While it may seem that landscape plantings are just the “finishing touches” on a landscaping project, in reality, planting garden design is very important to the architectural integrity of it. Plant selection can make or break a landscaping project for the simple fact that plants are living architecture – they grow! Improper plant selections can overgrown their outdoor space, become a maintenance nightmare, and detract from the beautiful hardscaping work.
Our 4-Step Strategy for Selecting Plants for Landscape Plantings.
Following this four-step strategy – in this order – ensures the success of our landscape planting projects:
1. Growth habit.
The first rule in landscape architecture is scale. Everything must be proportional to the available space. Because plants grow, knowing the ultimate size and growth habit of individual plants is the first priority. As the saying goes, “right plant, right place.”
2. Microclimate.
A second most important consideration in selecting landscape plants is the environment they will be growing in. Some examples of microclimate variables are:
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- Plants that grow in full sun will not do well in partial shade.
- Plants that like moist soils will not do well in dry conditions.
- Some evergreen shrubs are susceptible to harsh winter months.
- Plantings on the seacoast should be salt tolerant and thrive in sandy soil type.
3. Evergreen or deciduous trees.
Screen plantings for privacy should be evergreen when viewed from inside the house. However, privacy plantings in outdoor living areas need not be. While they do provide year-round interest, evergreen plants will also grow more slowly.
4. Flower and foliage color.
Many folks have this backwards: they choose accent plants for their yard based on fragrant flower color schemes and variegated foliage. However, once the first three landscape design criteria are met, there are still many options in this area.
Native Plantings Naturalize the Landscape.
Whenever possible, we like to use plants that are native to New Hampshire. Especially on lakefront properties, these native plants will outperform introduced species and create a very natural organic feel to the landscape. We often refer to the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Service’s (NHDES) list of foundation plants suitable for the re-vegetation of shoreline areas and the New Hampshire Cooperative Extension’s native species list.
Soil Amendments Ensure Healthy, Fast-Growing Plants.
Landscape foundation plantings do not fill in overnight. Remember the old axiom about new larger plants: “The first year it sleeps, the second year it creeps, the third-year it leaps.” However, we have found it’s worth it to invest in a healthy layer of well-drained soil rich in organic material. It reduces plant loss and hastens growth.
As landscape designers in New Hampshire, designing a landscape features using trees, woody shrubs, and flowering perennials is something we thoroughly enjoy. There are so many unique colorful plants that thrive in New England! Through a careful selection of these native plant materials, we can create an atmosphere of peace and balance, one that welcomes the visitor and draws them in using a wide variety of heights and colors.
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The best time to plant a tree was 10 years ago. The second-best time is today.
– Chinese Proverb
