Gardening No-No's - Carson Arthur talks mishaps

International landscape designer Carson Arthur sheds light on four of the biggest gardening mishaps

To mulch or not to mulch

For years, I’ve rallied against homeowners using bright red mulch. In my opinion, red mulch in the sun is the only thing you see when looking at a garden. It overwhelms the plants. Finally, there is some science to support my dislike for the “fake” stuff. While some mulches are organically dyed, many of the new products are chemically treated, and the chemicals slowly leach into the soil. If you are determined to go for colour (there is purple and blue now too), choose a product that is safe for the environment.

Be aware of big deck syndrome

This is when homeowners invest lots of money and build a large deck or walk out on the back of the second storey of their homes. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve seen some amazing constructions done by talented contractors, but eventually, the homeowner is going to realize that their beautiful deck is a giant stage and they have just put themselves in full view of every one of their neighbours. Two tips to keep in mind – plan for privacy as part of the design and use an environmentally friendly wood. These come pre-treated in rich brown tones that look great. My personal favourite is MicroPro Sienna.

Front garden frustration

Every single house, in almost every single neighbourhood in Canada, has a garden jammed up against the house under the front windows. Very few of these are successful because this is a challenging spot for plants to grow. Instead of placing the garden tight to the house, move it out by two to three ft., and put a band of gravel behind it. The gravel allows you access to the home for things like cleaning windows, but it also forces you to plant forward, allowing the plants some space from the home itself. The best part, as the plants grow, no one will see the band of gravel from the sidewalk!

Privacy, please!

Have you planted a row of cedars to create privacy? Many homeowners have. The issue I have with them is that there are very few successful examples that are healthy, full and green. Instead, I see hedges that have one tree in the middle that has died and turned reddish-brown. Or, the hedge itself has lost all of its branches at the bottom, creating an ugly gap that we try to fill with Hosta plants or other doomed perennials. Trying to create privacy with a triangle is a tough challenge! In the case of cedar, the skinniest part is at the top, right where we need the most coverage. Instead of just a cedar hedge, try planting a pair of cedars with an ornamental pear tree. By layering trees that are different shapes, you can create more privacy significantly faster.

Gardening versus Landscaping

There’s a misconception that landscaping is the same as gardening when it comes to the value of your investment.

Gardening is all about the plants and using plants to create visual interest. Adept gardeners can create impressive displays of colour and interest that can add value to a home.

Landscaping includes plants and gardens, but landscaping also encompasses the manipulation of land and usable space. Landscaping includes things like outdoor kitchens, walkways, patios, decks, fences, water features and shade structures. As a result, landscaping costs are on average significantly higher than the costs involved with putting in a garden.

So often homeowners set their budgets based on numbers associated with gardening and not with the true expense for landscaping. When pricing an outdoor renovation for my clients, the landscaping costs are often 10 times more than the plant budget.

Before you start any outdoor work, do your pricing first and always work from a plan.