Designing a Native Mixed Border in the Mountain West

Take a page from the pros to learn how to plan a large garden renovation

impart native plants in the landscape painting is a design trend that continues to increase in popularity . For those of us in the Mountain West , this primarily mean pick out aborigine that thrive in full sun and clay grease , require less weewee , can survive our winds and hailstorms , and can support native pollinators .

While you could break up natives throughout your garden , you may also want to create mixed delimitation bear native trees , shrubs , and perennial . By group indigen together , I have created zones in my landscape painting that require less H2O and maintenance , allowing me to have beautiful spaces and unfreeze up time to focus on other areas of my landscape painting . If you ’re debate taking on a new design undertaking with native , consider these point and techniques before getting started .

Where to begin?

First , I always make a base function of the outer space . Measure the site , noting any hardscape areas such as pathways and patio as well as the location of any be plants you intend to keep . Also note the different Sunday and shade areas within the site . Then thread your map out to surmount using a swayer or architect ’s scale . Once you are happy with it , go over the railway line with a thin , black marker to make it a permanent groundwork map .

What is your design intent?

Now you get to retrieve about the role of this garden bed . Do you want to focus on aboriginal ? Are you trying to test something ? Do you desire to append people of color ? Next , count design constraint : What is the water system accessibility ? How much maintenance do you want ? Answers to these questions will help you choose flora for your design .

What do you mean by “native”?

While using native plant sounds easy , it may not be that simple . Are you using North American native , Mountain West natives , or just those plants aboriginal to your contiguous area ? Are you only using the exact specie and varieties found in the natural environment , or are you willing to use native cultivar ( aka nativars ) that are more readily usable in the nursery industry ? There is no right or incorrect result to those enquiry , but think about your orientation to simplify flora selection .

Do your research to create a plant list

Think about the aboriginal plants you love , and drop a line them down . If you are unsure what those are , chew the fat your local nursery and public gardens for both intention and industrial plant inspiration . Ask your neighbors about plants you like in their gardens . Check out this articleon a few of the best native plants for the Mountain West .

Be certain to consider different types of flora : evergreens , deciduous tree , shrubs , and perennials . take note the plants ’ best-loved status , their mature size , bloom times , water demand , foliation and bloom colors ; I feel a uncomplicated spreadsheet is very helpful at this stage . Then note if the plant life adjoin your touchstone from your answers to the questions above . While you may not use all of the flora you have found in your research , creating this comprehensive listing will serve you well when it come time to put penitentiary to paper .

Putting the plan on paper

General conception rules suggest planting in odd numbers for maximum effect . For instance , if you desire to plant ‘ Autumn Brilliance ’ shadbush ( Amelanchier×grandiflora‘Autumn Brilliance ’ , Zones 4–9 ) add together three to a big space would have a nice outcome , but in a small distance , a single specimen would provide substantial shock .

Now the draught — don’t get skittish ! do the first circle on your plan can be intimidating , so before you start , make a duo copy of your stand map and purchase a stamp pad of trace paper . Put a while of tracing newspaper over your nucleotide mathematical function and videotape it down .

Trees

Start with the largest plant , which are usually tree , whether coniferous or deciduous . ( recall that plants can grow in deciduous understories . ) Pick the location where you require to have the tree , and draw a R-2 to scale that will represent the mature size of the tree . ( I have several circle template that make drawing circles to descale very easy . ) Mark the name of the tree .

Shrubs

Next , it ’s sentence for shrubs . The sizing of the quad and the growth riding habit of the plants determine the phone number of shrubs you use . Generally , tall shrubs like mint mahagonies ( Cercocarpusspp . and cvs . , Zones 4–10 ) are put at the back of the bed , and crushed shrubs like Pawnee Buttes ® westerly George Sand cherry ( genus Prunus pumilavar.besseyi‘P011S ’ , zone 4–8 ) are put in the front of the bed . Remember to place plants in odd number , and think about bloom time of year to offer colors and textures throughout the twelvemonth . standoff groupings of the shrub on the trace theme — again , using the mature size as a reference to avoid overplanting the outer space . If you are n’t glad with how the sketch is lead , just chuck the piece of trace paper in the trash and start again .

Perennials

When you ’re done with shrubs , it ’s time to tot grasses and perennials . Sometimes I add grasses when I do shrub ; it just depend on how big the outer space is and how many I am adding . When design with perennials , take into write up the amount of time you desire to spend maintaining this garden . In general , perennial bring more maintenance to the landscape . I wish to summate perennials in swaths for a magnanimous impingement , but you may choose to overspread them around in small pigeonholing for impact throughout the distance . Using perennial in your architectural plan will add lots of little circle to your sketch . If this becomes consuming , you’re able to just note the name of the perennial and the approximate number you want to plant .

Time to shop

With your design in place , you now know the number of plant to grease one’s palms for your new garden . you may add that numeral to your spreadsheet , making frequent a breeze . Happy planting !

— Michelle Provaznik is executive theatre director of the Gardens on Spring Creek in Fort Collins , Colorado .

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mixed border planting

This border planting uses a large pine (Pinuscv., Zones 3–8) for foundational structure, along with native shrubs like manzanita (Arctostaphyloscv., Zones 2–10) and mountain mahogany (Cercocarpuscv., Zones 4–10).Photo: Michelle Provaznik

garden site plan sketch

Sketching out a basic site plan allows you to visualize your completed garden design before you start. Note that not all the plants in this sketch are native, but the process of sketching a design is the same regardless. (Click the photo to view as a PDF.)Photo: Michelle Provaznik

Gambel oak in a border design