Home & Garden

garden Home 04 - & When it comes time to enjoy the deep greens and feisty florals of spring and summer, we're happy to let Mother Nature handle the bulk of the heavy lifting But when it comes to harnessing nature in making over the landscape of your own home, you'll need to be prepared to roll up your sleeves and take a more active role. and if you're starting from scratch — literally, in the case of new-home-buyers with nothing but expanses of bare dirt to contend with — you'll want to invest as much energy in the planning stages as you will in the execution. "if you're looking at adding value to your home, putting in the foundation of a landscape project or plan [will definitely help]," says carla Hrycyna, co-owner of St. mary's nursery and garden centre in Winnipeg. "But when you've got that clean slate, it's sometimes overwhelming for someone to say, 'What do i need to look for? What direction do i need to go in? Where do i need to start?'" regardless of the current state of your home, garden or yard, it's often easiest and most logical to start from the ground up. But even at ground level, there are still all manner of variables to consider in building a landscape design with form and function — from ensuring there's positive grade directing water away from your foundation and sidewalks, to determining whether your property is conducive to rock walls and elevation changes. When it comes to dressing the plan, the character of your home will often inform the types of plantings you choose, but even then, you'll benefit from having clearly identified your long-term property plans, and from knowing the maximum growth patterns of your new greenery. "You need to know what your landscape is potentially going to mature to," says Hrycyna. "that's very important — you don't want to plant a tree two feet away from your house and then have to saw it in half a few years later." obviously, it's a good idea to look to the experts for advice on everything from the compatibility of certain plant species, to how to position shrubs and trees for optimum growth. for instance: When landscaping properties with northern exposures, look for hydrangeas, hostas and ferns — so-called "softening" elements that will thrive even in shaded areas. for sunnier spots, stick with perennials such as barberries and potentillas, which adapt better to sun-baked exposures. experts can also help you plan for longer-term additions or future focal points — pools, patios, decks and the like — and can assist you in establishing project parameters and timelines that fit your budget and lifestyle. Speaking of lifestyle, you'll want to give serious thought to how much time you plan to spend outside, and when landscaPing ProPerties with northern exPosures, look for hydrangeas, hostas and ferns.

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