Tips and Tricks

What I’ve learned along the way:

You can get quite a bit of weeding done in the few minutes that it takes to grill a chicken breast. Keep your weed-digger handy for a quick cleanup of an area. This is an advantage of a small garden, 10 minutes can make a big difference.

Groupings of plants are more interesting than single specimens. Unless I am trying out a new plant that I’m not sure of, I try to plant at least 3 of a specimen, but more often 5 or 7 for a larger effect.

Check out what is growing in the alley to pick plants that are hardy to your area. I have iris, wooly lambs ear and day lilies along my alley fence. They provide reliable interest with little or no water. And since I park in the back of the house, there is some beauty for my eye when I pull into the alley each day.

Gardeners are a generous sort of person and most will be happy to share cuttings and starts. Never pay money for groundcovers like vinca and snow in the summer, just look for someone who has the groundcover and they will be happy to share a few roots.