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Issues in Urban Permaculture DesignPointers and Pitfalls in LandscapingBy Mark Ludwig

Urban and suburban landscape designs present challenges not faced by ruralresidents. Homeowners need to be conscious of aesthetics, legal issues and being a goodneighbor just to name a few issues. This document is meant to be a primer on theseissues and set some broad guidelines for designing low maintenance natural and/or foodproducing landscapes.

To tree or not to tree, thats probably the first question. We all appreciate theshade of a tree on a hot summer day, but what kind of tree and how much sunlighttheyintercept on a small site are critical issues that will drive the rest of your landscapepossibilities. Many people fail to anticipate just how large and dominating many shadetreespecies become over time.

Tree selection. Of course most landscapes will have some trees. Whenyouget to the point of selecting a species and cultivar there are some important fa

ctors toconsider.? The mature height and spread of the tree should be considered both for your propertyand for your neighbors. Consider weather the mature tree could rub against yourhouse or cause trouble with utility lines (just picture what a utility company will do toit). Keep in mind that all but the smallest trees can provide a shady spot fora picnictable.? Roots spread out too, usually just beyond the drip line of the canopy. Keep in mind

that roots can damage foundations or septic system drain fields.? The density of the trees canopy will determine what other plants may be grownunderneath it. This density varies considerably between species. Related to this isleaf size, trees like locust have tiny leaves that disappear into most lawns inthe fall,while a Norway maples large leaves will form a tight mat.? Some trees are promoted as fast growing, but many of these like soft maples, Chineseelm and aspens suffer from comparatively weak wood and short lifespans.? Watch out for trees with a tendency to produce lots of seeds and seedlings, whichmay have to be cleaned up or pulled as weeds. Some trees fall into the category

ofinvasive species, such as Norway maples, buckthorn, black locust and box elders.These species tend to spread rapidly into other lots and natural areas and may crowdout native species.? Trees can provide far more than shade. Most fruit trees are available on rootstockthat allows the homeowner to select a size range from shade tree to potted plant. It

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should be noted however that these sizes are based on the experience of commercialorchards, which manage trees with chemicals. These chemicals tend to stunt thegrowth of the trees, so you may wish to select a rootstock designed for a smaller treethan what your landscape could handle. If you choose fruit trees, you should researchtheir needs prior to purchase and select the most disease resistant varieties available.Nut trees are another option. Though many are quite large, some such as hazelnutsare more like big bushes. Black walnut should probably be avoided as it gives off anatural herbicide from its roots. A frequent weed treein urban settings is themulberry. Though they do tend to spread, and many folks find them messy, they haveedible berries that ripen over a long period. Serviceberry is another small fruit treethat stays medium sized and produces a tasty small fruit.? One of the traditional uses of trees is to block wind or provide privacy. Whendesigning a landscape it may be to your advantage to use the smallest tree possible toachieve these goals.

? You can of course try to have it allby planting temporaryquick growing treesthat you remove later when your long term trees mature.? Though evergreens are favorites with many people, all are not created equal.Somelike white pine dont tolerate urban air well, and many of them prefer lighter soils.Spruces tend to maintain lower limbs better than pine and offer better screeningandshelter for birds.? Many sites will have existing trees. It is the authors humble opinion that manymaturelandscapes would benefit from severe pruning or removal of some trees,especially the weed treeslike box elders that pop up uninvited and end up

dominating the place. One should let such drastic plans simmer for a while of course,and truly valuable trees like native oaks deserve great respect. Trees in declininghealth or that present a safety hazard need to be evaluated with a clear eye andprobably removed.

The Rest of the Story; Bushes, Flowers, Herbs, Veggies and Other Short Plants.A great advantage to good tree selection is the world of possibilities t

hat opens upif a site has a good supply of sunlight. The sun rises in the east, travels through the south

and sets in the west. By planning a landscape to account for this you can selectappropriate plants and position them properly for good health and production. Forexample, place shorter plants on the south side of taller ones when possible.

Bushes have traditionally been a few yew plants against the foundation,though inmany ways they are better than trees for many landscape functions. As they do not growtall like trees they may provide a better privacy screen than mature trees, whil

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e notshading out much of a lot. Many bushes can provide fruit as well, like blue berries,Nanking cherry and currents. Several evergreen species are available as dwarfor bushforms. Cane fruits come in a variety of heights and may be used for a living borderfence.

Vines such as grapes, kiwi, and hops can be grown on south facing fencesor evenon the house itself, providing both fruits and a shading effect that can lower coolingcosts.

Herbs, flowers and vegetables will generally benefit from as much sun aspossible, both to sustain high yields and keep foliage dry and disease free. Byfocusingon perennial plants you can reduce your annual landscape workload. Such techniques asmulching and planting into perennial cover crops (white clover) limit weed growth andimproves soil. Mulching perennials with stone helps store heat for cool nightsand mayimprove the survivability of tender plants. A similar effect is attainable by p

lantingagainst masonry foundations.Of course most landscapes will feature some lawn. Lawns in the United S

tatesuse more pesticides, fuel and water than agriculture, as well as sucking up plenty of ahomeowners time. Much of this treasure and effort is devoted to creating a monocultureof grass that is regarded by many as attractive, but is much more demanding anddelicatethan what the author will call the green lawn (pun intended). The green lawn featuresthe following; white clover to provide free nitrogen, dandelions for color and t

astygreens, and violets for color, greens and excellent shade tolerance. Creeping Charlie isanother tolerable weed, though you can provide some control of it by pulling itout with agarden rake. Overall the green lawn program is mow it high (3 inches) and forget aboutit.

Shade is a challenge in any landscape. Some plants tolerate shade well,such aslily of the valley. In most cases planting such perennials is a fine solution to keepingshady spots looking good. Violets also do a great job here, and may often be ha

d fromfussy neighbors for free. These plants come in many shades and varieties. Woodlandplants may do well in some situations, but many of these rely on early spring fullsunshine in a forest situation, so the north side of a house may not meet theirneeds.

Natural landscaping is a major trend recently and helps solve some of the bigchallenges faced by landscapers. Native plants such as prairie and wetland spec

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ies notonly thrive in difficult conditions, but also provide beauty and habitat often missing inurban settings. Prairie plants are deeply rooted and tolerant of drought, manyareparticularly well suited to slopes or poor soils. Both wetland and prairie plants are usefulin rain gardens, which are shallow depressions installed to catch runoff from roofs ordriveways. These gardens keep runoff out of storm sewers and help keep these systemsfrom being overloaded in major rain events. An important consideration in naturallandscaping is using regional genetics, either by collecting seed yourself or using localnurseries. Many of these species seeds benefit from being cold stratified by placing theseed in damp sand and refrigerating for a month or so. Water gardens take thisfurtherby adding a clay or plastic lining to hold water. Though this takes significanteffort toinstall, such little ponds provide a centerpiece in a landscape and may be veryattractiveto birds and other wildlife. Care should be taken to keep small children and pe

ts out ofsuch ponds or at least make escape possible should they fall in.A nice landscape makes any house look better and can be a delightful and

productive setting. Before undertaking major projects, take the time to look atotherpeoples houses and grounds. Spend some time reading up on methods and plants inorderto avoid costly errors and take your time. Good luck, have fun!