Sensible naturally
Common sense comes first now
I’m not sure whether to blame age, global warming or a recently discovered interest in sustainability, but I seem to be entering a sensible landscaping phase. Instead of making unintelligent design and planting choices, I’m putting the landscape, the environment and the climate in charge. (Actually, they’ve always been in charge — I just didn’t acknowledge it.) The new rear courtyard The Landscaper and I are designing for the eastern end of the house is my first attempt at putting common sense ahead of imagination. It’s a challenging area, since it currently contains the water tank (thankfully underground but requiring access), the clothesline, the concrete foundation of a now-defunct laundry, and a lot of notquite-buried water pipes performing various functions. Sensibly, I have put on hold my vision of a smart paved area with a square of lawn and a water feature, and consulted a list I found online ages ago about working with, not against, the natural features of the area. This is it.
Where does the water go?
If you’re planning a new outdoor area, anything you do to your landscape affects the natural drainage. The grade and contours of the site will give you clues to where the water will go, and the soil type will tell how much water is likely to be absorbed, and how quickly. Altering the natural landscape might slow down natural drainage so you end up with water pooling all over your paving, or speed it up so much that you send a stream of stormwater into your neighbour’s garden.
What about sunshine?
If this past summer has taught us anything, it’s that the weather we’ve been used to cannot be taken for granted. Read up on what’s predicted for your location and plan for change. For example, suggestions that here in the Far North we’re likely to get drier summers and wetter winters will make any planting quite a challenge. Raised beds and containers are sounding like a good plan for our new courtyard.
Choosing materials
If you’re in a region where more rain is expected, consider permeable materials underfoot. Tiles or pavers will not absorb water, but timber decking with space between the slats will allow water to drain away. If you fancy lawn, you could add a timber boardwalk to traverse the area when it’s really soggy. Pebbles and stone chip will also give you some drainage, and you can inset pavers as stepping stones to provide a walking surface. Unless you have overhead shelter, choose outdoor furniture that will survive getting wet.
Choosing plants
It’s probably not the time to be challenging your gardening skills by planting varieties that are not suited to your climate. Make a list of the plants in your garden that have done well over time, and look for species that have similar requirements. Plant for the long term so your shrubs and trees don’t outgrow their environment or require constant trimming. Beyond the need for basic living space, the size of a plant in relation to its surroundings is an important design consideration.