Knowing Your Garden Space

(step two)

Before digging in and beginning the process of building your garden, you need to understand the land you have.

Hardiness Zone

The first important piece of information is your hardiness zone.  there is a link on my Products and Resources page where you can find out your zone.  Your hardiness zone is a determination of how cold your area typically gets in the winter.  Every plant you buy should list a zone range listed in which that plant can live.  Tropical plants will not survive a Chicago winter, for example, so this information is critical to the survival of your plants and your sanity. There is nothing more demoralizing than planting a bunch of lovely things only to have them die within the first year due to incompatibility to your area.

There is not currently a USDA map that indicates heat tolerance, but it’s important to know that certain cool weather plants will not survive summers in hot climates.  Here in Houston I cannot grow Lilacs or Peonies because they just melt in our heat.  So if you live in a hot climate you will have to rely on what you see growing nearby you, information provided by the plant growers, and information you find online. You will also learn from experience that some things need more shade in your yard than they do elsewhere.

Sun, Shade, & Wind

Every plant has its own requirements for sun and shade, and plants placed in the wrong exposure will either fail to thrive or may even die.

Knowing your exposures will take a few days’ research.  Watch each spot of your planned garden space and write in your notebook how many hours it receives of each of the following:

• Full sun (no shade, no tree shadows)
• Filtered sun – sun filtered through the leafy canopy of overhead trees, through the slats of a gazebo roof, etc.
• Shade – no direct sun at all

Morning vs. Afternoon Sun

One very important thing to know about sun exposure is that morning sun and afternoon sun are not the same.  Morning sun is less intense than afternoon sun, and therefore much more desirable for certain plants.  Understanding this is especially important in hotter climates where afternoon sun can be absolutely brutal.

Summer vs. Winter

The next facet of exposure is knowing which areas of your garden receive different sun levels in winter versus summer.  In the winter, the sun sits lower in the sky, so parts of your garden that are in full sun in summer may actually be in the shade a little longer in the winter due to the shade of a fence or your house.

Having a precise count of sun hours will make the difference between a sad garden and a happy one, so don’t skip this step!

Lastly, consider wind.

Wind dries out plant tissues and tears up leaves. Things planted in windy spots will need to be able to tolerate the abuse and plants with brittle stems or delicate leaves will need to be planted close to buildings or fences that can protect them from the wind.  Wind also makes the cold air colder in the winter, enough to bring the wind chill low enough to kill a plant that would otherwise survive a given temperature.

If you live near the coast of the ocean or a large lake, then wind needs to be considered in your planting choices.

Rainfall 

The wrong amount of water will absolutely kill a plant.  For this reason you need to know the approximate amount of rainfall you can expect to receive in your area.  It’s important to consider not only whether you will need to ADD water, but to make sure you don’t plant plants that will drown if you live someplace that receives a great deal of rainfall (such as the Seattle area), or if you do, to plant them in a way that allows them to survive.

Knowing your rainfall will prevent a lot of suffering with lost plants, but of course weather isn’t always predictable – there are droughts, hurricanes with extra rain, and other weather events to deal with.

For most of us, supplemental irrigation will be necessary from time to time.  The more you can work with your natural rainfall, however, the easier your life will be and the happier your plants will be.

Please see my “Irrigation” page for ideas.

Soil Type

The next important piece of information you need is your soil type.  Do you have clay, sand, or loam?  Most commonly, you will have a unique blend (like sandy loam, for example).  You can ask your local county extension office for a soil testing kit in order to find out.  If you have neighbors who garden, you can ask them as well.

The basic rundown, however, is as follows:

Sandy soil is predominantly sand.  Water runs through it easily and quickly.  Plants planted in sandy soil need to be okay with periods of dryness.  The benefit of sandy soil is that it allows easy root growth and doesn’t hold onto water too long which might cause roots to drown and get root rot.

Clay holds water extremely well and can be sticky when wet and rock hard when dry.  The benefit of clay is that it holds water longer, preventing roots from drying out quickly, and it tends to have minerals that benefit plant growth.  The downside of clay is that because it holds water so well plant roots can sometimes drown if the soil is not amended properly or the planting technique isn’t adapted to clay.

Loam is essentially perfect soil.  It is light and fluffy, allowing easy root growth, it is full of organic matter which hosts microorganisms and fungi that plants need, and it retains water for longer than sand but not as long as clay. The vast majority of plants thrive in loam.

Practical Hazards

Will your garden be enjoyed by children?  Pets?  Are you in an area with a large deer population?

If children will be in the garden, you will want to plan spaces where they can play safely (and without you worrying about damage to the plants) – a grassy lawn area is typical, but an area mulched with wood chips is also feasible.

Plants with poisonous berries will be a big no if you have small curious children (or nibbling pets) who might eat them.  If your dog is a chewer, you should avoid plants with poisonous sap in their branches.

Have a dog that loves to dig?  You may want to provide her a section of garden where digging is allowed and plan for barriers to prevent her digging where you don’t want her to.  Also consider what space will be the pet potty area.

If you live in a deer heavy area, you’ll want to take precautions to protect your garden from being their breakfast buffet.  There are deer resistant plants, but there are no truly deer proof plants, so physical barriers will be much more effective.

Unmovable objects

The last aspect of of your space you need to consider is physical objects that cannot be moved, but which will affect planting.  Examples are:

• Cable boxes & poles
• Septic zones
• Water runoff areas
• Utility Easements
• Electrical, gas, and cable lines under the ground

All of these things can be planted around (or atop), but plant choices will be affected.  For example, a water runoff area will need to be planted with plants that can tolerate, or even enjoy, occasional flooding (such as irises or elephant ears).

At this point your notebook should be filled with pertinent information about the space in which your garden will live.  Now you’re ready for Step 3: Putting your design on paper.