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Gardening On A Budget

American Leather Factory Authorized

Glen Goldberg
Special to the Jewish News

G

(- 4;

July 1-August 6, 2012

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www.sherwoodstudiosinc.com

1767780

34 July 12 • 2012

ardening doesn't have to be a
costly project. It can be done
on a budget and still be done
well. Here are some budget-friendly
tips for summer.
First, think in terms of color and
interest year-round. Use a mix of ever-
greens, shrubs, perennials and annu-
als. If your budget doesn't have room
for re-landscaping the whole yard,
start small and improve an area each
year. One key idea for budget-friendly
gardening is to use different foliage
plants to create color and contrast in
your garden.
For example, perennials like huech-
era (coral bells) are available in colors
ranging from chartreuse to caramel
to purple, or try hostas in variegated
or blue varieties. Use shrubs that have
great foliage color, like chartreuse
gold-thread cypress against a darker
green landscape. To add a punchy
contrast, accent your garden with
dark purples found in smoke trees or
Japanese maples. Add in a few well-
placed containers, a pocket of annuals
here and there or garden art, and you
will make a statement without break-
ing the bank.
Another place where gardeners can
save is garden decor. Make your own
by creating a mantle for your fence
or garden wall, and decorate it as if it
were in the house with candles or a
basket of plants. Terra cotta pots get
a makeover with stains, colorful paint
or wallpaper and can be antiqued to
make them look like they have been
in the landscape for years. If there is
an area in your garden that you want
to splurge on, make it the entrance,
or areas where people gather to relax
or entertain or areas that are in view
from the most-used rooms in the
home.
One area where people tend to
make mistakes in spending is buying

too many plants in singles. The best
designs have three, five or seven — an
odd number of plants in a group. On
the other hand, people tend to expect a
bed to be full instantly, so they buy too
much of one variety or plant. A garden
is a process, and it can take a while for
plants to fill in and really be part of
the landscape. Plan for the future and
be patient!
There are many budget-friendly
ways to address a focal point in your
garden. To give gardens an obvi-
ous focal point, choose a tall, showy
grass or a specimen tree — a one-
time expense that lasts for years.
Japanese cypress, small ornamental
cherry, weeping birch, smoke trees
and Norwegian spruce are all great
examples of trees that would work as
amazing focal points in any garden.
You also could choose to use a garden
bench or a small sculpture.
Use perennials along with your
annuals in containers for a great look
all season and then transplant them
into your garden in the fall. Some
good options for this are heuchera or
catmint. In the fall, replace the faded
blooms with gourds, pumpkins, bit-
tersweet and leaves for a different
look.
If you're feeling adventurous, you
could even use an unusual container
like a child's old dump truck, an old
typewriter or even an old fun purse as
a focal point. Just fill the object with
sphagnum moss and plant it up!
Anyone is capable of doing her own
gardening and doing it on a budget.
But it is definitely smarter and more
cost-conscious to start with a plan.
Then experiment!
Everything is a learning process. If
you make a mistake, it can be fixed.
Gardening is a great way to get out-
side, enjoy nature and even works as
great therapy. You can garden on your
own schedule, and when the day is
done, you can actually see that you've
made a difference. E