More and larger community gardens are cropping up this spring, the latest including plots at Salvation Army’s Greenwood Lake Camp, Ross Street Park and the Delaware County Community Market.
In garden design, there is no philosophy more commonly admired, desired, or replicated than the English Garden. The very thought of the phrase conjures images of lush, manicured, and serene vistas brimming with beautiful plants in harmony. The English garden essentially is a combination of staunchly symmetrical French gardens and naturally-arranged Chinese gardens. The English philosophy relies on the juxtaposition of these two beautiful styles. Another keystone of the English garden is the incorporation of manmade structures set among pastoral landscapes. What makes an English garden my favorite is how easily these principles can be utilized in any garden, no matter how big or small. To best understand the English garden, it helps to know a bit about its origins.
Call them allotment gardens, victory gardens or community gardens, it’s all the same.
Vegetable gardens are commonplace in suburbia; however, edible landscaping is a relatively new trend. What’s the difference? Instead of planting vegetables in neat rows, the recent trend is to use edibles in landscape design by intermingling them with ornamentals and even using edibles as ornamentals. The practice of edible landscaping is not new, as it dates back to the ancient Egyptians and was also used in the medieval monasteries by the monks in designing their gardens. The recent rise in the popularity of edible landscaping began in the early 1980s and is credited, by many, to Rosalind Creasy. She is the author of several popular books on the subject.
Good manners should be required in all aspects of our lives, including our yard and garden. Take a few moments to consider how your lawn or garden may affect your neighbor because most agree, “one man’s treasure is another man’s trash.”
A raised bed garden by definition is simply one that is elevated off the ground. The bed can be solid to the ground and constructed with sides made of wood, brick, or other materials. The bed can simply be a berm with no permanent edges. Or, the bed can be completely elevated off the ground so that a chair can be placed under it. How you design your raised bed garden depends on your available resources, where you are putting it, and how you intend to use it.
One of my very favorite aspects of the gracious historical homes of downtown Delaware is the dazzling display of heirloom shrubs, trees, and flowers. They add just as much charm and interest to the property as the delicate gingerbreading of the doorways and gables. I passionately believe in the perseverance of heirloom plants and vegetables. I would like to share some of my favorite heirlooms with you, how care for heirlooms can differ from modern hybrids, and how to identify your favorites.
The lasagna I am referring to is a garden method not an entrée. Lasagna gardening was started and made popular in the late 1990s. It is an age old idea to start composting with a new twist or two.