s catalog or go to the library.  This is a critical step in your project; you must match your plant choices to the soil and light conditions of your chosen garden area.

Make a list of all the plants that you really like and study them.  Arrange them on your sheet by height, color and flowering time. Make your final decision on the color palate you like.  Start eliminating plants until you are down to 3 height ranges and 4 colors (these can either blend or be contrasting colors).  Remember you will get additional color and structure from the foliage of these plants, as well – sometimes this can be more interesting than the flower itself. Also remember that your garden is a living project that will change continually – we are just focusing on the basics to get it started.

In Part II – You Will Work With Your Plan to Create Your Perennial Garden.