Christiane Holmquist Landscape Design

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A Matter Of Balance: Don’t Allow the Hardscape to Dominate the Planting

March 9, 2016 By Christiane Holmquist

Don’t allow the hardscape to dominate the planting

Part 2

In my last post I endeavored to put plants in the forefront of our gardens in order to make them softer and more welcoming: Under our southern sun pavements, structures and other built structures create glare and very deep shadows. How can we reduce the harshness of this bright white light in residential landscape design?

I think the primordial quality of a well-designed garden is its ability to let our eyes and minds rest. To that effect, I want to employ shade, light-absorbing textures, coolness, perhaps even the sound of water. I try to balance out the hard structures with drought resistant landscaping and let the plants play an equal if not greater role in the organization and feel of the design. Here are a few tricks how to employ plants to that effect:

hard surface balanced with softening plants

This entrance area can be extremely bright, but Redbuds and oaks add a “roof” to the approaching visitor and create shade.

Don’t let too much hardscape take the warmth out of your garden

No massive gate columns here: The framing of this garden entrance is done by the swollen trunks of Floss Silk Tree Ceiba insignia, which also provides shade; the young mimosa in the island has a very soft light-absorbing deep green foliage and will create a wonderful welcoming coolness.

Even in full non-day sun, someone sitting on that bench would be able to admire the cool blue of this beautiful Potato Bush.

Even in full none-day sun, someone sitting on that bench would be able to admire the cool blue of this beautiful Potato Bush.

Here, a low water and low maintenance clumping grass reflects light like an animal’s fur, and the shade of the shrubs beyond is in contrast to the bright patio on the right.

Here, a low water and low maintenance clumping grass reflects light like an animal’s fur, and the shade of the shrubs beyond is in contrast to the bright patio on the right.

grasses swaying in the wind

A boulder echoes the horizontal line of the eaves, while grasses repeat the vertical lines of the window frame.

Plants have many roles: They create the visual pleasure that changes through the seasons because of the seasonal bloom, and they offer a juxtaposition of delicate textures with the outlines of strict architecture or rugged boulders. Plants can repeat the dynamic contrast between horizontal and vertical lines already present in the architecture of a house. Leaning pine branches intersect with vertical grass blades, while vertical flower stems stand at a right angle to a boulder’s edge.

These dark bromeliads provide contrast to the lightness of the house’s walls, strappy irises play off of the low horizontal stone wall, and palms throw their interesting shadows on the walls.

These dark bromeliads provide contrast to the lightness of the house’s walls, strappy irises play off of the low horizontal stone wall, and palms throw their interesting shadows on the walls.

secret yet inviting garden

Although many “hardscape elements” are used here, plants scale down their proportions and make them soften until they almost disappear. Plants are employed to edge this stone path, and instead of an umbrella or arbor, the tree canopy on the left shelters a bench.

While the stone and wood create light and dark structure, plants soften the overall effect.  Even the light-colored pavers are more inviting when edged in grass.

While the stone and wood create light and dark structure, plants soften the overall effect.  Even the light-colored pavers are more inviting when edged in grass.

Here, the stone flower beds will start to look less heavy when the vines start to take over the arbor and the perennials and shrubs gain their mature height, cascading over the sides to soften them. While distinctly dividing the side of the house into different areas, each area becomes its own secret garden.

DSCN1697 (1)

Plants create suspense: Where is the path leading? Your eye bounces down the path from the Aloe to the pink flowering Rock Purslane to the yellow Mexican Marigold. They thus create the illusion of a larger yard.

A minimal structure for vines will soon create much-needed shade, while all around plants absorb some of the light. The purple-flowered tree is a Jacaranda; the white shrub on the left is Iceberg Rose.

A minimal structure for vines will soon create much-needed shade, while all around plants absorb some of the light. The purple-flowered tree is a Jacaranda; the white shrub on the left is Iceberg Rose.

Soon, the three Podocarpus trees along the back wall will be tall enough to screen out the neighbor’s house and all boundaries will be obscured, thus creating total privacy in a natural setting.

Plants help to separate this sitting area from the entrance and to make if feel more private.

Plants help to separate this sitting area from the entrance and to make if feel more private.

This design also creates the illusion of distance, giving the front yard a larger feel. The small deciduous shrub will provide more shade and privacy as it matures, and give an excellent opportunity to use creative landscape lighting to add drama at night by revealing its beautiful branch structure.

Instead of walls and doors, planter pockets serve to break up the pavement and to separate one usable area from another.

Instead of walls and doors, planter pockets serve to break up the pavement and to separate one usable area from another.

Getting away from hardscapes is a challenge; there are sexy materials that don’t need watering or maintenance, and will last close to forever.  Stone, wood, glass, metal, and even fiberglass or plastic are very versatile and lend themselves to a variety of different uses. Be it fencing or furniture, these materials can help us give places to ‘hang’ our plants, much like in a big wardrobe.

Many landscape architects and landscape designers in San Diego (and elsewhere) have been trained to use these materials as the back-bones and foundations to build around – and upon – with plants in secondary filler roles.  But plants can also serve this purpose; let yourself fall in love with the texture and structure of a plant, or your favorite tree, or a color, and design around that.

Tell your designer that this is the plant you want to showcase or use.  Say you want a great big hedge of something to serve as a fence.  Think about using our native Toyon Heteromeles arbutifolia, or a Silverberry Eleagnus pungens.  Both are tough shrubs with attractive foliage, colorful berries (Toyon) and fragrant flowers (Silverberry) that are very undemanding in soil, water or light and that can be sheered, pruned or trained into small trees or an evergreen screen.   If you prefer beautiful craftsmanship, think about how a simple perfect circle carved from stone, laid in brick, or made of wood can’t help but stand out best when surrounded by the chaos and asymmetry of plants.

Right now is a great time to look for California natives, drought-tolerant succulents and waterwise perennials, shrubs and trees at your local nurseries!

 

I believe this is a topic that will interest many gardeners, and I’ll talk about it in greater detail and colorful examples in a presentation at the Water Conservation Garden in El Cajon on June 11, at 9:30 a.m., in a class entitled “Balancing hardscapes with plants”.  Look for a detailed description in the coming weeks at the Garden’s website.  I’d be happy to greet you there!

Filed Under: Drought Resistant Landscape, Drought Resistant Plants, Gardening tips, Low Maintenance Plants, Low Water Landscape, Shade Structures, Special architectal landscape elements, Trees Tagged With: backyard landscape design, diy landscape design, drought resistant landscaping, landscape designer San Diego, low water landscaping, perennials

My “Fun-tainer” plants – as seen at the Del Mar Spring Home Garden Show 2011

March 23, 2011 By Christiane Holmquist

succulents and perennials in hypertufa containerAt the heart of my considerations for this container display was my desire to create a composition of beautiful yet tough plants that would delight their owners for a long time without being too fussy or difficult to replicate. They would need to tolerate exposure to drying winds, intense sun, month-long temperatures in the upper nineties or low hundreds and occasional light frost, periodic neglect (and no watering), and a lot of competition for space, both above the soil level as well as for the roots.  And they would have to like living in my hypertufa troughs (see my previous post), at least for the next 2 or even 4 seasons, to be “sustainable” (at least as far as a container-existence is concerned).

I already had a few suitable plants: Leucadendron discolor, Aeonium Sunburst, Firecracker Broom, Crown of Thorns, String of Pearls… These are all drought tolerant shrubs, perennials and succulents whose adaptation to prolonged container life on my deck in Ramona I had been admiring for a couple of years.  I only needed to find complementary plants that would offset or enhance their qualities and allow me to juxtapose textures, forms and colors.

Yellow Bird Pincushion Although my intended “pièce de résistance”, the Leucadendron discolor, had clearly proved that it can survive a container-existence (mine is now some 6 ft tall and 3 years old) it was too big for my trough.  I chose instead a close relative, the Pincushion Yellow Bird, Leucospermum cordifolia ‘Yellow Bird’ that drew lots of admiring comments at the fair.  This beautiful South African shrub is related to Proteas and reminds me of the flowers of thistles – without the bristles.  Sunset gives the growing zones as 15-17, H1 and  21-24. It grows to 4 ft tall and wide and can take several degrees of frost; the side buds will produce flowers even if the main flower buds freeze.  

The nodding Pincushion is the best species for cut flowers with blossom clusters that are about 4 inches across, borne at the branch tips.  The bloom peaks in late winter or early spring and can last for 6 months but can start earlier in mild winters.  It is supposedly difficult to grow because it needs perfect drainage, protection from drying winds but good air circulation.  It requires full sun, regular water only in the beginning until establishment (several months to a year depending on planting season) when it needs water only every 2 to 4 weeks.  Selections of this plant in other colors include ‘Flame Spike’ (salmon red) and ‘Red’ (orange red).

Sunburst Aeonium as container plant Because of the Yellow Bird’s gawky and gangly form I decided to place a “counter weight” next to it, and the appropriate one had to be the Sunburst Aeonium.  This succulent grows leaf rosettes at the branch tips that reach a foot across, to form plants that can be about 2 ft across and of about the same height.  The fleshy leaves have a delightful variegation that makes the plant very attractive.  It blooms after several years only and will then die, but the new  “pups” or side shoots will replace the mother plant.  With age, these plants become leggy but you can keep them bushy and encourage branching by cutting back branches several inches below rosettes.  These cuttings can then be used for easy propagation:  let them dry for a couple of days, then set in sandy soil kept barely moist until new grow emerges.

With its low watering requirements and equal sun tolerance it will make a good companion to the Yellow Bird.

Purple Heart Tradescantia Setcreasea pallida   Now, on the side of the Protea, I needed something softer, preferably in a complementary color, and draping over the edge of the container. For this I chose Setcreasea pallida (Tradescantia pallida ‘Purpurea’) or Purple Heart (also called Purple Queen):  This creeping plant has only moderate water requirements, is tolerant of some frost  that might kill the tops but recovery is fast in warm weather.  It will reach 1 to 1 ½ ft height and about 1 ft wide, and needs to be pinched back after bloom.  The stems tend to flop which makes a good container plant if combined with an upright ‘partner’.  (In parts of this county it can be unattractive in winter, but it seems well worth the try.)

Firecracker Broom or Coral Fountain as container plantIn the rear container one you can see the red and purple companions:  Crown of Thorns, Coral Fountain (also called Firecracker Broom), Geranium ‘Vancouver Sentenniel’ and Statice.  The Firecracker Broom, also aptly called Coral Fountain, is a good container plant:  Here it keeps a much neater and smaller form than in the ground where it can reach to 5 ft high and wide;  if the green, almost leafless stems of my container get too long they are easily shortened without loosing the graceful drooping form.  On my deck in Ramona it has continuously produced a profusion of bright red, narrowly tubular flowers since last year that attract hummingbirds. This shrub needs regular but small applications of fertilizer to keep blooming.  It tolerates partial shade or bright indirect light and needs only moderate to regular watering.

container succulent Crown of ThornsNext to it, producing an attractive contrast with its sturdy, upright form I planted Crown of Thorns Euphorbia milii.  It, too, hasn’t stopped flowering since I planted it in the previous container about 2 years ago.  It doesn’t seem to mind that I uprooted it from its previous home…  It’s a bit thorny but can be handled easily with leather gloves that will protect your hands also from the milky sap that can cause skin rashes and is toxic if ingested.

It also requires excellent drainage and has very low water demands. It grows 1 to 4 ft high and about 1 ½ ft wide which makes it an excellent upright narrow accent in a container.  Many varieties and hybrids of this one exist in colors of yellow, pink and orange.  In windy or frost-prone area it is best grown against a sheltered wall.  Salt tolerance makes it ideal for seaside plantings!  It tolerates partial shade or full sun, and as indoor plant it needs bright light.

All these plants are set into a fast-draining succulent soil mix.  The two troughs, displayed at the fair back to back, are now back at my house and adorn my front door and my deck.  I doubt that I will need to keep an eye on them for the last days of “winter” and a possible frost.  And for next winter I’ll keep an old bed sheet handy in case a strong frost is in the forecast.  From now on my main concern will be not to overwater, and to not forget to feed the plants occasionally, and to keep the ants from raising a colony of aphids on them.

 And if you need sources and would like to share your own container-stories with me, please let me know!

Filed Under: Container Gardening Tagged With: container design, containers with succulents, diy landscape design, drought tolerant gardening, drought tolerant plants, drought tolerant shrubs, dry climate design, hypertufa containers, hypertufa troughs, perennials, planter design, sustainable container design, sustainable container designer, sustainable containers, sustainable garden design, Sustainable landscape design, sustainable planter design, Water Conservation, water-wise container gardening, water-wise landscape design, xeriscape plants

Essentials for the scented winter garden in Southern California

February 18, 2011 By Christiane Holmquist

When I got home last night in the rain, I took in the air in deep breaths:  Such a wonderful smell of wet soil and decaying leaves mixed with something sweet and flowery -  where was this powerful scent coming from?  So I put on my boots, took a flash light and went into the garden. 

California native spring blooming shrub Allen Chickering Sage California clevelandii  I got my face wet as I poked my nose into foliage and flowers of shrubs, perennials and succulents, and not far from my front door I found the first: A grouping of Cleveland Sages Salvia clevelandii that had just opened their buds. These California natives are known for their incredible fragrance, and for those who have never seen or smelled any, the description alone should make your mouth water:  This is an evergreen shrub of the mint family with a refined, rounded and arching form, to 3 to 5 ft tall and wide and wider for some cultivars.  It has wrinkled, toothed gray-green or dark green leaves that can be used in teas or as substitute for culinary sage and that are deliciously fragrant; a breeze blowing through your garden will take the sweet fragrance far. The flowers are an inch-long, pale lavender or violet-blue, arranged in whorls along the stems, and they are also fragrant.  To encourage re-bloom you will need to cut back these flower spikes back, but the shrub is also attractive with its dried flower spikes. 

This plant is so popular that several hybrids have been created:  Mine is the ‘Allen Chickering’ which gets  to 4 ft tall but spreads out to about 6 ft and sports pale purple flowers.  Check out also ‘Winifred Gilman’ with lavender-blue-purple flowers, or ‘Aromas’ with gray-green foliage and deep lavender flowers, ’Pozo Blue’ that is hardier than Alan Chickering’  (to 10 degrees F).  California native shrub Allen Chickering Sage blooming in winter with fragrant flowers

The Cleveland sages need sun (partial sun only in the hottest, driest regions), fast-draining soil, and are drought tolerant although they can tolerate occasional watering. There are differences in their cold tolerances that could be important for your location;  please check with the growers  below for the appropriate one. 

A little deeper in my garden the beam of my flashlight hit a tall lanky shrub whose buds were just opening, and I know it carries its name Mountain Lilac for a good reason: The flowers look like miniature Lilac clusters, and to me even their smell reminds me of true Lilac.  Mine is the hybrid ‘Ray Hartman’ which is the best known and most commonly grown of the bigger ceanothus hybrids that can reach 18 feet in height and width; its rose-colored buds open to display profuse clusters of sky blue flowers. drought tolerant evergreen California native Mountain Lilac shrub Ceanothus Ray Hartman

California’s Mediterranean climate supports 60 species and varieties of ceanothus, and the choices can be confusing. They grow in some of California’s harshest habitats, ranging from wind-buffeted coastal headlands to dry, exposed slopes at the edge of the Mojave Desert.  They come in various forms, from creeping to large shrubs and small trees, and their colors range from bluish whites and pale purples to deep Gentian blue and purple.  Most grow in areas that experience an extended summer drought; they tolerate a range of soil types but often are located on steep slopes in well-drained soils of low or marginal fertility.  Most then require excellent drainage, but some can also tolerate heavy soil and summer water.

Ceanothus have become popular shrubs in Europe, where cultivation of ceanothus species for horticultural purposes began as early as 1713!  Check with one of the growers mentioned below for the species that will perform best in your garden so that its growing conditions match or approach those found in its provenance.

Not far from my backdoor (and closer to the kitchen) I found Rosemary, a true Mediterranean whose name means “dew of the sea”, reminding us of the plant’s native habitat on seaside cliffs in the Mediterranean region.  This winter bloomer is not quite as fragrant as my sages but also definitely desirable.  The evergreen shrub is covered with narrow, resinous dark green leaves, and through winter and spring its fragrant pale blue to deep violet flowers are a magnet for bees and small birds looking for tiny spiders and insects in the tightly packed flowers (and perhaps also eat the petals).

fragrant winter bloomer Mediterranean shrub Rosemary Rosmarinus officinalisI love the ‘official’ Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) with its upright habit and somewhat twisted branches reaching for the sky (height typically 4-6 ft and more, especially ‘Blue Spires’).  I use its stems for bouquets and the leaves for cooking; even the fragrant flowers are edible.  

As with many popular plants, there are too many cultivars and hybrids available to mention here.  Of great importance are the prostrate ground-hugging kinds whose heights range from 1 ft to 6 ft or more that are often used in erosion control or as groundcovers.      drought tolerant groundcover and slope stabilizer Prostrate Rosemary Rosmarinus prostratus

The toughness of Rosemary is admirable: It’s tolerant of moderate watering, sea-side conditions and blistering sun; I think it’s a must-have in the Mediterranean garden.  Although it can take alkaline soil if given a moderate feeding from time to time, good drainage is essential; you can lighten heavy soil with plenty of organic matter.  Their cold-hardiness varies depending on selection.

All of these specimens are excellent examples of low water-use, low maintenance, beneficial plants that I love to use in water-wise landscape designs; I think they belong to the category of plants that are indispensible when the design wants to be ‘sustainable’, and with these attributes and their famous fragrance who could resist?

For California natives plants in San Diego County, check out these growers:

Las Pilitas Nursery, in Escondido, at http://www.laspilitas.com/

Moosa Creek Nursery, in Valley Center,  at http://www.moosacreeknursery.com/

Recon Environmental Inc., in San Diego, at http://www.recon-us.com/

Filed Under: Landscape Design Tagged With: California Lilac, Cleveland Sage, drought tolerant gardening, drought tolerant shrubs, drought tolerant trees, dry climate design, fragrant plants, garden design, gardening ideas, landscape design, Mediterranean landscape design, Mediterranean-type plants, moderate water gardening, Mountain Lilac, perennials, sustainable garden design, Sustainable landscape design, trees, water-wise landscape design, winter blooming plants, xeriscape design, xeriscape expert, xeriscape plants

FIRE-UP YOUR PASSION – Red plant accents that warm up your landscape

April 14, 2010 By Christiane Holmquist

Mass-plantings of Crown-of-Thorns Euphorbia milii

Mass-plantings of Crown-of-Thorns Euphorbia milii

I have a special predilection for the color Red: Not only does it become me as a blonde, it also fires up my mood, makes me cheerful and revs up my energy. I am drawn to Red like a hummingbird, and if Red on me invigorates me, I believe seeing red “lights” in the garden would do the same. Even in a garden space where the main hues are cooler and more restraint, and where there are lots of calmer tones in rocks, timber, pathways and other hardscape elements, a few red splashes warm up the planting scheme and make the tones more saturated. Red works particularly well in South-West style gardens, where it makes a lively contrast to lighter colors such as DG, sand or gravel whose tones look washed out in the strong sunlight; used as color on a background wall it adds drama to succulents and cacti.

 

Bloodred Trumpet Vine Distictis buccinatoria

Bloodred Trumpet Vine Distictis buccinatoria

  Red can provide a bright focal point, such as a Bloodred Trumpet Vine Distictis buccinatoria drooping from a wall or from an arbor, or a Crown-of-Thorns Euphorbia milii, mixed with Firecracker Broom Russelia equisitiformis, spilling from an urn. Used as accent plant in the background, such as in groupings of red-flowering Aloe behind shorter, softer perennials or clumping succulents, the Aloe’s red flower spikes will show like exclamation points, and their pointy leaves will create a dynamic contrast in structure and texture.

Firecracker Broom, Crown-of-Thorns and Kalanchoe manganii in container

Firecracker Broom, Crown-of-Thorns and Kalanchoe manganii in container

When planted in the foreground as border accent, or hugging the curves of a path, Red creates a bright ribbon through the garden that your eye can follow; as foreground plant repeated throughout the garden it ties different areas together and adds cohesion.

If used as red winter bloomer, f.e. Cyclamen Cyclamen persicum, it will bring much needed warmth into your planter beds, and in dark and shady places the red flowers will shine like lights.

Delightful summer-blooming Cantua 'Hot Pants'

Delightful summer-blooming Cantua 'Hot Pants'

 I am having fun doing this and have compiled lists of plants with red flowers that I like to use. Of course each landscape prompts a different choice because of its design style, its existing sun/shade conditions, its soil type, the character of the architecture and the hardscape materials chosen. The following compilation of “Reds” contains plants with various growing conditions, but all are long-lived, low in maintenance needs and more or less water-wise and tolerant of xeric conditions. (However, it’s important to note that a plant’s location will determine how tolerant of dry conditions it is: For example, a Crangrape Cuphea C. llavea “Crangrape” is more drought tolerant in coastal locations and soils than in hotter inland valleys.) Nor is the list all-inclusive, and if you have more suggestions, I will be happy to add them.

THE SHORT & MEDIUM STUFF FOR SUN & PARTIAL SHADE

Aloes (many): Aloe ‘rookappie’, Aloe saponaria, Aloe arborescens, Aloe nobilis
Autumn Sage & relative Dwarf Crayon Sage Salvia greggii, S. grahamii
Baja Fairy Duster Calliandra californica & Fairy Duster Calliandra erophylla
Blanket Flower Gaillardia grandiflora
Bottlebrush Callistemon citrinus and C. viminalis
Butterfly Weed Asclepias tuberosa
Cantua ‘Hot Pants’ Cantua buxifolia
Chuparosa Justicia californica
Coral Bells Heuchera sanguinea, Heuchera micrantha
Croscosmia
Crown-of-Thorns Euphorbia millii
Emu Bush ‘Valentine’   Eremophila species ‘Valentine’
Royal Beard Tongue Penstemon spectabilis
Firecracker Penstemon Penstemon eatonii

Grevilleas ‘Poorinda Constance” , Grevillea lanigera
Kalanchoe Kalanchoe blossfeldiana & Kalanchoe manganii
Kangaroo Paw “Bush Blaze” & “Sunset”, Anigozanthus flavidus
Many Daylilies: Red Hot Poker, Cardinal Spokes Hemerocallis hybrids
Nodding Pincushion Leucospermum cordifolium
Propeller Plant Crassula falcata
Red Hot Poker Plant Kniphophia uvaria
Sticks on Fire Euphorbia tirucalli
Watsonia Watsonia intermedia
Zonal Geranium Pelargonium hortorum

(See also my previous article “Exceptional Winter Blooming Plants for Southern California”)

RED-FLOWERING TREES
Here only an incomplete list:
Australian Flame Tree Brachychiton acerifolius
Coral Trees Erythrina x bidwillii, E. caffra, E. coralloides etc.
Crape Myrtle “Watermelon Red” and “Tonto” Lagerstroemia indica & Lagerstroemia x hybrids
Firewheel Tree Stenocarpus sinuatus
Mimosa, Silk Tree Albizia julibrissin

Filed Under: Drought Resistant Landscape, Landscape Design Tagged With: Autumn Sage Salvia greggii, Baja Fairy Duster Calliandra californica, Blanket Flower Gaillardia grandiflora, Bottlebrush Callistemon citrinus, Butterfly Weed Asclepias tuberosa, Cantua 'Hot Pants' Cantua buxifolia, Crown-of-Thorns Euphorbia milii, designing by color, drought tolerant gardening, drought tolerant plants, drought tolerant shrubs, drought tolerant trees, dry climate design, Dwarf Crayon Sage Salvia grahamii, Fairy Duster Calliandra erophylla, Firecracker Penstemon Penstemon eatonii, garden design, gardening ideas, Grevillea Poorinda Constance, landscaping for xeric gardens, landscaping in San Diego County, landscaping in xeric conditions, limited water resources, low maintenance plants, Mediterranean-type plants, Nodding Pincushion Leucospermum cordifolium, perennials, red blooms in the garden, red-flowering drought tolerant perennials, red-flowering perennials, red-flowering succulents, red-flowering trees for the xeriscape, trees, Water Conservation, Water Conserving plants, xeriscape, xeriscape for the Southern California Garden, xeriscape plants

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Christiane, your design is beautiful. Viewers love the design and color. Thank you so much for all your support while the project was being developed. It would have been more stressful for me had you not held my hand regularly.

Rachel Michel

CHRISTIANE HOLMQUIST LANDSCAPE DESIGN


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