Archive by Author

Snow in the Air: and your Garden

18 Jan

Don’t be to concerned about your garden and the predictions for snow. We’ve had good moisture before the snow so the ground is wet, but not soggy. If it snows enough to cover plants, the snow will act like a blanket to protect plants from the wind.  If it doesn’t cover plants and the wind comes up we have worries. Then, throw an old blanket over your favorites, or those in direct east winds.  The other thing to remember is don’t bury planting beds in more snow when clearing the driveway and walkways. The weight may crush shrubs.  Lawns can take a beating with kids playing, but their fun outways the week or so of extra care in spring. So, sit back and enjoy or get outside and play.

Enjoy your seed catalogs and hot chocolates.

 

Roses and easy care in the same breath? Yes

10 Jan
Roses and easy care go together when one uses carpet roses. These Knock Out roses bloom all summer.
Knock Our Roses

Roses can be easy

It’s that time of year when bare root roses can still be ordered for spring planting:  www.jacksonandperkins.com  and www.heirloomroses.com  are two places that have fabulous selections, and look to carpet roses for spectacular color all summer and even into fall.  They are low maintenance, disease resistant and beautiful.  I use carpet roses in big masses for the strong color statement they make. Plant them about 4′ apart. They self dead head, need water in August, and they need to be sheared in the late fall.  That is just about all they need. Other colors include pink, white and yellow.

Christine Ellis, Gregg & Ellis Landscape Designs, Portland, Oregon and Vancouver, Washington since 1995

Jack Oh! Lanterns

1 Nov

Happy Halloween. I am having so much fun with trick or treaters. We have already had 30. This compares to the all time high of 12 in our old house. The new door color is really taking its place with the fall colors coming on.

Plant Bulbs this month: get your naked ladies now

10 Oct

Yes, the rains are here, which makes it a perfect time to plant bulbs for spring.  The obvious daffodils and tulips shouldn’t be forgotten, but what about allium. These painted allium stalks started life in spring as purple balls. They were fun all year. Fall crocus in so many yards at this time of year is colchicum. Their leaves come up in spring then the flowers appear in the fall. 

While you’re at the nursery, also look for the naked lady, Amaryllis belladonna. She is dramatic.

A New Garden Grows

5 Oct

Have you been wondering what I’m up to? You haven’t? Well, I’ll keep writing anyway. It took a week to paint the house its new colors, the base is Vinal Haven, trim Monument Gray and the door eye popping orange. All from Miller Paints.  This weekend the new trellis was installed.

It’s my own design. Wow what a process. Get an idea in your big toe, draw it as best you can and poof, it’s in your front yard. Metal Garden Innovations fabricated it from my drawing. The neighbors are still deciding whether to like it or not.  A path goes under it later

Patios can be fun

5 Oct

Don’t be boring. This new patio uses 3 surfaces, circle pavers, flagstone & used brick.

Be fun. Create a sitting area & dining area.  Also notice a new screen for privacy & the seating wall for extra room. This new space has plenty of flexibility.

Christine Ellis, Landscape Designer, Gregg & Ellis Landscape Desgins, in Portland OR & Vancouver WA since 1995.

A New Garden Grows

19 Aug

I love sagebrush & sagebrush country. For years I’ve wanted to get those rich colors over here on the west side of the mountains.

So, I bring home bits & pieces of rock, sagebrush, lichen, juniper & hundreds of pictures trying to figure out ‘What is this sagebrush color palette?’. With our moist climate even juniper is too green.  I’ve chosen plants  that have the colors of the rocks, ground & lichen to grow a tapestry hedge.  This pictures shows Barberry Concorde with deep dark lava colors. The Pieris Little Heath has the burnt copper of lichen & the white of parched dry twigs.  The Barberry Royal Burgundy has the colors of pine bark. The Holly Little Rascal has the prickles and mahogany of red lava.   Lavender Provence will be that one pop of color that surprises even in dry country.  The foliage will be green gray (sage) all seasons with the Globe Blue Spruce.  Monrovia.com is a great resource for looking at these & more plants. Under plant catalog search for these names to get a better understanding for potentials in your yard.

A tapestry hedge is one that is made up of different textured & colored leaves rather than one plant like boxwoods.  I will allow the plants to grow together & stay about 2 feet high. 

Does this help make sense of the design?

A new Garden Grows

18 Aug

OK, in all fairness to open disclosure, I started planning the new garden on our first visit to the house, before even seeing the inside. In the month between that visit & moving in, an entire master plan was in my head. You’re not surprised, I bet. The plan here is a working design with most of the decisions made.  The porch will be extended out 2′ to accommodate chairs & a small table. A new walkway up to the door will eliminate using the driveway.  Six feet wide is gracious for 2 people to walk side by side. The clematis needs a new trellis. I want to keep the simple 1960′s feel, but not the 60′s plants. Remember what I just took out?  I knew the yellow needed to go, but thought it may not happen until next year. It also gave me  a once in a lifetime opportunity to plan the plant palette & then choose paint colors to match the plants. What fun!   

Tomorrow I’ll go into the plants I chose & my thoughts about them. I’ll also get a better copy of the design.

Front yard sitting spot

17 Aug
  This easy front patio was carved out of a useless dry area under the eaves.  It’s perfect for afternoon   tea.   This winter it will be fun to sit out in the rain too.
  It also creates warm welcome.

Your Front Yard as Patio

17 Aug
Enjoy the Sunset  

Create a welcoming patio

The East West Advantage

When your home faces east or west, take advantage of your good fortune by creating a courtyard or patio in the front. Then when these beautiful summer days come along, you have a place in the shade for the morning paper or evening cocktail.

A north facing home has the advantage of all day shade.  This can be a great relief from the all day sun in the backyard.
Often the front is thought of as only ‘street appeal’, when it can be a vibrant living room with neighbors who stop by to share news while walking their dog. Or watch the kids while enjoying the day. Maybe the front is a quiet area away from the play in back.
Take a new look at your front yard.  It has possibilities.
← Older Entries

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 65 other followers