Romantic Spring Display

If you want an extravagant spring display nothing can compare to a well pruned purple or white Wisteria. Here at the gardens on Mainau Island in Lake Constance, Germany a generous pergola invites visitors to escape the sun and bask in the heady scent drifting on the lake breeze. What makes this an even more inviting and interesting space is the presence of the chattering water feature and the stylized bird statue. Add a scrumptious lunch to the mix and you'll have delighted each of the five human senses in on small garden spot. http://www.mainau.de/

Supply plenty of comfortable seating for entertaining guests and keep in mind the "line of sight" for situating the seating arrangement. Each seat should have a view that is pleasing.

Wisteria can be invasive if left unattended and, in my opinion, should not be planted to grow on your house. I prefer to use it on pergolas or arbors where if it doesn't get pruned it's not tearing the roof off my porch! Access the link below for a planting and pruning tutorial. 

http://www.plantamnesty.org/pruning_topics/pt_wisteria.htm

Love yellow? Try Laburnum or Golden Chain Tree. This is the famous Laburnum Arch at Bodnant Gardens in North Wales. The supple tree branches have been trained to an arched frame where the flower clusters hang in abundance from mid May to early June. The variety Laburnum x watereri "Vossii" has clusters up to 20 inches long! http://www.bodnantgarden.co.uk/

Lessons from Nature on Orcas Island

Moss. Many of us who live in the wet evergreen forest called the Pacific Northwest have spent years trying to remove it, destroy it, and annihilate it. Today I hope to convince you to embrace it, find it's beauty, and maybe even propagate it!

This year I am embracing the moss in my garden. If it grows there, there it will grow and I will help it along as best I can (with the exception of the roof!) I have a shady area of my backyard where I have tried to grow grass. I've fought the moss and the moss has won. With a little encouragement from my trip to the San Juan Islands, specifically Orcas Island, I am convinced that with little help my shady area can rival the best nature can dish out.

If you live with shade, rocky or acidic soil, and rain then you can have success in creating your own moss garden. Moss gets it's nutrients from the air so this is all you'll need! Take a look at the environmental surroundings this natural moss garden thrives in.

Terraced rocks create a stepped path to the upper levels of this Orcas Island property. A Madrona at the peak lends a focal point.

Swollen with rain and new growth, moss softens the edges of boulders and spreads into a lush "lawn" of bright greens.

Wind swept trees create a sparse understory. With selective pruning you can do the same in your garden.

How many mosses and lichens can you find in this 8" x 8" micro-community?

I hope I have inspired you! Moss can enhance your gardening pleasure and bring new interest to otherwise difficult growing areas. It's low maintenance and durable qualities should entice you to at least experiment this growing season with moss.