The University of Maryland Extension programs are open to any person and will not discriminate against anyone because of race, age, sex, color, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, religion, ancestry, national origin, marital status, genetic information, political affiliation, and gender identity or expression.

YARDENING 101Your First Garden- Dream Garden

By Claire LeFebvre

Frederick County Master Gardener

We can help you turn your dreams of a pleasant low, maintenance landscape into reality with a step-by-step approach to assessing what you have and then planning for what you want. Learn about grass, flowers, trees, and shrubs appropriate for our area.

YARDENING 101Beginning “Yardening” for the Hopeful but Clueless Gardener  

 

Brookside Gardens: 1800 Glenallan Avenue, Wheaton Regional Park, Wheaton, MD 20902 (301)949-8230.This marvelous 50 acre public garden includes an azalea garden, a rose garden, a yew garden, a formal garden, a fragrance garden, a Japanese style garden, a trial garden, two conservatories and a visitor center. Check the web site to see what's in bloom this month.

McCrillis Gardens and Gallery: 6910 Greentree Road, Bethesda, MD 20817 (301)365-1657.This lovely 5 acre shade garden features more than 750 azaleas planted among ornamental trees and shrubs. Bulbs, groundcovers and shade-loving perennials extend the season. The Garden is managed by Brookside Gardens,

Schifferstadt Architectural Museum Gardens: 110 Rosemont Avenue, Baker Park, Frederick, MD 20701 (301) 663-3885.This 1756 German colonial house is surrounded by grounds that include a young apple orchard, flower beds, and a fenced four-square garden. The raised beds feature herbs and include 18th century varieties of vegetables and small fruits.

Surreybrooke: 8537 Hollow Road, Middletown, MD 21769-8522 (301)371-7466.This 15 acre nursery farm includes 3 acres of gardens open to the public.

Set the Style• Take A Cue From The House•House Style – Start Here • Biggest Structure•Match House With Garden Style• English Tudor – cottage garden• Farm House - rustic garden• Colonial Saltbox or Cape Cod –

formal parterre garden •Decide What You Like and What Looks Good

Look At Line And Balance•Do You Like:• straight lines; geometric forms, well-defined corners• curving lines; no sharp angles

•Do You Like:• Symmetrical Balance – two or more elements match exactly

• Asymmetrical Balance – items relate to each other but not identically

Formal Style:• Specimen plants • Limited colors and plants• Hardscaping surfacesInformal Style:• Leave room for plantings• Plantings flow together• Hardscaping less significant• Structures weather naturallyCombination Style:• Straight well- defined garden

edges but plants weave together

LOOK AT LINE AND BALANCE

What’s Your Maintenance Style?

Time and Effort Spent:• Do you mow? Ride or Push• Tight curves – trim by

hand• Formal shrubs – pruning• Large flower beds –

watering and weeding• Rigid edging – expensive

but easier to maintain compared to trenching

Keep Your Options Open

Decide on DetailsEdging • Steel – keeps stone in place• Stone – natural looking• Trenched – economical, 4-6

inch deep and wide filled in with mulch

Mulch• Bark – organic keeps weeds

down and soil moist. • Straw – best for vegetable

garden• Stone – paths and utility

areas

Decide on Details Continued

Making neat trench edge: • a clean, smooth line provides a finished look and a • sense of clarity to an area

Step 1: Create an edge

Lay a hose or rope to mark the line

Method 1 Method 2

Decide on Details ContinuedMaking neat trench edge: Step 2: Remove the turf

Refine edge line with a spade to 4 – 6 inchesCreate an edge at a 90 degree angle

Decide on Details ContinuedSample Edges: Brick mowing strip

Decide on Details ContinuedSample Edges: plastic strip edging

Color Choices

Color Locations• Front yard – bold colors

stimulate and energize

Color Choices

Color Locations• Back yard – calming

colors when close up and hot colors for distance (orange, yellow, red). That is Hemerocallis krakatoa lava in the distance.

Color Choices

Color Locations• Patio in the evening –

low light flowers (pink, blue, pale yellow, white). Pale yellow daylilies, pink/blue and white hydrangeas.

Color Choices

Color Locations• Long-lasting color – colorful

leaves

Strobilanthes; Persian Shield.

calocasia, coleus, creeping jenny and scotch moss (sagina)

plectranthus, dusty miller, and barbed wire plant

Color Choices

Color Locations• Long-lasting color – colorful

leaves

The Final PlanList of plant options

Divide the plant list into heights and bloom timeShort Medium TallHeight:Bloom Time:Spring• Early• Mid• Late Summer• Early• Mid• Late Fall

Height:Bloom Time:Spring• Early• Mid• Late Summer• Early• Mid• Late Fall

Height:Bloom Time:Spring• Early• Mid• Late Summer• Early• Mid• Late Fall

Plant List For A Backyard HideawayList the largest plants and their placement first.

Fill in around the largest plants with the medium and smaller plants. Sweetbay Magnolia Magnolia

virginiana. Tree 10-30 ‘ tall Flowers: Apr-May, pink to white. Fruit: Sep-Oct, red berry. Fall color: Semi-evergreen Light: full, partial, shade. Fragrant (1)Maryland Native substitute for Fullmoon Maple.

Thimbleweed, Anemone virginiana Perennial 1-5’ tall. Flowers: May-Aug, whitish. Full to partial sun Maryland Native for Japanese anemone

Plant List For A Backyard Hideaway (continued)Witch hazel Hamamelis virginiana. Shrub. 15-30’ tall. Flowers: Sep-Dec, yellow. Fruit: Oct-Nov, tan brown, capsule. Fall color: yellow. Sun – partial to shade. Leaves may persist through winter (6)

Maryland Native substitute for Arborvitae

Nodding Onion Allium cernuum Herbaceous Perennial 05-2.5’ Flowers: Jun-Aug, pink, rose, white Fruit: capsule (5)

Maryland Native substitute for Hosta

Plant List For A Backyard Hideaway (continued)• Rhododendron ‘Nova Zembla’

6.5-10’ tall. Flowers: May-Aug. white, pink. Fruit: Aug-Mar, brown, capsule. Fall color: yellow, orange, to purple. Light: Full to partial sun. Evergreen. (3)

• Bugbane Acetaea simplex. Perennial. 4-5’ tall. Flowers: Aug-Sep

• white bottlebrush. Light: partial to full shade. (9)

• Astilbe ‘Sprite’ perennial 12-18” tall. Flower: Jun. Pink. Light: Partial to full shade (21)

Plant List For A Backyard Hideaway (continued)Black snakeroot Cimicifuga racemosa Perennial 2.5-5’ Flowers: Jun-Sep, white Fruit: pod. Light: partial to full shade (1) Maryland Native substitute for Bear’s Breeches

Smooth hydrangea Hydrangea arborescens Shrub 3-6’ tall Flowers: Jun-Aug, white Fruit: Oct-Jan, brown, capsule Fall color: yellow (1) Maryland Native substitute for Oakleaf Hydrangea

Plant List For A Backyard Hideaway (continued)Jewelweed Impatiens capensis 1.5-5’ Flowers: May-Oct, orange, yellow, white Fruit: capsule Light: Partial to full shade. (105) Maryland Native substitute for Impatiens ‘Tutti Frutti Mix’

Plant List For A Backyard Hideaway (continued)

Height: 10-30’

Bloom Time: Spring

Early

Mid - Magnolia

Late

Summer

Early

Mid

Late

Fall – witch hazel

Height: 6-10’

Bloom Time: Spring

Early

Mid – Rhododendron, Hydrangea

Late

Summer

Early

Mid

Late

Fall

Height: 1-5’Bloom Time: SpringEarlyMid Late SummerEarly - AstilbeMid – Thimbleweed, Allium

Snakeroot, Jewelweed

Late - Bugbane Fall

Why Use Native Plants•Naturally occur in the region• Adapted to local soils and climate conditions•Generally require less watering and fertilizing •Often more resistant to insects and diseases – less pesticides•Wildlife evolved with them and provide food, cover and rearing young• Landscape a habitat type; woods, wetland, meadow• Choose plants appropriate to site and habitat

Information On Plant TagsPlant Names and Types: Common name and scientific plant name based on the Integrated Taxonomic Information System that is universally accepted

Height and/or Spread: this may vary depending on conditions; moisture, sunlight. For a slow growing tree, height may be measured at 10 years.

Information On Plant TagsBloom period, flower color, seasonal interests:

Blooming times shift - weather conditions.

Flower’s throat color may not have enough room on tag.

Light and dark variations of color may be condensed e.g. lavender, page purple, fuchsia as purple.

Fall leaf color indicates color of leaves or stems such as grasses. Color variations can be grouped same as flower color.

INFORMATION ON PLANT TAGS

Fruit: provided when conspicuous fruits or seeds are present.

Achene – dry flat seed, clematisBerry - fleshy fruit produced that range from single to aggregates and small to large

Capsule – types and sizes of fruits with two or more compartments containing seeds

Pomes or drupes - outer flesh surrounds a shell (the pit or stone) 

INFORMATION ON PLANT TAGS Growth Conditions:

Light – plant requirementFull = 6 hoursPartial = 3-6 hours

(morning sun is preferred over a western afternoon sun)

Shade = less than 3 hoursMoisture – plant requirement

Dry = water does not remain after a rain (slope, windy location, full sun)

Moist – soil is dampWet – soil is

saturated for most of the growing season

PLANTS WITH PURPOSEGuide includes habitat description and plant list broken down to include ground, shrub and tree layers.

Frederick County is zone 6a – 7a Piedmont Plateau with rolling hills.

Some native plants are common throughout the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, while others are adapted to conditions found only in one or two of its provinces.

RESOURCES

GardenGateMagazine.com The Secret to Stunning Gardens in Sun or Shade 2012

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Native Plants for Wildlife Habitat and Conservation Landscaping Chesapeake Bay Watershed 2012

Creative Homeowner Home Landscaping Mid-Atlantic Region by Roger Holmes and Rita Buchanan 1998