Please keep (your shears) off the grass

Ornamental grasses — all of which I adore — are in flower now. There are many grass species ranging in effect from fluffy and cute to elegant and architectural. They can sound like the ocean when breezes stir the foliage, they make excellent privacy screens, provide shelter for wildlife and some can guzzle copious amounts of water in areas you might prefer to keep dry.

Birds love them, too, as they provide tasty treats in the form of seeds. I was reminded of this when I rushed over to admire a freshly stocked cart of Pennisetum at a local nursery and inadvertently triggered a panicked evacuation of an entire flock of sparrows.

When selecting ornamental grasses for your garden, consider their ultimate, mature spread. The larger species that have an arching, fountain-like habit require a lot of real estate. It seems obvious to figure out how much space you have and then install a suitable plant there, I know, but I am cringing as I write about the numerous ornamental grasses I have lately seen sheared to fit a tight spot. This is a go preceded by a big NO. 

 

The problem with the plantings of the fluffy, arching maiden grass (Miscanthus) in these two photos is that these plants encroach too much on the nearby walkways, which is what motivated the shearing. A more upright form would work better in these areas.

The same species planted in a wide border around a pool are much more effective, although even these are getting a bit overgrown for the space. In this case I would advise division to give them — and the people lounging — more room to breathe. These grasses can be divided like any other perennial; and free plants are always a good thing.

Ornamental grasses are great for hedging but they are not privet or boxwood so please put down the shears; at least until next year. The only appropriate time to prune ornamental grasses is at the end of winter when foliage should be cut down to four to six inches tall. Cut down the old leaves before fresh green shoots appear in spring.

The only other correct motivation for wielding the garden shears around ornamental grasses at this time of year is for flower arranging purposes.

Below is a (not a fabulous shot, alas) beautiful feather reed grass (Calamagrostis x acutiflora 'Karl Foerster') I snapped with my cell phone at Green Spring Gardens.

Both the maiden grass and the feather reed grass flowers add an earthy, elegant note to a late summer bouquet.

Dog day thoughts

With less than four weeks of summer remaining my thoughts are turning to making them as enjoyable as possible. It's still hot and the biting bugs are still happily feasting on whatever flesh they can find. A quick and easy culinary cure is to swipe exposed skin with white vinegar. You can also swab down outdoor tables with same to discourage flies from attending your al fresco meals. Old-fashioned sticky flypaper and flytraps are nontoxic and therefore safe to use anwhere you choose to enjoy your food.

Another favorite food-based cure for hands (and feet) that have been gardening all summer long is a recipe I vary according to the contents of my kitchen. Massage the cut ends of fresh lemons or limes (that you might not use for anything else except possibly to freshen the garbage disposal) over any areas that need softening: feet, elbows, hands, cuticles. The juice also whitens stained nails. Of course, if you know the trick my Grandma Gargano taught me (scrape your nails over a bar of soap before you slip on your gardening gloves) you won't have that particular problem. When you're done working remove your gloves and use a nail brush to remove the soap — and the dirt it prevented from getting under your nails. If I have more time and the inclination I'll mix lemon or lime juice with a handful of salt and a tablespoon or more of olive oil for a quick and refreshing scrub.

My friend Michele and I knew how to enjoy the best my grandparents' yard had to offer back in the old dog days. I'm the one in the dark suit with the stylized flower (of course) on it.

In these shoes? I don't think so

Over time I've discovered some necessary garden accoutrements, shoes being one of the most important among them. If my tootsies are unhappy (i.e.; wet, cold, hot, etc.) I am unhappy. And so is anyone else within earshot.

Having spent a lot of time gadding about New York City in the pre-Giuliani years, my main shoe selection rule had always been "buy shoes you can run in". If they happen to be 4-inch Manolos, why not?

This is not to say that I have always made the wisest choices. The rather high-heeled but generally very comfy tumbled gold leather Kork-Ease (upper right) are a case in point. I bought them specifically to function as the foundation of my summer wardrobe and I chose to wear them on my first casual walking tour of Old Town Alexandria. Big mistake.

Anyone who has walked around Old Town is familiar with the charming — and often uneven — brick sidewalks. The slim wedge heel of the Kork-Ease, although fabulous on other surfaces, did not offer their usual showgirl-on-her-day-off combo of casual glitz and comfort. After limping along for several blocks in a most unalluring manner, I knew I needed immediate relief in the form of flat shoes or a piggyback ride. Thanks to Sam, my beau and champion, my new bronze Fit Flops have become my go-to summer sandal. (It was too hot for a piggyback ride, anyway.) The silver and gold Earth shoes (lower left) also satisfy my need for both a bit of dazzle and a flat sole.

For gardening tasks I like different shoes for different tasks. I have two pairs of waterproof Clark's (lower right), one ankle-high boot and one oxford style, that resemble L.L. Bean's duck boots, that I wear for really sloppy, wet conditions. In colder weather I install a sheepskin liner made by Uggs.

For summer gardening I like my Ahnu water shoes (upper left), which were also purchased in a moment of desperate need on Block Island last summer. I'm now the proud owner of two pairs. My shoe collection multiplies purely out of necessity. Really.

Size Matters (or Think Big)

After a very quick tour of Green Spring Gardens this morning, curtailed by the air quality advisory and the fact that I forgot to swallow a Claritin, I’ve decided to address the question of size and scale in the landscape from the air-conditioned comfort of home. If you haven’t visited this public park in Alexandria do so on a non-orange alert day or any time you need a little inspiration. The park is beautifully landscaped and the horticultural center offers a reference library, all kinds of events and classes and several shops.

The great thing about visiting an established (or historic) landscape is seeing mature specimens in all their glory. It can be difficult for the new home gardener to make the visual leap from a potted sapling at the garden center to a 30- or even 15-foot tree.

The photo of this big old house in Old Town has some great examples of scale; the full-size SUV parked in front of the Mini and the large (mature) tree on the left with all the smaller (and much newer) trees on the right. Notice how the large tree balances the mass of the front part of this mansard roof house and shades the backyard. The smaller specimens planted closer to the house focus the eye closer to the ground and provide a pedestrian-friendly view.

When I worked in a nursery designing landscapes, mostly for new or non-gardeners, the most challenging element of my task was helping people see the possibilities; especially with regard to scale. Simply put: size matters — especially in the larger context of the built environment. The miniature orchid that rocks the galley kitchen from its windowsill stage will most likely disappear on the front porch where it will be obliterated by the scale of its surroundings.

My favorite, and most effective, technique to help people visualize size and scale in the garden is to pose as a plant. Sounds ridiculous, I know, but there’s no need to cover anyone with compost or leaves. Just place a volunteer in the planting spot you’re considering and stand back to assess the impact. And take a photo, it lasts longer and will help you long after your volunteer has run off for well-earned libations. Raised or outstretched arms easily add height and width. This is particularly useful when trying to determine the proper placement and height to create an effective screen. If you’d rather skip the posing, pick up this great book entitled The Plant Growth Planner, by Caroline Boisset, that shows plants at one, three, six and twelve years old.

When you’re considering woody specimens (trees and shrubs), size is even more important given the longer time frame for them to reach maturity compared to herbaceous plants. If you need to buy several trees, and you’re not installing a perfectly symmetrical allée, I advise buying one of the largest specimens you can afford (up to about 10 feet in height since anything taller can be tricky to establish) and several smaller specimens in different heights. This keeps the price more manageable and you’ll get a yard that looks less like a newly started tree farm and more like an established landscape.

Even a container garden needs to have the proper stature in order to succeed. There’s something terribly depressing about a large pot with a few scraggly specimens poking up through the exposed soil. Think big — especially for your annual displays. Larger annuals and perennials obviously cost more (and the price of woody plants rises exponentially with regard to size) but you’ll buy fewer to fill up a pot and the effect is so worth it.

The expertly designed and well-tended pots at Yates Sunoco in Del Ray are planted with a mix of coleus, New Guinea impatiens and sweet potato vine for a perfectly lush, bold and exotic effect.

I was reminded once again of the drama and impact that proper scale creates when I walked under the fragrant shadow of a 4-foot rosemary standing tall in a small raised bed in Old Town. Now that’s what I’m talking about!

Garden Calls is open for business

Now that I'm living in a place where the winters do not entail six months of snow cover (Alexandria, VA to be exact), I've decided to get back to doing what I love: bossing people around in their own backyards.

Seriously, one of my favorite jobs was working as a landscape designer/supervisor for Nabel's Nurseries, a high-end nursery and landscape design/build outfit in Westchester NY, where I did get to issue commands to the wonderful landscape crews and dole out horticultural advice to clients.

My goal is to guide garden lovers in creating fabulous outdoor spaces using intelligent design strategies, sustainable garden practices and a discerning eye.

In this blog, I plan to share my horticultural and design tips based on my 20+ years of training and expertise. My training started at my grandpa's Kings Park NY vegetable garden. Grandpa Gargano, like all good Italian-American men, kept everyone in tomatos, squash and basil. I got to do the weeding and bug picking, not exactly glamourous jobs, but essential ones.

From then on, I was pretty much hooked on horticulture. Not so much on bug picking.


Feel free to send me questions and I'll see what I can do to help.