Summer-Dry Gardening, Part 2: Bringing Inspiration Home

Transforming a front lawn into a low-maintenance, drought-tolerant oasis

The summertime heat is really upon us now in the Pacific Northwest . July and August stand for the hottest times of the year . It ’s when we often have a few twenty-four hour period in the 90s or even higher , with modest humidity and scant rain . This is the time I really like to take stemma of how my summertime - wry garden is handling the in high spirits temperatures of the year . My garden takes inspiration from a few sources : the methods that Beth Chatto used ( see my previous report on her garden ) , the expertise of one my clients who has a summertime - teetotal garden that is over 17 year old , and the maintenance and establishing method I have used over the last six years in that garden .

Deciding where to start

After many years of being inspired by these garden , I was ready to take on the challenge and tackle my own front garden with my newfound knowledge . My garden was a distinctive Seattle suburban front garden with island layer and a large lawn that would embrown - out every summertime . let a lawn go hibernating in summertime is a particular phenomenon of the Northwest . Perhaps suffer one of the most expensive water costs in the nation is a contributing component . I started by charter a sod stonecutter and set forth to remove my lawn . A discussion of cautiousness : Those machines are cloggy , and having help steer them is of the essence . Luckily , I did have help .

Grass and grasslike perennials weave through other plants

My industrial plant selection was free-base on recommendations fromBeth Chatto ’s leger , my client ’s plant pallet , and my interest in experiment with tough grasses and other summer - dry perennials and self - seeding annual . I determine that‘Amazon Mist ’ leathery polypody sedge,‘Patrick ’s Point ’ red fescue , andUndaunted ® ruby muhly grassplanted from 4 - inch pots are useful and sustain ground book binding level that let spring bulb and annuals to grow up through the blades of the forbs . A late addition is‘Blonde Ambition ’ blue grama grass , which is performing well too . It has very cool caterpillar - looking panicle that last all season long .

Evergreens provide texture and form

I also include many tough evergreen plant industrial plant for year - round color , interest , and anatomical structure . Some of those include‘Mickie ’ stone rosefor its lovely bright green and yellow leaves with undimmed white-hot flowers , Italian cypressto avail with vertical sake , and‘Murray Valley Queen ’ grevilleato attract and feed the yr - circle local Anna ’s hummingbirds . I am currently experiment withmanzanitas(Arctostaphylosspp . and cvs . , Zones 2–10 ) .

A dense yet relaxed design

One face of summer - ironical gardening that I determine peculiarly interesting is that it achieve a very naturalistic and immersive intuitive feeling . I enjoy that all the plants grow and touch each other as they mature . A bonus is that the densely embed area are virtually weed - free , although I do have my fair share of weeding and maintenance in other areas .

Return on investment

My garden was started in the fall of 2015 and has completely changed the look and feel of my corner lot . I have sex that amazing motley of insect and wildlife , especially small hiss , live in and love my garden . I relish the benefits of plants that fence in my house by the way they help buffer the noise and cool my house in summer . I also enjoy the residential area that this garden has created , with inquisitive neighbors asking me about my garden and small children always want to take the air among the prime . I hope this will exhort you to read up more on this groovy gardening technique and make the space to try out in your own garden .

A small sampling of plants in my summer-dry garden

— Jason Jorgensen is a landscape painting graphic designer in Seattle .

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