Plants for waterlogged soil

Are you puzzled by the fact that your soil turns into an open-air pool every winter or that it disgorges badly in the spring? Do you not know how to decorate the edges of a pond? Rejoice, many plants will be happy in your home!

Defined wetlands

Around a pond, a stream or near a waterhole, the soil is constantly wet and you can take advantage of this to create a dream setting, sometimes exotic, sometimes more classic but always charming.

In the background of a pond, think of the gunnera, a giant plant with spectacular foliage that grows during the summer and disappears in winter. Mulch the base of the plant to protect this fragile Brazilian from frost. Always in the exoticism, think of the banana tree which appreciates a very fresh and constantly humid soil, but also of the cannas whose variegated foliage varieties will amaze you with their splendor. The long, rigid flower stalks bearing brightly colored flowers will bring a touch of cheerfulness to the garden or even to the house in bouquets.

Around the pond, the elegant arums, the inevitable Iris pseudacorus, the sagittaria, the thypas, the rushes, but also the hostas, whose many varieties of colored foliage you can collect, or the astilbes with their feathery panicles will ensure the show.

The various varieties of lysimachia, some with purple foliage such as Lysimachia atropurpurea 'Beaujolais' are sure values. Be careful, if this plant is happy in your garden, it may become invasive.

At the edge of waterways, think of ferns and water mints, always deliciously fragrant, but also of the elegant miscanthus, very decorative. Japanese anemones, aruncus, and some sedges will also make an impact and elegantly highlight your stream.

Undefined areas

If your land is wet all over, don't panic! You can install the plants previously mentioned plus some trees such as willows, including the magnificent weeping willow, poplar, which tolerates wet soils well, but also the very strange bald cypress, alder, swamp oak or eucalyptus, which has a reputation for drying out wet soils. Be careful, in cold regions choose an adapted species. Also keep in mind that nothing grows under a eucalyptus, that this tree has a very fast growth and quickly becomes huge if the conditions are suitable.

Beech, birch and magnolia trees like cool soil, but not feet in water, and can be planted in moist soil. The same goes for certain heathland plants such as rhododendrons, camellias or hydrangeas, which will appreciate soil that is always fresh if it is well drained.

Plants on my sidewalk

It is very tempting to decorate the front of your house with plants on the sidewalk, but is it really allowed and how to proceed if necessary? Follow our advice...

What does the law say?

Whether it is a village or even a city house directly on a sidewalk, it is logically forbidden to invest this public space to install plantations. However, the municipalities are rather conciliatory as for the embellishment of the roadway as long as your arrangements do not hinder the path of the passers-by, do not cause any nuisance to the neighborhood and that they do not generate any danger.

Some cities or villages even encourage this practice which contributes to the flowering of the commune; but be careful, if the town hall asks you to remove your plantations, you will be forced to do so.

Some rules to respect

For the well-being of all, it is necessary to respect some logical parameters so that your flowering takes place in the best conditions without hindering the freedom of others.

• Do not place anything on public equipment such as water or gas valves, meters etc...
• Make sure you leave room on the sidewalk for passers-by, thinking of handicapped people in wheelchairs but also of strollers; in no case should passers-by have to step off the sidewalk because of your arrangements.
• Forget about dangerous, toxic or thorny plants.
• Secure your pots and planters so that they do not fall over and injure a passerby.
• Avoid plants that attract pollinating insects such as bees to limit the risk of stings.

How to proceed?

There are several ways to flower your sidewalk:

• Use verticality to take up as little space as possible on the public space by installing climbers in square pots tightly glued to the wall. Choose plants that do not develop a too imposing trunk and prefer clematis, bougainvilleas, honeysuckles or ipomoeas to wisteria that are too powerful or roses that are too prickly.
• Also to exploit the verticality, install bags of flowers, with drooping petunias, bacopas or lobelias. You can also imitate our British friends by placing English baskets with delicate flowers high up.
• If you are not using your shutters, you can attach your planters filled with ivy pelargoniums or any other composition that is attractive to the eye.
• If there are gaps in the ground at the foot of the wall, don't hesitate to sow plants such as snapdragons, alysses, violas or even hollyhocks, which are always fabulous.

Supports for climbing plants

In addition to their undeniable aesthetic aspect, the beautiful climbers can also have a shading or masking function of a negative point in the garden... it is still necessary to know how to choose the support according to the desired effect!

Covering a wall

A wall covered with climbing plants immediately takes on a beautiful appearance. The trellis is the ideal support to allow them to climb at leisure. It is composed of a frame holding wooden or metal slats that are often crossed. Variations in PVC, bamboo or even wire mesh are available on the market, but they are not all as strong and therefore do not last as long.

You can also improvise trellises with recycled materials such as metal grates used in masonry that have been previously repainted with anti-rust paint, old ladders or even old bed frames. The more do-it-yourselfers can build their trellis with woven willow stems or bamboo thatches for a more natural look.

Be aware that a trellis, whatever it is, should always be placed before planting, leaving a space between the wall and the trellis to ensure good ventilation necessary for the health of the plants.

Hiding an unsightly area

To hide an unsightly area or object in the garden, choose evergreen plants. Then everything will depend on the object to hide, if it is an oil tank or a composter, a simple fence will be enough to cover them.

An old dead tree, if preserved, can serve as a shelter for many animals, for obvious aesthetic reasons, you will cover it with climbing plants: ivy climbs by itself and will do the job perfectly. Flower lovers will prefer clematis; by planting several species you can hope to have flowers on your old tree for many months.

To hide a larger area, left uncultivated or even to hide an opposite side, install openwork privacy panels. It will be easy to install beautiful climbing plants.

Create a beneficial shade

The pergola and gazebo are the best supports to create shade during the hottest hours of the day. The pergola, often attached to the house, is made of wood or metal. Very solid and anchored in the ground, it can support robust plants such as wisteria or vines, but also all other climbers. The plants form a vegetated cover that provides a beneficial shade and lets the breeze pass through, contrary to the canvas usually used for this purpose.

In the garden, to create a shaded path, there is nothing like trellises placed side by side. Planted with roses, honeysuckle or jasmine, they will accompany your steps with fragrant scents.

Set the scene

Stakes can be diverted from their support function to create structures dedicated to climbers and save space. Tipis are the best example. There's nothing to stop you from creating other geometric shapes and climbing your favorite plants!

Designing a driveway

Paths are essential in any garden. Whether drivable or pedestrian, they allow you to move from one point to another without hindrance. Let's see how to create them...

Aesthetics and functionality

When creating your driveway, you must respect several parameters.

First of all, it must be functional and lead as directly as possible from one point to another. Think of the practical side: the width should always be calculated according to the use that will be made of it. For example, a driveway should be at least 3.50 m wide, to facilitate the passage of a car without scratching the bodywork or crushing the plants along the edges.

For a pedestrian walkway, 1.20 m is sufficient to allow two people to pass each other. Secondary paths or paths between plants can be narrower and more intimate.

Aesthetics is another point to consider; always design your pathway according to the style of your garden and house to best integrate it into its environment and not create a shocking contrast.

Straight, symmetrical paths will look best in classic or very contemporary gardens, while harmonious curves will fit in perfectly with the beds of an English garden.

Take into account the terrain

The design of a walkway will depend on the relief of the land and, as we have seen, on the style of the garden and the adjoining house. In a sloping garden, curves will be used to control the relief and soften the slope. They will also be used to bypass an important element such as a large isolated tree, a well or a flowering slope that it would be a shame to destroy.

How do you layout a driveway?

When it comes to driveways, the simplest is often the most practical! Don't make it difficult for yourself and choose the shortest route to get from one point to another. One trick is to use two garden hoses to outline your driveway before digging it. The hoses can be made into curved shapes without worrying about them, which will make tracing easier.

Unless the terrain or style dictates otherwise, always avoid too many curves, which will be ignored by children or the gardener in a hurry, who will then trace straight through the beautiful lawn! A basic rule of thumb: don't create curves where you don't really need them, you'll be making your job harder for nothing.

Don't forget that if you plan to build a masonry walkway, you'll need to provide a slope of 1cm/m for rainwater drainage, so that it doesn't turn into a paddling pool.

Surfacing: a wide choice

Once again, the choice of surfacing will depend on the style and function of the walkway.

Resistant materials such as pavers, concrete, reconstituted stone slabs or interlocking pavers are preferred for driveways that must support more weight.

Pedestrian walkways can be made up of simple grass, bark or wood chips, Japanese steps, gravel or even slate mulch, which is always very aesthetic.

Dress up your facade with climbing plants

There is no need to embark on an expensive facade renovation to give your house a touch of style! Tastefully chosen climbing plants will ensure the show and will quickly transform an unattractive facade into a little jewel.

Practical advice

Not all climbing plants are suitable for your façade. A judicious choice will save you a lot of trouble. Of course, the climate must be taken into account when making your choice; gelatinous plants such as bougainvillea, officinal jasmine or bignone should be reserved for privileged regions.

Climbing plants all have different ways of hanging. Some are voluble, others have tendrils, suction cups or spikes to climb, others will need support. Ivy and Virginia creeper are known to cause some damage but this will only be the case if your plaster is already a little cracked or of poor quality because their powerful clinging system tends to seep into the slightest crevice. However, they will be valuable on a facade still in good condition to dress a paint that has aged badly. They will also offer shelter and food to many gardeners' helpers, such as lizards, gecko and even some birds.

When planting your climber, always think about its future development. Wisteria, for example, can form a 40 cm diameter trunk and its branches can overcome the best iron trellises by twisting. A good basic equipment is therefore necessary. Trellis and trellis system must be fixed beforehand in a perennial way.

The plantation must be carried out according to the rules of the art according to each species: the cold plants in the shelter and in the sun, while the hardiest ones will tolerate a northern exposure. Also think about winter and choose preferably evergreen foliage to prolong the show. Finally, avoid plants that produce large fruits or colored berries such as passionflowers or honeysuckles, because once ripe they could crash to the ground creating unwanted odors and dirt.

Climbing plants for facades

As we have seen, several criteria help determine the ideal plant for a façade. Here is a small list of possibilities according to their use:

• Ivy is perfect for covering a large surface even in the shade or in the North. Evergreen, hardy and with a multitude of sizes and colors of foliage, it is a carefree plant that hangs itself along your walls.
• The Virginia creeper is also ideal for quickly dressing a facade with the advantage of being adorned with sumptuous colors in the fall. However, the foliage of the plant disappears in winter.
• The akebia and the climbing hydrangea are plants that we don't think much about, yet they are covered with delicate flowers in the summer, with a special mention for the akebia that blooms very early in the spring.
• Clematis should be planted with the feet in the shade and the head in the sun. The different species allow for staggered flowering throughout the year.
• For those who love fragrance, climbing roses, honeysuckle, jasmine and wisteria are a must, while those who love bright colors will choose bougainvilleas, bignones, passionflowers, thunbergias or even morning glory. But beware, these plants appreciate warmth and sun and will only bloom well in these conditions!

Fall Ideas

The scenes described are designed to be done in the ground or in containers.

Dream of the "undergrowth

In a corner of the garden or patio with soft light, pair a Parrotia with a few clumps of ferns to highlight the color of the foliage. Line the surrounding soil with Naples cyclamen, which will do well in the somewhat dry shade of the parrotia.

If you can, add a Hydrangea quercifolia whose foliage turns colorful in the fall. Its large creamy conical inflorescences are tinged with warm tan hues.

Naturalness and biodiversity

Focus on the noble beauty of liquidambar in the middle of a free-standing grove of two rugosa roses with large bright orange fruits and a 'Mutabilis' rose. This large rose lives up to its name by displaying large, single flowers of unusual color from spring to fall in shades of copper yellow, pink and crimson.

Accentuate the cheerful, spontaneous scene with a few clumps of miscanthus, oriental pennisetums and small-flowered autumn asters to tie the whole thing together and attract a host of colorful butterflies.

A colorful balcony

In a large purple-red or brown glazed pot, install a Japanese maple or the small liquidambar 'Gum Ball'. Place around it, in separate pots, an Imperata cylindrica 'Red Baron' grass with astonishing bright red foliage and three 'Pinot Gris' or 'Palace Purple' heathers.

In the garden, hide the bare ground with a few Ceratostigma plumbaginoides whose dark green foliage turns purple in the fall. Their gentian blue flowers will provide a striking contrast to this broad color palette featuring dark red.

Breathing in the sunrise

In a lightly shaded corner of the garden, plant a Japanese maple or a weeping parrotia. Combine this small tree with a few grasses. Dwarf sedums with blushing foliage will cover the ground.

For a more intimate scene, plant a plant curtain made of large black or golden yellow bamboo canes or a screen if you don't have the space.

A mulch of pebbles or slate chips will hide the bare earth and reduce weeding and watering.

An oriental lantern and a few candle holders...this scene of restful beauty is an invitation to travel or to meditate.