Blue Planet Garden Blog

Book Review: Lawn Gone!

Not only is the lawn reform movement still going strong; I'm happy to report that it continues to gain momentum. Lawn Gone!: Low-Maintenance, Sustainable, Attractive Alternatives for Your Yard by popular blogger and garden designer Pam Penick  is the latest book to tackle the topic. Its soup-to-nuts approach, inspiring photos and emphasis on DIY solutions make it a must-have for anyone considering reducing or eliminating lawn.

The book is divided into three parts. “Part One: Beyond the Lawn” explores what to do with all the real estate eliminating or reducing a lawn makes available. Low-growing plant alternatives are discussed in detail, but Lawn Gone also makes a case for replacing lawn with new living spaces and garden features, such as patios, ponds and play spaces.

Mixed species lawn. Design and photograph by Rebecca Sweet

“Part Two: Out with the Grass, In with a Garden” gives step-by-step instructions on removing an existing lawn. This is an area where the book really shines, as Pam explores multiple methods, and provides the pros and cons of each. She knows her target audience of DIYers well, and also includes instructions on planning and creating a range of garden features, from how to edge pathways, to basics on bed preparation.

A welcoming space for entertaining. Photograph courtesy of Pam Penick

In “Part Three: The Politics, Health and Safety of Going Lawnless,” Pam provides tips on dealing with both man-made obstacles (think HOAs and city codes) and natural ones, such as lawn alternatives for fire prone areas.

Design and photograph by Kelly Kipatrick

 

What I liked

• The book is one of the most well-organized and thorough resources I have yet to read on on lawn alternatives. What isn’t addressed?  From removing lawn, to dealing with skeptical neighbors, Lawn Gone covers all your questions, including some you probably haven’t even thought of yet.

• I enjoyed the conversational tone of the book, which feels appropriate for both advanced and new gardeners. as even those with years of gardening under their belts don’t necessarily have experience with removing and replacing lawn.

• The inclusion of regional experts greatly broadens the Lawn Gone’s potential readership. In the final chapter, Pam taps garden experts from eleven regions of the country for suggestions on the best lawn alternatives for their specific area. Beyond that, throughout the book advice is regularly qualified as to what parts of the country the tips apply to.

• Lawn Gone paints an enticing picture of the lawn-free lifestyle without sugarcoating the realities of what’s involved to get there. While you may be thrilled to ditch the lawnmower, Pam makes it clear that a successful garden still requires an ongoing commitment.

 

Quibbles

No quibbles this time, but be sure to do your research before following any of the specific plant advice in the book. Many of the plants mentioned, in particular the ornamental grasses, are invasive in California and other regions of the country - I counted more than one plant  I would hesitate to recommend to my clients. This can’t really be avoided in a book geared towards a national audience, but follow the advice Pam includes in Lawn Gone, and be sure to check online or with your county’s extension program before choosing plants for your garden.

Confidential to California gardeners: The alternatives provided that most closely mimic a lawn are mainly those grown from seed or plugs. Since here in California we're addicted to the look of fresh sod rolled out in a new garden, I usually specify no-mow native grass mixes in sod form for my clients. Check out Delta Bluegrass for alternatives that work in a range of USDA zone 9 cultural conditions.

 A must read for anyone considering reducing or eliminating a lawn, Lawn Gone provides a thoughtful, well-researched mix of step-by-step solutions and troubleshooting tips.

 

I received this book as a review copy. Photos reprinted with permission from Lawn Gone! Low-Maintenance, Sustainable, Attractive Alternatives for Your Yard by Pam Penick (Ten Speed Press, 2013).

 

DeWit Potting Scoop Giveaway!

 

DeWit Potting Scoop designed by Shawna Coronado

Regular readers know that small space gardens come up a lot around here, whether I’m focusing on design, plant selection or even my recent foray into technology. Today I’m approaching this topic from a different angle – tools that are particular effective in smaller spaces.

Earlier this year, DeWit Tools sent me two of their new potting scoops – one to try and one to give away.  Designed by longtime gardener Shawna Coronado, you can tell a real gardener played a role in the tool’s creation, as the scoop possesses a host of thoughtful features only a person who regularly gets their hands dirty would think of. For one thing, the scoop is larger than a traditional trowel with more deeply angled sides to keep soil from spilling out. The bottom edge is sharpened, making it effective for cutting through compacted soil and small roots.  And Shawna added a feature I can’t believe hasn’t been thought of before – a small notch on the edge that’s perfect for slicing open bags of soil. Yes, I have a soil knife and garden scissors, and no, they are NEVER handy when I’m filling a new container or planting bed with soil or compost. Meanwhile, my trowel is always within grabbing distance.

Features like this make the DeWit potting scoop a solid tool for any size gardens, but container gardeners or others who garden in small spaces in particular should take note. Besides the features already listed, part of its uniqueness is in its larger size and durable construction of hand-forged carbon steel. All of this combined make it a perfect fit not only for scooping soil into containers, but a great choice for jobs too big for a traditional trowel, yet too small for a full-sized shovel. In my own garden, I plant a lot of one gallons and four inch pots, and I frequently find that a trowel does the job too slowly and messily, while a full-sized shovel is too awkward to maneuver in a constricted space. Say hello to your new best friend.

If Shawna’s name sounds familiar to you, that may because a photo from her garden is featured in Garden Up! Smart Vertical Gardening for Small and Large Spaces , and also in the presentations that I give on both vertical gardening and small space garden design. Shawna’s love of gardening and her connection to environment infuses everything she does.  It’s wonderful to see her bring her talents to a new arena.

 

Shawna Coronado displays a collection of antique insulators inherited from her grandmother. From "Garden Up!"

And now for the good part – the giveaway! To win your own DeWit potting scoop, leave a comment by midnight on March 20th. And you don’t have to be a small-space gardener; when it comes to giveaways this is an equal opportunity blog. As long as you are a resident of the United States, that is. The winner will be announced on this blog post on Thursday, March 21.

 Good lucky everyone!

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Updated 3-21: And the winner is Diane C.! Congrats Diane, and thank you to everyone who entered!

Gardening App: Foolproof Plants for Small Gardens

 

I’m thrilled to announce the publication of my new gardening app, Foolproof Plants for Small Gardens. Published by Sutro Media and available for $2.99 from both iTunes and Google Play (where it is titled Plant Picks for Small Gardens), this app is yet another manifestation of my ongoing obsession with small space design.

With almost 100 plants and 450 photos, Foolproof Plants highlights some of the best options for ornamental plants that stay a manageable size, from trees that grow less than 25’ to shrubs smaller than 5’—not to mention well-behaved vines that won’t eat your house. It’s all organized in a highly searchable database that allows you to search by plant category, USDA zone, or desirable characteristics like flower color or drought tolerance. 

 

 

Here’s a breakdown on what’s included:

•  90+ plants in seven categories: trees, shrubs, perennials, vines, groundcovers and ornamental grasses plus a special bonus category.

• Plant descriptions that include cultural requirements, maintenance tips, when to “proceed with caution” and alternate varieties.
• Tags that let you narrow down your selection by USDA climate zone, flower color, drought tolerance and more.
• Links to online nurseries and how-to videos.
• Pronunciation guide for botanical names that is both written and recorded.
• Step-by-step guidelines on sustainable planting practices, including sheet mulching.
• Garden glossary.
• Sunset zones included for Western gardeners.

 

 

Because this app is intended as a resource for small-space gardeners all over the country, I enlisted the help of a talented group of horticulturists and landscape designers from other USDA zones to contribute plant choices that represent some of the best small-space plants from their regions. Click on the Contributors section in the app, and you’ll be impressed by the credentials of co-authors Katie Elzer-Peters (zone 7), Jenny Peterson (zone 8), Maria Zampini (zones 5 and 6) and Genevieve Schmidt (Zone 9 and my go-to source for the best maintenance advice).

 

To celebrate, I’m giving the iTunes version of Foolproof Plants away to three readers! To win, leave a comment by next Monday at midnight. Winners will be chosen randomly. Unfortunately, I only have promotional codes for the iTunes version, so this giveaway will run on iPhone or iPad, but not on other smart phones or on your computer. But don’t worry if you're not a fan of technology that begins with i; an eBook version is in the works, so stay tuned for another announcement in the near future…

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Update!  The three lucky winners are Leslie Peluso, Valerie Robertson and Pam Kirsting!

Small Space Design Lesson - Amy Stewart's Cocktail Garden

 

Fans of Sunset magazine, cocktails and gardening should count themselves lucky in February, because this is the month when they all converge. In celebration of her soon-to-be released new book, The Drunken Botanist, noted author, Gardenranter and cocktail aficionado Amy Stewart shares photos from her new garden filled with botanical ingredients and garnishes—and even a cocktail recipe, la vie en elderflower.

I had the great pleasure of helping Amy design her cocktail garden, and if you read the Sunset article, it may leave you wanting a few more photos and information on the garden itself. Accordingly, I'm sharing a few of the design strategies we used to make Amy’s very small garden come to life.

Although collaboration is at the heart of the design process, it is unusual for me to work with a client long distance, providing all design documents and advice based strictly on photographs. Working with Amy was unusual in another way as well. As an artist (and also just as someone with generally strong opinions), she had a fairly definite idea of what she wanted to accomplish. My challenge:  Making everything fit together in a way that honors the owner’s artistic, quirky vision, while still resulting in a garden that is cohesive and practical.

Here are four tips that work to minimze the cramped, bowling alley feel in any narrow garden.

Despite the deceptively spacious feel of the garden in plan view, at its narrowest point it is only 7' wide. Instead of a path running straight down the center, vary the width of the planting beds on either side to add some visual variety, and have pathways merge seamlessly with patio space - don't use a different material. Be practical, however, and avoid the temptation to make the walkway too small. At only 2’ wide, the original path was too narrow for wheelbarrows and other garden equipment and actually made the garden feel smaller. The new one is 3’ wide at its narrowest point.

 

A chair set at an angle (which can be easily pushed against the wall when more access is required) breaks up the rigid geometry on one side, as does the checkerboard pattern of the corner planting bed on the other side.

 

Mix in circular or unusually shaped containers to act as a counterpoint to the rectangular pathways and raised beds.

 

 

Draw the eye up by taking advantage of wall space. A mix of vertical planters, vintage windows and artistic touches turn an ordinary fence into an art gallery. Varying the height of containers also creates vertical interest. This shows the original drawing I made to help Amy with container and art arrangement, and the final result.

I'll be sharing more photos and design lessons from Amy's garden as part of my small space design presentation at the Northwest Flower and Garden Show on February 20 and the Boise Flower and Garden Show on March 22 and 23. Hope to see some of you there!

 

Wordless Wednesday: Marcia Donahue's Garden

 Recently I had the opportunity to visit Marcia Donahue's amazing Berkeley garden during the Garden Conservancy's Open Day tour. But you don't have to wait until the next one, because Marcia generously opens her Garden of Earthly Delights and gallery every Sunday from 1-5.

My one minute highlight reel:

 

If you'd rather linger, here's the gallery.

And if you want more photos and a thorough analysis of Marcia's vertical garden style, visit this Fine Gardening post by Billy Goodnick. Since its Wordless Wednesday, I'm letting someone else do the heavy lifting.