Benton Williams Shares Spring Garden Inspiration

Spring is considered the most exciting of the gardening seasons with new greenery and colorful blooms bursting forth. Inspiration for the gardener is provided by Mother Nature herself. Knowing how to bring your vision to life on the other hand requires planning and work. Benton Williams, senior landscape architect at Mullin, a full-service landscape company, offers expert advice.

To ready your outdoor space for spring, Williams advises first thinking about the details and making a plan by writing or drawing out your ideas.

“When you go to the garden center, a sketch is a communication tool that can help guide you,” he said.

A concrete plan will also help when determining quantities and sizes of plants. He also recommends do-it-yourselfers invest in basic garden equipment such as gloves, a hand trowel, a hand spade and a rake. Knee pads, available at home improvement stores, are one of his favorite supplies.

Next, Williams suggests taking inventory of the existing garden or garden space by clearing away dead foliage and debris and then tilling in compost or organic matter to provide nutrients. With the groundwork literally done, he advises talking to your garden center about a good preemergent (weed killer) and a fertilizer.

When choosing plants, Williams recommends shrubbery in various shades of green, and in different heights and textures and prefers introducing colors and annuals in a controlled manner.

“Introduce white to start,” he said, “and go for fewer types of plants but in larger massings.”

Beds should be built up in a semicircular shape that is higher in the center and lower on the sides for drainage, and trunks of shrubs and trees should not be covered.

Once plants are in the soil, add preemergent, extended release fertilizer and water plants well to get them off to a good start. Water once or twice a week, ideally in the morning, and increase as needed as the season warms. Mulching is also important to keep in moisture. Williams recommends pine straw as the budget friendly and most eco-friendly mulch option. A micro-irrigation system on a timer provides easy maintenance and extra assurance that plants will be regularly watered and well established before summer. Micro irrigation systems can even be used to water pots.

Other top tips: refer to the reliable resources available through the LSU AgCenter for information on gardening questions including pests and diseases.

“They are a great overall resource,” Williams said. “Thinking about the required maintenance on the front can be very helpful,” he said.


About the Expert
Landscape Architect Benton Williams loves the collaborative process that happens when landscapers and clients are working “together to create a space everyone is proud of.” His designs are intended to capture the sense of place and “Southern vernacular” that are particular to New Orleans.

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