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Gardening News
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More from Less: Gardening in Small Spaces
By Cindy Bellinger With downsizing being the trend these days, and not always by choice, living with smaller outdoor spaces is becoming more common. Or as a friend recently put it, "I didn't know downsizing meant tiny!" Whatever small means to you, a pleasantly designed garden is still possible.
The trick to small gardens is creating visual spaciousness both through hardscaping and choosing plants that lend a sense of abundance even in the tiniest areas.
Create Visual Spaciousness
Think big and up, and free yourself from limitations. Defining interest in any garden uses a few tricks of the trade that especially work well in small spaces.
 Make distinctive areas. Use patches of native grass, flagstone, brick or river rock to create a theme of flow through the garden. - Build different elevations. Create steps to patios, decks and other living areas of varying heights. Make raised beds and set containers on log stumps or pedestals. And don't forget trellises and arbors to increase vertical interest.
- Install pathways. Both straight and meandering walkways beckon. Even a few stepping stones placed here and there become an invitation for entering.
Plan Outdoor Living Areas
Keep in mind how you want to use your small garden.
- Make a patio area covered with lath. Even a tiny nook of a covered area tempts people to relax and feel as if they've truly gotten away from it all.
- Install a bench, garden chair or hammock. Any enticement to sit and say a while, such as a single stone well-placed under a tree is appealing in any garden.
Design Features for Small Gardens
Consider the look that appeals to you--formal or loose and wilder. Whichever appearance you aim for, a few rules of thumb apply.
 Choose plants that won't out grow the space. Slowing growing plants and ones with small foliage fit themselves better to small gardens. Big leaves reduce the size of a garden, both spatially and visually. - Situate taller plants as backdrops. This highlights smaller plants and also creates a line of visual and textural interest.
- Create softness with low groundcovers. This design element also for open areas to keep the garden from feeling cramped.
Suggested Plants
One way to find the perfect plant for your particular space is using our online catalog's Advanced Plant Search. You can browse by bloom time, color, growing region and soil type. Be sure to click on the field for Mature Plant Height.
The following are only a few plants for small spaces.
Low-growing Plants
Good books for gardening in small spaces - Plants for Small Spaces by Stephanie Donaldson and Susan Berry
- Small Gardens, Inspired Plantings for Diminutive Spaces by Becke Davis
- Small Gardens, How to get the most impact from the least space by Glenn Morris.
With houses getting bigger and lots shrinking these days it's still possible to create a bit of paradise. Gardens don't require a lot of room just a bit of imaginative planning. 
Our Earth-Friendly Eco-Tip: Why Plant Pines? Our New Spring Line
By Mary Ann Walz
 As I write, a major winter storm just passed through, dumping over 16" of snow and I'm reminded of an important reason to plant pines. The snow sits in globules on the evergreen branches, creating lots of fantasies for winter imaginations. And because they also add great focal points and shade-throwing elements in gardens year round, we're offering pines for the first time in our catalog.
About Pines
In the genus Pinus, in the family Pinaceae, pine trees are coniferous. That means they are seed cone bearing. There are about 115 species of pine.
Our New Pine Line
Our seed grown species are all native to the Western United States, making them adapted to cold, arid climates. They're easily grown in any well-drained soil except clay. Our pines are four to five years old and ready to plant. Grown in "band pots" (pots that create seedlings with excellent, fibrous root systems), they transplant and establish their new roots readily.
Cultural Needs of Pines
Pines quickly become happy trees if given the right conditions. Following are some rules of thumb for planting your new pine trees.
 Choose spots with lots of sun.- Choose spots good drainage.
- Give your pines lots of space. If you plant several trees in the same area, they'll need about 10 feet of space between their crown branches at maturity. They come in 4 1/2" deep pots and are only 4 to 6 inches tall. They are real babies.
Pines are superb foundation trees in a landscape, given your yard is big enough to accommodate their mature size. That's a very important consideration. Drive through almost any subdivision that's more than 30-years-old and you'll see examples of conifers planted in the wrong place. They outgrew their spot.
Our Three Big Pine Offerings
Each species has its own characteristics but all perform beautifully in the home garden.  Pinus strobiformis (Southwestern White Pine) is known for its soft blue and green colored needle and attractive grayish bark. Once established it grows quickly, about 12-18 inches a year. Pinch new spring candles back by half for a few years to thicken up the tree's branching. Excellent choice for wind breaks. A medium large species at maturity; 60" x 20" wide. Zones 4-8.
 Pinus ponderosa (Ponderosa Pine) is a classic western beauty and grown for its long, deep green needles and attractive chunky textured reddish bark. We got our seed from the Black Hills of South Dakota. A moderate grower once established, it gains about 12 inches in height a year and grows to a large size at maturity; 80-100" x 20-30" wide. Zones 3-8.
 Pinus aristata (Bristlecone Pine) is a much beloved sub-alpine pine of the central Rockies and found at higher elevations up to the tree line. The tree always has a distinctive growth habit and doesn't get too large; an excellent choice for small, sunny yards (20-30" x 15" wide at maturity). Ornamental flecks of white sap decorate its stiff green needles. Once established it grows about 4-6 inches per year. Actually quite heat tolerant it grows well in Albuquerque, NM where summer temperatures reach into the upper 90s F. Zones 2-7.
Our Pre-planned Gardens
The Inferno Strip Garden: Colorful Perennials For Hot, Narrow Spaces
If you're new to gardening or if you're new to xeriscape gardening, then our pre-planned gardens will give you a boost for getting started. All the plants selected have the same watering needs, the same type of soil and the same feeding requirements. It's a way to eliminate needing to figure it out and a perfect way to let the plants teach you.  The Inferno Strip Garden was designed by Lauren Springer Ogden while living in eastern Colorado. Faced with the prospect of removing a narrow strip of half-dead Kentucky Blue grass along the street side of her property, she decided to take a creative approach when replanting.
She chose an assortment of tough, xeric, lower growing perennials. While not everyone has a street-side "inferno strip," this garden collection is ideal for other hot, sunny, narrow areas like those found against garage walls or along drive ways. The Inferno Strip Garden uses an assortment of xeric (water-thrifty) perennials to create a colorful, long blooming, low maintenance flower bed. We recommend that it be mulched to a depth of 2" with crushed gravel. A planting and care guide is included that shows how to arrange the plants for best color and texture combinations. Suitable for use in zones 5-9. |
The trick to small gardens is creating visual spaciousness both through hardscaping and choosing plants that lend a sense of abundance even in the tiniest areas.
