Tips from the Strands
Sally and Jim Strand turned their golf-course-like Plymouth yard into an Asian-themed haven with dozens of distinct gardens. Here's what they learned along the way:
Go to nurseries every two weeks, and they'll be selling what's blooming at that time of year. That way, you can have something blooming throughout the season.
When working with green-heavy Asian gardens, learn to layer with shades of green.
Study your garden from different heights. "When we had a guy helping with our underwater sprinkling systems, I sent him up on the roof with a camera. You could do that from a ladder. If you have a deck, see how it looks from there. Or get down on your hands and knees and shoot upwards," Sally advised.
Use fertilizers carefully. For those with gardens near bodies of water, most fertilizers are not a great idea. The Strands recommend Milorganite, an organic nitrogen fertilizer.
Think about bees and other pollinators. Plants thought to be bee-friendly might be anything but. Sally learned plants "at a big-box store I won't name" contained neonicotinoid, an insecticide that is widely believed to contribute to the decline of bees. "Before purchase, always ask if plants were treated with this insecticide," she said.
Bill Ward
