Re: "Magazine" flowerbed





Valerie Lowery@ZEON
06/18/98 09:29 AM

Also remember that a lot of the pictures you see in books, especially those
of the bigger gardens, are a tad deceitful.  I have a favorite book that
has the most glorious pictures of English gardens.  I've read the
accompanying text and you'd be surprised at the amount of work that goes
into making those gardens look the way they do.  You'd have to quit your
job, build a huge greenhouse, and hire at least 4 or 5 people to help you!
The author talks extensively about the elaborate staking systems used to
keep the plants upright, how plants are "timed" to bloom at an unnatural
time just to make a color combination (they are raised in the greenhouses
and brought out into the garden when blooming), how the staff deadheads
each plant everyday to keep it in bloom, the number of plants that go into
each garden (try 10-12 of each variety), etc.

Be careful about what you try to attain.  Be realistic about your money,
time, and space.  The best magazines are those that feature ordinary people
gardening on their own land.  These gardens are something to shoot for vs.
the elaborate English borders.  I prefer the Country Gardener magazine.
Not only do they show everyday gardens, but they will occasionally give you
a key to show the name of each plant in the picture.  It helps when you see
something that catches your eye.

But, overall, patience is the key.  The plants will fill out over the
years.  I tend to place my plants closer together to get that lush look
quickly, but I pay for it later when I have to dig up the plants and divide
them out every other year or so.  Let your plants establish themselves the
first couple of years, then move them around to suit you after you've seen
what they are like at maturity.


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