Older gardens have a marvelous sense of stability and a unique character. They're restful to wander around in or sit inside. Not that they're static, no garden ever stays exactly the same. But they have a depth of spirit, you might say, a quality that's almost indescribable.
The gardeners and the gardens seem to have reached a balance that means, usually, less work. The more plants there are to fill the space, the fewer the weeds and, often, the less water it needs. The plants that do well have been allowed to spread, the ones that didn't work out are gone. The shrubs and trees are full grown. Stability amid change, that's what a mature garden says.
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Nurturing stability
A stable piece of land has a good plant cover, often three or four layers from ground covers to tall perennials or shrubs. No bare soil, no expanses of mulch, means less maintenance. This ideal may take a few years and many plants to achieve, but it's a worthwhile goal.
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Nurturing meaning
Meaning is always personal, something to give to an object in the outer world, a way of melding inner and outer reality. You can always add something with meaning to a garden, a statue, a rose planted to honor a friend, a special rock from your favorite place.
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The more meaning infused into your garden, the more the garden as a whole with feel uniquely yours, and the more energy you'll have for working with it. In a way, gardens are like sandboxes for grownups. We play around, change the furniture or the decorations and when we get bored we find something else to do.
Nurturing possibilities
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Brainstorming is a good winter activity, or even something to occupy yourself in the midsummer heat when you're not going to actually change anything. Seed catalogs arrive, you. have time to look at gardening sites online or the beautiful books of photos that tempt us into bookstores.
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And brainstorming is, by definition, separate from decision-making. Ideas, lots of ideas, are the purpose here. Write them down, collect photos, let your imagination roam. Practicality comes later.
Older gardens have a marvelous sense of stability and a unique character. They're restful to wander around in or sit inside. Not that they're static, no garden ever stays exactly the same. But they have a depth of spirit, you might say, a quality that's almost indescribable.
The gardeners and the gardens seem to have reached a balance that means, usually, less work. The more plants there are to fill the space, the fewer the weeds and, often, the less water it needs. The plants that do well have been allowed to spread, the ones that didn't work out are gone. The shrubs and trees are full grown. Stability amid change, that's what a mature garden says.
​
​
Nurturing stability
A stable piece of land has a good plant cover, often three or four layers from ground covers to tall perennials or shrubs. No bare soil, no expanses of mulch, means less maintenance. This ideal may take a few years and many plants to achieve, but it's a worthwhile goal.
​
​
Nurturing meaning
Meaning is always personal, something to give to an object in the outer world, a way of melding inner and outer reality. You can always add something with meaning to a garden, a statue, a rose planted to honor a friend, a special rock from your favorite place.
​
The more meaning infused into your garden, the more the garden as a whole with feel uniquely yours, and the more energy you'll have for working with it. In a way, gardens are like sandboxes for grownups. We play around, change the furniture or the decorations and when we get bored we find something else to do.
Nurturing possibilities
​
Brainstorming is a good winter activity, or even something to occupy yourself in the midsummer heat when you're not going to actually change anything. Seed catalogs arrive, you. have time to look at gardening sites online or the beautiful books of photos that tempt us into bookstores.
​
And brainstorming is, by definition, separate from decision-making. Ideas, lots of ideas, are the purpose here. Write them down, collect photos, let your imagination roam. Practicality comes later.
Gardening with Skill and Delight
Watering Wisely
Not too much, not too little. How is a gardener to judge? Timing is everything. Knowing when to stint and when to flood makes the most of every drop.
Keep the goal in mind
Water with the goal of encouraging deep roots, fewer near the surface
Be generous the first year.
Deep, infrequent watering to encourage roots to grow downward
Reduce or eliminate watering in subsequent years
Water deeply or not at all
Whatever the watering method, always check to see how deep the water has actually penetrated. A moisture meter will give an accurate estimate of conditions ten to twelve inches below the surface.
Make sure the ground is thoroughly soaked by the end of spring rains, May to early June. Water less or not at all in late summer when perennials are hardening off for winter.
Choose the watering method that best suits your situation. Drip irrigation is great but expensive. Soaker hoses can be useful if the coils are placed close together for complete coverage. If you choose a sprinkler, water in early morning or while it's raining.
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Use a mulch or grow a solid cover of plants
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Mulches keep water from evaporating from the surface., but need to be renewed occasionally. Consider a solid cover of plants at least a foot thick instead of a permanent mulch. Plants draw water from deep in the ground and the extra shade and insulation helps to minimize loss from the surface.
Use a gravel mulch if plants need extra heat.
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Late summer challenges
Very dry soil can resist wetting, even under a mulch. Water slowly, perhaps over several days, imitating a gentle rain.
In late summer, it may take too much water to soak completely but shallow watering means wasting water. During hot spells you may want to cover plants with straw or shade cloth or cut back leaves instead of adding water.