Country Gardens – July 2019

73

COUNTRY GARDENS // FA LL 2019

COMPOST FOR THE FUTURE. Margaret puts her

household food waste and yard debris to work by

adding them to her compost pile. In late fall, she

spreads compost onto her raised vegetable beds, and

whatever she has left, she uses to top-dress her

fl owerbeds. “Since there’s never enough compost for

all of that, I try to rotate which fl owerbeds get the

black gold every year,” she says.

MULCH ANNUALLY. Every May, Margaret spreads

fi nely ground hardwood mulch on top of all her fl ower
and vegetable beds. “It’s a ton of work to spread that

huge mulch pile that is dumped on my driveway on all

the beds, but it is well worth the effort since mulch
suppresses weed germination, moderates soil

temperature, and retains moisture,” Margaret says.
“As the wood chips decompose over time, they add to

the soil health.”

2

1

8

9

BELOW 1 A Ruby-

Throated Hummingbird

dines on nectar from

the blooms of royal

c a t c h fl y (Silene regia).

“It’s a native plant with

a dwindling habitat,”

Margaret says.

2 A dragonfl y scouts

for garden pests to eat.

3 Margaret’s compost

boxes are essential to

her garden success.

1. Picket
   fence screen
   for AC


2. Patio


3. Lattice
   screen with
   roses
   4. Neighbor’s
   garden
   across fence
   5. Tuteur with
   clematis
   6. Serviceberry
   tree
   7. Birdhouse
   and compost
   area
   8. Vegetable
   beds
   9. Garage

1

2

3

Although Margaret Bau launched her

landscape plan in the front of her home, the backyard

shows how her passion for gardening has grown.

Sweeping curved beds offset the strong angles of the

house and long rectangular lot.

GARDEN

AT A GLANCE

BAU