Landscaping with Flowers in the Sierra
We finally have spring upon us, after one of the longest winters ever. This was the one year that will be remembered as the one where everyone skied till June and the snow just wouldn’t stop! So now the residents of Mammoth can finally start their raking and tilling up the soil, so to enjoy the alpine spring so long awaited.
I’ve had a garden in the sierra since 1970 and I have come a long way in the experience and knowledge of what will and what won’t grow up in this arid climate. Oh, the patience needed to try to have just a few flowers make it.
If it’s not the wind, snow, rodents or deer, water rationing, then the short growing season with cool nights, this will just about discourage the most optimistic gardener!
If its flowers you’re looking for, think simple. What grows in nature here will also go in your garden. Several choices that work well in the High Sierra are: Daisies, Columbine, delphinium, lupine, tiger lilies. Always remember to plant in mass….better to plant 5 flats of Shasta daisies, for a big effect, than a few of this and that. Impact it the key to having a beautiful and artistically designed garden. Also trying to find the right plants for the sun exposure and watering conditions is critical. Some plants are drought tolerant and that’s good for our climate and elevation. There are even native plants that can be used to create a “natural” landscaping design that will help with the water cost and use of our precious natural resource.
There are specific plants that do especially well and shade and they will never withstand the intense sun that penetrates the arid landscape of our high desert climate. Bleeding hearts and lily of the valley are especially nice in shaded areas. Pansies and Violas can withstand lots of extremes and do well in cooler climates. Where I live in Bishop they are planted in the winter and very early spring for color when the snow is still feet deep in Mammoth.
Johnny jump -ups are in the same family as the pansies, so they are a smaller version with cute faces that greet the day and bring smiles to the faces of those who enjoy them.
For annuals (those flower which do not come back naturally in our climate) I love petunias! There is nothing like their light fragrance wafting through the crisp morning air, to make you feel ever so blessed. Add some lobelia to a hanging basket with petunias in bright blue or white and you have a spectacle to behold. Always realize that hanging baskets here in the Sierra must be watered at least once a day. With the low humidity in the eastern Sierra, any plant (especially hanging baskets) will need extra attention and watering.
There are many ground covers that are lovely and that give contrast to the other plants in your garden. Snow in summer is appropriate for our area! That’s a plant too…dusty miller; creeping thyme and many others can fill in cracks and be used in crevasse in walkways or pathways and around rocks. Always think balance between colors, heights and textures to create a pleasing compliment for all the plants in your garden.
Of course there are hundreds of shrubs, bulbs and trees to cover, but I think I will save that for next month’s issue.
One of the most important elements to gardening in the Sierra is to prepare the soil correctly. The soil in Mammoth and surrounding area is pumice. It’s a very sandy and quick draining soil that cannot hold moisture for very long. Make sure you put the correct mulch and or soil amendments in to create more humus in the soil, so that will hold the water and keep the plants from drying out.
When planting flowers make sure you carefully remove them for the pony packs they come in and try not to damage the roots. You will want to spread the roots gently and make sure the soil is lightly packed around all the roots. Water generously for several days and give a vitamin B-1 to help stimulate root growth and reduce shock.
Enjoy your flowers and the lovely spring time in the High Sierra!!
I am available for landscape design too!
