Episode 150: Design Guidelines of Thumb with Stacie Crooks

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Stacie Crooks is a Seattle-based backyard designer who has created stunning, ecologically pleasant, low-maintenance gardens all through the Pacific Northwest. She can also be a contributing editor for Fantastic Gardening journal and has shared her insights with our readers via 10 characteristic articles and several other departments over the previous 17 years. On this episode, Carol interviews Stacie in regards to the classes that she has gained from her years of backyard design expertise.

Table of Contents

Stacie Crooks’s Backyard Design Guidelines of Thumb

1. Determine your venture.

Ask your self “What do I wish to obtain?” and “Why do I wish to do that?” Having a transparent objective in mind- be it decrease upkeep, higher curb enchantment, or extra wildlife within the garden- will enable you make the precise design, model, and plant decisions.

2. Know your website.

Earlier than you may make any adjustments, you might want to know your limitations. Decide the backyard’s gentle publicity and angles, soil sorts, drainage, topography, and dimension. Think about irrigation (when you want water, the place will it come from?) and entry (how will you get into the backyard and transfer via it?) Bearing all this in thoughts, set a price range.

3. Get impressed.

Along with your targets and tips clear, It’s time for a strong plan. Folks all the time ask, “The place do I begin?” Have interaction in actions that foster studying and friendships. Learn books and magazines and go to lectures. Be part of a backyard membership. Volunteer at a public backyard. Look within the newspapers and on the web for alternatives. Take notes, make lists and make sketches. Take images of gardens you go to and replica them.

4. No zone denial.

While you go to purchase your crops at your native nursery, learn the tags fastidiously. Select solely that which is suited in your website and to your life-style. If it isn’t clear, ask a nursery particular person. Ensure that the quantity of care that plant wants match the time and vitality you’ll be able to afford.

5. End one backyard earlier than you begin one other.

Resist shopping for crops that aren’t in your present project- they’ll simply die ready so that you can plant them. Follow the checklist.

6. Be accountable environmentally.

At all times intention to make use of much less water, much less fertilizer, and no chemical substances. The higher your website, the better it’s to realize success naturally. There’s an significance to NOT gardening, utilizing fewer assets and fewer labor and simply having fun with your area extra.