Foundation plantings need special attention> Drainage, soil key factors

Spring fever is about to hit unprecedented depths if Mother Nature throws another snowstorm our way. Every Maine gardener is probably anxious to see more of those high temperatures — that’s what we, in our heat deprivation, call 40 and 50 degrees.

Every year as we watch the spring thaw, our thoughts return to the landscape and garden. In some ways the spring landscape is more beautiful than any other. Life — both plant and animal — is emerging on all sides. To us, the sights are invigorating and rejuvenating for the soul. Each spring we have another opportunity for spiritual and physical rebirth.

In its own delicate way, spring can reveal the best and the worst in the landscape. On one hand, it gives us the opportunity to witness some wonders of nature, but on the other, spring’s shroudlessness can accentuate some of the weak points in the landscape around our homes. Those who are particular about their landscape soon dwell on its misgivings and become anxious for summer to arrive so they can make improvements.

It’s no coincidence that March, the month when our winter blues bottom out, is the time when most garden shows are held. These shows aren’t designed to make us lust for what we will never have, they’re meant to help us get ideas to solve our own landscape problems. They are meant to inspire us to do our part in improving the beauty of our community.

Your ideas are turning to the out of doors and this is obvious from some of the questions I have received in recent months. Here’s a sampling of what other Maine gardeners have been asking.

Q. We recently moved into a new home which lacks landscaping. We’ve been trying to create a landscape plan so that when summer comes, we’ll be all set to plant. We have a lot of books on landscaping with flower gardens but none on designing foundation plantings with shrubs. Can you recommend a good source on the subject? J and N.F., Sedgwick.

A. Many good references are available on both landscape design and the culture of shrubs. But first, a general note on foundation plantings. Foundation plantings, while widespread, are not always the only or the best way to improve bland landscapes.

The soil around a home’s foundation — especially if the home is newly built — is generally not the best for growing plants. Typically foundations are backfilled with gravel, a soil mixture that allows for rapid drainage of rainwater or runoff from the roof of the house. As you would imagine, what makes good sense from a construction point of view does not necessarily translate into good landscape sense.

The poor soil combined with potentially inadequate sunlight, limiting space, poor air circulation and generally stressful conditions make plant selection and maintenance for foundation plantings a particular challenge. One positive aspect of foundation plantings — especially in a climate like Maine’s — is their ability to provide protection from strong winter winds and their ability to reduce temperatures around and inside the home in the summer.

So, in a nutshell, think twice about the extent to which you want to use foundation plantings in your landscape. They may be widely used and simple to install, but they are not always the only choice you have in designing your landscape. If you choose to use them, be sure to take a soil test, improve the water holding capacity of your soil with organic matter and select plants that will perform well under the prevailing conditions in the area.

You may opt to extend the landscape planting away from the foundation. Maybe you’ll want to create a 2- to 3-foot drip edge area out from the foundation in which you simply remove the sod, put down landscape fabric and cover with stones, bark or another mulch. This will be both low maintenance and functional. Then you can create beds away from the foundation which may not hide the foundation but will distract the viewer from noticing it.

To answer your question, I recommend two books for you to use in creating your design. They are among a group of the best, most thorough, but straightforward books on gardening. The first is “Taylor’s Guide to Garden Design,” and the second is “Taylor’s Pocket Guide to Flowering Shrubs.” Each book is comprehensive with an incredible amount of information. You’ll learn everything you need to know to get you set for this season and beyond.

Q. What is the “crown” of a plant, and why does it matter if it is above or below the ground at planting? R.D., Milo

A. The crown is the area where the root portion and shoot portion of the plant meet. This site may simply be an area of transition between the root and shoot, or it may be the part of the plant which gives rise to new plants. For this reason, crown divisions, such as those made to divide daylily, rhubarb and forsythia, are ways in which many people propagate new plants.

In general, the crown is located just at the soil level. When transplanting a new plant which has been taken as a crown division, it is important to place the plant at exactly the same depth as the original soil level. The crown is an important site of gaseous movement in the plant. Gases can only be exchanged with the environment under the optimal conditions found just at the soil level. If planted too deep or too shallow, the plant will be unable to perform the necessary metabolic activities required for plant growth.

Q: I have an area I want to put into a rock garden. Can you recommend some perennials appropriate for this use? B.J., Northeast Harbor.

A: Many plants are well suited to rock gardens. Be sure to select a variety of plants that will perform well in the conditions in your garden. Consider the light level, moisture level, soil type and soil fertility in the area. Select perennials that will offer interest throughout the season. Some spring flowering perennials appropriate for the rock garden are ground creeper phlox (also called moss pink), candytuft, harebell, rock cress and bulbs (tulips, narcissus, grape hyacinth and crocus). For summertime show, choose yarrow, thyme, iris, wineleaf cinquefoil, hen and chickens, coral bells, bee balm, bachelor’s buttons, creeping speedwell and dianthus. For late summer, plant some showy stonecrop (sedums), silvermound, rudbeckia, New England aster, cardinal flower and coneflower.

Diana George Chapin is the NEWS garden columnist. Send horticulture questions to Gardening Questions, c/o MaineWeekend, Bangor Daily News, P.O. Box 1329, Bangor 04402-1329. Selected questions will be answered in future columns. Please include your name, address and telephone number.