likeable plants & perspectives.

for your garden outdoors.

• Consider your needs: low maintenance? low water? vegetable? herb? maybe something to remind you fondly of a specific time and place? The exterior of your home can be as unique an expression as the interior. In function & design, plant choices reflect your ideas as an urban troweler.
• Consider your tastes in color, shape, size and texture. If you find it difficult to come up with specifics, describe the overall feel of your ideal outer space. Serene? Southwestern? Cozy? Contemporary? Casual? Natural or manicured? The environment starts with a bigger vision. The plant selections come after imagining the big picture.
• Consider the conditions. Do you have lots of shade? any shade? Sun exposure is the weightiest factor in urban gardeners, and will affect the plants you choose, or require that exposure is changed to provide appropriate conditions for a particular kind of plant. In Albuquerque, too much shade can be an unexpected obstacle. For more information, look to the article on Elements in the SW to troubleshoot exposure.
• Contemplate views of your garden from key sitting and entertaining areas. Emphasis must be placed on those areas you will enjoy most after a bench or table and chairs is placed for comfort and convenience. A garden is invigorated by the unexpected find, the special details.
• Create a focal point to draw the eye, and highlight a particular view. If there isn't much of a view to highlight, the focal point will solve that problem by giving a nicely designed vignette instead.
• Create a balance by adding plants in sections. There are more good reasons to pace yourself than the rewards for rushing through the projects.