Annie's Gardening Corner: October 2014

Friday, October 31, 2014

Friday’s Design Thought

One might be expecting pumpkins today but it’s a Friday design thought instead. It's one that includes more visuals; less words. This design thought relates to any property but particularly when dealing with a challenging site. Stability of a site can often overpower and forgo the balance of a design. In this design example below, it's creating an artful balance; it's designing the best of 'both' worlds.

© Copyright note: the above images and designs have been developed by and are the property of Bilowz Associates Inc. and should not be reproduced in any manner nor are they to be assigned to any third party without the expressed written permission and consent of Bilowz Associates Inc.

If you like this blog, check in for your daily share's worth of garden inspiration, landscape architecture and design tips; always original, not cookie cutter and copied. Just like our design work, we strive for unique! We invite you to contact Bilowz Associates, Inc., or to browse our portfolios. Like our Facebook follow on Twitter or subscribe to the blog to receive posts daily via email or a feed. You can follow with visuals on Pinterest and find us on LinkedIn and Houzz, too. And you can also find us back on our Google+ Business Page. (Landscape architects/Landscape Design/serving Massachusetts and New England.)

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

The Last of What Fall Brings

On this #WordlessWednesday, it's a collage of late October fall images.

Plus a few choice lines from Cheryl Wheeler's song, 'When Fall Comes to New England.' It reminds me why this season is a special time here in New England.

When fall comes to New England

And the wind blows off the sea

Swallows fly in a perfect sky

And the world was meant to be…

'Cause when fall comes to New England

Oh I can't turn away

From fading light on flying wings

And late good-byes a robin sings

And then another thousand things

When fall comes to New England…

‘When Fall Comes To New England’ ~ Lyrics from Cheryl Wheeler

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Rethinking Space

This recently designed perennial garden once was inhabited with vegetables in a past design iteration.

Outdoor spaces should always be designed to serve a certain purpose. But because life changes, somewhere down the road that particular space may no longer serve the same need. Coming to a quick conclusion of redesign makes it easier to find a new purpose for that space.

Need a perfect example when it’s time to rethink an outdoor space? This recently designed perennial garden once was inhabited with vegetables in a past design iteration. Part of the client’s initial design criteria - that a vegetable garden be a ‘must’ in the overall master plan. But after two years of veggies in the ground, a certain reality hit big. This alluring thought of growing vegetables wasn’t as alluring as it was in its beginning stages. The daily time commitment for a vegetable garden with an increasingly demanding schedule meant back to the drawing board with a simplistic design fix.

The charm of creating a showcase kitchen garden plus growing your own food can win out during the early design and planning phases. Falling in love with that initial idea is quickly overturned by the deal breaker - that daily commitment during growing season. The truth about a vegetable garden - a day cannot slip by without someone’s attention to tending the crop. When that fun hobby quickly dwindles, before you know it, there’s an unkempt vegetable garden staring you in the face. The ugly doesn’t outweigh the elbow grease and work. Plain and simple –veggies are more demanding and unforgiving than perennials.

Just a word of caution - one of the trickiest parts of maintaining a beautiful landscape, at least if you want vibrant plant life is keeping healthy and happy plants. Too often the 'wow' factor of plant materials in the ground gets trumped by aftercare. Maintaining and keeping any plant material looking fresh requires your efforts or a knowledgeable crew; it should look better than the day it went in. Perennial gardens, even the best of the native layouts should not be confused with ‘maintenance-free’. But when compared to a vegetable garden, especially an eye-catching one, well, you get the drift. Kitchen gardens can turn unattractive very quickly if it doesn’t receive daily care and upkeep.

When you tackle your outdoor rooms, the possibilities can be endless. But don’t fret if there’s a part of your landscape where a particular space no longer serves the same need. Come to a quick conclusion - it’s just time to rethink your space.

© Copyright note: this image & design have been developed by and is the property of Bilowz Associates Inc. and should not be reproduced in any manner nor are they to be assigned to any third party without the expressed written permission and consent of Bilowz Associates Inc.

If you like this blog, check in for your daily share's worth of garden inspiration, landscape architecture and design tips; always original, not cookie cutter and copied. Just like our design work, we strive for unique! We invite you to contact Bilowz Associates, Inc., or to browse our portfolios. Like our Facebook follow on Twitter or subscribe to the blog to receive posts daily via email or a feed. You can follow with visuals on Pinterest and find us on LinkedIn and Houzz, too. And you can also find us back on our Google+ Business Page. (Landscape architects/Landscape Design/serving Massachusetts and New England.)

Monday, October 27, 2014

Nipping at the Heels

As we near the end of October, our colorful backdrop of New England foliage suddenly falls to the ground. But consider these 'Annie' choices for continuing color in your late-season garden. That is before the chill of November starts nipping at our garden heels.

First up it's the Nippon Daisy or Montauk Daisy (Nipponanthemum nipponicum) that offers you the likes of summer. This late blooming autumn flower depending on your zone could still be in full bloom right now.

It’s the Nippon Daisy with its late blooming autumn flower.

Couple this with a few more favorites. Here's one from last October's post - First Place Backdrop Perennial. Take a peek at why this is a 'must-have' plant for the autumn garden - Amsonia hubrichtii. It's one of our all-star favorites but the grand finale is its late-season foliage, taking it over the top. You can add ornamental grasses for last season interest but here's a winner Hydrangea - H. paniculata 'Unique'. Include this one into your backdrop. Why? Because this particular Hydrangea provides much for your garden's late season interest. What starts off as a beautiful white blossom in the summer turns into, well, isn't this color just sweet?

H. paniculata 'Unique' should be included into your backdrop late color mix.

Yes, the autumn leaves and its mass of brilliance may soon be missing from the fall scene but these top choices extend color and foliage in the background while November nips at your heels. As Henry Beston pointed out, “The leaves fall, the wind blows, and the farm country slowly changes from the summer cottons into its winter wools.” So keep a backdrop of color to make the shift in temperatures feel a tad less cold.

Even in an October snow, the H. paniculata 'Unique' offers color to your late-season garden.

Friday, October 24, 2014

Friday Flash

Another Coastal Design Project in Progress by Bilowz Associates Inc.

It’s a quick look at one of Bilowz Associates Inc.’s coastal design projects in progress plus a recap from this past Wednesday’s post, ‘Mastering the Plan.’ It’s just a Friday flash reminder that the latter part of fall and winter serve as the perfect time for your design and approval process with coastal, riverfront or wetland properties. Keep an eye on our Houzz profile where more images and descriptions of this coastal project should be posted soon. As Gerard Way states, “One day your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure it’s worth watching.”

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Mastering the Plan

Mastering the Plan - Bilowz Associates Inc. Master Plan /South Shore Riverfront property

On this rainy New England Wednesday, put a slot in your calendar - 'Mastering the Landscape Plan'. These cooler months signal the perfect time to work on the design phase of your landscape project. If you missed this post back in August, Cool Days = Perfect for Planting Again, a riverfront property designed by Bilowz Associates Inc. was shown in its spring planting phase. Above is our rendered master plan.

For garden folks just searching for useful fall planting tips, a click on this past link offers this. But for those undertaking any design and/or construction projects within the jurisdiction of coastal, riverfront, or wetlands, it's mandated that your local conservation commission be involved in the approval process of your design.

When your landscape thoughts might be slowing down, don't go into dormancy and assume the design and planning process can wait 'til spring. If your intention is to be planting in the other perfect season - spring, mastering the landscape plan is critical during the upcoming cooler months. The latter part of fall and winter offer the perfect time to undertake this design and approval process. Use this time wisely to be mastering your landscape plan.

© Copyright note: this image & design have been developed by and is the property of Bilowz Associates Inc. and should not be reproduced in any manner nor are they to be assigned to any third party without the expressed written permission and consent of Bilowz Associates Inc.