What does it take to create a nice, attractive landscape planting?
What is the number one thing that many people do wrong?
The secret to an attractive landscape design is you have to be bold and daring. Take off your “conservative” hat and toss it in the fire pit!
What do most people do wrong?
1. They don’t make the planting beds large enough. Be bold, make those beds big. Look at some landscape designs you like, get out of your car and step off the bed. I think you’ll find that the nicest landscapes you see are beds are much wider than what you are thinking.
Wanted! Somebody just like you who lives in your town who can grow
and sell small plants to the folks who live in your town.
My advice is always the same, take all the money you have allocated for the project and build the beds. You can always add more plants later, but it’s much more difficult to add soil to the beds or make the beds bigger later on.
2. People don’t raise the beds high enough. You don’t have to make the beds 24″ high, but you do need to make them at least 10″ to 12″ high. The plants will do better, and the landscaping will show off more.
3. Design your beds in such a way that you can mow your entire lawn without the use of a weed whacker or a trimming mower. Pam does most of the mowing at our house because she likes our yard to look nice and she likes mowing the grass. (I think)
I bought her one of those zero turn mowers and she’s a wiz on that thing. She gets it out the garage, rides around the yard for about 20 minutes and puts it back in the garage. That’s it, she’s done. Now trimming and absolutely no weed whacking. Or string trimming as some would say.
The above photo is a bed design that was laid out by me so I can maneuver around this house at the nursery with ease and quickly cut the grass. Nice gentle curves that are manageable with a riding mower.
Know the Potential of the Plants that You are Using.
Look at the above photo. Does that look ridiculous or what? The Emerald and Gold Euonymus that are supposed to be accent plants around the Dappled Willow are bigger than the plant that is placed in the center as a specimen plant.
Why would I do that??? Because I know what the potential of the willow is, and trust me, it will catch up and do it’s job here in a matter of weeks.
And the reason it is so tiny is because I pretty much butchered it last fall just to get a few cuttings from it. More about that in another post. So if you want to say something really mean about me doing that, go ahead. I know what I’m doing.
Every Landscape Planting has a Focal Point.
The focal point is the point of view from where most people visiting the home will see the landscaping. So each bed is likely to be viewed from a different focal point.
Know what it is before you start and keep that in mind not only as you design the landscape, but also as you place the plants and which way you turn them as you plant them.
I took the above photo from the focal point. This is the old house at the nursery and this is what you see as you turn into the driveway. With that in mind I heavily weighted the landscaping to this side of the house. Is it out of balance?
Yes, and I don’t care, few people see the other side of the house, the next door neighbor on that side is a field of nursery stock. The house sits really close to a busy highway so anybody that sees the house from the front view will be traveling at 50 mph. Pretty much a blur. But they will see it nicely from this focal point.
Check out the “Before” photos of this old house. Last year I did a post about Weed Barrier Cloth and took photos of the old house and many of you asked me to show the completed project.
I know this landscaping looks lame right now, and to a degree it is. It’s a rental house, and it’s on nursery property. Many of the plants that you see in this photo you probably can’t really see because they are just now coming out of dormancy. Remind me and I’ll publish updated photos later in the season.
As the landscaping matures it will come into its own. In this photo, there are two specimen plants that just need a little time. A beautiful Laceleaf Weeping Japanese Maple and a Single Stem Harry Lauder’s Walking Stick.
Hard to see, but they are there. There are also about 16 Peaches and Cream Japanese maple in this photo, you just can’t see them. (I’m using this side bed as a growing area!)
I never grow bored of admiring beautiful plants in a well done landscape planting.
Think of Your Landscape Design as the Stairway to Your Home.
A good landscape design will stair step from low to high, starting with the very front bed.
Actually, your lawn is step one, then the bed, then low growing shrubs, then medium-high shrubs, then the taller plants in the back. In a bed that isn’t against a wall, it should stair step from all sides with the middle of the bed being the high point.
Specimen plants are the exception to the stair stepping effect. A specimen plant like a Lavender Twist Redbud Tree or a beautiful Japanese maple are planted in the center of a bed, and accented with lower growing plants that sort of act like the picture frame for the specimen plants.
Break Some Landscape Design Rules! It’s Your House.
Ya know, back in the day I used to be really adamant that a landscape design had to be exactly right.
But as I started acquiring more and more beautiful plants for my own landscape, it became impossible to stick to those strict landscape design rules and I started planting what should have been specimen plants somewhat helter-skelter in my landscape with only minor consideration of good landscape design. I loved the out come!
Now I put as many specimen plants in my landscape as I desire. It looks great, I love it and we get tons of compliments about it. For instance . . .
In this photo of my house you can see five beautiful Japanese maples and that’s just from this view. As I took this photo I was standing next to a Lavender Twist Redbud tree in full bloom and a Crimson Queen Laceleaf Japanese maple beaming with red color.
No Landscape is Complete without a Couple of Rubber Chickens.
This is living proof that I am not right. I put these posts in the ground to hang a sign for the nursery. The township told me that I had to landscape the sign, so I did.
But I was waiting on the sign and I said to my friend that was helping me; “Gee I wish I had a rubber chicken.” He was a little perplexed so I explained; “If I had a rubber chicken I’d hang it from this post until I get my sign, you know, just to mess with people that are paying too attention to what I’m doing here.”
Next day my friend Blair shows up with two rubber chickens! I didn’t have a choice, I had to hang them up after he ran all over to find them for me. I promise they are coming down soon! If the signs ever show up.
Okay, sorry about the rubber chickens, but I hope this helped you a little with some landscaping ideas. I have more for you in this area, probably next week.
Wanted! Somebody just like you who lives in your town who can grow
and sell small plants to the folks who live in your town.
Questions, comments, post them below. -Mike McGroarty
Hi Mike! What trees or shrubs would have more shallow roots? I want to plant over a septic system but not sure what I can plant without damaging the septic system. Any suggestions? I’m in Colorado in Zone 5.
Karen,
I guess I’d suggest perennials. ??????
Speaking of chickens, Real ones make me smile and chuckle. I love the neighbors chickens in my yard. I call them yard Art. I worry about their digging in the beds- are they eating the wonderful native bees that live in the ground
nope. they are eating things like beetles and worms and grasshoppers. No bees. And no, even a chicken will not eat a Japanese Beetle, dang it!
well, they can eat bees, but not enough to bother. and apparently only want the ones loaded with sweet pollen!
https://www.grit.com/animals/backyard-chickens-keeping-honeybees
I guess it just depends upon the individual chicken… Maybe some have more refined palates than others! 😉
I have always hung a Japanese beetle trap in the chicken yard. Cut the bottom off the trap and place a glass plate under it. The second a Japanese beetle hit the plate. The chickens are on it like candy for a child!
My chickens eat Japanese beetles! I even modified a beetle trap to send the beetles to a bucket of water where they can’t escape. The chickens have learned to just wait at the bottom of the ‘chute’ for they’re tasty treats!
You spent all that $ on your siding and you let the siding company or cable company ran that wire that way on the picture labeled “The Landscaping Focal Point”? It sticks out like a sore thumb.
Dear Mike, I notice that you make some decent videos but your sound is sad. I have a couple of ideas that may help delete the wind noise that is so loud that it covers your vocals almost totally. These ideas are free and at a very small cost for a microphone that would be attached to your clothing. Give me a call if I can be of help to you or to Justin. Cell# 469-878-7702 Thanks, Tommy Nuckols
Hi Mike, Love your gardens and the chickens. I read one of your articles about pruning Japanese Maples and noticed in most of your pics that you keep them trimmed up well above the ground. We have a Lace Leaf that we received as a wedding present from a former boss & wife we have at the front walk, focal point (Their son owns a nursery/landscaping business, got the pick of the litter). I have left it “weep” to were it almost touches the ground. I would like to prune it but not sure how much I can, and when the best time. It stands about 4-5ft high and about 5-6ft across, been in the ground about 14 years now. We are in Northern VA west of Washington DC. If I remember right you had mention July?
Randy,
I prune year round. If something needs pruned it gets pruned the day that I think it needs pruned. Now, with that said, if I were going to remove more than 30% of the foliage, I’d prefer to do that when the plant is dormant. After Thanksgiving.
I live on sandy soil under a great big oak tree. there is a forsythia bush here and I have acces to another bigger one. i’m wondering if I can make a forsythisa hedge just by taking cuttings and sticking them in the ground under the front edge of the oak to make a semicircle type privacy hedge.
it’s june 17 now, maybe too late and the location would be partly shaded by the oak.
thanks, Paul v
Paul,
You can try some of those forsythia cuttings now and if it doesn’t work do it again in Nov. It should work then.
I once saw a forsythia hedge (cut to precision!) in Ontario that was spectacular. Obviously I would not have noticed it if the flowers were not in bloom. Also I found out last year that one that also make a hedge with Burning Bush (the dwarf variety 5’h x 5’w. If only I had the acreage to have these random hedges…..
Hope runs high in my gardening heart. I love it when you reinforce my own thoughts. I remember an old saying ” only fool plants so only his neighbors enjoy them.” Translated it means ” spend the bucks and effort on what you can see and enjoy”. Of course consider the total effect, but suit your self. I would make small flagged stakes and have the children out in the yard placing them as I directed. I would be in the house looking out the windows from each room to see what my view would be. Then building the flower beds could begin. Love your site!
Wow Mike, thanks for all the great information. I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE the chickens. What a creative way to show your individuality if you know what I mean. Gotta love those Zoning People eh?
Keep up the great work, and when I am cruising down the highway I will slow down to admire your work!
Thanks Jill, I appreciate that.
I just fall in love with the layout and colour of the landscape. Great work!
Thanks Tiffany, I appreciate that.
Personally, I like the chickens. In our back garden we have a flock of plastic pink flamingos which get moved every Spring. Besides having a beautiful garden full of plants, some whimsy always adds a smile to visitors. I think we could use a Redbud.
It looks like some people have to much time on their hands.
Picking on you. Yea for the chickens!!
Thanks for your tips. My garden looks good thanks to your ideas you have given me. Keep on keeping on!!
By the way Happy Mothers Day to all of your families.
I just cut about 50 new spring growth clippings from our
Camilla bush. The flowers are white, about 4-5 inches in diameter, 7 layers Of petals , just beautiful. Interesting fact..in the country of Madagascar these flowers are used to cleanse the hands. We use them for this purpose when working in the garden. When picked and rubbed between the hands they make a lather that evaporated with no.smell and no residue…amazing…sometimes I get teary eyed and humbled by the beauty in a simple plant…thank you Mike.
For a time my son had a collection of about 15 plastic pink flamingos; he placed them in his front yard in varying groupings, frequently moving them about over night, so that on any given day they might all be gathered about an herb bed or lined up along the roadway.
Some have faded over time but are now being brought back to life with spray paint in a variety of colors.
Hey, if people can have a cement goose dressed up like Santa Claus, then you can have rubber chickens! By the way, the landscape is beautiful! I love these ideas.
what are the ground plants behind the tulips in your oval garden in the front part of this article , THANKS
Len,
Those plants are Huechera, Coral Bells. I’ll take some more photos of Coral Bells soon to update a post I did last spring. stay tuned.
Mike you did a beautiful job with that landscape and house. Its a great example and inspiration to us all of what can be done with a property.
Thanks Scott, I appreciate it and Pam and I are now proud to say we own it. Before the make over? Not so much!
Mike, I try to make raised beds and the next season they are flat again, what’s the secret?
Jo,
The secret is good soil and not that re-hashed shredded clay that some pass off as good topsoil. Good topsoil won’t wash away. It stays where you put it. If soil has to be shredded, you don’t want it.
It’s me again. I just found the name of the “sergeant’s stripes.” I think it is Persicaria Virginia (“Painters Palete) Another common name (ornamental knotwood, or fleece flower. I’ll send you some seeds at the end of the season, if you’d like
Beverly
Mike, I love ya! Who else would landscape with rubber chickens besides me – ha ha! Thanks for the great tips!
The pictures look very nice. It is all so neatly done. I have a large area in front of my house that needs lots of plants. I want to do perennials so that they will hopefully return next year and my work will not have to be repeated. I appreciate all the ideas and work that you do on your website.Thank you,
Sandra
I live in “the woods” with my house at the crest of a slope, which means all of my gardens in the back slope down. One side has a constant wind, sometimes strong, but I plant what I want. Kind of a shady, naturalized garden. I decided a long time ago that I would only plant the things I love the most. Azaleas, rhododendron, hostas, siberian bugloss, (Brunnera macrophylla (also, have a great variagated bugloss, which I adore). I have a rock garden at the base of the slope, which is more protected. I look for unusual flowers and leaves, and especially love purple or blue flowers combined with orange flowers in spring and early summer.
I have a plant (common name: sergeant’s stripes, I believe) that reseeds itself, in shade, in sun, partial sun. It doesn’t care where it falls. Its leaves has two burgandy stripes on the green pointed leaf, that does indeed look like a sergeant’s stripes. It sends out long tendrils with tiny pink flowers in late August and through September, mingling with other greenery in the garden and is just my favorite thing. I have seen several different varieties of this plant, all with the same stripe, in a public garden in Canada and would love to have those too, here in my garden, but have not purchased it to bring back across the border. This plant, once established, has a root mound, almost like black eyed susans or even ferns.
Would you know it’s scientific name? It’s an old-fashioned plant that the man I got it from got from a little old lady in Ontario County, NY. I have never seen it in a nursery, here in the states.
Both the Siberian Bugloss and the “Sergeants stripes” are my absolute favorite perennials, because one blooms at the very beginning of spring (bugloss, with the most beautiful tiny blue flowers, almost like forget me nots, but even prettier) and the “Sergeants Stripes in the late summer/early fall with the gorgeous pink stalks) shining through the gardens.
I love your idea of raising plants to sell and if I had seen your website earlier in my life might have joined you. Still love your e-mails and your website.
Great information as well as sharing.Fantastic lanscaping!! Thank you for all that you do-God Bless you and your family,Happy Mother’s Day Pat,and daughter-in laws. God Bless
Hey Mike,
I too have the chicken. I like the noise it makes the most. Have used it to call my family to eat. They all get a kick out of it. Can’t wait to use it in the yard as they drive up next time. Enjoy your mail and use it all the time. Happy Planting.
Ann
Just love all the oomments.
Thanks Mike for great information.
I live in Australia but still pick up a lot of hints, Lainie
Lainie,
We have a backyard grower in Australia who is growing and selling small plants and she is doing a fantastic job!
Hi Mike.
I have a question for you. I have a tree that came from a nursery several years ago that had the main tree broken off a few years ago by a reckless foundation repair company. I’ve been waiting to see which “stems” growing up from the base would work out best as the new primary tree so I could cut the rest off to have a nice single trunk tree instead of a tree bush thing that I have going on now. I hate to just throw the large (approx. 2″ around by 6′ tall) cuttings away. Is it possible to take off a large portion of bark, put some rooting hormone on them and plant them 3/4 of the way in the ground and get them to grow? What time is the best time to do this? I’m in zone 6 (MO). I’m not positive, but I think it is an Ash tree. Thank you in advance for your help!
Cheri,
I’d say that what you are trying to do is next to impossible. Why not just limb up the multi stem tree that you have and just enjoy the uniqueness of your new tree. Many trees look better as multi stem plants. If you really want to root cuttings from the tree the smaller the cutting you take the more likely it is to root. Do it in June and use soft new growth like this; http://www.freeplants.com/homemade-plant-propagation.htm
Ugh. I was afraid you were going to say that. lol 🙂 The problem with just letting the thing grow is that there are somehow two different trees growing out of this one stump, and all are growing out in all different directions around the base of the original tree that was broken off. It literally looks like a large bush instead of a tree. I currently have approximately 50 mature trees in my yard, with several being maple trees that just grew wild and have split trunks and branches growing out oddly that break off in wind and under snow and create an enormous amount of “stick picking up” in my yard every spring. This tree is kind of out by itself and is a focal point coming down my drive to my house, so I want it to be strong, sturdy and attractive. I don’t necessarily want or need more trees, I just hate to cut down/off healthy trees that might have a possible life elsewhere if given the chance. I knew it was probably nearly impossible to do given how big they are now, but I wanted to check with you and get your thoughts.
Thank you for taking the time to respond.
Great job on the rental house. From these photos, looks like the worst of it was redoing the windows on the front. The landscaping makes all the difference in keeping it rented. Good luck.
Deborah,
You’re right, the windows on the front porch were a job because they needed to be re-framed. But I let a contractor do all of that work. I stay as close to soil, plants, bricks and some concrete as I can.
Well o.k. the rest of the story should have read, Society of Arboricultures study guide. But alas.
Good luck, Rod H.
This is primarily in response to Pam Campbells question about planting the redbud and walking stick(?) tree as close to the house foundation. These are fairly small growing trees so the roots should not be a problem. The tree puts out roots for food, and anchorage. The feeder roots grow into the area of least resistance then grow larger as time passes and put out more feeder roots. They will grow up to your foundation and probably send out feeder roots along the wall. Some may work their way into the cracks, crevasses, etc. but should not be of much concern if you will feed and water on the side away from the house. Be advised that the feeder roots will probably be about 12 inches underground and about 3-5 times out from the dripline of the tree. For furthr confirmation you can probably look this up on some of the college tree website. I got mine from studying the International society
For me its color, contrast and placement. I moved a hydrangea 3 tines before I found just the right amount of sun and wind protection. I planted 12 red barberries from bare root stock 3 years ago, 4 in full sun and the rest on the North side in partial shade. All did well but the ones in partial shade did much better. I’ve had similar experiences with many other plants. One has to learn that, within your Ag Zone (I’m in 7b), you’re bound to have your own mini climate and more than one soil composition, all affecting fertility and drainage.
mike; your landscape is beautiful makes me want to get out an get in the dirt but as you know i am not able to
get with it wish i were able i would do my bestto be a
copy cat and mock your yard love the mails keep up the good work an may god bless you and your family.
clyde
Hi Mike! I always enjoy your video-how-to’s! Because of them I feel like I know you! Your landscape is lovely! At 79+ and having had a mild stroke I have slowed down considerably, but still enjoy beutifying my flower garden…and placing containers of plants/greenery on our little front porch… a nice place to read! Always appreciate all the tips you give. Also enjoy your sense of humor (the chicken!!!) As a grammy to 13 I love seeing your grandkids and lovely wife from time to time! May she have a beautiful Mother’s Day! Keep up the good work! Blessings, Loretta
Thank you Loretta, I appreciate that and a happy Mother’s Day to you and yours, and by all means enjoy that front porch. I love to read, but most days my brain is done before I am.
I love the landscape with the Crimson Queen Japanese Maple-Lavender Twist Weeping Redbud Tree. I have a front yard that I’ve wanted to do something like that, but didn’t know what to put there. How long do the flowers stay on the Weeping Redbud Tree?I would like to put something that has a longer flowering season.
Jackie,
Like most, if not all, flowering trees the the flowers on the redbud only last a few weeks. But that’s much longer than many trees and I’ve seen them hold up to frost and freezing temps that would quickly do in and other flower. Not only that, if trimmed properly the weeping head on the Lavender Twist is attractive all summer without flowers.
Loved the rubber chickens. I would love to see what the town folks think. We live in a small town and I think the reaction would be the same. lol
Bernadette,
Obviously I’m really not out to please anybody or I wouldn’t have hung them up. It was really just a bit of an inside joke. Still waiting for my signs!
I love your landscape, it makes me want to go out in my backyard and start to plant again, but I think I’ll wait until next week, I am Planning on doing some tomatoes and sweet pepper for this month. Thanks for inspire me.
We’re Canadians and are going through an issue this year of having to remove all of our well established Euonymus this year. I have talked with a local landscaper as we thought it was air borne problem that has destroyed them. Apparently it is a bug that actually has existed for at least two years starting with a tumour like growth over the plants and ended with a white gummy-like residue on them in the fall with the centres dying off. Apparently a common issue with euonymus. We have been told to not even consider planting more for at least 2-3 years. We did different things when we first saw the problem but not were successful. Have you run into this before? Just disappointed that we lost plants that were beautiful and well established. We are seasoned gardeners. Just thought I would touch bases on this one.
We are primarily perennial gardeners. I appreciate being able to read your comments and the help you give.
Sharan & John,
When I planted those variegated Eunoymus in that landscape week before last I knew in my heart that eventually they would become problematic. Usually what gets them and does so ever so slowly is Euonymus scale which is actually a tiny insect that conceals itself in an armored shell that appears to be just a tiny white spec on the stems and the undersides of the branches. Under that spec lives the tiny insect that sucks on the plant and multiplies. Eventually pretty much destroying the plant. Dormant oil can be used to control Euonymus scale, but it is a battle and not one that I’m sure you can win.
Secondly there is something else that is attacking Euonymus in the variegated Euonymus family that is even worse. I really don’t know much about it and I do need to get up to speed on it.
Thanks Mike for all the wonderfull tips. Indeed, i almost break the landscape rules – and my garden is always a show piece.
Regards, Mercia
South Africa
Mercia,
That’s what I’m talkin about! Break the rules and succeed!
Hi Mike
The landscape looks great,love the chickens, I love to mix things up too. My front fence has rock rose and off color salvia. The company I work for went succulant, they said I can take cuttings any time. Works for me.
Mike i just bought your Backyard Nursery Program and am soooo very anxious to get started. i do have a question: can you get rooted plants from fruit trees the same as other plants? i’ve been reading your book and i’ve watched both dvd’s you sent and can’t say i’ve seen anything in them that tells me.
thanks sooo very much.
p.s. i wish i could do pretty landscaping like you’ve got on this site.
Cliff
Cliff,
Two things.
1. Stick with the program and you will be able to do pretty landscaping. There was a time when I too was clueless.
2. You can root cuttings of fruit trees, but most are budded onto a rootstock specially selected for a variety of different reasons. But I’d certainly take a stab at the fruit tree cuttings, you have little to lose but time.
These are great ideas, but what do I do with deer being a problem?
Thanks for any suggestion.
Richard
Richard,
We could do a book on deer deterent remedies and at the end of the day a fence is truly the only thing that is really long term effective. You can try deer resistant plants. But that’s like me, I’m a bit vegetable resistant, I’d much rather have a big hunk of meat and some bread. But when I get hungry enough, those veggies start looking pretty darn tasty. Same with deer. Everything works to a degree until they just get so hungry that all of that goes to the wind.
Several years ago, the deer in my yard were eating white pine needles. I don’t remember the winter being especially bad but I figured out the deer were very hungry to eat those sharp and pointed needles. They have always eaten things in my yard like rhododendrons and some perennials but especially tulips and crocus as soon as they show buds. It might be rabbits eating the crocus but I gave up on planting tulips and roses because the deer ate the buds and I never got flowers.
I had to move out of that house last year after a fire and I’m having trouble leaving my gardens. I was looking at townhouses and condos at first when I was shopping for a new house but decided to switch to looking at single homes where there is no homeowners’ association to tell me what and where I can plant. I have seen a lot of photos of azaleas and forsythia pruned into round balls that look awful and unnatural and even tortured to me. I am excited and a bit overwhelmed by starting all over with landscaping a new property and will be reading more of your advice before I start planning. I have always disliked the large expanses of mulch that are popular in my area; if there is a space between 2 plants, I fill it with another plant instead of mulch, which I only use around the base of a new plant. For years, I had a leaf vacuum that shredded the leaves and I used them for winter mulch. Then my partner bought a new leaf blower and I did not have those wonderful leaf pieces to decompose and enrich the soil, that got very dry and sad looking after a few years. Because my shade garden is under a flowering cherry tree, the tree roots make it hard to dig in compost and other soil amendments. I have not found the place I want to buy yet but I have started digging up some of my shade perennials to move with me; now I need a yard with the space for a shade garden for my special mini hostas and helebores and epimideums. I plan to go back after the house is sold to a developer and take softwood cuttings of some special shrubs too. That was part of the agreement of sale because it is important to me. I have notes that say to use course sand for rooting the cuttings; what else can be used because I can’t find the sand in the garden centers? I think one of today’s posts mentions vermiculite mixed with some soil. Vermiculite is not easy to buy locally any more and the uncovered container I have was in the basement where the 3 fires were so is probably contaminated.
You can use perlite or sand.
https://mikesbackyardnursery.com/2015/10/exactly-what-is-and-where-do-i-find-coarse-sand-for-rooting-cuttings/
your landscaping looks amazing. I can now put a few of these ideas to work for me. Thank you for the pictures and the tips.
Also thanks for making it funny with the chickens.
Mike – I worked for Marvel Comics for 25 years and I had a rubber chicken hanging over my desk for the last few years for no better reason than yours of waiting for your sign. You’re totally right about landscaping and plants therefore the rubber chicken shows you’re a little off, it brings balance to your otherwise perfect green world. I laughed out loud when I saw your post because I was just thinking how I need a rubber chicken over my desk again. I wonder where your friend found them? I too always enjoy reading your posts and I delete tons of emails but I always open yours. Peace Be With You – “QueensMaryMac”
Queens Mary Mac,
I think everybody should have a rubber chicken or two in their life. Life is just too darn short to take things more seriously than a rubber chicken. I think you can get your need filled at Spencer Gifts. These things even squawk! Marvel Comics huh? I’m not a comic book guy, but I know some people who are fanatical about comic books.
Thanks for being an inspiration Mike great landscape.
Mark
I was just flipping through “Best Borders” by Tony Lord, and some of his plantings break all the rules. Tall things in the front of a conventional border, as though a bird dropped the seed. I think it was Gertrude Jeckyl who carried thistle seed in her pocket and sprinkled it into her friends boring plantings, just to liven things up!
I worked with Lucy, manager of the gorgeous gardens at Filoli (See National Trust) She liked the cute volunteers that popped up in cracks of the paving. Made her guys crazy that they could not pull them out. She has a small African bulb called Lapairousia laxa (no common name) that re-seeds itself throughout the formal beds. Sassy!
All you need now are a few pink flamingos to stand under your chickens!
Andrea,
Why didn’t I think of that?
lol,,,,that is what I was thinking, Andrea. lol
Hey Mike…I have learned so much from your site..thanks so much and keep up the good work. As for the chickens…I love whimsy..and I love people with a sense of humor…so I vote Keep the chickens! People going by will REMEMBER…..they will get a chuckle and they will enjoy and get a smile for a little while. And that is a good thing! ♥
Where can I buy a chicken like that? I just love them.
I’m pretty sure Spencer Gifts is where Blair got mine. Go figure. Retail stores come and go like the tide, but Spencer Gifts, the store who sells absolutely nothing we really need, has been in the same location here in Mentor, Ohio since I was a teenager. I’ll tell ya, there’s a business and marketing lesson in that!
Susan,
Spencer gifts.
Mike – I love what you do….and would love to be part of the experience…but I live in a 5 room cotaage on 1/3 acre,220 yrds from a State Forest in one directio and 250 yds from a lake in the other…(think — deer, ‘coons, coyote, fisher cats, you name it, coming right by my side yard (nightly) for a drink or a meal from the lake – or from my ‘gardens’ (past and present!). Then add to that –12-15, 30+ foot tall oak, beech, maple trees on or surrounding my property (one brave magnolia which blocks the front yard from it’s last hope for sunshine by May). I have no basement to speak of (just enough room for a well pump and the furnace which is no longer there (headroom 5’5″) and dark, dank and dirtfloored. It’s a wonderful area, quiet and great neighbors….but…???? Do you have a magic wand or should I just hang rubber chickens and forget it??
your basement sounds like a great place for mushrooms
Lynne,
We have to share this space with the other creatures that live along side of us. Don’t let that discourage you. If you grow plants yourself they cost you almost nothing. So if the animals eat a few so what. It’s about the journey, not the end game.
Hi Lynne
You might try some Hyacinth ,Globe Amaranth and some Clethra. They all can grow in shade.Unless there isn’t anything else around to eat deer really don’t like to eat them.Also anything with thorns, fuzzy leaves they tend to stay away from.You might talk to your local nursery also.
Dear Mike,
Back several months ago I took your advice with regards to cuttings. I took a stroll through my concrete jungle of an Urban Environment. And to my sheer delight I found so many tall mature types of scrubs and bushes. I took your advice cut them all acquired quite the collection. But I write to tell you and others that after two months ( that is all ) I now have impressive forsythia, Roses, azaleas, rhododendrons, Wigelea’s, and so many numerous others.In full glory they rooted and rooted well and even some came into blooming. And all this cost me was a little time. Thank you for helping me save a small fortune and for helping me make money from what two months of waiting paid off. Thank you Mike.
Suzette,
You rock! Nice job, enjoy your plants and I hate to break this to you, but you are now addicted. Couldn’t quit growing plants if you wanted to.
People in the concrete jungle will happily buy those small plants from you when you have too many.
Mike,
I have enjoyed receiving your persistant emails… really! And I read every one… enjoying them and wishing I could be a “part” of your “group”! Oh I am, but only in my mind.I am a ragged 73 years old, that has had two heart attacks, the last one being “rough”! So I garden in my mind, so to speak. I do have a small plot where I have short rows of green onions, a tomato plant or two, and maybe Swiss Chard, lettuce, or beets. It’s my resistance to my actual situation. So, thanks for keeping me going, if only in my mind! Your a God-send!!
Roy, There’s nothing wrong with gardening in your mind, it’s much better than 24 hours of the talking heads on TV. We have a number of people in our group who are easily your age. They amaze me at how hard they work at this and how successful they are at it. For you I only hope that you can get out and enjoy your garden no matter how small it is every chance you get!
Mike,
When I first read your email , I really thought you had gone off the deep end. Glad I read on and looked at your marvelous blooming trees. Can you tell us the exact mixture of soil you plant in? I would also like to know how frequently and how much water you give to your plants.
Doris,
Really great questions, really important questions to ask because . . . I truly take the soil mixture thing about as serious as the rubber chickens. Really. I always do my best to plant in topsoil, which can vary from location to location. But see, I’ve lied to you already. At my house the guy who landscaped it before I bought put the worst topsoil on the planet in the beds. It’s dark soil, but sticky like mud. Doesn’t matter the plants do well in it. At the house at the nursery I put the soil in the beds myself, but I really can’t call it topsoil. The soil on that property is really, really sandy, almost like beach sand. I widened the driveway and the soil I removed along the driveway went into the landscaping beds around house. Some of it has to be topsoil, but not very good topsoil
Watering? New plantings I water at least every other day for a few weeks, then I pretty much quit watering all together unless we get into a really long dry spell. I never fertilize the plants in my landscape and I seldom, almost never, spray them with anything. I do spray the miniature roses with Bayer Rose and Flower care once or twice a season.
Love ta chicx. But it did arouse my curiousity to open up the link from your email. Heh!
I m in the Up Northern of Brrr–minnesota. Many lakes are still ice-on.
Be rotten 4 fishing opener morrow.
Git meself a small geenhouse and heirloom seeds.
I am not spring forward yet, we have a cold front coming this weekend, sigh 😛 lol
My regards, Shirley
Great ideas! We did the gentle curves idea for mowing purposes 6 years ago. No weed whacking here either! I hate 2 cycle engines or engines without electric starters so we resolved to ONLY mow with the riding lawn mower. I went around the yard mowing, any curves I couldn’t handle with the rider were converted to perennials. Couldn’t tell from the photo, did you add edging to your landscaping curves? I can drive with the front wheel of the rider just inside of the edging so the mower deck cuts just over the top of the edging, getting ALL the grass! Love your ideas, your work, AND your sense of humor!
Craig,
I never use edging on landscaping beds. I just cut an edge with spade then hang the mower deck over the edge. I used to re-edge once or twice a season but my body is telling how ridiculous that is so I go along the edge of the bed with a non selective herbicide to keep the grass from working it’s way into the bed. Works great and I don’t, can’t, work as hard as I used to.
Mike;
Every time I read about raising beds, I wonder about drainage from the house. What am I missing? Thanks.
Mel,
I’ve never had a problem raising the beds along the block foundation. I make sure the bed slopes away from the house so any water that enters the bed will roll away from the house. I always also make sure that the gutters have a way of drain out to the edge of the bed and not empty into the bed. Sometimes I slip 4″ plastic drain pipe over the downspouts and run it to edge of the bed and cover with soil so it’s invisible. On this old nursery house I just cut a little trench, a dip in the bed to make sure the water can and will get away from the house.
Mike , I always enjoy your emails , the landscaping is a sight to behold ! And as far as those rubber chickens go , you’re definitely NOT RIGHT ! But I love you man !Keep up the good work !
You have great ideas! The one thing I notice that people do wrong when they start to plant: put the plants (bushes come to mind) too close to the house. We have been digging, rooting and dividing plants for 17 years. Great way to make extra money!
Hi Mike, we moved into our new home a couple of years ago and the first thing I did was start removing the ‘borders’ around all the flower beds! I’ve always said that borders just make it harder to mow, and now I can just point to you and tell everyone ‘see, I was right!’ And I LOVE the chickens! I have a Zombie head and arms as a focal in my garden, I love it! It adds a bit of fun to things. Last year, I planted a bunch of those brain coral cockscomb plants around it! If you didn’t laugh when you saw it, you were taking things way to seriously!
Kathy,
I love it as well!
Hi Mike
Your landscaping looks amazing!
I’m in zone 7 and my backyard faces West so we get a lot of sun. Can you tell me which is the best Japanese maple for my back yard? I had gotten a bloodgood a few years ago and the sun here burned up the leaves during the summer and then it died(dried up) before the end of the next season. Meanwhile a close neighbor bought one at the same time and that one survived, but he faces east and get lots of shade in the afternoon.
Thanks!
Jeff,
Just about all Japanese maples are really understory trees and appreciate a bit of shade. I’ve got a customer that has a yard full of beautiful Japanese maples in Alabama of all places, but she strategically plants them so they get some shade through out the day. The sun will often burn the leaves a little by the time summer is over, but trees are not seriously harmed.
My daughter who is 13 now , when she was young she told me that chicken nuggets came from rubber chickens. Mc Donolds had a farm that grew them , they were special because they had no bones in them. A special group of people took care of them. and they had to be hung up to sleep anyway like you landscaping. you always have great ideals, hope yours has a happy Mothers Day. David and family
Mike, your landscaping is beautiful !
I enjoy planting different things as well, and my motto is ” if it’s pretty and I like it, I plant it ” ! I would much rather have flower beds than mow grass any day !
Rubber chickens are great served on a plate to a friend at a restaurant or banquet, mine has been well used on antennas and even the flagstaff on the boat.
You really have a great eye for landscaping, you picked the right profession! It’s hard to see or think ahead when it comes to plants, but I see you are getting great results. Thanks for the emails! Jim
Hi Mike.
Your landscape photos are beautiful. Thank you for sharing as much as you do. You are an inspiration!
Marcia B.
where’d your friend find the rubber chicken, I would love to hang in my yard, just to bug my Neighbor….
Spencer gifts.
Andy: Looks like the plant you are trying to identify is a “Rhododendron” which is a beautiful broadleaf shrub & one of my personal favorites 🙂
Hi Mike,
When you’re talking of japanese maples, I see you and eveyone else planting some right next to the house. Will the roots of these trees not go under the house and cause damage? My husband is so leary of planting anything right against the house. Please let me know.
Thanks,
Pam Campbell
Pam,
I don’t even feel comfortable answering that question because all situations are different. Me? I’ve never had a problem like that. Most grow so slowly that it would take a really long time to be a problem, but that’s a decision that you and your husband have to make.
Hi Mike,
I love your Landscaping,its beautiful!!
Had to chuckle about the rubber chicks Next time I guess you will have to be careful what remark you make LOL !!!
Carolyn,
Your right about that! I’m glad all I wondered about was a rubber chicken!
Hey Mike,
Great landscape!! Very,very pretty, the colors are great!!! The chickens are great,but where are the colored eggs???
Hi, Mike. I am finally getting to attaching names to flowers. All along I thought of japenese maple as a flower, because of maple syrup. It hasd to be a flower till i saw the pictures. some of the long names I can’t even pronounce,I just call them Rhondas.
I’m jealous! Just kidding, but that is a beautiful landscape. I really need to get on the backyard growers board.