Southern Coastal Home Landscaping, Second Edition E-Book

• Herausgeber: Creative Homeowner
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2023

Seitenzahl: 358

Beschreibung

Southern Coastal Home Landscaping, Second Edition is the latest addition to Creative Homeowner's award-winning, best-selling series of regional home landscaping books. Discover inspiring ideas for making a coastal home landscape with special considerations for the salty air and high winds. The 38 featured landscape designs are created by professionals from the coastal region and use more than 160 native plants that thrive in the demanding coastal environment. Detailed, step-by-step instructions for projects for paths, patios, ponds, walls, fences, trellises, and arbors are included, as well as creative solutions for front entries, foundation plantings, steep slopes, and more. New to this updated second edition is guidance on native planting and which noxious, banned, or invasive species to avoid, as well as information on permaculture, the impact of climate change for the southern coastal region, and more.

Leseprobe

COPYRIGHT © 1998, 2006, 2010, 2016, 2023

This book may not be reproduced, either in part or in its entirety, in any form, by any means, without written permission from the publisher, with the exception of brief excerpts for purposes of radio, television, or published review. All rights, including the right of translation, are reserved. Note: Be sure to familiarize yourself with manufacturer’s instructions for tools, equipment, and materials before beginning a project. Although all possible measures have been taken to ensure the accuracy of the material presented, neither the author nor the publisher is liable in case of misinterpretation of directions, misapplication, or typographical error.

Creative Homeowner® is a registered trademark of New Design Originals Corporation.

SECOND EDITION

MANAGING EDITOR

Gretchen Bacon

EDITOR

Sherry Vitolo

TECHNICAL EDITOR

Teresa Watkins

DESIGNER

Freire Disseny*Comunicació

Southeast Home Landscaping, 2nd EditionPrint ISBN 978-1-58011-592-6 eISNN 978-1-63741-247-3

The Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file with the Library of Congress.

We are always looking for talented authors. To submit an idea, please send a brief inquiry to [email protected].

Creative Homeowner®, www.creativehomeowner.com, is an imprint of New Design Originals Corporation and distributed exclusively in North America by Fox Chapel Publishing Company, Inc., 800-457-9112, 903 Square Street, Mount Joy, PA 17552, and in the United Kingdom by Grantham Book Service, Trent Road, Grantham, Lincolnshire, NG31 7XQ.

About the Technical Editor

Teresa Watkins, author, landscape designer, horticulturist, and radio personality, designed the first certified “green home” landscape in Florida in 2001. A 25-year garden radio show veteran, Teresa hosts Better Lawns and Gardens, Florida’s most popular syndicated garden radio show, heard live and in podcasts. She enjoys traveling and leading gardening tours annually, checking off incredible national and world gardens on her bucket list (which she pronounces “bouquet”).

Website: www.she-consulting.com

About the Authors

Stephen and Kristin Pategas are co-owners of Hortus Oasis, a boutique landscape design firm in Winter Park, Florida. This award-winning team places an emphasis on sustainable gardening.

Stephen is a registered landscape architect and a member of the American Society of Landscape Architects and the Communicators International. His areas of expertise include residential and specialty garden design, plant materials, garden ornamentation, and a variety of garden styles.

Kristin is a Florida Certified Landscape Designer and a member of the Association of Professional Landscape Designers. Kristin’s specialties include wildlife, herb, and vegetable gardens; topiaries; container gardening; and garden living.

Kristin and Stephen garden in Zone 9b, and they test new plants at Hortus Oasis, their 1925 Mediterranean revival home in Winter Park. Visit: HortusOasis.com

Landscape Design Consultants

John Ahrens is principal at King’s Creek Landscape Management in Austin. His firm has worked throughout the Texas Hill Country, Colorado, and in the Austin and San Antonio areas. The firm specializes in indigenous stone work and water features, as well as in landscapes that include mostly native and “Texas tough” naturalized plantings. Barry Landry, RLA, and Nena Scott assist John with designs.

Michael Buccino has been designing desert landscapes since 1966. A landscape architect and graduate of Cal Poly, Pomona, he and the members of his small Palm Desert firm, Michael Buccino Associates, undertake residential, commercial, and public projects.

Rosa Finsley founded King’s Creek Gardens, a Cedar Hill nursery and landscape design firm, in 1970. She has designed residential, public, and commercial gardens throughout Texas, including the Historic River Link for the Riverwalk in San Antonio. She is known for her naturalistic designs. Cheryl Bryant occasionally assists Rosa.

Glenn Morris has designed southern landscapes for many years. Trained as a landscape architect at North Carolina State University, he specializes in homeowner-directed problem solving and has received an award for design excellence from the American Society of Landscape Architects. Mr. Morris has also written extensively about gardening and design.

Dan Sears is principal in the Sears Design Group of Raleigh, N.C., a firm specializing in residential land planning and landscape design. In 25 years as a landscape architect, he has won numerous regional and national design awards and has had many projects published in magazines and journals. Mr. Sears has been a member of the North Carolina Board of Landscape Architects.

Carolyn Singer owns Foothill Cottage Gardens, a nursery she developed from her own gardens in the Sierra foothills near Grass Valley. Since 1980, she has sold perennials and taught gardening classes at the nursery, as well as designed landscapes for foothill and valley residents. She lectures widely and has written about gardening for national and regional publications.

Jimmy and Becky Stewart are professional gardeners in Atlanta, Ga., where they design and install residential gardens. As designers, they strive to create year-round interest in their gardens. As avid plant enthusiasts, they are constantly experimenting with new and different plants to see which do best in the Atlanta area. Their designs have been featured in many publications.

Jenny Webber is a self-employed landscape architect in Oakland, CA. Also trained in horticulture and fine arts, she specializes in ecologically balanced and creative landscapes. She has won several awards for her designs and has written about gardening and design for national publications.

Contents

About This Book

Portfolio of Designs

Southern Hospitality

Make a pleasant passage to your front door

A Foundation with Flair

Flowers and foliage dress up a raised entry

Formal and Friendly

Mix classic symmetry and comfortable plants

Streetwise and Stylish

Give your curbside strip a new look

Key West

Dress up the family’s day-to-day entrance

Make a No-Mow Slope

A terraced ocean-side planting transforms a steep site

Under the Old Shade Tree

Create a cozy garden in a cool spot

A Pleasant Passage

Reclaim a narrow side yard for a shade garden

Colorful Collection

Make your daily mail run a perennial pleasure

Elegant Symmetry

Make a formal garden for the backyard

Garden by the Pool

Enhance your poolside pleasures

A Tropical Corner

Showcase exotic foliage and flowers

Greeting Place

Make the most of a small lot with an entry garden

Patio Oasis

A freestanding patio offers open-air activities

Formal Outdoor Living

A patio and a shady pergola provide open-air opportunities

Seaside Front-Door

Enhance your main entry in a weekend

Garden of Texture

Extend a friendly welcome

Landscape a Low Wall

A two-tiered garden replaces a bland slope

An Outdoor “Living” Room

Patio and shady arbor provide open-air opportunities

Plant Profiles

Descriptions of all the plants shown in the Portfolio of Designs, plus information on how to plant and care for them

Guide to Installation

Organizing Your Project

Introducing the tasks involved in a landscape installation; how to organize them for best results

Clearing the Site

Removing turf, weeds, and other unwanted material

Water for Your Plants

Water-wise practices; water systems

Making Paths and Walkways

Choosing materials, preparing the base, installing edgings, laying the surface

Laying a Patio

Same materials and techniques as for paths and walkways; ensuring proper drainage

Installing a Pond

Siting, excavating, installing a flexible liner or fiberglass shell; growing pond plants

Building a Retaining Wall

Laying out, excavating, and assembling a precast modular wall system and steps

Fences, Pergolas, Arbors, and Trellises

Selecting wood, layout, setting posts, basic construction; plans for building the fences, pergolas, arbors, and trellises shown in the Portfolio of Designs

Preparing the Soil for Planting

Digging and improving the soil; edging for beds

Buying Plants

Where to go, what to look for, how to get the best quality and price; coastal conditions

The Planting Process

When to plant, steps in the planting process, spacing

Planting Basics

Plants in containers, balled-and-burlapped plants, bare-root plants, ground covers, and bulbs

Basic Landscape Care

Mulches and fertilizers; controlling weeds; watering

Caring for Woody Plants

Basic pruning; training an espalier; making a hedge

Caring for Perennials

Routine care, pruning, dividing

Problem Solving

Understanding common problems with animal and insect pests and diseases; winter protection

Glossary

Photo Credits

Safety First

Though all concepts and methods in this book have been reviewed for safety, it is not possible to overstate the importance of using the safest working methods possible. What follows are reminders—do’s and don’ts for yard work and landscaping. They are not substitutes for your own common sense.

Always use caution, care, and good judgment when following the procedures described in this book.

Always determine locations of underground utility lines before you dig, and then avoid them by a safe distance. Buried lines may be for cable, communications, electricity, gas, or water. Lines are not always buried deep. Before starting any landscape or irrigation project, call 811 nationwide to have your underground utilities located free of charge. Note: previous owners may have installed underground drainage, sprinkler, and lighting lines without mapping them.

Always read and heed the manufacturer’s instructions for using a tool, especially the warnings.

Always ensure that the electrical setup is safe; be sure that no circuit is overloaded and that all power tools and electrical outlets are properly grounded and protected by a ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI). Do not use power tools in wet locations.

Always wear eye protection when using chemicals, sawing wood, pruning trees and shrubs, using power tools, and striking metal onto metal or concrete.

Always read labels on chemicals, solvents, and other products; provide ventilation; heed warnings.

Always wear heavy rubber gloves rated for chemicals, not mere household rubber gloves, when handling toxins.

Always wear appropriate gloves in situations in which your hands could be injured by rough surfaces, sharp edges, thorns, or poisonous plants.

Always wear a disposable face mask or a special filtering respirator when creating sawdust or working with toxic gardening substances.

Always keep your hands and other body parts away from the business ends of blades, cutters, and bits.

Always obtain approval from local building officials before undertaking construction of permanent structures.

Never work with power tools when you are tired or under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Never carry sharp or pointed tools, such as knives or saws, in your pockets. If you carry such tools, use special-purpose tool scabbards.

Horticultural nomenclature

Eighteenth-century Swedish botanist Carolus Linnaeus was the first to classify plants using the two-name, or “binomial,” system, which we still employ today. Linnaeus chose Latin as his language of preference because, at that time, most educated people could both speak and write Latin. In the right circles, it was a universal, international language; the Latin names of plants still provide the best way for two people to be sure they’re talking about exactly the same plant.

The two scientific names identifying a plant are based on the genus and species. A genus is a group of plants marked by common characteristics. For example, plants from the yarrow genus are all named Achillea after the Greek hero Achilles who, according to legend, used yarrow to heal his soldiers’ wounds during the Trojan war. All oaks are classified under Quercus, and maples as Acer, indicating their general commonalities.

The species is a subdivision of the genus, identified separately from the genus because of more specific qualities. If English were used for the world of animals, dog would be the genus and dalmation the species. Achillea millefolium is a species of yarrow with leaves divided into a thousand tiny parts. (Mille refers to thousands, and folium refers to leaves or foliage.) Another species, woolly yarrow, in Latin is Achillea tomentosa; tomentosa refers to its hairy leaves.

In a plant’s scientific name, the word identifying the genus always comes first and is capitalized as a proper noun. The species name is a descriptive word used as an adjective to modify and further describe the noun; it is always lower case.

Occasionally there is a third Latin name denoting a variety or subdivision of a species that arises in nature spontaneously. For example, the beach or shore pine is Pinus contorta. The lodgepole pine, a variety of that species, is Pinus contorta var. latifolia. Pinus indicates both are from the pine family, contorta describes the twisted form in which the trees grow, and—in the case of the lodgepole pine—the variety name latifolia explains that the leaves (needles) are broader than those of beach pine.

Plants that have been bred for desired traits will have an additional name listed after their Latin name in single quotes. They are called cultivars. The geranium cultivar ‘Johnson’s Blue’ has become a staple in the perennials section of nurseries, as has the yarrow ‘Moonshine’.

Although the scientific names may seem confusing, with too many syllables strung together, they are valuable. Common plant names are charming but can lead to confusion because they often vary from region to region and country to country. In addition, often several plants with very different characteristics share the same common name. The scientific name is precise and descriptive. With a little Latin under your belt, you can learn a lot about a plant just from its name. For example, reptans means creeping. You know a plant with reptans in its name will be low to the ground and spreading. If a plant has officinalis in its name, you can be sure it was at one time used for medicinal purposes. A sempervirens will stay green throughout the year in most climates; semperflorens is ever-flowering.

Apple blossom yarrow is referred to as Achillea millefolium. These long-blooming perennials produce showy, flat clusters of small pink flowers on stiff stalks 2 to 3 ft. tall.

About This Book

Of all the home improvement projects homeowners tackle, few offer greater rewards than landscaping. Paths, patios, fences, arbors, and most of all, plantings can enhance home life in countless ways, large and small, functional and pleasurable, every day of the year. At the main entrance, an attractive brick walkway flanked by eye-catching shrubs and perennials provides a cheerful send-off in the morning and welcomes you home from work in the evening. A carefully placed grouping of small trees, shrubs, and fence panels creates privacy on the patio or screens a nearby eyesore from view. An island bed showcases your favorite plants while dividing the backyard into several areas for several different activities.

Unlike some home improvements, the rewards of landscaping can lie as much in the activity as in the result. Planting and caring for lovely shrubs, perennials, and other plants can provide years of enjoyment. And for those who like to build things, outdoor construction projects can be a special treat.

While the installation and maintenance of plants and outdoor structures are within the means and abilities of many people, few of us may not be as comfortable determining exactly which plants or structures to use and how best to combine them. It’s one thing to decide to dress up the front entrance or patio and another to come up with a design for doing so.

That’s where this book comes in. In the Portfolio of Designs, you’ll find 19 designs, plus a variation for each based on common home landscaping situations. Drawing on years of experience, we balance functional requirements and aesthetic possibilities, choosing the right plant or structure for the task—confident of its proven performance in similar situations. We cover areas that are right on the seashore to inland areas where the effects of salt are not an issue.

Complementing the Portfolio of Designs is the Plant Profiles section, which provides information on all of the plants used in the book. The Guide to Installation, the book’s third section, will help you install and maintain the plants and structures called for in the designs.

Portfolio of Designs

This section is the heart of the book, providing examples of landscaping situations and solutions that are at once inspiring and accessible. Some are simple, others more complex, but each one can be installed in a few weekends by homeowners with no special training or experience.

For each situation, we present two designs, the second a variation of the first. As the sample pages on the facing page show, the first design is displayed on a two-page spread. A perspective illustration (called a “rendering”) shows what the design will look like several years after installation, when the perennials and many of the shrubs have reached mature size. The rendering also shows the planting as it will appear at a particular time of year. A site plan shows the positions of the plants and structures on a scaled grid. Text introduces the situation and the design and describes the plants and projects used. The Concept Box summarizes in a glance whether the site is sunny or shady, what season is depicted, and their hardiness zones. Additional notes are added if the plants selected are low water use or moderately to highly salt tolerant.

The second design, presented on the second two-page spread, addresses the same situation as the first but differs in one or more important aspects. It might show a planting suited for a shady rather than a sunny site, incorporate different structures or kinds of plants, or it might be for a coastal garden. As for the first design, we present a rendering, site plan, and written information, but in briefer form. The second spread also includes photographs of landscapes in situations similar to those featured in the two designs. The photos showcase variations or details that you may wish to use in the designs we show or in designs of your own. The designs and information of the plants have been updated to address possible climate change factors.

Installed exactly as shown here, these designs will provide years of enjoyment. But individual needs and properties will differ, and we encourage you to alter the designs to suit your site and desires. Many types of alterations are easy to make. You can add or remove plants and adjust the sizes of paths, patios, and fences to suit larger or smaller sites. You can rearrange groupings and substitute favorite plants to suit your taste. Or you can integrate the design with your existing landscaping. If you are uncertain about how to solve specific problems or about the effects of changes you’d like to make, consult with staff at a local nursery or with a landscape architect or designer in your area.

PORTFOLIO OF DESIGNS

PLANT PROFILES

GUIDE TO INSTALLATION

Plant Profiles

This section of the book includes a description of each of the plants featured in the Portfolio. These profiles outline the plants’ basic preferences for environmental conditions, such as their hardiness zone(s), soil, moisture, salt tolerance, sun or shade, and they provide advice about planting and ongoing care.

We selected plants carefully, following a few simple guidelines: every plant should be a proven performer in its zone once established, and it should thrive without pampering. All plants should be available from a major local nursery or garden center; if they’re not in stock, they could be ordered, or ask the nursery staff to recommend suitable substitutes.

In the Portfolio section, you’ll note that plants are referred to by their common name but are cross-referenced to the Plant Profiles section by their Latin, or scientific, name. While common names are familiar to many people, they can be confusing. Distinctly different plants can share the same common name, or one plant can have several different common names. Latin names, therefore, ensure accuracy and are more appropriate for a reference section such as this. Although you can confidently purchase most of the plants in this book from local nurseries using the common name, knowing the Latin name allows you to make sure that the plant you’re ordering is actually the one that is shown in our design.

Guide to Installation

In this section you’ll find detailed instructions and illustrations covering all the techniques you’ll need to install any design from start to finish. Here we explain how to think your way through a landscaping project and anticipate the various steps. Then you’ll learn how to do each part of the job: readying the site; laying out the design; choosing materials; building paths, trellises, or other structures; preparing the soil for planting; buying the recommended plants and putting them in place; and caring for the plants to keep them healthy and attractive year after year.

We’ve taken care to make installation of built elements simple and straightforward. The paths, trellises, fences, and arbors (elements called “hardscape” in the trade) all use basic materials available from local suppliers, and they can be assembled by people who have no special skills or tools beyond those commonly used for home maintenance. The designs can easily be adapted to meet specific needs or to fit in with the style of your house or other landscaping features.

Installing different designs requires different techniques. You can find what you need by following the cross-references in the Portfolio to pages in the Guide to Installation, or by skimming the Guide. If you continue to improve your landscape by adding more than one design, you’ll find that many basic techniques are reused from one project to the next. You might want to start with one of the smaller, simpler designs. Gradually you’ll develop the skills and confidence to do any project you choose.

Most of the designs in this book can be installed in a weekend or two; some will take a little longer. Digging planting beds, building retaining walls, and erecting fences and arbors can be strenuous work. If you lack the time or energy for the more arduous installation tasks, consider hiring a neighborhood teenager to help out; local landscaping services can provide more comprehensive help.

SOUTHERN COASTAL HARDINESS ZONES

This map is based on one developed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. It divides the region into “Hardiness Zones” based on minimum winter temperatures. When you buy plants, most will have “hardiness” designations, which correspond to a USDA Hardiness Zone on the map below. A Zone 8 plant, for example, can be expected to survive winter temperatures as low as 10°F, and it can be used with confidence in Zone 8 and perhaps in other zones. We note the Hardiness Zone(s) for each plant. It is useful to know your zone and note the zone designation of any plants that you wish to add to those in this book.

Hardiness Zones and Soil Health

We live in great scientific times to be able to know, study, and understand our planet’s changing atmospheric, geographic, and ecological conditions. For the average person, these conditions can be affected at a local level, starting at home. One of best resources to start learning about your local conditions is the 2012 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone map (see here and https://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/). It is the current resource for agricultural, commercial, and residential landscapers and gardeners, to determine planting zones. Hardiness zones help to predict where plants are more likely to thrive. Using average annual minimum temperatures, the map is divided into regions that vary by 10 degrees Fahrenheit.

It is important to determine the gardening zone you live in before you purchase plants for your landscape. Take into consideration if your property has a microclimate, which means your specific location has site conditions that are different from neighboring properties. These conditions could be a narrow 10’ x 20’ area on the side of your home next to a large commercial building, or several acres along a lake or mountain ridge. Evapotranspiration, humidity, precipitation, and temperatures may fluctuate higher or lower in these areas than in the surrounding regions.

To address heat and extreme weather conditions in your landscape at the ground level, start with protecting or amending your soil. Native soils are important to plants, providing more air and water pockets for increased air circulation for roots, better percolation of water, and more macrobial and microbial organism activity. Native soils have higher evapotranspiration rates. Today, because of advances in research, rototilling soils is no longer recommended. If you need to till your soil, use a hand rake, or if using power tools, till very lightly, no lower than 6 inches deep.

Ensure your soil’s health by getting annual soil analysis tests. Soil tests will indicate if fertilizing is necessary and how much to use in applications. By not overfertilizing, less nutrients will be leached, and stormwater runoff will be reduced.

More landscaping tips to help reduce environmental stress:

• Use organic fertilizers that help nutrient uptake in beneficial microbes.

• Design landscapes that are appropriate for your soil conditions so that plants don’t have a need for supplemental irrigation after establishment.

• Plant medium and large trees on the south and west side of your home to add more shade. Make sure the tree’s root ball is spaced a distance of at least half the measurement of the mature canopy away from the foundation.

• Install plants that only grow to the size and width you need without pruning. Over-pruning can cause the plant to stress, which leads to more pest problems, requiring stronger chemical solutions.

• Add 3” of organic mulch to your landscape beds and around trees to keep soil temperatures cooler, reduce moisture evaporation, and, when it decomposes, add organic materials to the soil.

Test your soil annually so you’re aware of the macronutrient and micronutrient content and won’t need to overfertilize.

Taking care of your landscape with sustainable best management practices helps protect not only your community’s local resources, ecosystems, and environment, but also helps reduce the global impacts of pollution.

Climate Change Concerns

Southern coastal states are experiencing climatic changes to land and bodies of water which could affect landscaping in the future. These changes include weather conditions such as hotter and longer summer temperatures, higher sea levels, amplified storm intensity, and more inland salt-water intrusion.

Higher temperatures in the summer will mean warmer ocean temperatures, which will cause sea levels to rise. This meteorological phenomenon is called thermal expansion and is easily explained: as the ocean warms up, the water increases in volume, leading to higher sea levels. NOAA projects over the next 30 years that coastal sea levels will rise 12 inches. Increased sea levels and flooding will also allow increased salt-water intrusion into our aquifers and freshwater bodies. Landscape plants, shrubs, and trees absorbing saltwater will suffer from toxic levels of salinity. Warmer ocean temperatures could also lead to more and possibly stronger hurricanes.

Longer summers could be stressful on landscapes that seem to decline during the dog days of August and September. Extended hotter seasonal temperatures mean a higher risk of stress-induced issues like the plant’s need for more water, less fruit and vegetable production, and more insects and disease, increasing the need for chemicals.

Keeping an eye on your property’s site conditions will allow you to have a more sustainable landscape. Remember these strategies:

• Get a soil analysis test every year from your local County Extension office or a certified laboratory to check on pH, soil salinity, and nutrient levels.

• Only fertilize the landscape when there is a need determined by your soil analysis test.

• Plant a landscape that, after establishment, thrives on rainfall to reduce the need for supplemental irrigation with potable water.

• Have your well water tested annually.

• If you live near coastal waters, or your soil analysis indicates salt water intrusion, check with your local County Extension Office for salt-tolerant plants and the most wind-resistant palms and tree species. (See Resources)

• You can also check your own address on NOAA’s Sea Level Rise Viewer: https://coast.noaa.gov/slr/

Eco-friendly Landscaping

One of the benefits of living in the Southeast is that there are longer periods of opportunity to plant, more plant species to select from, and more places to find plants. In designing your landscaping to be environmentally friendly, you must assess your property. What kind of sunlight do you have? What kind of soil will you be planting in? What is the pH of your soil? How much space do you have to work with?

Knowing how much sunlight your plants will receive is critical. Do you have eight hours of sunlight a day or more? That’s full sunlight. Do you have sun only at certain times of the day or seasonally? This means you will only have partial sunlight. If you have five hours or less a day, you have full shade.

Get a soil analysis test for your landscape beds. You can contact your local County Extension Office or soil laboratory to obtain a soil test. The results of your soil test will help inform you whether you have clay, loam, sand, or silt, or some combination of the four. Testing your soil annually is recommended. Having a soil analysis will also tell you how much fertilizer your landscape will need. Amending the soil of your landscape beds is also a good opportunity to reduce your fertilizer use after installation. By amending your beds with topsoil, compost, manure, and other organic materials, the soil will provide more of the nutrients your plants will need and will require fewer fertilizer applications.

Check the label to ensure that your fertilizer provides a balance of macronutrients and micronutrients. Macronutrients are the most important elements in a plant’s diet. These include Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus(P), Potassium (K), Calcium (Ca), Magnesium (Mg), and Sulphur (S). The micronutrients are Iron (Fe), Zinc (Zn), Manganese (Mn), Boron (B), Copper (Cu), Molybdenum (Mo), and Chlorine (Cl). Since we cannot tell when our plants need these nutrients, slow-release fertilizers are the best way to make sure that when needed by the plants, they are available. Using a slow-release fertilizer will be less time-consuming and better for the environment. Quick-release fertilizers are best used for annuals, herbs, and vegetables since they are seasonal plantings. Always follow label instructions to apply the right amount of fertilizer. More fertilizer is not better since plants can only absorb a set amount at a time.

Before selecting your flowers, shrubs, and trees, find out what their mature size will be. It’s important to locate trees half of their mature width away from the house foundation. Plan to install deciduous trees away from patios and pool areas to reduce cleaning after the Fall leaf drop.

All these factors determine what kind of plants you will need to have an eco-friendly and low-impact landscape. Planting a landscape that is not conducive to your site conditions will mean that your landscape will be more labor-intensive, more susceptible to insects and diseases, and likely to be expensive to replace when your landscape is stressed and doesn’t survive. A higher maintenance landscape that will need more fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides, will also result in more stormwater runoff pollution.

Adding organic mulch to your landscape beds and around trees maintains an even soil temperature and conserves moisture.

Additional Climate Change Resources

• Cooperative Extension Offices by state: https://www.nifa.usda.gov/land-grant-colleges-and-universities-partner-website-directory?state=All&type=Extension

• EPA Climate Change page: https://www.epa.gov/climate-change

Portfolio of Designs

This section presents designs for 19 situations common in home landscapes in the southern coastal region. You’ll find designs to enhance entrances, porches, and patios. There are gardens of colorful perennials and shrubs, as well as structures and plantings to create shady hideaways, dress up nondescript walls, and deal with slopes—all addressing the environmental challenges of the coastal landscape. Large color illustrations show what the designs will look like, and site plans delineate the layout and planting scheme. Texts explain the designs and describe the plants and projects appearing in them. Installed as shown or adapted to meet your site and personal preferences, these designs can make your property more attractive, more useful, and—most important—more enjoyable for you, your family, and your friends.

Southern Hospitality

MAKE A PLEASANT PASSAGE TO YOUR FRONT DOOR

Why wait until a visitor reaches the front door to extend a cordial greeting? An entryway landscape of well-chosen plants and a revamped walkway not only make the short journey a pleasant one, they can also enhance your home’s most public face and help settle it comfortably in its surroundings.

The curved walk in this design extends a helpful “Please come this way” to visitors, while creating a roomy planting area near the house. The walk bridges a grassy “inlet” created by the free-flowing lines of the beds. The flowing masses of plants, lawn, and walkway pavement nicely complement the journey to the front door.

Two handsome trees and a skirting of shrubs form a partial screen between the walkway and front door and the street. A striking collection of evergreens transforms the foundation planting near the house into a shrub border. Ground covers edge the walkway with pretty foliage and flowers. A decorative trellis near the driveway softens an empty wall and marks the entry. Bright hummingbird-attracting flowers or colorful autumn foliage covers the trellis year-round, enticing visitors to start their stroll to the front door.

Plants & Projects

Preparing the planting beds and laying the walk are the main tasks in this design. Comprising mostly trees and shrubs, the planting requires only seasonal cleanup and pruning once it’s installed.

AJapanese maple (use 1 plant)This small deciduous tree will thrive in the shade of the taller birch, providing colorful delicate leaves in the fall and a graceful tracery of branches during the winter months. See Acer palmatum,here.

BRiver birch (use 1)The multiple trunks of this deciduous tree display colorful biege, tan, or copper-color peeling bark. Leaves are glossy green in summer, turning tan or gold as fall approaches. See Betula nigra,here.

CCross vine (use 1)This evergreen vine showcases trumpet-shaped flowers of yellow to red-orange in the spring. Cross vine will take the shade of house eaves. Train the young tendrils up the trellis to cover. See Bignonia capreolata, here.

DStella d’Oro’ daylily (use 15)This cultivar is one of the longest-blooming daylilies, producing golden-yellow flowers from late spring to frost. Even without the glowing flowers, this perennial’s grassy light green foliage contrasts nicely with the nearby lilyturf. See Hemerocallis cvs.,here.

EBurford holly (use 1)This evergreen shrub is easily maintained in a conical form. Its large leaves are a great backdrop for its red winter berries. See Recommended Hollies, Ilex cornuta ‘Burfordii’ here.

F‘Helleri’ Japanese holly (use 10)This evergreen shrub fills the space under the windows with mounds of small, shiny leaves. See Recommended Hollies, Ilex crenata,here.

GCreeping lilyturf (use 39)This evergreen perennial makes a grasslike mat of dark-green leaves along the walk. Small spikes of violet, purple, or white flowers appear in summer. See Liriope spicata,here.

H‘Obsession’ heavenly bamboo (use 1)This beautiful sterile Nandina is upright, compact, has dense growth with brilliant red new foliage, grows 3 to 4 ft. tall and 3 to 4 ft. wide. The superior color lasts through the summer and early fall in mixed to full shade. See Nandina domestica,here.

IVariegated pittosporum (use 7)This evergreen shrub brings a dressy look and year-round color to the foundation with its rounded mounds of glossy gray-green leaves mottled with white. Creamy white flowers scent the air in early summer. See Pittosporum tobira ‘Variegata’, here.

JWalkFlagstones of random size and shape are ideal for the curved walk. See here.

KTrellisThis trellis can be assembled in a few hours; it is easily removed in the future to repaint or repair the wall. See here.

VARIATIONS ON A THEME

While they differ in many ways, each of these entryway landscapes looks just right for its house and site.

Neat as a pin, this entry features a brick courtyard, a door-step garden, and a sweeping border lining a flawless lawn.

Lined with ornamental grasses, this design is at once natural and tastefully composed.

A curving stroll garden leads to this front door, its brick path lined with colorful annuals and perennials.

A shady welcome

If your entry is shady—receiving less than six hours of sunlight a day—try this planting scheme, which replaces the sun-loving plants from the previous design with others that prefer the shade. Overall, the emphasis is still on year-round good looks.

Shade brings out the best in many southern plants. In spring, shown here, the planting is awash with flowers. During the summer months, the dogwood and redbud make a lovely covered walkway to the front door, while shrubs, hostas, and ferns provide a cool display of attractive foliage. Much of the foliage carries on right through the winter; then the rain lily announces the summer rains, and the cycle begins anew.

Plants & Projects

AJapanese painted fern (use 12 plants) The loveliest of ferns, its delicately colored deciduous fronds blend green, silver, and maroon. They also add a lush, rich look beneath the dogwoods. See Recommended Ferns, Athyrium niponicum ‘Pictum’, here.

BLittleleaf boxwood (use 2)Clipped or pruned to a more “natural” shape, this evergreen shrub joins the mahonia in framing the entry. The dark green leaves exude a distinct fragrance. See Buxus microphylla,here.

CRedbud (use 1)Small pink flowers line the branches of this small deciduous tree in early spring. Heart-shaped leaves turn gold in the fall. This fast-growing tree needs little pruning; just remove lower limbs. See Cercis canadensis,here.

DDogwood (use 1)This is one of the finest small trees; it has white flowers in spring and foliage that turns crimson in fall, when bright red berries ripen. See Cornus florida,here.

E‘Elegans’ hosta (use 11)The large, blue-gray, textured leaves of this perennial add color to the shade from spring until frost. See Hosta sieboldiana ‘Elegans’, here.

FLeatherleaf mahonia (use 3)Leathery horizontal leaflets of this upright evergreen shrub make it a standout in the landscape. In early spring, it produces fragrant golden-yellow flowers, followed by showy clusters of blue berries. See Mahonia bealei,here.

G‘Encore’ azalea (use 5 to 11 depending on variety height and width)These flowers shrubs bloom three times a year in spring, summer, and fall. Over 30 flower colors available. See Recommended Rhododendrons and Azaleas, Rhododendron hybrids, here.

H‘Roseum Elegans’ rhododendron (use 1)This evergreen shrub features glossy leaves and clusters of pink flowers in late spring. See Recommended Rhododendrons and Azaleas, Rhododendron ‘Roseum Elegans’ here.

IRain lily (use 3)This delicate-looking but sturdy lily can go dormant in zones 7–8. Evergreen in Zone 9–11, Trumpet-shaped flowers appear 2–3 days after a rain shower in spring and summer. See Recommended bulbs. Zephyranthes, here.

JMondo grass (use 89 sprigs)The thin, leathery, leaves of this perennial create an attractive edging. See Ophiopogon japonicus,here.

See pp. 18–19 for the following:

KJapanese maple (use 1)

LCross vine (use 1)

MWalk

NTrellis

A Foundation with Flair

FLOWERS AND FOLIAGE DRESS UP A RAISED ENTRY

A home with a raised entry invites down-to-earth foundation plants that anchor the house to its surroundings and hide unattractive concrete-block underpinnings. In the hospitable climate of the South, a durable, low-maintenance planting need not mean the usual lineup of clipped junipers. As this design shows, a foundation planting can be more varied, more colorful, and more fun.

Within the graceful arc of a low boxwood hedge is a balanced arrangement of shrubs in sizes that fit under windows and hide the foundation at the same time. Larger shrubs and a small tree punctuate the planting and contribute to the variety of foliage textures and colors.

The predominantly evergreen foliage looks good year-round, and in spring and early summer, it is a fine backdrop for a lovely floral display. White flowers sparkle on the trees and shrubs, with spiky creeping lily-turf at their feet. Twining up posts or over railings, the Confederate jasmine greets visitors with its deliciously scented creamy flowers.

Plants & Projects

Once established, the plants in this design require little maintenance beyond seasonal cleanup and a yearly pruning. The boxwood hedge will need trimming once or twice a year. Trimming the spent crape myrtle blooms encourages more flowers.

ALittleleaf boxwood (use 32 plants)A classic sheared evergreen hedge defines the foundation garden; this compact shrub’s small, glossy green leaves give it a fine texture. See Buxus microphylla,here.

B‘Compacta’ Japanese holly (use 1)Fill the corner next to the stoop with this shrub. It can be shaped into a ball or cone by shearing. See Recommended Hollies, Ilex crenata, here.

CHelleri’ Japanese holly (use 3)Smaller than ‘Compacta’, this evergreen shrub won’t outgrow its place, making tidy mounds of small, rounded, dull-green leaves. See Recommended Hollies, Ilex crenata,here.

D‘Acoma’ crape myrtle (use 1)Dense clusters of white crepe-paperlike flowers light up this small tree in late spring. Dark-green deciduous leaves turn bright colors in fall, and peeling bark is attractive in winter. See Lagerstroemia indica,here.

ECreeping lilyturf (use 8)This evergreen perennial makes a grasslike mat of dark leaves along the pittosporum hedge. Small spikes of violet or white flowers appear in summer. See Liriope spicata,here.

FRuby loropetalum (use 1)An elegant presence next to the stoop, this evergreen shrub bears lacy dark pink flowers in spring and may bloom sporadically through the summer. For a low-water-use garden, substitute with Feijoa sellowiana,here. See Loropetalum chinense,here.

G‘Little Gem’ magnolia (use 1)This smaller cousin of the evergreen southern magnolia fits perfectly at the corner of the house. Spring’s fragrant white flowers are followed by large pods of bright red seeds that songbirds love. See Magnolia grandiflora, here.

H‘Obsession’ Heavenly bamboo (use 3)This beautiful sterile Nandina is upright, compact, has dense growth with brilliant red new foliage, grows 3 to 4 ft. tall and 3 to 4 ft. wide. White flowers in summer with months of red fruit in winter. See Nandina domestica, here.

I‘Flirt’ heavenly bamboo (use 3)Stunning deep red/burgundy new growth that accentuates the dark evergreen foliage. The superior color lasts through the summer and early fall in mixed to full shade. Staying compact at 1 to 2 ft. high and 1½ to 2 ft. wide. See Nandina domestica,here.

JVariegated pittosporum (use 8)This evergreen shrub brings year-round color to the foundation with its rounded mounds of glossy gray-green leaves mottled with white. Creamy white flowers scent the air in early summer. See Pittosporum tobira ‘Variegata’, here.

KConfederate jasmine (use 2)On summer evenings you can enjoy the fragrance of this evergreen vine’s flowers. See Trachelospermum jasminoides,here.

Setting for a shady porch

Porch sitting, one of summer’s favorite pastimes, can be made even more pleasurable with this planting. Like the previous design, this one combines deciduous and evergreen plants and mixes handsome foliage and pretty flowers to look good in all four seasons. All of the suggested plants will thrive in a shady location.

The central Japanese maple screens the porch from the street without obstructing the view of sitters on the porch. Informal hedges of dwarf camellia and holly skirt the porch foundation. Yellow variegated aucubas flank the stoop behind small patches of annuals, and a grassy edging outlines the beds.

Fragrant flowers perfume the porch for months, beginning in late winter with tea olive, followed in earliest spring with Carolina jasmine and late spring with confederate jasmine. Vine-covered porch posts and hanging baskets of annuals scattered around the porch complete the cozy setting.

Plants & Projects

AJapanese maple (use 1)This small deciduous tree screens the porch even in winter with eye-catching sculptural branches. Choose a cultivar with cool green leaves in summer; they’ll turn a vivid red in fall. See Acer palmatum,here.

BAnnuals