Polk County Living
Polk County itemizer-Observer • May 17, 2017 9A
Create a small garden big on style and function
When it comes to small
gardens, every plant, path
and patio matters.
“Everything has to func-
tion well, fit well and flow
well,” said Eileen Obermiller,
a landscape architect and
Oregon State University Ex-
tension Service master gar-
dener. “Small gardens can be
a less-is-more situation. But
that doesn’t mean you can’t
have it richly textured.
“Lots of texture can be
wonderful, but you must
keep it as orderly and tidy as
you can.”
The place to start, as with
any garden, is a site assess-
ment, said Obermiller, who
has designed gardens as
small as 600-square feet or
the size of a two-car drive-
way. Monitor the landscape
to find where the sun hits
and where the shade falls.
Check for windy areas and
wet ones. How much rain is
there and where does it
drain? Are there views that
need screening or ones you
want to enjoy? Make sure to
note where the overhead
lines are located. These ob-
servations will help deter-
mine where to place hard-
scape and plants.
Once you’ve got that
done, consider how you’ll
use the space and the ele-
ments you want to include.
Keep in mind that even
large gardens have small
spaces within them — side
yards, entrances, patios and
courtyards. Treat those
areas the same way as you
do overall small gardens,
said Obermiller, who owns
Dappled Earth — designs to
nurture life! in Powell Butte.
K YM
P OKORNY
Your
Garden
She has the following ad-
vice:
Priorities: If you want a
table for eight and a foun-
tain, you might instinctively
think about a smaller table.
But if entertaining is an im-
portant part of your
lifestyle, keep the table at
the size you need and put in
a wall fountain that takes up
less space. “Where you de-
cide to downsize is impor-
tant,” she said.
Size: Pay attention to the
mature height and width of
plants. “One of the biggest
mistakes people make in
small — and large — gar-
dens is to plant something
that will be too big. Then
they try to hedge it or prune
it,” she said. “They’re con-
stantly fighting it.”
Plants: Don’t eschew
plants with large foliage.
Though a little can go a long
way, plants like bear’s
breeches (Acanthus mollis),
n a t i v e u m b re l l a p l a n t
(Darmera peltata), Japanese
aralia (Fatsia japonica) and
cardoon (Cynara carduncu-
lus) are good candidates
placed in the back of a bed.
If you’re looking for a tropi-
cal feel, mingle the huge
leaves of hardy banana with
the fine texture of a hardy
palm. All add drama and
stature but don’t take over if
used judiciously.
Size is not all to consider,
ICE
V
R
SE
https://flic.kr/p/92whPo
No matter how small your space, you can garden in it.
though. Add in some bright-
ly colored foliage and flow-
ers so the garden doesn’t
blend into a mass of green.
Put them up close and per-
sonal in order to enjoy them
the most. Stick to one color
palette — shades of purple
and yellow for example — to
keep the garden from look-
ing too busy. Also, don’t play
“onesies.” Repeat plants to
keep the garden from look-
ing busy.
Paths: No matter how
small the garden, pathways
add structure and circula-
tion. Though you’ll be
tempted to make them
small, Obermiller said to
keep main paths six feet
wide or it will be uncomfort-
able to navigate.
Hardscape and struc-
tures: As with paths, don’t
miniaturize them. It’s better
to build fewer structures
than to make them too
small to be used comfort-
ably. There’s usually more
activity swirling around out-
side than inside, so leave
enough space around table
and chairs for kids and dogs
to get around tables and
people to be able to push
back their chairs and gab.
Storage: Build in storage
for tools, cushions, lighting,
garden ar t and hoses.
Benches and ottomans with
storage can hold tools,
gloves, candles and cush-
ions. Shelves can also store
plenty. Starting plantings
four feet away from the
house gives space to hide
things like buckets, hoses
and little garden carts. “It’s
heavy on function,” Ober-
miller said.
Garden up: Trellises, walls
and window boxes offer
more avenues for plants.
Perspective: Create a focal
point. Long, straight lines
that taper slightly inward to
the end will trick you into
thinking the space is larger
than it really is.
I
TAX
• 24 Hour Service
• Pick up Drop Off
Get home safe, call your D.D.
Merlin D. Berkey
Music from the Redgate Winery & Fieldhouse
Fri. May 19, 6-9 PM
featuring
The Ted Vaughn
Blues Band
Sat. May 20, 6-9 PM
featuring
Harvey Brindell &
The Tablerockers Blues Band
$5.00 cover
Must be 21 • Food Available
Tasting fees $10
& glass of wine $5
8175 Buena Vista Road
Independence • 503-428-7115 • www.redgatevineyard.com
Thursdays!
May - September
10:00 am - 3:00 pm
Live Music:
Cash & Company 11 am - 1 pm
MI TOWN
Next week - May 25:
Republic Services Recycling Event
182 Academy St., Dallas
Is it time to take a break
from all the outdoor — and
even indoor — work and ac-
tivities? The Master Garden-
er spring sale at the fair-
grounds last Friday and Sat-
urday was a very busy one,
and those of us who love our
vegetables fresh from the
backyard were pleased with
their offerings. Now we need
to tend the garden carefully
until the new plants have
settled in and are estab-
lished. It’s a lot of work up
front, but the rewards will
come later in the summer
when fresh peas and green
beans and those wonderful
tomatoes are ready to be
picked.
—
Those of us who attended
Dr. Gary Huxford’s classes
about our United States
Constitution — where we
learned how to separate
myth and folklore from the
facts — are in for yet anoth-
er series of interesting and
P ATTY
T AYLOR
D UTCHER
Columnist
informative classes (10
weeks), on Wednesday
mornings at 10 a.m. at the
Monmouth Senior Center. A
retired professor from West-
ern Oregon University, Hux-
ford will focus on the age of
European supremacy (1870-
1945). For any questions or
if you would like more infor-
mation, please call 503-838-
5678.
—
Both Independence and
Monmouth police depart-
ments are focusing on
public safety with extra pa-
trols which will increase
the emphasis on pedestri-
an safety and impaired
motorists. The warmer
springtime weather and
long, sunny evenings mean
there are many more peo-
ple — of all ages — walk-
ing, bicycling and driving
around town. We learned
many years ago in Driver
Education classes to watch
out for each other, and that
the pedestrian always has
the right of way. Reality
tells us that car versus
pedestrian isn’t pretty —
and when you’re walking
or riding a bike, it’s much
safer to watch traffic be-
fore crossing that street, no
matter what the law says.
—
Those bright red octagon
signs on street corners indi-
cate that vehicles should
come to a full stop, not just
slow down and cr uise
through the intersection if
nobody is nearby. Those of
us who walk around our
communities on a daily
basis are more than familiar
with drivers who are glued
to their phones instead of
watching the road. Unless
you’re a physician heading
for a hospital emergency,
the phone call can keep
until you reach a safe place
to pull over.
—
The results are in for the
Special District election with
positions on school boards,
cemetery districts, and a
bond issue for Polk County
and Southwestern Polk
Rural Fire Protection Dis-
trict. Congratulations to all
who stepped up to become
more involved with their
communities.
—
A belated Happy Mother’s
Day to everyone. Whether
families celebrated with
fancy brunches, family din-
ners, flowers, or offers to
clean the house and give
Mom the day off, it’s always
just wonderful to be ac-
knowledged on this special
day.
(corner of Main & Academy)
Facebook.com/bountymarket
http://www.exploredallasoregon.org/bounty-market.html
The Doctor is
Allergy season is upon us.
Did you know most cars,
built after the year 2000,
have a cabin air filter to reduce
pollens/pollution. Protect your health
and get yours changed today.
- The Car Doctor
Celebrating 10 years of service!
The Car Doctor
Full Service Auto Repair 503-623-8570
Newspaper
use #52
760 Monmouth Cutoff Rd, Dallas • thecardoctor.vp.com
Matinees are all shows
before 6pm. New pricing for
matinees are: Adult $8.00
Children $7.00 • Senior $7.25
Pricing does not reflect
3D showings.
Friday - Wednesday • May 19 - 24
KING ARTHUR:
LEGEND OF THE SWORD (Digital) (PG13)
(1:25 4:15)
★ GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY 2 (Digital) (PG13) (12:30 3:30)
★ GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY 2 (Digital) (PG13) (1:00 4:00)
DIARY OF A WIMPY KID:
THE LONG HAUL (Digital) (PG)
(12:25 2:40 4:55)
DIARY OF A WIMPY KID:
THE LONG HAUL (Digital) (PG)
(12:00 2:15 4:30)
ALIEN: COVENANT (Digital) (R)
(1:35 4:25)
ALIEN: COVENANT (Digital) (R)
SNATCHED (Digital) (R)
(12:40 2:55 5:10)
EVERYTHING, EVERYTHING (PG13)
(12:20 2:40 5:00)
★ Starred Attraction. No passes Fri-Sun.
7:05 9:55
6:30 9:30
7:00 10:00
7:10 9:25
6:45
7:15
7:25
7:20
9:35
10:05
9:40
9:40
Thursday • May 25
KING ARTHUR:
LEGEND OF THE SWORD (Digital) (PG13)
(1:25 4:15)
GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY 2 (Digital) (PG13) (12:30 3:30)
GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY 2 (Digital) (PG13)
(1:00 4:00)
DIARY OF A WIMPY KID:
THE LONG HAUL (Digital) (PG)
(12:25 2:40 4:55)
✷ PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN:
DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES (Digital) (PG13)
ALIEN: COVENANT (Digital) (R)
(1:35 4:25)
BAYWATCH (Digital) (R)
(1:30 4:10)
SNATCHED (Digital) (R)
(12:40 2:55 5:10)
EVERYTHING, EVERYTHING (PG13)
(12:20 2:40 5:00)
✷ Starred Attraction. No passes.
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