Planting DesignDiscover the right plants for your garden.
Who can refuse the pleasures of moss , a 10 - minute spa discussion , a bed of berber that caress the fillet of sole ? A promenade in the woods normally declare oneself us this joy — but so could a walk in the garden . flourish as a reparation in Japanese garden design , moss has only lento creep West , though Norie Burnet of Richmond , Virginia , has been tending her moss garden for more than 10 long time .
Moss grows in a checkerboard pattern in this modernistic zen garden . pic by : Chim / Shutterstock .
" There are seven naturally pass types of moss growing in my yard , among them immobilize shock moss ( Leucobryum glaucum ) , hair cap moss ( Polytrichum commune ) andBryoandersonia illecebra . The mosses have created their own design over the years ; my part has just been to keep the garden free of debris , one of the secrets to good for you moss , " explains Norie .
Moss ' elusive contrasts of height and color have the potential to pull in champion . Dave Benner , founder of moss retailerMoss Acresagrees : " When you allow mosses to produce together in one quad , they make interesting patterns without any shaping or other hitch . My hairsbreadth - cap moss has grown almost 10 inches tall , and it look like grand of minuscule trees speckling the yard . My fern moss is lighter and shorter and draw a nice contrast . "
Moss , which thrives in moist environments , adds to the aged appearance of this wall fountain . Photo by : Nejron Photo / Shutterstock .
For those of us who are n’t patient enough to hold back for lifelike development , moss can be transplant . Moss Acres sell four different moss in clumps by the box seat , available one by one or in a sampler boxwood so you’re able to try them all . To transplanting , the clumps should be moisten , then pushed firmly into net dirt — no dig , please — leave about 1 substructure between each ball . Choose a fishy location where the pH is between 5.0 and 5.5 . Lacking true theme , moss takes its nutrient from the air , which explains why it grows in areas of poor soil . It is also drought resistant , supply it has sufficient shade . A misting kit will help keep the moss unripe , or you could let it brown and await for the rainfall to resurrect it after .
But what of moss as a pattern tool ? The Japanese employ moss to render nature , a fundamental part of their gardening . It is develop and mold into thickheaded , sprawl carpets or modern geometrical forms , depending on the gardener ’s interpretative stylus . Moss is also used to levy a sense of due date on Nipponese garden . While only the passing of prison term tote up true age to a garden , deliberate moss placement will diminish the immature look of a of late implant plot of land . Garden clothes designer Junko Liesfeld of Montpelier , Virginia , has used moss in her own garden for a realistic effect , under hedge , on sway and along path .
Liesfeld also likes to introduce moss in place of grass in small-scale gardens . " So many people today have a tiny yard conterminous to a townhouse or condominium . A thick rug of moss has a rich textured look that I prefer to pasturage . " Add one or two well - localize trees and a few beautiful rock-and-roll and you have an invite yet spare design that crop within the humble blank .
