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jeremystrele · 4 years

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An Earthy, Low Maintenance Garden In Victoria’s Macedon Ranges

Gardens

by Sally Tabart

Photo – Marnie Hawson.

‘The original garden was a little disjointed with roses and camellias along the front of the house in garden beds that were often sunbaked in summer and heavy fog and mist in winter’, Kathleen Murphy explains of the site she was brought on to transform. ‘The garden needed to be refreshed, and to feel more welcoming to visitors, who sometimes got confused as to where the front door was!’

Kathleen set about connecting the garden to the house and its materials. ‘The use of natural materials links directly to the architecture of the home, and helps to anchor down the building,’ she says. Referencing the ‘beautiful Castlemaine stone’ from which the home is made, a custom-designed water rill runs outside the windows of the Master suite, also enjoyed by visitors as they meander through a curving gravel path to the front door.

The garden harmoniously connects with the wider landscape, built around access to the incredible views. ‘By framing the view, we were able to make it feel even more powerful’, Kathleen explains. ‘We directed views of the garden and the landscape beyond by screening out unsightly water tanks, and we planted trees on the edges blocking out the wind but not the scenery’.

The extreme conditions of the area was a major challenge for creating a healthy, robust garden. Summer temperatures can soar to over 40 degrees, and drop to -4 degrees in the winter with heavy frost and snow, while winds can dry out the soil. In addition to this, the area is prone to bushfires, which has been a cause of concern for the clients. Kathleen answered these by mass-planting easy-care plants, such as Dianella Cassa Blue and Lomandra Tanika, and by mulching the garden with stone to assist in managing weeds, whilst being fire retardant.

Kathleen has a special talent for designing interactive gardens that truly connect people with garden spaces, creating special moments and pathways that engage and delight. In this case, one of Kathleen’s favourite elements is the journey to the front entrance. ‘The meandering path through grasses that move with the breeze is really engaging and beautiful’, she explains poetically. ‘But mostly I love how the client nurtures and cares for the garden, they have really taken this design and made it their own’.

Kathleen is a finalist in the Landscape Design category of the TDF + Laminex Design Awards 2020 for her own garden! You can read our full feature on this beautiful garden here.

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malleedesign · 5 years

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New Post has been published on http://malleedesign.com.au/the-flexible-pennisetum-alopecuroides/

The flexible Pennisetum alopecuroides

Pennisetum alopecuroides is a striking native grass that makes a bold statement planted independently, as a border, backdrop or en masse. This is commonly know as Foxtail grass not to be confused with the South African Pennesetum which has become a weed in some parts of Australia.

However, in some parts of Australia this native grass has also been declared a problem there is a great article here which describes the status of the different Penesetums. To my knowledge Pennisetum alopecuroides and its cultivars are not a problems in NSW. But please let me know if you have heard otherwise.

Pennisetum alopecuroides is one of the most ornamental native landscape grasses because of it’s beautiful flowers and weeping habit. It is tolerant of wet feet, drought, wind, humidity and frost, these images were taken on a Winter morning in Canberra hence the mist and dew.

This grass grows fast and therefore requires a cut back now and then to keep it under wraps, therefore read the size guide on the plant tag with some scepticism 😉 This grass looks great backlit and moves easily in the breeze creating a cooling and relaxing atmosphere.

There are several dwarf varieties available most notably ‘Purple Lea’ and ‘Nafray’, these are supposed to have a low viability seed too.

Pennisetum alopecuroides looks great planted with other native grasses like Lomandra ‘Lime Tuff’ and Pot ‘Eskdale’ to give some foliage contrast. They grow to 1.5 m high x 1.5m wide and like to be pruned back after flowering. With many councils and public spaces moving away from flowering shrubs and ground covers, because of the maintenance hours they require, I’m hoping to see our native grasses take a more ornamental position in the Landscape.

#fast growing #mass planting #Modern Australian Native Garden #native grass #Pennisetum alopecuroides #wildlife habitat #wind tolerant

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lucioledesign · 5 years

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Where back yards are for living, front yards generally work to frame the architecture, create curb appeal and hopefully act as the first “hello” in the “welcome to my home” process as guests arrive. The plants should look decent year round and great in peak seasons. The hardscape can guide, amuse, entertain and surprise: one home has an entry deck hidden from the street; the other a sculpture behind a screen wall. Both clearly guide visitors to the front door, passing by features such as specimen trees, a fountain or that sculpture.

Entry path

Mid-century modern front yard

A screen wall announces the address and adds separation from the street for the entry.

Lomandra ‘Breeze’ flanks the entry path leading to a landing deck

Screen wall and ipe landing deck

One house sits above the surrounding landscapes, with an entry door well above street level. This led to a feeling of being on stage every time the owners left the house. A specimen multi-trunk strawberry tree, combined with a low smooth plaster wall separate the entry from the street and create a more private feel. When people arrive, they land on a spacious deck instead of a narrow landing. During parties, they can linger here, sit on the wall and enjoy the front yard.

Another result of being elevated is that you see everything: the funky vehicle one neighbor parks in his driveway, more concrete and cars opposite. The solution here was to screen one neighbor with Carolina cherries and the other with a combination of tapering the driveway for more planting space and a tall photinia hedge. The zigzag edge of the driveway compliments the home’s mid-century modern style, too.

Just to make things more fun, we shot these at the beginning of winter, just to show that water-conserving landscapes can look decent, if not great, in a difficult season. Ever notice that most landscapes are shot in spring, followed by autumn? That’s when they look best. Fresh foliage and flowers in spring, a summer’s worth of growth, deep colors and perhaps flowers in autumn.

The homes’ mid-century modern aesthetic is echoed by clean, geometric hardscape materials using non-symmetrical balance to keep them edgier and interesting. Smooth plaster, broom finish concrete, ipe decking, wood and metal screen fences enhance linear, expansive lines found in the homes.

The plants have architectural forms and are massed to unify areas and consolidate the design. Interestingly enough, many of the plants were not in use here in the middle of the century: lomandra being a good example. It fits perfectly with the mid-century aesthetic with bold grass-like foliage and year-round good appearance.

Two mid-century modern front yards Where back yards are for living, front yards generally work to frame the architecture, create curb appeal and hopefully act as the first "hello" in the "welcome to my home" process as guests arrive.

#decks #front yard remodel #lawn removal #Mediterranean climate plants #Ornamental grasses #screen fencing #screen walls #seat walls #Streng homes #water conserving plants

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bidscape · 6 years

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2017 - Top 100 Most Requested Plants

For the second year in a row, here is a list of the most requested plant material in California (organized from most popular to least):

Callistemon citrinus 'Little John' Agave attenuata Lantana x 'New Gold' Senecio mandraliscae Quercus agrifolia Lophostemon confertus (Tristania conferta) Dianella tasmanica 'Variegata' Agave attenuata 'Blue Flame' Muhlenbergia rigens Muhlenbergia capillaris 'Lenca' Rosa 'Iceberg' Trachelospermum jasminoides Aloe striata Chondropetalum tectorum Lomandra longifolia 'Breeze' Stipa tenuissima (Nassella tenuissima) Ligustrum japonicum 'Texanum' Agave 'Blue Glow' Senecio serpens Carex divulsa Agave americana Lantana montevidensis Dietes bicolor Dymondia margaretae Anigozanthos 'Big Red' Hesperaloe parviflora Echeveria 'Afterglow' Asparagus densiflorus 'Myers' Rosmarinus officinalis 'Prostratus' Rosmarinus officinalis 'Huntington Carpet' Baccharis pilularis 'Pigeon Point' Festuca glauca 'Elijah Blue' Carissa macrocarpa ‘Green Carpet’ Hesperaloe parviflora 'Perpa' Heteromeles arbutifolia Salvia leucantha Olea europaea 'Montra' Bougainvillea 'La Jolla' (Shrub) Geijera parviflora Platanus racemosa Ficus pumila (Vine) Salvia greggii 'Furman's Red' Juncus patens Cistus x purpureus Leymus condensatus Rosmarinus officinalis 'Tuscan Blue' Cercidium 'Desert Museum' (Multi) Ficus microcarpa nitida (retusa) Lagerstroemia indica x fauriei 'Muskogee' Platanus racemosa (Standard) Muhlenbergia capillaris Verbena lilacina 'De La Mina' Cercidium x 'Desert Museum' Pistacia chinensis Dianella revoluta 'Little Rev' Sesleria autumnalis Buxus microphylla japonica Phormium x 'Yellow Wave' Ceanothus griseus horizontalis 'Yankee Point' Myoporum parvifolium 'Putah Creek' Rhus integrifolia Russelia equisetiformis Cercis canadensis 'Forest Pansy' Salvia leucantha ‘Santa Barbara’ Prunus caroliniana 'Compacta' Platanus racemosa (Multi) Cercis occidentalis Podocarpus gracilior (Column) Coprosma repens 'Marble Queen' Arbutus 'Marina' Schinus molle Pittosporum tobira 'Wheeler's Dwarf' Arctostaphylos densiflora 'Howard Mcminn' Carex praegracilis Polygala fruticosa 'Petite Butterflies' Aeonium 'Sunburst' Quercus agrifolia (Standard) Dasylirion wheeleri Prunus caroliniana 'Bright 'n Tight' (Column) Pinus eldarica Chamaerops humilis Rhaphiolepis indica 'Ballerina' Pittosporum tenuifolium 'Silver Sheen' Platanus acerifolia 'Columbia' (Standard) Quercus virginiana Citrus limon 'Meyer Improved' Juncus patens 'Elk Blue' Trachelospermum jasminoides (staked) Senecio cylindricus Westringia 'Wynyabbie Gem' Arbutus 'Marina' (Standard) Cercis occidentalis (Multi) Westringia fruticosa 'Morning Light' Lavandula stoechas 'Otto Quast' Dianella caerulea 'Cassa Blue' Acacia redolens 'Desert Carpet' Dodonaea viscosa 'Purpurea' Nandina domestica 'Gulf Stream' Arbutus 'Marina' (Multi) Dietes vegeta (Moraea iridioides)

#top100 #mostpopular #grower #plants #trees #nursery #wholesale

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dibblersgarden-blog · 7 years

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Autumn stroll around my garden

Autumn is my favorite season in the garden, when the Death Star abates and cool breezes blow in from the north, pushing that Gulf Coast humidity back to Houston where it belongs. The sky goes china blue, fall perennials burst into bloom, and fall-blooming grasses incandesce in the slanting sunlight.

I’ve been doing a lot of tidying and fluffing in my garden over the past few weeks because I had two photographers visiting plus a Garden Spark talk with 30 attendees who were invited to explore. And now I invite you to take a virtual stroll around the garden with me too.

But first, a salute for our tired old roof, which just got reshingled this week. It’s always a little stressful to have a roof torn off when you’re a gardener, but they were careful of the plants and I’m thrilled to have new shingles in an updated gray color.

In the island bed, ‘Vertigo’ pennisetum has grown to tall-dark-and-handsome proportions. The first freeze will turn it to brown straw, so I’m enjoying it while it lasts.

Here’s the view from our front door, with dwarf palmetto (Sabal minor), foxtail fern, pale pavonia, and ‘Sparkler’ sedge, my shade garden, deer-resistant faves.

Looking toward the house, with white skullcap, ‘Burgundy Ice’ dyckia, variegated flax lily, bamboo muhly, and ‘Scott’s Turf’ sedge.

Entry garden, hot and dry on the left and mostly shady on the right.

I redid the right-side foundation bed a couple of months ago, adding and rearranging dwarf Texas palmettos, spreading plum yew, ‘Everillo’ sedge, and a potted ‘Pineapple Express’ mangave. The wire “ball weeds” adding height to the mangave pot are from redgrassdesigns on Etsy.

The dry side is a gravel garden with ‘Vanzie’ whale’s tongue agave, toothless sotol, red yucca, ‘Frazzle Dazzle’ dyckia, and dwarf myrtle, plus ‘Alphonse Karr’ bamboo.

Now let’s stroll toward the terraced bed by the garage, where ‘Green Goblet’ agave holds court with woolly stemodia and mullein (a volunteer mullein is blooming in the decomposed-granite path by the garage), with another ‘Vertigo’ grass glowing burgundy in the background. A trio of ceramic balls adds a little color.

Looking lengthwise across the front garden you see the Berkeley sedge lawnette and potted foxtail ferns on cantera stone columns. In the long view you can see ‘Pink Flamingos’ muhly blooms glowing pink.

A TerraTrellis tuteur echoes the color of the ceramic spheres and adds height to the sedge garden. I’m trying a dioon here too, a plant I’ve been wanting to grow for a while now.

Standing at the corner of my neighbor’s driveway, we get to enjoy a view of her whale’s tongue agave and autumn sage in full bloom, with my garden in the background.

Prior to the photographer visits, I didn’t want to put up deer caging around plants that the bucks like to antler. But the wide-leaf giant hesperaloe at the front corner of the garden is particularly vulnerable, so I improvised with these low-profile, bent pieces of cattle-panel wire. It worked, although I did see evidence of a little antler-rubbing damage this week, so I quickly put up deer caging around this plant, the ‘Green Goblet’ agave, and a small possumhaw holly.

The side-garden path, with a ‘Blue Ice’ Arizona cypress visible beyond the gate. The path is lined with simple masses of pale pavonia, bamboo muhly, and inland sea oats.

A little stopping place along the path, with Mediterranean fan palm and blue mistflower attracting butterflies.

Self portrait in silver balls

In the back garden I have more leeway to play with plants that the deer would like to eat. Succulents are shown off in the cinderblock wall planter and in a narrow bed alongside the gravel path.

A closer view (here’s how I made it), with ‘Espresso’ mangave and squid agave in the foreground.

The upper patio was looking inviting prior to the roofing work, when I had to move everything away from the house. Oh well, it gives me a chance to powerwash the patio, which I’ve been meaning to do.

I enjoy my tentacled wall decor.

A closer look. In the green Crescent pot is a ‘Platinum Beauty’ lomandra I’m trialing from Southern Living Plant Collection.

I’m also trialing their ‘Marvel’ mahonia.

My new whale’s tongue agave, replacing Moby, who bloomed and died, is surrounded by silver ponyfoot.

Steps make a natural display space for potted plants (and are soon to be powerwashed!). Purple oxalis in a turquoise pot gets all the attention, of course.

Strolling past the pool and the raised bed behind the house, which is accented with a couple of blue pots

One contains a toothy, long-tongued Audrey monster.

The stock-tank pond garden is one of my favorite spaces.

The ‘Winter Gem’ boxwood spheres are recently clipped. I try to keep them all at the same height, even though one side of the garden slopes lower than the other, so as to create the illusion of level ground.

A slightly wider view shows the faux shed that my husband built to hide the pool pump equipment.

Bamboo muhly and ‘Color Guard’ yucca glow below the deck.

I recently replanted the lady’s head planter with succulent “ringlets.”

At the Alberta Street Fair in Portland this summer, I bought three metal dragonflies from Brian Comiso of Steelhead Metalworks. They ended up not fitting in my suitcase, so we borrowed a hacksaw and cut the stakes off, then had Bob of Gardening at Draco weld them back together when I got home.

Opposite the bamboo muhly and ‘Color Guard’ yuccas, a trio of squid agaves in culvert-pipe remnants stands amid white mistflower and forsythia sage.

Speaking of which, forsythia sage

Moving an umbrella stand revealed the hiding place of a striped garden snake, chilled in the morning air and not eager to move. So dapper in its striped suit!

It’s the time of year to admire the purple-black berries of Mexican beautyberry before the mockingbirds eat them all.

Another ‘Green Goblet’ agave, with dusty blue-green leaves, lolls in the lower garden beside a holey limestone boulder.

Strolling up the side path you pass a ‘Sapphire Skies’ Yucca rostrata, my oldest and biggest one. The ‘Blue Ice’ Arizona cypress behind it echoes the frosty color, as does a blue pot.

At the gate, butterfly vine tumbles over the fence, its chrome-yellow flowers in full bloom.

Looking back down the path

Lori of The Gardener of Good and Evil gave me this ferox agave as a large pup from one of her giants. I planted it in a sapphire pot with blue-gray Mexican beach pebbles as a topper. Eventually (soon?) it’ll start pupping, but I love it as a solitary specimen.

Yucca rostrata and the stock-tank pond

Climbing up on the deck you see the sunburst pattern of the patio stones around the pond.

The other direction

A wider view

This adorable metal bat was a birthday gift from my mom.

And our stroll ends with a long view across the pond garden, lower patio, and swimming pool. Swimming season is definitely over. Patio season is well underway.

I welcome your comments; please scroll to the end of this post to leave one. If you’re reading this in a subscription email, click here to visit Digging and find the comment box at the end of each post. _______________________

Digging Deeper: News and Upcoming Events

Don’t miss the Austin Open Days garden tour sponsored by the Garden Conservancy on November 4.

Join the mailing list for Garden Spark Talks! Inspired by the idea of house concerts, I’m hosting a series of garden talks by inspiring designers and authors out of my home. Talks are limited-attendance events and generally sell out within just a few days, so join the Garden Spark email list for early notifications. Simply click this link and ask to be added.

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