Adding Structure to Enhance Your Landscape Design
Nyle Zikmund, Anoka County Extension Master Gardener
Our first foray into landscaping occurred more than 30 years ago and consisted of traditional spireas, mugo pines and dogwoods, all surrounded by landscape rock. As we learned more about gardening, we wanted to make our yard stand out. After consulting with a local designer, we learned more about the concept of structure, and how adding simple objects like trellises and raised beds can add height and interest to the landscape.
Our structure journey started with a simple fence. This provided a focal point, demarcation, and a foundation to build on. Since then, we have added trellises, a garden bridge, raised planters, and an arbor. Each of these additions had a purpose, usually related to plant needs, but we also thought about how a structure could add beauty, height, or color to tie in the surrounding landscape.
I am comfortable working with wood and building things; if you don’t have these skills, you can work with a landscaper (or handy friend) to create your own structures. The internet has many great resources to help you find design ideas, and some sites provide step-by-step instructions and supply lists, too.
If you like the challenge of building things, here are some tools and materials that I recommend:
A table saw, power miter box, jigsaw and good drill are important for accurate cutting and fastening.
Mechanical fasteners in stainless steel, if possible, work great. Adhesives tend to lose cohesion in our extreme thaw and freeze cycles.
Brazilian Ipe wood (a renewable hardwood) is ideal for trellises and non-planter structures. It is extremely hard and requires sharp tooling. Cedar is a less-expensive alternative, requiring staining every other year.
Ipe oil is a commercially available finish that does an excellent job of sealing wood and protecting it from the elements.
Professional grade treated landscape timbers work well for structures that will hold soil and water, such as raised beds.
The trellises were the simplest of our projects and took only a few hours to build, but they made the most visible impact. Providing structure for our languishing clematis allowed it to climb and spread, and we have been rewarded by an unprecedented influx of pollinators and hummingbirds. Our arbor and bridge gave us the opportunity to amend the soil and introduce additional plant species, which also benefit the pollinator ecosystem.
As our structure adventures continue, we often find new projects to enhance our landscape. Instead of staking our hydrangeas to protect them from the wind, we plan to build another fence that will offer both physical support and an aesthetic focal point.
Whether you spend just a few hours on a simple trellis, or you build multiple garden structures as we have, you’ll find that adding visual interest to your landscape can be both beneficial and beautiful.
The University of Minnesota Extension has several resources for home gardeners who want to learn more about landscape design. For more details, visit: Landscape design | UMN Extension
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