Meandering paths Garden paths are romantic and seem to say, come follow
me. How you create your pathway is up to you and your choices are limitless, from rocks to cedar chips, straw to recycled rubber, concrete to natural stone, to just plain grass; what you choose will not only set the stage for the plants it will show off but determine the look and amount of upkeep you will be required to do. Natural pathways that use woodchips, tiny stones or other mulch are beauti- ful, however, know that they will require landscape fabric underneath them to prevent weed growth and you will still need to pull weeds or spray to keep the path clear.
The upside is that weeds are easy to pull with the fabric below. A simple but beautiful path can be created by plac-
ing flat rocks or stepping stones flush into the lawn. The stones create contrast against the green grass, drawing people in and leading them down the path. These are easy to upkeep as your lawnmower will cut right over the stones as long as they are placed flush into the dirt. For even more romance make your path meander along
instead of going in a straight line. It makes you wonder what is just beyond that last turn. Use spreading plants as groundcover around the trees to create a woodland feel.
Vegetable Gardens Why not try raised vegetable beds this year? They
look neat and tidy and can be easier on sore backs. The best vegetable gardens include a mixture of flowers and vegetables. So many flowers are beneficial for the edible garden, attracting pollinators and repelling pests, consider companion planting for garden health and beauty this year. Who says you have to stick to a rulebook? Un-uniformed
can be just as beautiful as uniformed. The mixed mediums used in the top left garden work well together – from two by four raised beds to wicker edging, boxwood hedging and an old picket fence. For a more natural look, one of our gardeners used debarked tree trunks for the garden edging and smaller debarked trees for support poles and siding. Wire fencing is not only used to keep scavengers out, but also as a trellis for peas or beans to climb over on an A-frame they constructed. Creating A-frames for climbers also allows you to grow shade lovers or heat intolerant plants like lettuce in the shade provided by the climbing crop.
16 • Dreaming 2016
localgardener.net
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