re: plant size. Sunset Magazine did a test a zillion years ago where they transplanted planted 2", 4" and gallon size perennials and shrubs. By the end of the growing season, the 4" plants were the same size as the gallon plants, but cost less than half as much. I don't recall whether they reported on survivability - like I said, a zillion years ago - but since reading that, I buy the smallest starts of anything I can find, knowing that they'll catch up. :)
It really is mind-blowing to see the poor and costly landscaping decisions made around the city. Thank you so much for sharing this! I was asked recently to design someone's garden, and while I was flattered, I let them know that I didn't feel that it would serve either of us to do that, because it's essentially just a "hopes and dreams" map rather than a practical solution to their need/want of having a beautiful garden instead of a lawn. They, as the homeowners, are able to do the main thing I cannot: spend seasons observing the property and making small changes at the right time of year. Each garden I have had has been a slow transformation of the space based on my limited time, energy, and funds. I countered their offer with an offer to consult as needed, giving them rough ideas on next steps toward goals. We'll see if they take me up on it 😅
You have spoken to one of my biggest frustrations with being a homeowner. It's so hard to find someone to do quality work for a price you can afford.. And so many poorly run companies are greedy you can pay top dollar and STILL get shoddy work. My husband and I end up doing a lot of projects ourselves but it's exhausting stuff. I'm at the point now where I'm ready to either hold an earth home or figure out how to build our own ICF home without breaking the bank. Dealing with contractors is exhausting.
Do you have go to groundcovers? It's hard to find plants that are either native or won't immediately escape to the woods, but that also cover the ground effectively. I allow/encourage purslane and wood sorrel in my yard since they were already in the seed bank, and have started planting/transplanting strawberries, especially the native ones since they stay shorter. I have used creeping thyme to some extent and it does spread well while seeming unlikely to do well outside human cultivation since it needs hard pruning every year or two to not die back dramatically. Meanwhile green carpet [herniaria glabra] spread so non-chalantly after overwintering in pots after a hard winter, that I pulled it as a fear response.
Just bought a home on 4 acres and guess what, it was owned by a landscaper and they used many of these exact same practices: landscape fabric with river rock, mulch over mulch bags, and a lot of larger flowering plants just thrown in for looks. Even rural homes aren’t immune to these bad practices.
Hello, just stumbled upon your channel; I’ve been listening to Geoff & others for years. I agree with you about most of these points, ESPECIALLY THE GRAVEL& FABRIC!! THANK YOU! Regarding plant pot sizes… In my neck of the woods, all perennials are sold in 1 gallon pots, and all shrubs are sold in 2- 3 gallon pots and all trees are sold at a minimum of 7 gallon containers... so like even though small containers do seem to root out better, they’re not even available to me. Unless I do mail order, which is insanely expensive.
Thank you for discussing this topic and helping people be successful in their gardens. Most of my neighbors use rock mulch, so the neighborhood cats and dogs make a constant mess at my place. Any tips for keeping them away?
there were a couple of plants i had no choice about having them sort of... not entirely buried ? because the ground was nearly impossible to dig. for the most part the only solution that worked for me was to put a "ring" of stone or something around and... build the soil UP to the level of the planting. if your soil is truly horrible, use an "island" method... create a ring with added soil and compost that you plant in... and surround it with either a cover crop like clover for green mulch, or wood chips.... and just... slowly add islands of plantings.
It's even worse when I see landscaping trucks loading up flowers at like hone depot. Not only arw they gonna be quick planned they are already poorly cared for plants that people are paying for. When inused to do landscaping on the side in college I'd ask where they want mw to source plants from and explain a hone depot style store will have a higher rate of plants maybe not making it thus needing to be replaced or I can get them at a healthier plant that may be a little more but will be healthier...and also supporting a local business for those who cared. It is a lot of money to have it done and the workers are overworked wven with having to rush through many jobs. Landscaping is an industry I have many mixed feelings over lol
I think ending the landscape industry, meaning the quick buck, exploit cheap labor and environmentally catastrophic beast it currently is, would be an amazing thing. But just like anything that dies in America, you have to work to keep the next ripoff at bay.
I know people love ripping on the greedy company mantra but this is on the greedy customers. A customer will get 3 bids and go with the cheapest almost every time. This is why every house has a lawn, it’s a garden system that uses the least amount of labor possible.
Have you considered working with someone you can recommend others to if you aren't interested in doing physical labor or consultations, or maybe a model where you can answer queries as a way to generate content? I follow so many gardening channels with different models of making some income while providing services to others. Garden Project Academy is a couple years in to RU-vid making videos designed to help others design and create their outdoor spaces, and I believe she is in your region. She is selling a passive income style online course but does seem to put most of what she teaches into free videos online as well. Rooted Revival at least did do garden consults as her job in addition to creating general gardening content, but has dropped out of sight a bit to deal with some family health issues. Edible Acres has begun setting up a model where he takes paid consultations, but records the information to share it with everyone. Lots of options!
I had to rip meters and meters of landscape fabric out of the ground after we moved into our house. The previius owners had denied the plants, soil and fauna what they needed. BUT bird feeders hung everywhere. WTF?! 🥹
