Occasionally you require something to soften hard edges or a bit much of a good thing, like all this wonderful stone work.  The soft, flowing colors and textures of this small pastel container garden blend with the gray of the stone, while softening and warming the effect.  As with the previous small pastel container garden, this garden box is applied to balance and soften the wide expanse of decking.  The box itself mimics the decking boards, but the draping foliage, soft in both color and texture, offsets the harshness of deck.  It as well serves as a living screen, transforming the deck into a garden room.

A big container requires larger than life plants, to be in balance.  Too many small, fussy plants would ruin the effect.  Here, the oversized foliage is balanced with a more serrated texture leaf below, anchored by a softening fine textured trailing plant, drapping over the pots edge.

Saving water and enjoying the beauty and environmental benefits of plants are not only possible, but easy says the American Association of Nurserymen (AAN). “Water Wise” gardening is built on some basic, commonsense principles:

Planning

Planning a water wise garden or landscape is as easy and fun-as planning any type of garden. Talk to the professionals at your local center/landscape firm to see which plants will do well in your area. You may be surprised to find that some very beautiful, colorful plants are low on water consumption-and they may fit into your landscape perfectly.

Group together plants that require the same amount of water. Plant trees and shrubs to provide shade to cool buildings, air conditioning units, patios, decks, and other landscape features. Shelter container plants by moving them to shady areas. Spike or aerate lawns to insure maximum water penetration. Control weeds which compete with useful plants for water.

Soil Improvement

Soil improvement is another easy and beneficial step in building a water wise garden. Soil that is well prepared at the time of planting influences the plant’s initial development and yields the best results. And plants placed in the proper soil will be healthier, often needing less water.

Soil characteristics include texture, structure, depth, and nutrients. To find out more about your soil content, test your soil with the following garden products: Accugrow Soil Test Kit or the Sunleaves Three-Way Meter.

Wise Irrigation

Efficient irrigation is a critical part of water wise gardening. Your irrigation system can be simple, such as a hand-held hose, or elaborate, such as an in-ground sprinkler system. Consider a drip water conservation system, which can save up to 60% of water used by sprinkler irrigation. Whatever you choose, make sure you plan your watering to get best results.

Deep, infrequent watering, promotes root growth and is the wisest use of water and encourages strong rooting. This provides greater tolerance to dry spells. Water early in the day, and on less windy days, to reduce evaporation loss. The ideal time is from dawn to 9:00 a.m. Turn off sprinklers before water is wasted as runoff into gutters and streets.

Mulching

Mulching is always a benefit to your garden and can help prevent soil erosion and evaporation, conserving the water that is available and keeping your plants healthy and strong.

Maintenance

Maintaining your water wise garden means learning how to water all over again. You may find that watering less means having more time to sit back and enjoy your garden. Generally, plants should be watered less often and for a long period of time. Drip, soaker, or deep root watering promotes healthy plants and less water use.

Pay attention to where your eye is drawn.

* Does one element overtake the completely garden?
* Does it looking cluttered or messy?
* Is there a effective flow, with a few variety in height or one long, boring block?
* Do the foliage textures seem to blend into each other or can you complete distinct spikes complemented by feathery foliage and large, bold leaves?

Use your black & white photo to help you edit plants that fade into the background and to rework plant combinations that are too similar in texture or form. Try these at different times during the year to view the varieties in your garden.

Rule #2 – Select plants that will grow in your climate–consider your high and low temperatures.

Rule #3 – Plant your plants in the right place in your yard–sun-loving plants in the sun, shade-loving plants in the shade.

Rule #4 – Provide your plants with complete nutrition. Most fertilizers and plant foods don’t. Spray-N-Grow and Bill’s Perfect Fertilizer provide major and minor elements identified by botanists as necessary for plant growth and production.

Rule #5 – Water your plants properly.

Rule #6 – Keep your plants bug free. Look for bugs on your plants as often as possible. Apply an organic and environmentally friendly bug killer if necessary.

Rule #7 – Watch for plant disease. Spray your plants with Physan 20 or Serenade if you see any wilting, black spots, etc.

Rule #8 – Weed around your plants or use All Down Organic Weed and Grass Kill or Burnout Weed and Grass Killer.

Rule #9 – Deer, rabbits, squirrels and other animals may try to feast on your plants. If you see evidence of munching, use a humane animal repellants. It may take a little detective work to figure out what type of hungry animal is invading your garden.

Rule #10 – Gardening is a physical activity–take care of yourself. Wear a hat and gloves. Use sunscreen and watch for stinging insects. Use safe products–many common gardening products are not organic or all natural. To buy garden products mentioned in this article, visit Spray-N-Grow’s website ( http://www.spray-n-growgardening.com ). Their garden products are safe for people, plants and pets.