Roadside Garden

[lovermont]

We are moving to our farm (yay!) and I'd like to plant a buffer garden between the very busy road and the rest of the property. Any plant suggestions? We're zone 3/4 Thanks!

[mindymom]

Congrats on your upcoming move!  Are you thinking of an edible perennial garden, a hedge, or a flowerbed?  What would be the main purpose of the garden?  To hide the road?  Discourage kids from running into it?  Welcome guests?

[lovermont]

Originally Posted by mindymom 

Congrats on your upcoming move!  Are you thinking of an edible perennial garden, a hedge, or a flowerbed?  What would be the main purpose of the garden?  To hide the road?  Discourage kids from running into it?  Welcome guests?

sorry for the delayed response! At first I wasn't sure how to answer your question ...

The new garden has a steep incline to the road so I don't think kids running into the road is a concern nor is it possible to hide it from view. I think a steep terraced garden may be needed? My thought was easy perennials that won't spread too aggressively, will smell pretty, and will provide a thick cover (to prevent erosion).

Thoughts?

[mindymom]

Hmm, I originally thought since you were in Rhode Island your climate would be similar to mine, but I see from you siggy that you are moving to VT.  So, with the caveat that I've never lived that far north before: I've found daylilies, irises, and lavender all very easy to grow and care for.  They will all eventually get crowded, but a few hours every three or four years to thin them out is not too bad, especially compared to growing grass.  Coneflowers and hostas are also pretty low-demand.  I also like lamb's ear, though that is more of a ground cover and will spread on you (though unlike most things that spread, it's pretty easy to remove when it gets out of hand, at least in my area).  Peonies take a while to get established and bigger plants need support, but I think they are the prettiest-smelling perennial and it's fun for many kids to watch the ants crawl on the blossoms.  Most perennials have relatively short blooming periods, so try to intersperse varieties that bloom at different times of the year, and/or with a little more work you can leave spaces here and there for annuals that will need to be replaced every year but will keep the bed in bloom through any lulls.

If planning it seems overwhelming, you might want to check on the Better Homes and Gardens website - they have a lot of ready-made garden designs that you can spend lots of money on.  Or, you can try to get to know some of your neighbors up there and ask them for suggestions.  Most of the plants I mentioned above can usually be gotten for free from neighbors who have overcrowded patches.  (When a neighbor can give you a few from their yard, it's usually a good indication that a plant is easy to grow in your area.  They can usually give you the best advice about how much water and fertilizer it requires, too.)

HTH

[philomom]

How about the small blueberry bushes and a good ground cover? Then, you'd have a great "crop" once a year.

I love daylilies and mondo grass for hillsides personally.

[root*children]

Originally Posted by philomom 

How about the small blueberry bushes and a good ground cover? Then, you'd have a great "crop" once a year.

I love daylilies and mondo grass for hillsides personally.

Don't do blueberries - they hate to be by cement/asphalt.  I don't have any ideas for you though, I'm having a hard time visualizing the property, sorry!

[philomom]

Originally Posted by root*children 

Don't do blueberries - they hate to be by cement/asphalt.

Hmm, my neighbor has a healthy stand of blueberries right by the road. I'm also a Master Gardner and did not hear that in my classes. Do you have a source for that?

[root*children]

I've always just heard it from nurseries, but here's the 1st page results from a quick google search - says it raises pH levels:

http://www.designing-edible-gardens.com/GrowingBlueberryBushes.html (under "light, moisture, and soil requirements")

http://www.designing-edible-gardens.com/GrowingBlueberryBushes.html (about 2/3 way down she talks about having to supplement with acid-based fertilizer to compensate for the alkaline in the nearby cement slab)

Maybe your neighbors also have something highly acidic right next the blueberries that are helping even things out?

[philomom]

Originally Posted by root*children 

I've always just heard it from nurseries, but here's the 1st page results from a quick google search - says it raises pH levels:

http://www.designing-edible-gardens.com/GrowingBlueberryBushes.html (under "light, moisture, and soil requirements")

http://www.designing-edible-gardens.com/GrowingBlueberryBushes.html (about 2/3 way down she talks about having to supplement with acid-based fertilizer to compensate for the alkaline in the nearby cement slab)

Maybe your neighbors also have something highly acidic right next the blueberries that are helping even things out?

Thanks. We use a good bit of those "grounds for the garden" here in the Pacific NW. Maybe the coffee is acid enough to help? The neighbors have so many berries every year that they let the neighbors pick some, too.

[MissMommyNiceNice]

I would work with some season round color.  You can even incorporate some edible herbs.

I'd start with some phlox.  Easy growing, early color, good ground color & ground stablization.  Plus, it's native!  Next, I'd laryer in some sage, oregano, mints...spreading hardy herbs with good root systems that will require little care.  I'd tuck in cone flowers, daisies, bee balm, columbine, poppies, zinnias...things that will come back or self seed, look wild & messy, but planned.  I really like golden & silver rod, although some people think they're weeds.  And of course butterfly milk weed.  I'd do my best to cultivate a messy organized garden of flowers & herbs. 

Or, if you want to go with food - pumpkins.  Or not food, just ground cover - virginia creeper.