In Part 2 of our Outdoor Mini Series, we welcome back landscape designer Carmen Johnston to talk about the art of decorating your outdoor gardening spaces. Caroline and Liz discuss Ballard Designs’ new Spring releases with Carmen and the importance of planning, choosing the right plants for your garden’s sunlight exposure, and the use of frost-free dates for planting.
Carmen also provides practical advice on container gardening, from soil preparation to plant selection using her ‘three T’s’ method (tall, thick, and trailing plants). She emphasizes the importance of texture, variation, and the use of irrigation systems to keep plants thriving. Additionally, Carmen offers solutions for dealing with common issues like deer in the garden and highlights the benefits of professional garden planning.
IMAGE CREDITS: @carmenjohnstongardens on Instagram.
What You’ll Hear This Episode:
- 00:00 Introduction to the How to Decorate Podcast
- 00:34 Welcoming Landscape Designer Carmen Johnston
- 01:16 Discussing the New Ballard Spring Release
- 03:06 Gardening Tips and Frost-Free Dates
- 09:40 Planning Your Garden Layout
- 13:19 Bespoke Garden Plans and Professional Help
- 15:40 Container Gardening Tips
- 34:00 Sun-Loving and Shade-Loving Palladium Varieties
- 34:43 Choosing and Planting Palladiums
- 35:08 The Importance of Texture and Variation in Containers
- 35:52 When to Buy Palladiums and Seasonal Availability
- 37:39 Understanding Plant Variation
- 38:22 Tips for Container Gardening
- 40:37 Choosing the Right Number and Size of Plants
- 43:35 The Versatile Kimberly Queen Fern
- 47:46 Irrigation Solutions for Your Garden
- 55:53 Dealing with Deer in Your Garden
- 01:01:59 Final Thoughts and Where to Find More Information
Mentioned This Episode:
- Ballard Designs | Shop Now
- @carmenjohnstongardens | Designer Instagram
Please send in your questions so we can answer them on our next episode! And of course, subscribe to the podcast in Apple Podcasts so you never miss an episode. You can always check back here to see new episodes, but if you subscribe, it’ll automatically download to your phone.
Happy Decorating!
Subscribe in Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Podcasts
