Labor Day Weekend

Old Fashioned Garden Principles…. and a Few New Ones

I used to refer to late August as the ‘calm before the storm’ in gardening. Once Labor Day comes it is a mad dash for us all to aerate lawns, reseed lawns, plant new beds, move old plants, put beds ‘to sleep’ and more.

Before the onslaught begins, I thought it would be fun in these last few days of August to review (and comment on) what some articles tout as important gardening principles.

1. What is the three year rule in gardening?

‘The first year they (plants) sleep, the second year they creep, and the third year they leap.

‘In other words, you need to be patient.

Asclepias tuberosa or butterfly weed is shown above…sleeping,creeping and leaping!

It may not always take 3 years of creeping etc. for a perennial to get big. This past spring because I treated my beds with compost and because we had heavy amounts of rain, my ‘first year’ black and blue salvia grew 4’ tall in the first month!

2. What is the old fashioned 70/30 rule in gardening?

This is a ‘ balanced planting approach’ where 70% of plants are ‘safe’ choices. They are reliable, long performing perennials, shrubs and trees that provide structure and year round interest. Thirty percent of the plants are reserved for more ‘spontaneous plants ‘ like annuals and experimental varieties.

Well…. Good luck with that! You need to study what you are buying even if a landscaper gives you a design.

3. The 70/30 rule (now) about gardening

Seventy percent of your plants should be Native.

Check on-line- There are lots of Native lists on-line. Be sure you get the correct cultivar (the little name following the official first name). Some plants of the same genus are not Native to your area.

4. What are the 3 hours of gardening?

This equals the equivalent of a one-hour session at the gym.

Yes gardening can be a good workout, but don’t overdo it for the first few go-arounds. Three hours is a long time to garden in my book.

5. What is the first rule of gardening?

Make good soil if you don’t have it.

How? You can do this by spreading 2″ of composted topsoil all over your yard. Order in a dump truck full of compost and take it slowly! Do a little each week.

6. The rule of three?

Plant in odd numbers to make the garden look more natural.

Now that is sort of true– but don’t use all 3’s throughout your garden, and don’t make a triangle perfectly even when you place 3. Think uneven and a little unpredictable. Right when the viewer thinks they see a pattern …mix it up. You can have 2 plants in one area of garden and the third one about 10’ away to pick up on a theme. One plant somewhere is fine too if it gets big or spreads!

The photo above was probably 3 of each when they were just planted. They are very pretty and one way to approach design in your garden. It is rare to find plants growing naturally in this perfect pattern.

7. Use only 3 colors in your garden to make a cohesive design and not too busy.

This is true for smaller gardens. I would use white, in addition to 3 other colors because other colors stand out much more when planted near a white bloom. Think of warm colors for northern gardens (yellow, orange red).

and cooler colors for the south (blue, purple and pink).

8. Limit your hardscape material to 3 types.

Stone, wood and metal is fine.

However, you can use different types of stone, wood or metal patterns if you don’t see them all at once with the ‘same eye” or view. Pretend each area is it’s own ‘room’ and keep each room with one style. I like to think of different areas in my yard like little vignettes. Each section may be very different but each has it’s own charm.

Then again..anything goes these days.

9. For large landscapes- use a dozen of the same plant to make a big impact.

Or make a flowering shrub garden which can also be quite large with each bloomer having a different color and season of blooming.

10. What personality types like gardening?

Altruistic, generous and community oriented.

Wow! What a great group to be a part of.

10. What group of people are the most numerous gardeners.

White women over 55.

Somehow that seems prejudicial and a little outdated.

11. Do people with ADHD like gardening?

Eighty five percent surveyed said it boosts their mood.

and anyone’s mood. Getting your feet or hands in the dirt has been proven to give you effective healing ‘grounding’ which comes directly from the earth’s dirt and minerals. .

12. What is chaos gardening?

Chaos gardening is when a mix of seeds including vegetables, flowers and herbs are scattered in a garden bed rather than in rows.

I think chaos gardening is more difficult to pull off beautifully than many traditional gardens. There is a talent to sewing seeds.

13. What is gorilla gardening?

Planting in areas which are not owned by the planter without permission from anyone. Usually the garden is in deserted , neglected or abandoned areas.

In Richmond there is a gorilla garden in the fan called ‘Ricks Garden’ between N. Mulberry and Robinson and Hanover and Grove. It is about to be torn down due to a construction project. It is an amazing Native garden found in the huge parking area in the alley. ‘Rick’ planted and lovingly tended the space for 35 years. There is petition circulating to let this healing spot stay.

14. What is Nordic gardening?

Clean lines, neutral color pallets and minimalist aesthetics.

15. What is French gardening?

Symmetry, precise geometric patterns, topiaries and stone elements.

And I always think of lavender..lots of lavender.

16. What is English gardening?

Blending informal styles of winding paths and native flowers in meadows. These garden often have lush plantings with a more formal look using topiaries, geometric plantings, tightly shorn hedges and symmetry.

17. What is American Gardening?

This is a broad term reflecting the New American Garden with new open designs, naturalistic plants of native grasses and wildflowers, and an emphasis on ecological principles.

In other words you do not have to have a lawn (the most worthless thing to grow for helping the environment.). You also do not have to dead head flowers, or rake all organic matter out of your beds so you can mulch with horrible chunky non biodegradable mulches.

What is the takeaway from all these principles?

Thirty years ago, I bought all my plant material from Bubba, Herman and Stewart at the Little Five Azalea Farm off Rt 1 near the Virginia Commons in Glen Allen. ‘Little Five’ has been replaced with a shopping center. Bubba’s advice when I would worry was , “the great thing about landscaping is you get to start over each year!”

In the end, take all this advice with a grain of salt. The important thing is that you enjoy the process of what you plant and develop. If you want to change anything, your plants don’t care. They too like ‘starting over again each year.’

Happy Labor Day! It’s a great time to garden!

Christie lives in Manakin Sabot , Virginia where she manages a 3 acre garden. Her blogs are written from her 35 years as a personal and professional gardener.