Designing a bare lot

By Dorothy Dobbie

New homes are usually sold with a bare minimum of landscaping, but this give you the chance to start from scratch. Imagine the possibilities!

What to consider

So, you have just purchased that brand-new forever home in a new neighbourhood where your kids can grow up and you can grow old with your mate. But the yard is a barren wasteland! Where do you start? What do you do? Here’s a bit of a map to help you avoid mistakes you will regret a few years down the road.

Environment

Start by assessing the space and its exposure to the elements, traffic and neighbours.

What direction is the sun going to shine from in the morning and afternoon? This will help decide where to locate a patio or a deck, preferably where it will receive morning sunshine and evening shade, sheltered from the heat of the blazing sun at the end of the day. Patios and decks do not have to be built against the foundation in the back yard. A floating deck or a patio can be located anywhere.

Consideration of the sun’s movements will dictate what to plant and where. Wind exposure will also impact what is planted. Some evergreens such as cedars are sensitive to winter drying and may not do well in a space where there is a lot of sun and wind. North facing areas near house foundations may receive very little light.

This could be the place for a Zen-inspired garden with a gravel base and some ornaments.

What about the neighbourhood? Are the lots welltreed or are immaculate lawns the choice of the majority? Neighbours might not appreciate a large maple shedding its leaves in fall. Large deciduous or fruit-dropping trees planted against a fence will affect the family next door. If they have many trees, they probably won’t care, but take this into consideration when choosing. Traffic will also dictate some decisions. In the coldest parts of Canada where salt and sand are deployed to keep the streets snow or ice free, plant salt-tolerant woody plants near the street. Spreaders put down extra product on curves. Corner lots will doubtless attract kids who cut across corners, too. A flower bed or some shrubs in that space can obstruct that traffic.

Lawns and gardens

Is the lot sodded? If not, spend a little extra to lay down a good foot of topsoil before adding the grass. Generally, the trucking fee makes up most of the cost so buying 10 yards at one time instead of five will not add significantly to the price. Soil will contain some unwanted weeds. Most provinces have banned the chemical bombing that used to sterilize the soil, which wasn’t good for growth anyway because it killed all the microscopic partners plants need to access minerals. Dead soil will not have weeds. Weedy soil will be healthy soil. Be patient and pull weeds that emerge. If you live in an area with a clay mix or if the land you

Cedars provide privacy, act as a wind block and are a haven for birds.

A smaller tree such as this Amur maple can still provide plenty of shade under its spreading branches.

Evergreens provide shelter and protect at the sides of the house.

A small floating patio at the front of the house.

Don't forget circles when planning your design.

Dealing with an old, weedy lawn. The homeowner added more topsoil, aided by a commercial seeding system such as Grotrax, a blanket embedded withseed.

are adding the topsoil to is compacted, but sure to dig some of the new soil into the base to make it easier for plant roots to penetrate and get at underlying minerals. If it’s sandy, order a coarser soil with plenty of compost.

Be aware that new home builders are not generous with topsoil, often laying down a scant four to six inches. Lawns will be lusher and easier to care for if there is a good foundation of soil well-furnished with organic matter. Flower beds should be topped up with additional topsoil.

Be aware, also, that soil will settle as much as 30 percent over a few months. Take this into account when deciding to build that raised vegetable bed. Best to put the soil down in fall and let it rest over winter.

Consider slope and drainage of the yard. Where are the high spots? Where are the low ones? High areas will be dry areas. Low areas may be soggy. Both will affect planting plans.

Some small city lots have done away with grass all together in front yards, opting for gravel, hoping for low maintenance. Disappointment can follow when the yard fills up with fallen leaves and other detritus so that over the years, the once pristine stone or gravel becomes a garden for weeds. Consider also that stone heats up and reflects sunlight back into the air around the home.

Grass and other groundcovers, on the other hand, require watering in dry years, but expire the moisture, cooling their surroundings. The good news is that raking leaves is no longer the trend. Instead, run the mower over the leaves to break them up. The tiny animals under the surface will gobble the remains in no time and nourish the garden while doing it.

Trees and shrubs

Woody plants, trees and shrubs, are the bones of the garden or yard. They impact sun and wind exposure, and well-placed trees can save the homeowner as much as 20 percent in heating and cooling costs. Think again about the sun and wind direction when considering where to plant trees and what trees to plant.

Size, shape, density are all considerations. Choosing a tree too big for a lot is a common mistake. While height can be an issue, conflicting with overhead wires or streetlights, shape and spread is often overlooked.

Establish spaces in the yard.

Barberry.

A small floating deck to provide a garden view.

Barberry. A small floating deck to provide a garden view. No grass in this front yard; these gardeners put down bark mulch instead.

Trees can be columnar, pyramidal, global and compact, or they can be open and spreading. A spreading shape on a small city lot may be a bad idea, even if the mature tree height is limited. On the other hand, a columnar cedar or apple will look inappropriate if planted singly on a big lot. Columnar trees need a backdrop or to be planted in threes or fives, perhaps to mark a boundary.

Foliage density, such as that provided by evergreens, will block wind. Spreading trees provide dappled shade, even if the tree is not large.

Shrubs should be carefully chosen with the same thoughts in mind. While many shrubs have dwarf varieties, the word “dwarf” can be misleading. Ask for exact mature dimensions. If planning a hedge, be sure the shrubs chosen can be cut back severely when they become overgrown. Some varieties may not survive this kind of pruning.

How is the view?

Think about viewing points when laying out the garden plan. What can be seen from the kitchen window? How accessible is the vegetable and herb garden to the kitchen? Do you want bird song and dappled shade to cut the sun’s glare on your bedroom window? Once again, what is the sun access like?

Most vegetables like to be in the sun, so don’t plan to put a big shade tree near this plot. How much shadow will a detached garage or a high fence cast on the vegetable garden and for how long? Sun loving plants need six to eight hours of sunlight a day. While there are some root vegetables that can do with a bit less, the best vegetable gardens will take full advantage of a sunny spot.

Shady areas are important too, places to escape from the heat of the day, where muted greens and blues ease the eyes and big-leafed hosta can thrive. Plan these spaces. Perhaps a small patio with a side table and a couple of arm chairs. Make this a deliberate part of the garden scheme and place it where it can be seen from an activity-intensive part of the home.

The view is the part of the garden you can enjoy all year long.

What to look for in good soil

Check the soil before buying. It doesn’t have to be black to be good, but it should have the following qualities. 1. Check the reputation of the purveyor and don’t go for the cheapest soil you can buy. 2. A squeezed handful and should hold its shape for a bit before crumbling. This will general indicate that the soil contains enough organics to retain moisture and provide food for microscopic entities that help break down minerals for plant use. 3. Good soil will also have a gritty feel between your thumb and forefinger. The sandy grit contains the minerals plants need. It will also allow water to percolate through the soil.

An opposing view on tree size

By shauna dobbie

You hear all the time that you shouldn’t put a big tree on a small lot. I’ve lived in Downtown(ish) Toronto for over 20 years and I have this to say: pfft. If it weren’t for big trees on small lots this city would have even less than its current 31-percent tree canopy coverage. There are certainly times when I see some pretty big trees squished up against a house, or a monstrosity blocking sight of the door from 15 feet away at the street. I would recommend against some tree placement on small city lots, and against certain tree varieties; I have yet to see a weeping willow happily thriving on a 14-foot wide property. But the magnificent chestnuts and maples that were saplings when houses were first built in the early 1900s? Bring ‘em on. They are what make a residential street a neighbourhood. They offer relief from the searing sun and provide the perfect dark foil for frosty snowfalls. So, if you’re moving into a home on a small lot of 20 feet or less frontage, I say go ahead with a tree that will grow big. It may convince your neighbours to do the same.