Spring Home Improvement LINCOLN DAILY NEWS.com May 1, 2015 15
tremendous amount of information right at
the fingertips. Information you will want
to know is: How tall will the plant grow?
What type of sun does it like and can it
tolerate extreme wet (for your low spot)
or extreme dry? If it is a flowering plant,
how long and at what time of year will it
bloom? Will it spread?
Some plants are ground cover, and will
spread and multiply on their own. This
can be a great asset to the landscape, but if
you want a bed that stays about the same
size year after year, then ground cover
plants will require more work on your
part.
Next draw your plan on paper. This does
not have to be a sophisticated drawing,
just a general idea of what you would like
your lawn to look like when everything is
finished.
A couple of tips to follow: Gentle curves
in the flower beds make a lawn seem
friendlier than beds with sharp corners.
In addition, curving beds are easier to
mow around and will require less hand
trimming. Be aware of what is attracted
to the plant. For example, if a plant attracts
honeybees, it might be better to utilize it in
an area not close to sidewalks or doors.
As you draw out your plan, decide if you
want a flat-sided bed or round. A flat-sided
bed will have the tallest plants in the back
with shorter plants stair-stepping down
in front of them. A round bed will have
the tallest plants in the center with shorter
plants placed all around them. Flat side
beds are great to put against a fence or a
plain wall of the home. Round beds are
great for placing in the center of the lawn
where they will look well-proportioned
from all sides.
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