garden

From left to right: Looking toward the car turnaround,
crushed concrete offers a permeable, recycled surface
for paths, here flanked by garlic chives and fountain
grass. When not disturbed by splashing children and
grandchildren, the swimming pool's still surface reflects
exuberant plantings of Persicaria amplexicaulis 'Firetail',
a Styphnolobium japonicum tree, Rudbeckia, Pennisetum
alopecuroides, Miscanthus sinensis 'Gracillimus' and
Panicum virgatum 'North wind'. A small pool on the terrace
hosts aquatic plants and is oriented so that summer's
setting sun lights up the living room.
just off the terrace outside the living room. Sited
just so, the late-afternoon sun reflects off the water,
casting a warm glow into the house. A swimming
pool beyond, behind the garage (which doubles as a
pool house), has a lap-pool area as well as a shallow
wading pool for little ones. Groft designed the pool
to fit easily into the landscape, surrounding it with
lush plantings that are reflected picture-perfect in
the water, at least when the grandchildren aren't
splashing about. With the ocean only 600 feet away
beyond the hedge and within easy earshot, sitting
in a deck chair by the pool, the homeowner can
feel like she's at the beach, enjoying the life of a
Hamptonite, but with a natural twist, r
CAREFREE ATTITUDE
LET IT GROW
Some gardeners have an itchy trigger finger on their pruners and hedge trimmers,
fastidiously clipping shrubs and whacking at perennials as soon as anything starts
to look less than perfect. But all this cutting produces waste, and the everythingmust-go
approach deprives wildlife of food and cover. Consider keeping your pruners
in the holster and letting nature take its course. With careful plant selection, the
garden can strut its stuff in multiple seasons, and many perennials can be limited to
a once-a-year buzz cut in late winter before new growth begins.
KEEP IT LOW
The less maintenance a garden requires, the less effort and expense, and the lower
the impact on the environment. Choose plants well suited to the location, with minimal
water needs, multiseason interest and pest-free durability. Continue to do all
those smart gardener things: Get the soil in good shape at the start, compost organic
waste, and mulch beds to keep moisture in and weeds out. Who doesn't love
the idea of less work?
DON'T MOW
Lawns have their place, but it's no secret that big sweeps of perfect lawn are hogs
about water, fertilizer and pesticides. Calculate how much lawn area you really
need and stick to a minimum. Don't be a maniac about keeping it clipped into a
flawless carpet; you can mow less frequently and the lawn can still look good.
Some gardeners even take a "mow what grows" approach and don't bother with
seeding, sodding, overseeding, etc. There are also lawn alternatives such as sedges
and types of grass that require less maintenance than others.
APRIL 09 GARDEN DESIGN 47