HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1994-04-13, Page 27Decorate your yard to complement your house
Exterior decorating is a way to
reflect interior style in the design
of the garden.
Perennials are paint for the
yard, providing bright blossoms
and green foliage to enhance the
decor of the home, both inside
and out.
The view from a formal dining
room could be a well -tailored
perennial border or an orderly
flower bed.
The color scheme of a
contemporary living room may
be accented by vibrant blossoms
outside the window; a country
decorating style can be
enhanced by pastel colors along
the walkway and terrace.
Perennials furnish many of the
cut flowers used for arranging,
so choose varieties suitable for
cutting in shades complementary
to the interior design.
The secret to turning one
afternoon of exterior decorating
into years of spring flowers is
planning — selecting strong and
luscious plants, choosing the
right location and making certain
the soil is properly conditioned
with peat moss so roots have a
hospitable growth environment.
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For instant gardening
gratification, purchase
established plants in flats and
containers from the garden
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When determining which
flowers to grow, consider plant
heights, blooming schedules,
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HOME & GARDEN GUIDE '94—PAGE 9
length of bloom time, whether
flowers can be cut, types of
foliage, amount of maintenance
and watering required,
preferences to sun or shade, and
resistance to disease and insects.
Also think about the colors
and textures of foliage and
flowers, which contribute to the
look of the garden.
Among hundreds of
possibilities to suit every taste is
the long -blooming "Red
Valerian" (Centranthus), old-
fashioned yellow or blue
"Columbine" (Aquilegia), and the
tall "Rose Mallow" (Hibiscus),
with silky petals of white, pink or
red.
Pretty perennials can also have
interesting foliage, like the hairy
"Avens" (Geum), with yellow,
orange and red flowers; silvery
"Pearly Everlasting" (Anaphalis),
with white button -like blossoms;
and changeable "Leadwort"
(Ceratostigma), with low -
spreading leaves that turn red in
fall, after the blue blossoms fade.
The garden center will provide
many other kinds from which to
choose.
Preparing the garden bed
Whatever flowery are chosen
and however the garden is
arranged, one detail remains the
same; good soil is at the root of
healthy plants.
Crucial to the success of any
exterior decorating project is
knowing the composition of the
soil and amending its
deficiencies.
Perennials do best in
'moderately acidic soil which is
rich in organic material and
drains quickly while retaining
moisture.
Unfortunately, few soils
possess all of these qualities. Soil
is a compound of clay, sand, silt
and organic material.
When it has a high clay
content, it tends to compact and
harden, inhibiting root growth,
the penetration of air and the
drainage of water.
Sandy soil, on the other hand,
allows moisture to drain too
quickly, creating a constant
demand for watering and
feeding.
First, clear the planting area of
all weeds and dig the space to a
depth of 10 to 12 inches,
shovelling the dirt onto a tarp.
Remove all but the smallest
rocks and add peat moss to the
soil.
This soil amendment is ideal
for perennials because it retains
up to 20 times its weight in
water, loosens clay, binds sand
soil and has a predictable pH
level of 3.4 to 4.8, helping soil
reach an optimum pH level of
5.5 to 6.6.
Improve drainage by forking
through the soil at the bottom
and sides of the trench and
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