Building a French-style flagstone patio isn't difficult, says landscape architect Louise Leff, and you can do it yourself in a weekend for about $650 -- $500 for materials and another $150 for plants. Before you begin, you'll need to have some preliminary work done. For this project a drainage ditch with pipe and gravel has been installed as well as a sand bed to support the flagstone (figure A).
Louise chose plants that would give a French-country look to the landscape. The purple lavender cultivar 'Provence' (figure B) requires full sun, moderate water and a fast-draining sandy soil. Little or no fertilizer is needed. Lavenders succeed in cool coastal climates but not in humid regions. When you harvest the flowers, cut only to the top of the foliage, never beyond the leaves. Lavender should be pruned immediately after it blooms to keep plants compact and neat.
Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) (figure C) is native to the Mediterranean, where it receives full sun and little rainfall. It prefers a lean, well-drained soil. These conditions produce a slow-growing plant with intense flavors. A tender shrub, rosemary needs protection from frost. In ancient times rosemary was associated with fidelity and memory. It was found at weddings and funerals and used by students preparing for examinations. Place plants where you'll brush up against them to release the pungent fragrance.
This perennial verbena (figure D) requires full sun and moderate water. It blooms in summer and works well in hanging baskets and borders and as a groundcover. It thrives in hot areas and is drought-tolerant. Well-drained soil is a must.
Purple trumpet vine (Clytostoma callistegioides) (figure E) needs full sun to partial shade and regular water. Plants will bloom if they get at least 3 hours of sun a day. It climbs by tendrils and needs some support on walls.
Butterfly bush (Buddleia) (figure F), a deciduous shrub, thrives in rich, loamy soil and is remarkably free of insect and disease problems. In cold climates it will die back to the roots. Where winters are mild, it should be pruned close to the ground in early spring to promote bushiness and new growth.
To save money, buy plants in six-packs and 4" containers. Smaller plants actually perform and transplant better than larger, more expensive specimens. When creating a design, keep larger plants to the outside (figure G) and along existing structures. Add trailing plants to spill over walls and add a casual look to the patio.
Repeat the colors all the way around the patio to unify the design and encourage the eye to follow the color from one area to the next. Arizona flagstone (figure H) is easy to work with. It is not a dense stone and can easily be cut. Fit the pieces together like a jigsaw puzzle, leaving gaps so you can plant groundcovers between pieces. Level the stone so that it is consistent with the original grade set up with the sand base. This ensures that your patio will drain well. The final step in creating a French patio is to pour potting mix between the stones and plant the groundcover, in this case 'Blue Star Creeper' (Laurentia fluviatilis ) (figure I). It requires full sun -- partial shade in hot regions -- and regular water. It should be fed lightly once a month.
GUESTS :
Louise Leff
210 4th Street
Suite B
Petaluma, CA 94952
Phone: 707-789-0151
Fax: 707-789-0151
Website: lefflandscapearchitecture.com
| 
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
