Garden Design

 

Choose the Right Plant for the Right Spot

Your site may have sunny dry areas, shady moist places, or a combination of both. Watch how water flows and how the sun moves across the sky, during all seasons. The dimensions of your plant. Make sure that you understand how big or small your plant is going to be when it is full-grown. This will make sure that the plant has enough room to grow and works with the other plants in your garden.

For plant-specific information we recommend Satin Flower Nurseries plant lists

 
 

  • If a space receives little or no direct sun, choose plants that prefer those conditions. A shiny groundcover of False Lily of the Valley looks great under bold Sword Ferns and lacy Bleeding Heart. Columbine and Camas add some heat to cool greens. Avoid planting under roof lines as they are too dry.

  • If a spot is hot and dry with plenty of direct sun, choose only dry soil plants. In this example, clumping Fescue grass is combined with Oregon Grape and Nodding Onion to create a soft and colorful ground cover under Shore Pine. Coastal Strawberry and Kinnikinnick will thrive in harsh conditions if you mulch in spring.

  • Clay deposits and our Mediterranean climate is a recipe for saturated soil and standing water in the winter, and dry hard soil in the summer. Luckily there are lots of plants that not only tolerate these conditions but thrive in them.

  • Choosing the right plants for containers is difficult as water and space are usually limited. Stay away from more aggressive plants and drought-tolerant plants are probably best.

    Visit our Container Gardening Page

 

Other things to consider:

  • Using a variety of soil and plant heights to create a diversity of living conditions and microclimates.

  • Use plants that bloom during different parts of the year to prolong your blooming season.

  • Consider what you want to do with your garden. This will change what types of plants you want to use.

    • What do you want your plants to do?

      • Create shade?

      • Create habitat?

      • Hold/stabilize slopes?

      • Beautifying a lawn?

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Layer your garden. Groundcover in front, followed by ferns and flowers and finally shrubs and small trees for a vertical layer and shelter.

For more in depth Meadowscaping information check out West Multnomah’s beautiful Meadowscaping Handbook

or

Creating a Native Garden in Victoria, BC From Design to Maintenance by Louise Goulet