Garden of Seasons
According to the research and study on the Arts and Crafts Gardens, especially in Gertrude Jerkyll’s work, the planting of gardens are generally organised by both the harmony of colours and different blooming seasons. Thus the idea of the Garden of Seasons intends to arrange flowers to create several seasonal corners within the existing garden according to their blooming seasons as well as the shade tolerance. The work coveres design drawings, planting lists, and maintance plan.
Fall 2020, Evolving Perspectives in Plant-Driven Design Colonnade Alley, Charlottesville, VA
C. Colston Burrell
SITE PLAN
FlowersGrassesGroundcover
COLLAGE | FALL GARDEN
COLLAGE | SUMMER GARDEN
SEASONAL CHANGE
SOIL PREPARATION
Establish perimeter
Locate irrigation, electrical, gas, and cable lines.
Remove trees as well as any other undesirable plants.
Remove, by hand, 12-18" top soil and place onto adjacent tarp.
Working from the back of the bed to the front to minimize compaction:
In layers add 3-4 inches compost (ideally with humus), 3-4" original top soil, 2-3" manure. Mix thoroughly as each layer of amendment is added. I would also add 1-2" of alfalfa meal if top soil is very heavy (dense clay).
At this point the soil should be at least 2-3" higher than original soil line.
Cover bed with 1-2" finely ground pine bark or other acceptable mulch.
MONTHLY MAINTENANCE PLAN
JANUARY
Start cutting back Joe-Pye Weed
Remove chopped leaf mulch from the crown of the asters
Pull winter weeds
Start taking basal cuttings of bellflowers
FEBRUARY
Pull winter weeds
Begin cutback of perennials and grasses
MARCH
Continue cutting back perennials and grasses
Remove winter protection from any plants that were heavily mulched or wrapped
Fertilize beds and individual plants as needed with Gardentone or equivalent
Water plants well if spring rains don’t do it.
Side dress Peonies with compost or aged manure. If botrytis blight was present the previous season, cover ground around plant with a thin (one-quarter inch) layer of sand and spray new shoots with Bordeaux mix or lime sulphur. Set stakes or other supports in place now.
Cut meadow gardens with sickle bar and rake up.
Top dress the beds with compost and mulch with light, bark-free compost if needed
Aerate turf as needed and seed bare spots
Divide and reset fall-blooming perennials as needed after growing tips have emerged.
APRIL
Divide and reset perennials as needed
Begin spring/summer weeding
Evaluate plantings for additions of plants/bulbs to improve the display for garden week open garden
Plant all new perennials, shrubs and trees
Stake peonies and bellflowers
Watch for signs of botrytis blight of peonies and treat as needed, removing any diseased tissue immediately.
Train through plant supports as plants grow. Remove side buds if exhibition-size blooms are desired.
MAY
Renewal prune spring flowering shrubs after flowering as needed
Continue weeding
Fertilize container plants every other week
Deadhead Peonies religiously and remove all fallen petals or blooms from the garden.
JUNE
Moniter watering needs throughout the summer
Trim aromatic asters back
Cut back asters and goldenrods to control height
Order bulbs for autumn planting
Continue weeding
JULY
Deadhead May/June blooming perennials to encourage reblooming
Monitor drought/heat stress on trees and shrubs as needed
Weeds
Monitor and spray plants as needed w/fungicide
Continue weeding
AUGUST
Continue weeding
Monitor and spray plants as needed w/fungicide
Weed goldenrod
Trim back fading flowers of bellflower to encourage rebloom later in the season.
SEPTEMBER
Divide spring and summer bloomers if needed
Overseed turf as needed
Plant bulbs through October
Monitor and spray plants as needed w/fungicide
Cover water features during leaf drop
OCTOBER
Chop leaves and begin mulching beds
Cut stems of Herbaceous Peonies back to soil level and remove from the area. Dig and divide plants now if necessary. Mulch new plantings with evergreen boughs or salt marsh hay after the ground freezes.
Cut back lilies and other succulent perennials after hard frost
Cutting back new England asters after blooming to avoid self-seeding, and divide them every 2-3 years to promote vigorous specimens
Cover water features during leaf drop
NOVEMBER
Add mulch for winter protection as needed
Deep water trees and shrubs if there is insufficient rain
Pull winter weeds
Cover water features during leaf drop
DECEMBER
Pull winter weeds
LONG-TERM MAINTENANCE
• Divide spring and summer bloomers in autumn, and autumn bloomers in spring after their growing tips have emerged every 2-3 years as needed
• Keep cutting back milky bellflowers, joe-pye weed and other aggresive plants after blooming to avoid self-seeding.
• Keep cutting back asters and goldenrods to control height and spread.
• Add mulch for winter protection
OTHERWORK
Surveying and Mapping, Fall 2016
Modeling, Fall 2018
Disposal
With wood, plexi, a piece of cloth, fish lines and feeding gravity sets contained with watercolor, we simulated how the trash in areas of different topography would affect the soil with the flowing of water.
Grasshopper Spatial Practice, Fall 2020
*executed with Tian Wang, Po Yi Lin, Zheyu Liu, MLA 20’, UVA
*executed with Zheyu Liu, MLA 20’, UVA *credit to Tian Wang and Po Yi Lin, MLA 20’, UVA
Film Photography
