A BEAUTIFUL, meticulously landscaped yard is grand. But in pandemic times, beauty alone doesn’t cut it.
With another summer of staycations on the horizon, homeowners are continuing to find creative ways to transform their outdoor living space into a retreat — whether that means adding a play area for the kids or a cocktail bar for the adults (or perhaps both).
Those who are starting from scratch don’t necessarily have to think outside the garden box, but you do need a solid plan before getting down to work.
"Ask yourself what your expectations of your yard are, and what are your expectations of yourself," says Duayne Friesen, a sales representative with Ball Seed Company and former host of Steinbach’s Lawn and Garden Journal radio show.
"Even a yard that is designed to be low maintenance is going to need some effort involved on your part, and that can take a bit of time."
Friesen highly recommends booking a consultation with a designer or landscaper who can draw up a plan, even if you’re going to do a lot of the work yourself. The local garden centre is a great place to seek advice, or visit the Manitoba Nursery Landscape Association’s website (mbnla.com) for a list of certified pros.
You might want to consider hiring experts to tackle building projects like decks, gazebos and patios. But when it comes to lawn and garden care, you don’t need any special skills — go ahead and get your hands dirty. Soil work and planting are therapeutic and uncomplicated if you consider this one rule of green thumbing:
"One third of your yard should be annuals, one third should be perennials and one third should be shrubs," says Friesen.
"The annuals give you that bright colour throughout the summer and you can change it each year. The perennials give you your season of blooms, so you can have action happening in spring and fall. And then the shrubs are a good background."
Beyond that, anything goes when it comes to gardening. Friesen says there’s nothing worse than a yard consisting solely of grass or gravel. These days we have a lot more time to stop and smell the roses, so why not plant more of them?
Flowers displayed in pots or beds near the front door serve as a colourful welcome mat for your home, and they attract bees, butterflies and other many-legged friends.
"Insects aren’t a bad thing. They’re part of our ecosystem and they’re important to have in your yard. Give them a home. I don’t use any pesticides on the yard, I just kind of let things go," Friesen says. "Just get some plants out there."
Vegetable plants — which skyrocketed in popularity last year — can pop up anywhere in the garden, but many homeowners are opting for easily accessible above-ground containers right off the deck.
When it comes to herbs, Friesen suggests planting them in a pot or container three steps from your patio door. That way, the basil doesn’t have to travel far to get into your fresh tomato sauce.
Garden centres are planning to boost their 2021 inventory after a surge in consumer demand in 2020, but if you’re looking for specific plants it’s best to call ahead or preorder them.
The Chicago-based Ball Seed Company has been around for 120 years, and it’s weathered wars, pandemics and economic crashes. One pattern that follows these major events? The horticultural business blossoms.
"People regroup and they regroup with their garden," Friesen says.
"It’s a really important part of our lives that we keep ourselves in touch with what’s going on in our yard, and I think if there’s going to be a (2021) gardening trend — gardening IS the trend."
• BEES KNEES: These dynamic, true yellow petunias will be all the rage this year — as will yellow flowers in general.
• LANCELOT: These lavender salvias have fuzzy green foliage and grow up to 3.5’ high and wide.
• PEONIES: These bold bulbs are back in a big way, partly because their shrub-like appearance makes them appealing in colder months too.
• HOSTAS: A perennial go-to, hostas are the No. 1 selling shade plants.
• GERANIUMS: Not only your grandma’s flowers any more, these richly hued petals are high maintenance as they require deadheading – which is a positive in a pandemic.
"If you can spend an hour in your garden deadheading flowers, the therapeutic value of that is huge," says Friesen. "You’re just in your zone, and people are discovering that about plants, and what they can do for you."
