Fresh Concept
Soften Your Hardscape It’s Time to Plant! By Janette Calabro
The American dream for outdoor living is constantly evolving, but any landscape space has two distinct parts. Structures like patios, fire pits, swimming pools, and retaining walls are called hardscape. The softscape, on the other hand, consists of all the living things that make up the yard—trees, shrubs, flowering plants, and gardens. Blend the two with a cohesive plan, and you’ll have a harmonious outdoor balance. Last month, we talked about the appeal of outdoor living and the popularity of hardscape improvements. Building bigger patios, upgrading outdoor kitchens, adding water features, lighting your space for security and ambience, and creating walkways for a reflective aesthetic all work beautifully for landscape transformation. This month, we’ll focus on what to plant around the patio, along the walkways, and in the yard to create color and beauty throughout. It’s always best to start with your hardscape and then build your softscape around it. During your planning, remember that a landscape designer can work wonders for what to do and how and when to do it, saving you time, effort, and money. Building or planting without a designer can lead to stress and costly mistakes. Even if you prefer to do your own planting, it’s smart to consult with a pro during the planning stages. Common gardening mistakes include failing to prep the soil, overplanting or crowding, and putting the right plant in the wrong spot. Plants grow best when they get the nutrients they need, and not every plant needs the same nutrients in the same ratios. When plants can get these nutrients from the soil, they won’t need excessive chemical fertilizers. At a minimum, you should mix the existing soil with an equal amount of organic compost. For optimum plant success, you should have your soil tested to see precisely which nutrients it needs. Overplanting and crowding can also limit your softscape’s success. While some plants can thrive en masse, others just end up competing for limited nutrients and water. Of course, plants also start smaller than they end up. Young plants, appropriately spaced, will fill in as the season goes on. Crowded plants might grow in odd shapes, with less aesthetic appeal. Plant health and growth depend on many factors, including how much direct sunlight the plant gets each day, how wet or dry the soil is, and the length of the growing season. Plants that are native to the area are likely to grow well and may not need much watering beyond rainfall. Check the USDA Hardiness Zone Map to make sure the plants you desire will withstand the winter in your area. A landscaping expert can be of great use on this subject—they’re very familiar with what plants will thrive in what locations. Knowing the difference between perennials and annuals can help you choose what to plant. Perennials hang around for several growing seasons, dying off in the 20
May 2021
winter and growing back in the spring from the same root system. Annuals go through their entire life cycle, from seed to flower, in a single growing season. Some plants can grow as annuals in one climate and as perennials in another, depending on the growing conditions and length of the season. Tree and shrub placement is vital to your landscape. Before you plant trees, plan for the size and space you’re planting in. The attention paid to proper spacing is even more important with trees and shrubs than it is with smaller plants—after all, many common urban trees can grow 50 feet high! An arborist’s expertise can be invaluable when you’re choosing which trees to plant and where. Avoid planting trees directly in front of your house or too close to the foundation, driveway, or sidewalk. For a screen around the house, plant hedges and shrubs 15 to 20 feet away from the street. Let’s take a look at something that can qualify as hardscape or softscape in the yard: walls. Tiered levels or simple bed borders made with stone, blocks, or wood are common for dividing space in the yard. For privacy, however, you may want something taller. Instead of a fence, you can softscape walls using trees, shrubs, and hedges for a natural, open look. As your natural walls continue to grow, so does the value of your property. Enhance walkways with stunning flowerbeds or shrubs by combining annuals and perennials. Get creative by curving flowering plants around trees already planted in the yard. Create a peaceful, organic flow with strategic planning for those plants that love sun and those that love shade. Full sun generally means a minimum of six hours of direct sunlight per day. Part shade is three to six hours of sun, and full shade usually means less than three hours of direct sunlight per day. No matter what the light situation is in your yard, you can still get a full spectrum of color. In full sun, try the Midnight Marvel hibiscus, Lemon Drop evening primrose, or Banana Cream Shasta daisies. Impatiens love shade—plant them in pots around the shaded areas in your patio, then sit back and enjoy the view. For more shade-loving plants, try coral bells. They produce vibrant burgundy to lime green hues, and they shoot up delicate spires of flowers all summer. Oakleaf hydrangea is a flowering shrub that offers impressive blooms in early summer and colorful foliage into the fall—plan for morning sun and afternoon shade.
