Author Archives: michael

Mass Appeal

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117d474abb1549b267055390436376e1Mass planting — using just one variety of plant — is an effective garden design tool, with many applications. You can used mass plantings to:

  • Create a relaxed atmosphere. This is especially true when you group plants that have a softening effect, such as large grasses. This aesthetic works at any scale, from an intimate courtyard garden to a grand estate landscape.
  • Make an unobtrusive backdrop for featured plants, hide undesirable views, or soften the front of a fence or building. Consider a hedgerow of large grasses as a more casual alternative to a formal clipped hedge.
  • At the edge of a patio or walkway, employ mass plantings to define space and create a clean look. Formal or informal, the grouped plants provide structure and a place for the eye to stop before a more complex planting.
  • Use informal mass plantings to set off focal features such as statuary, a water feature, or a colorful arrangement of more ornamental plantings and flowers.

Ready to add a mass planting to your landscape? Contact us for design consultation and to learn more about the best plants for your Pacific Northwest garden.

Maybe It’s Time To Lose The Lawn

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SAM_3841Are you trying to conserve water this summer — and dreading the prospect of a bleak, brown and brittle lawn?

It is not only lack of moisture, but intense heat, that causes a lawn to “brown out” this early in the Pacific Northwest. With this year’s unpredictable weather and a changing climate, it’s time to consider lawn substitutes. Don’t panic: There are some that won’t make your garden look like the Sahara Desert.

  • Keep it simple. If you like the clean look of a lush, rolling lawn, you may want a single variety of a drought-tolerant ground cover. Ground covers don’t require much care or watering. Most need some watering until they are established, but only a fraction of the moisture required to keep a grass lawn verdant all summer.
  •  Mix it up. Use two or more varieties of ground cover and create a tapestry of color and texture. Many bloom at some point during the late spring or summer so they also offer color. “Stepable” ground cover will tolerate foot traffic to varying degrees, but not heavy usage or usage for extended periods. If you require durability in your paths and walkways, stick with stone or pavers.
  • Do something completely different. A lawn can be turned into a water-wise landscape using hardy plants — ones like lavender, that often get over watered in a traditional ornamental garden. You can create a water-wise Seattle landscape using herbs and plants with origins from hotter, dryer climates – like the Mediterranean. Some examples include Grasses, Sedum, mat-forming Thyme and drought-tolerant perennials
  • “Rock out.” A natural-looking dry riverbed or stone-lined pond adds interest  when planted with attractive ground cover, grasses and easy-to-maintain perennials.

Theses solutions require some maintenance to keep them looking tidy, but none of the weekly mowing, edging, regular watering, fertilizing that is required to keep a lawn green and weed-free in the summer.

If you want some lawn for kids, pets and summer activities, try reducing the size of the lawn and eliminate areas you do not use regularly. Remember when replanting those areas to choose plants that will fit the space long-term and that are compatible with those around it.

Contact us for design consultation and to learn more about the best plants for your Pacific Northwest garden.

Summertime Watering

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The driest months in the Pacific Northwest are July, August, September and sometimes October. Add June to the mix this year and it’s time to get a watering plan in place — whether your garden is drought tolerant or not.

Sun and heat combined will quickly erase any water reserves stored below the surface of the soil.  Fine-tuning your watering techniques will not only conserve water but also will create healthier plants and extend your garden’s good looks through the summer. Some plants only need to dry out once in hot sun for it to be fatal.

Tips for watering:

  • Get water to the bottom of the root zone. This promotes drought tolerance by encouraging roots to go deep in the soil, instead of staying on the surface where they can dry out quickly. After a few tries, you’ll know how long the water needs to run.
  • Always water during the cooler part of the day to lessen evaporation (except for mildew-prone plants). I prefer watering at night. The water cools the leaves and sits on the foliage all night. Keep in mind that plants also take in water through their leaves
  • Make sure you mulch around the plants. Use at least 2 inches of mulch.
  • Plant densely so the sun can’t overheat exposed soil and injure the plant roots underneath.

As your landscape matures and plants become well established, you’ll be able to cut back the frequency of watering.

Contact us to learn about water-wise gardens and the choosing the best plant for any location.

Tropical Treasures in Seattle

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MMCannaEveryone knows that summer in the Pacific Northwest is paradise. But did you know that up here we can grow some plants that look like they are straight from the tropics? These exotic-looking flowering perennials thrive in full sun when temperatures soar.

Great tropical plants for the Seattle area

The bold and brazen Tropicana Lily with its branched flowers and big, multicolored leaves, will reach 7 feet in height and bloom until frost. Hardy Ginger, with its vertical stems, sports torch-like neon flowers that can be 10 inches in length. Others hot-and-spicy contenders include Dahlias with huge flowers, and Banana plants.

These stunners can be massed for maximum dramatic impact or used as an architectural focal point among other plants and flowers. Plant them in fertile soil rich with organic matter and keep them moist for awesome results this summer.

When to buy and plant tropical plants

Now is the best time to buy and plant mature plants for flowers this season. The rhizome type roots systems will survive all but the harshest Pacific Northwest winters. But even as a seasonal display they provide a big bang for the buck.

Contact us for design consultation and to learn more about the best plants for your Pacific Northwest garden.

 

Winning Over Your Soil

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Did you know that both you and your landscape could come out winners, even with the most difficult soil?  If you play to the strengths of your existing soil, your garden design will be easy to maintain and will combine beautifully with plants that are suitable for the Pacific Northwest.

But what if you have a specific interest that doesn’t correspond with the type of soil currently in your garden? What if it’s a cutting garden or the vision of a traditional English garden that would make you happy? Soil amendment is an option that can work if you have a maintenance plan to keep the soil fertile and healthy.

We consult with clients based on how they want to use their outdoor spaces and on their individual design visions.  Whether you are up for a challenge or want to minimize your maintenance, we believe that your landscaping should give you the win you need to enjoy your outdoor spaces.

after: interior court yard

Madison Park Court Yard,  Seattle WA

Look For Winter Blooming Perennials Now!

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Lenten Rose, Snow Drops and Cyclamen are flowering now. It is a good time to think about adding these to your garden for next year.

It is also a good time for a stroll through The Washing Park Arboretum, Kubota Gardens and other local parks and botanical gardens to see what is blooming now.  You will notice other plants and trees that stand out.  Many extraordinary and colorful  varieties of conifers and deciduous trees with intriguing bark are striking during the winter months.

Enjoy the view and fresh air or take notes and pictures if you are looking to update your garden and make it more “winter friendly”.

Back home, look at your own garden and decide what adjustments would make a show at this time next year.  If you are getting ideas for a new garden or major renovation, a garden designer will help you to select the right plants and incorporate the best choices into a comprehensive plan for your site.

Whether you need help with plant selection or a comprehensive landscape plan, I tailor my services to you project and lifestyle.  Contact me if now you are looking to make changes to your garden in 2015.

Heleborus niger 'HGC Jacob'

Landscape Design with Succulents brings new life to the summer garden

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By definition, Succulent plants are plants that have some parts that are more than normally thickened or fleshy usually to retain water in acrid climates or soil conditions.  This means, universally, they store water and are drought tolerant.

Sedum is a genus of over 400 leaf Succulents including hardy perennial bushes that that can grow as tall as four feet.  These low maintenance gems provide an array of foliage and flower variations.  Nearly indestructible and virtually disease resistant, the species that thrive in the Pacific Northwest do best in full sun, in average to poor soil with good drainage, and little or no supplemental water.  At this time of year, Succulents are a great way to refresh pots and add to perennial borders or annual plantings that need a boost.  Tender varieties that will not make it though the winter in this climate (mostly due to soggy winters causing them to rot), lend a dramatic and almost desert or tropical feel during the warmer months of the Pacific Northwest.  Varieties like ‘Metallica’ (pictured) grow to several inches across offering great scale and a wonderful spectrum of color variation.

With hundreds of varieties to choose from, the possibilities are endless!

Michael Muro Garden Design offers garden planning and comprehensive landscape design in Washington State.

 

 

 

 

Seamless Connectivity to the Outdoors

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Connecting with nature has long been acknowledged as an important part of well being. Some of us find ourselves feverishly tripping over the door jams and down the stairs to get to the garden once spring finally arrives; however, not all of us feel connected in a way that satisfies. As I recently I walked through a freshly completed project that I was especially excited about, I asked myself what made it so satisfying and how did it expand my definition of connectivity to outdoor space.

The Seattle-based project included an opportunity to collaborate with the architect of the house during a remodel of both the structure and the landscape. Selecting finishes and design features for the inside in concert with designing the new landscape created a seamless connection between the indoor and outdoor spaces. Corridors lead to garden views instead of closet doors and a mini-terrace off the master bedroom takes advantage of a private corner of the back yard. With a kitchen door that serves as a side entrance, adding an herb garden hosts fresh flavors and smells all year round. The effect of these synergies is a feeling of being more connected to the outdoors, whether you are inside or actually in the garden space.

While a structural remodel might not be in the plans, landscape design that is in strategic harmony with the architectural elements on the site can enhance the connection to the outdoor space. Optimizing small spaces as visual focal points is simple do to with container gardens. A water feature adds instant calm while masking any ambient noise. To create separation from close neighbors or municipal structure, use a trellis or arbor to create privacy and reduce visual impact. Beds of seasonal color outside a living room window remind us that summer will come again with time to actually go out and smell the moist earth, dig in the soil, plant the first seedlings and connect…if only for a few minutes.

Contact me to help you plan for summer and a great outdoor room in which to enjoy it.

 

 

 

HARDSCAPING: What kind of patio or walkway best suits your landscape?

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If you’re not familiar with the term, hardscaping is a word used to describe any type of hard surface impressed upon the landscape, including patios, driveways, walkways and more.

When choosing a hardscape option, keep both the aesthetic and the practical in mind. Here are some examples:

Drainage:

Often, a portion of the area needs to be “permeable”, to control where and how run-off drains into the surrounding areas. Pavers and natural stone are considered permeable if they are not mortar set, while cement or aggregate are less so. If there are drainage issues, sand set natural stone or pavers may a good option. These materials allow moisture to drain through the spaces between them evenly without creating much run off.

If there are significant drainage, erosion or moisture problems on the site they should always be addressed before, or as part of, installing any landscape project.

Design and aesthetics:

What fits the space, the surrounding architectural effects and the overall setting? A Japanese garden may work with a traditional tudor, and professional designers can develop ways to merge themes that might otherwise seem incompatible. Considerations such as colors, the size and shape of the space, and most importantly, how it will be used.

Budget:

There are various price ranges associated with installing hardscapes. The extent of leveling that is needed, as well as the materials selected, are both significant factors. Pavers are often the most cost-effective, followed by some concrete and natural stone treatments, just to scratch the surface. It is best to get an idea of budget ranges during the design process.

Accessibility:

If the site is difficult to reach and supplies and equipment need to be moved by hand it may limit the options. Logistics require careful advance planning. While a cement truck may not be practical in a tight space, a smaller scale option, such as combining pavers, tile or natural stones and using bagged cement may be ideal solutions.

An experienced landscape designer has solved these issues many times: knowing what’s out there and how to make informed choices based on aesthetics, budget and logistics. I am available as a consultant to help you make those choices and also provide for implementation services.

Please contact me if you are not sure what hardscape best suits your needs.

Cordially,

Michael

A combination of natural stone and sand set pavers

provide a striking contrast.  Greenlake, Seattle WA

Landscape Design and Spring Blooming Bulbs

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Planting bulbs and gathering grand bouquets of colored leaves are the hallmarks of fall and the changing season.  Choosing and planting bulbs can be anything from a simple family activity to an extensive plan for an open garden space.  Bulbs come in many varieties ranging from tiny Crocus, which are less than 3 inches tall to Parrot Tulips, which are over 3 feet high. Color palettes can be bright with primary colors, or softer with pastels.

For smaller gardens, I plant clumps of  like varieties and complimentary combinations with varying heights.  For gardens with larger areas, a drift of all one type of bulb  – in a single color – is stunning.   If the terrain is more open, such as hillsides or woodland gardens, bulbs can be used in bands to replicate the flow of a stream or other patterns.

Bulbs provide a non-stop show from late winter through late spring, depending on how you sequence them.  Snow Drops bloom as early as late January and some varieties of Tulips bloom as late as May.   Some of my favorite bulbs include: early-blooming ‘Lake of Fire’ Tulip, mid-blooming ‘Naturalizing Dream’ Narcissus and late-blooming ‘Merlin’ Narcissus.   The honorable, late blooming ‘Queen of the Night’  Tulip in an aubergine purple is always stunning.  Bulbs are extremely hearty and they don’t require a complicated process to plant in an existing garden.  If you have young people in the family, involving them in bulb planting  is an excellent way to expose them to outdoor education.  Write a note of what they planted and watch their realization when the sprigs of green start coming up.

I hope these tips keep you active and motivated to be in your garden space.  Feel free to contact me for a consultation if you have questions or need help developing a plan.