Tips Archives | Page 4 of 7 | Diana's Designs Austin

May Tip: Add texture to garden with plants, trees, stones

Lamb's ear

To achieve harmony and add interest to your garden this summer, consider the role of texture in your landscape. Texture is how coarse or fine the surface of plant or hardscape material feels and looks.

A broad range of plant textures will affect the overall balance in your garden, giving it context. Mixing textures is important so you can tell where one plant or area begins and another ends. One of my favorite plant pairings is a large, structural agave next to soft, billowy feather grasses that move with the wind.

Texture also makes a garden more inviting. I never pass by lamb’s ear in a garden without reaching out to touch its soft, velvety leaves, and the gentle rustle of grassed and seed heads is music in the garden.

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By Diana C. Kirby|2017-11-29T23:27:06-06:00May 24th, 2014|Tips|Comments Off

March Tip: Spring has sprung, and so have the weeds

photo of dandelion weeds

Now that the veil of winter has finally lifted, gardeners eagerly await green growth in the garden. Daily surveys begin – in an attempt to detect tiny buds lining tree limbs or a hint of foliage emerging at ground level from the roots of our hardy perennials.

Not so difficult to find, however, is the burgeoning crop of spring weeds. They’re everywhere. Having spent a cold, quiet winter dormant and lying in wait, they’ve germinated and are spreading like … well, weeds.

What is a weed? One man’s weed is another man’s wildflower, right?

According to Webster’s dictionary, a weed is: “a plant that is not valued where it is growing and is usually of rank growth; esp: one that tends to overgrow or choke out more desirable plants.”

The most obvious method to rid the garden of weeds, is to pull them or to pop them. It’s generally easier to pull them when the soil is moist, so take advantage of our infrequent rains or water the affected area before starting.

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By Diana C. Kirby|2017-11-29T23:27:11-06:00March 22nd, 2014|Tips|Comments Off

February Tip: Spring cleaning in the garden

IMG_2761-1 Unlike warmer winters, when many of the perennials in our gardens survived and even bloomed through the season, this year has been a cruel test of our gardens.

After repeated record cold spells, our gardens have suffered significantly more than recent years. The severe freeze damage we’re seeing has even the most seasoned gardeners wondering what will live and what will die when it’s all said and done. Is it dormant or is it gone for good?

We officially have only a few more weeks to worry about the danger of frost. But the excessive cold this winter could turn traditional garden wisdom on its ear. According to the USDA Hardiness Zone map for the Austin area, our average last frost occurs between March 1 and March 31. It’s typically the middle of March. But with this atypical winter, I’m trying to adjust my early spring expectations and prune a little more conservatively than I normally would on non-woody perennials.

But we can start pruning back our dormant woody perennials now—those tough native and adapted plants that now look like dead sticks in your garden.

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By Diana C. Kirby|2017-11-29T23:27:11-06:00February 28th, 2014|Tips|Comments Off

January Tip: It’s seed-sowing time in Central Texas

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA Indoors, that is. If you’re eager to try some new varieties of vegetables in your spring garden, now is the time to check out seed catalogs and the seed displays at your local independent nurseries.

Seeds won’t germinate in the garden yet. The ground is too cold. But if you have a greenhouse or a cozy indoor spot to keep them warm, you can start growing now.

When the chance of frost has passed and the ground begins to warm up you’re ready to put your seedlings into the garden. Not so fast, though. Seedlings need to be hardened off before they can be plopped in the garden. That’s a fancy way of saying they need to get used to being outside in the elements since they’ve been babied in the house over the winter months.

Just take them outside into a shady spot for half a day for a few days, then for a full day or two and then slowly move them into the sun in the same way.

Remember, spring winds can be hard on delicate plants, so be prepared to give them some wind break if you need to. And my sweet transplants seem to emit a signal to insects that the buffet is open. You can protect the plants from some of them by cutting a solo cup in half to make a cylinder, and placing it around the base of your seedling until it gets a little bigger and stronger, just make sure it doesn’t block the sun or the water.

Once you have all your seedlings planted, mulch, water and eat.

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By Diana C. Kirby|2017-11-29T23:27:11-06:00January 29th, 2014|Tips|Comments Off

December Tip: How to find the right art for your garden, style and budget

garden sculptures

Sometimes finding the right accent for your garden is as simple as bringing your indoor decor outside. Perhaps you have some lovely metal lanterns or candleholders on your bookcase – a few more placed on your porch can create a cohesive feel.

Think about your personal style and think about traditionally-indoor home decor items for use outdoors if they are weatherproof or can be placed in a protected area. You may want to find a place for something that’s special to you, or you might want to find something for a special place in your garden.

Your choices should compliment your garden design and your personal style, and, most of all, make you happy.

By Diana C. Kirby|2017-11-29T23:27:12-06:00December 28th, 2013|Tips|Comments Off

November Tip: When winter arrives, there are many things you can do protect plants from frosts or freezes.

protect-plants-from-freeze It is that time of year, when we play chicken with Mother Nature. Will it really get that cold? Am I in a little pocket that’s warmer/colder/somehow different than the forecast? Whenever winter arrives, there are many things you can do protect plants from frosts or freezes.

First, water moderately before the freeze. Water loses its heat more slowly than air throughout the night. Combined with covering plants or even a heat source, watering can help make a real difference by a few critical degrees.

Sheets, blankets and heavyweight row cover can all help protect plants. But it’s not the cover that keeps the plant warm, it’s the radiant heat coming up from the ground that is held in by the cover. Drape the cover all the way down to the ground and secure it like a tent with rocks, bricks or my favorite – canned vegetables (lighter than rocks, easier to find in a pinch, and they don’t mess up your sheets and blankets).

Do not, however, drape something over the top of the plant and tie it around the trunk like a giant lollipop. This is pointless, because you are actually keeping the heat away from the plant. If you have plants that can’t withstand the weight of a blanket or sheet, you can use tomato cages, boxes or PVC hoops or frames – really, anything to hold up the cover.

For particularly tender plants or a really cold night, you can also add a droplight or Christmas lights under the cover to create additional heat. Be careful not to let the bulb touch either plant or cover.

If temperatures rise above freezing – remove covers the next day to allow the plants to absorb the next day’s heat and recover as necessary.

So, plan now – collect your sheets and blankets, find some tomato cages, lights and canned goods and you’ll be ready to go when a surprise weather forecast sets you scurrying at 5 p.m.

By Diana C. Kirby|2017-11-29T23:27:12-06:00November 18th, 2013|Tips|Comments Off

Tips

May Tip: Add texture to garden with plants, trees, stones

March Tip: Spring has sprung, and so have the weeds

February Tip: Spring cleaning in the garden

January Tip: It’s seed-sowing time in Central Texas

December Tip: How to find the right art for your garden, style and budget

November Tip: When winter arrives, there are many things you can do protect plants from frosts or freezes.

Escape in the garden