PLANT OF THE MONTH
February, 2010
Plant of the Month Feature
by Anne Schmidt
Roots Board Member
CURES FOR THE LANGUISHING LANDSCAPE
“Hardscape” was not a word in my vocabulary a few years ago. I have since learned that the usual items deemed as hardscape include: building stones, flagstones, ponds, statuary, patios, pavers, rocks, boulders and mulch- just about any inorganic material. I have used some of the more traditional things in an attempt to liven things up in my flowerbeds – large rocks, stepping stones, rusted metal butterflies on a stick and a trellis. Not willing to always settle for the mundane, I have been known to prop an old bicycle against the house, fill the bike’s basket with posies and draping ivy plants. All of these hardscape items and more can be used in a garden to add structure, character, balance, definition, color, depth and height, or to frame an especially inviting scene. Many times the entrance to a garden may have a special piece of hardscape to introduce visitors to the collection. At the Arboretum, the Entrance structure accomplishes this. In your garden a wooden “Welcome” sign may do the same.
Take a good look at your garden area. Using your imagination, creativity and the lay of the land, you can demonstrate human interaction with your landscape. You can develop formal or informal settings with the use of hardscape. A good website is www.gardeningknowhow.com. Check it out for some really great features to recreate in your garden. Now let me tell you about a wonderful place to get some more super ideas.
One online visit to Chicago’s Garfield Park conservatory) was enough to get me excited about ways to rejuvenate my languishing landscape. See some great photos of Chihuly’s work at www.chihuly.com/installations/garfield/.
Chihuly’s glass sculptures are certainly out of my price range and so beautiful I would never think about placing them in an outdoor area, but they did get me thinking about ways I can liven up my gardens with inorganic materials. It has been said that Dale Chihuly once commented that the colors in a piece of hardscape can make the green of the turf or foliage seem even greener. Similarly, the bright green can make the colors in a piece of hardscape even more vibrant. An idea might be to tuck a piece of colored hardscape in the middle of a corner with lots of green plants like ferns or peonies after the bloom.
As you take the online tour, pay attention not only to the beautiful, one-of-a-kind glass sculptures but also check out the surroundings. Think of ways to incorporate items into your garden that create symmetry. A glass globe from an old light fixture placed in the right spot can catch the morning sun. A birdbath would add some height, as would an obelisk. With a few hardscape items, the garden can become more rustic, more sophisticated or more whimsical. The choice is yours.
At the Bickelhaupt Arboretum, David Horst reminded me that the mission is to feature displays, which connect plants and people. There is always a temptation to accept many hardscape donations, but the Master Plan of the Bickelhaupt is very clear about the type of benches, water features and statues, which will not distract visitors from the mission. However, in a home landscape pieces of hardscape can add excitement whether it is a stepping-stone with a grandchild’s footprint or a special rock brought from a trip far away.
There are also some very informative books and magazines in the Visitor’s Center at the Bickelhaupt Arboretum. Drop in to borrow one or two; they are sure to aid you in bringing a languishing landscape into one of unique delight.
About the author: Ann Schmidt is the Director of the Clinton Convention & Visitors Bureau. She has been a member of the ROOTS advisory group since it began.