Preserving What We Have

When designing new landscapes, one of our core principles is to preserve as much of the existing site as possible. This means less time spent, less money wasted, and fewer resources discarded. Re-purposing existing materials, transplanting existing plants, and recycling existing soil are all in our wheelhouse. We believe this approach is both ethical and practical, and we’d like to share a few reasons why.

Some of the things we think about preserving on every site:

1. Water
   If your landscape naturally collects water, there’s usually a reason for it. Clearly, water collecting in your basement is not as…aesthetic as water collecting in a small cistern of carefully chosen boulders. We always design landscapes that redirect water and encourage proper drainage, but especially enjoy the opportunity to design with water as a highlight of the landscape. This could be in the form of a small pond, water feature, or even simply a rain garden.

2. Existing Vegetation
   Most homeowners know which plants they don’t want on their property. Fair enough. But what if removing that native shrub on your hillside leads to unexpected erosion? Sometimes, nature pops plants right where they’re needed, performing vital functions like stabilizing soil and supporting local ecosystems. Other times, things need a little adjustment—that’s where transplanting comes in. Working with what’s already growing may take some extra effort, but the long-term benefits are plentiful.

3. Patience Over a Quick Fix
   This ties into preserving existing vegetation. Lots of homeowners envision a brand new landscape as if it were already mature. Plants are living, growing things, they need time to fill out and come into their own. You may look at your freshly planted garden and think “There are so many open spaces!”. Give it time. Perennials usually take off after a year or two. Shrubs and trees are slower. They usually need to recover from transplant shock the first season, then they get used to their new environment the next, and then by the third season they begin to really grow.

4. Grading Before Anything Else
   If your landscape is already directing water safely, cleanly, and efficiently, then we would suggest preserving the overall grading scheme and using that as your base for new design. A landscape that looks pretty, but causes water problems is simply a bad idea.

5. Function First
   Before diving into aesthetics, we focus on function—both of the space itself and the materials and plants we choose. How will you use your landscape? What do you need it to do? Defining these elements early on helps narrow down plant and material choices. A well-designed space balances beauty with purpose. While just-decorative elements have their place, a strong foundation comes from selecting materials and plants that serve a functional role and look handsome.

By working with what’s already in place, we aim to create landscapes that are not only beautiful but also use our resources well. We also recognize that there are always new ways to improve, and we take advantage of those opportunities when they arise. If you see new other ways to preserve what’s at hand, drop us an email and let us know.

Five Favorite Fruit Trees (and shrubs) for Fall Color

Contender Peach in October

We love fall in Madison, Wisconsin: a season of vivid colors, crisp air, and new ways of seeing the garden (we notice so many different things plants change shape and hue.) While our squash vines are being pulled and cosmos are cut back, some fruit trees and shrubs are still out there, giving us impressive autumn displays.

We’re big believers in growing even a little bit of what you eat (I don’t remember much about my Aunt Kathy’s Kenosha backyard, but I remember the few years she had those little Bartlett pear trees, and we brought dozens home in paper bags). We also believe that beauty is good for people and makes us smile.

Here’s our Aspen Garden & Landscape countdown of the best fruit-bearing plants for fall color in Madison, Wisconsin (hardiness zone 5).

#5 Aronia 'Viking' (Aronia melanocarpa 'Viking')

Also known as chokeberry, Aronia ‘Viking’ is a hardy shrub that thrives in Wisconsin landscapes, yielding clusters of antioxidant-rich berries in late summer. Its foliage turns a gorgeous red in autumn, contrasting beautifully with the dark berries.

Number five on our list, the leaves are gorgeous, but the berries are very astringent when eaten fresh (the neighborhood kids call them “super dryers” for the way they dry out your mouth). I like them as they are (especially out of the freezer with a good, dense yogurt), but they can be made into really nice jams, syrups, and jellies (they’re a great addition to apple jellies).

All in all, this is a shrub I always want to have around, but the berries aren’t for everyone. The wood is a favorite of rabbits, so be sure to cage young plants over winter!

Fall Color: ★★★★★
Fruit: ★★

#4 American Persimmon (Diospyros virginiana)

Yes, the American persimmon is hardy here, and it’s not only a North American native, but a standout tree, admired for both its butterscotchy fruit and its beauty (it’s in the ebony family). It produces orange fruit in late fall, just as its leaves shift to shades of yellow, orange, and crimson. Truly beautiful, and the orange fruit glow like little lanterns.

There is some great breeding going on- for the best hardiness and fruit, look for named varieties like Meader, Prok, or John Rick. The trees are also disease resistant and don’t require much upkeep.

Fall Color: ★★★★
Fruit: ★★★

#5 Seckel Pear (Pyrus 'Seckel')

Known as the “sugar pear” for its dense, sweet, almost spicy flavor, the Seckel pear is a compact, low-maintenance tree. These lovely little pears are easy to grow, and the glossy leaves take on a rich burgundy color in late fall (see the photo at the top of the post.) This hardy variety thrives in Wisconsin, making a beautiful and long-lived addition to local landscapes.

You can read more about the history of Seckel pears here. You’ll need a pollination partner (I recommend Harrow Sweet, which doesn’t have notable fall color, but does have notable pears).

Fall Color: ★★★★
Fruit: ★★★★

#2 Contender Peach (Prunus persica 'Contender')

Yes, (some) peaches do grow in Wisconsin- I have three trees on my quarter acre lot and wouldn’t want to be without one. Contender peach is among the hardiest peach varieties, making it well-suited to Wisconsin winters. All summer the leaves are a lovely glossy green, and in fall they shift to shades of yellow, red, and orange, creating a warm and inviting display (see the photo at the top of the post). The fruit in late summer is delicious and abundant.

Fall Color: ★★★★
Fruit: ★★★★★

#1 Juneberry (Amelanchier spp.)

Everybody loves juneberries. At Aspen Garden & Landscape, we probably plant them more than any other tree, and for good reason. A Wisconsin native, juneberries (also known as serviceberries or Saskatoons) are versatile small trees or shrubs that bring year-round beauty. In spring, they produce delicate white flowers, followed by small, blueberry-like berries in early summer. Birds love these berries, and so do our kids (so do I!)

In the fall, the Juneberries’ sweet, small leaves transform into a striking blend of fiery oranges, deep reds, and golden yellows. The bark is beautiful in winter, too.

Fall Color: ★★★★★
Fruit: ★★★★★

Honorable Mention: American Hazelnut (Corylus americana)

It’s not a fruit, but we had to mention the American hazelnut, one of our favorite shrubs for fall color (and nuts.) In spring, the plants produce long, elegant catkins, and in late summer, with good pollination, they yield small, sweet hazelnuts (I think American hazelnuts are the most delicious hazels- you can support local growers here).

Hazelnut’s leaves just glow in fall- golden-yellow and deep orange. 

Top Five Spring Cleanup Mistakes

Treat your yard with respect and avoid the top five most common spring landscaping mistakes.

1- Working on wet soil. It’s tough. Early spring ushers in a shining sun and singing birds who long to perform for the new, warm world. Those of us eager to get to work slip on our boots  and head out with gusto. But working in soggy, squishy soil, as fondly reminiscent of childhood and enjoyable as it may be, is detrimental for lawns and garden beds.  Compaction is the main issue. Developing a habit of trodding over water-saturated soils (and, worst of all, driving heavy equipment over the wet ground) is a sure way to decrease the vitality of your landscape- and soil health. Wet soil is easier to accidentally compact because, as pressure is applied, water molecules are driven out of the way and the soil molecules are “glued” together under the compression. Imagine making a snowball out of sticky, soggy snow as opposed to fluffy, powdery flakes. Soil compaction impedes water absorption and retention, thus hampering nutrient absorption and resulting in a variety of long-standing issues.

2- Mulching too high. Mulch is a great way to keep weeds under control, provide erosion protection, and aid in retaining moisture, but it is not something to be done hastily. Plants need space for air circulation in order to be healthy. Mulching too close and too thick is counterproductive. A general rule of thumb is 1-2” of mulch for perennial gardens and 2-4” for shrubs. Newly planted trees appreciate thicker mulch, but it is essential to remember to keep the mulch from touching the stem or trunk areas. The same goes with mulching near your home. Keep the mulch off of your siding to prevent unnecessary decay or moisture retention..

3- Raking the lawn. It can feel great to get out and rake all of that decayed debris out of your lawn as it is just beginning to green up, but that brown debris is actually serving a purpose: it is protecting those patches of lawn from the sun which might otherwise warm up the exposed soil, encouraging the germination of the crabgrass or other weed seeds that may have blown in. A gentle raking isn’t necessarily a bad idea in areas with trees that drop large leaves such as oaks and Norway maples, but no need to get carried away and rake the entirety of your lawn. Consider allowing a small amount of winter debris to remain. Eventually, the lawn will fill in those spaces itself as it gains energy in the growing season, and in the meantime, those pesky weed seeds will have less chance of germination.

4- Getting over-committed.  If you only knew how many people call asking for help to resolve issues started by an overzealous partner getting inspired by the beauty of spring, tearing out the whole lawn, and then saying “oh, shit.”  It’s another springtime temptation that some of us just can’t resist. It’s too easy to be swept away by the lure of beautiful perennials in garden stores or fascinating seed catalogs, but making a plan will help you come to terms with reality and improve the likelihood of actually accomplishing your dream! This doesn’t mean your natural pond or front yard prairie can’t be attained. Perhaps it’s just best to work in phases over a few seasons. Or, if you’re the type that likes to get it done all at once, plan on hiring or asking for help. Use that spring fever energy to your advantage and be efficient with a realistic plan of action. And remember, if a landscape contractor needs to be involved, fall is often a better contact time than three weeks into spring.

Forgetting about the pollinators.  Many insects that are beneficial for pollination find refuge in the hollow stems of plants during the winter, so be careful when cutting plants back in spring. If you start too early in the season, many of these insects may still be cozily snoozing in their little winter homes. Waiting until the temperatures are more consistent in spring is ideal. Be on the lookout for cocoons and chrysalises on woody stems too! It’s best to leave those stems and return to them once the insects have emerged. If you’re itching to get things tidy, be mindful when cutting back stems and try placing them in a compost or brush pile where insects can remain until they are ready to emerge. The Xerxes society has some great articles on  spring cleanup practices that support pollinators.

Concrete Landscape Edging and Unintended Consequences

We all, at times, make decisions with an incomplete understanding of the long-term effects- we’re human, and we can’t know everything!

Over the last decade, we've seen a lot of homeowners installing concrete edging around their landscape beds. This edging can create a clean look and be easy to mow against - it's true. The issue we see with the product is that it is a solid "wall" of concrete which can really trap water next to the home. See the photo above- where can the water from the downspout go?

With the number of calls we receive from clients with leaking or damp basements, we are keenly aware of the importance of appropriate grading and landscaping that moves water AWAY from the home. Just a thought... If you have any questions on how to improve your landscape, please let us know.

Top Five Tips for Planning a Home Addition (from a landscaper's perspective)

Adding on to a home is a real joy, especially considering how hard it can be to fit a modern lifestyle into some of Madison, Wisconsin’s smaller houses. We’ve been there, too! It can be easy to get caught up in aesthetics, but when planning an addition, there are practical factors to think about as well. Zoning requirements should be checked before getting carried away with dreaming up a plan, not to mention setbacks and percentage of previous space…

At Aspen Garden and Landscape, we work with a lot of homeowners in the process of adding on to their houses. Here are the top five things we’ve learned about home additions, from a landscaper’s perspective:

1- First and foremost, think about your budget and talk to a landscaper early. Oftentimes, a landscape contractor is called last, but it should be your first step. A good landscape contractor ought to be able to anticipate challenges with things like water management, retention, and grading. Understanding these issues early can save a lot of time and a lot of money- and it will help flesh out the total cost of the project.

2- Conduit and pipes. Once a new driveway has been poured, the house is complete. The exterior steps are finished and maybe a concrete walkway has been poured. But did you think about a conduit or pipe underneath the walkways? These can be very helpful for water management, but are costly to add after the fact. A landscape contractor will bring these considerations up before any concrete has been poured, potentially saving you a boatload in spending. 

3- Don’t forget about gutters. If you are adding a new roof line, it’s critical to consider where the downspouts will be installed. Often, they end up as an afterthought and deposit water in an area that causes icy walkways or other water issues like unwanted flooding. Being strategic will save a lot of trouble, especially in Madison, Wisconsin’s cold, wet climate.

4- Even more important to contemplate is the overall grading. Many, many homes in Madison are built on sloping lots.  While the incline may not seem drastic, when an addition is placed without first evaluating the grading, we landscape contractors are faced with a long list of issues. We've seen many additions that interfere with the natural flow of water and create a dam in melt conditions or during heavy rains- the water has nowhere to go other than into window wells or another easy route to the basement. Often this is the case with window wells installed recently, too. Some of the preformed plastic models have a design that drops down as it extends outward from the house. If the distance between the soil grade and siding isn’t enough, the addition may end up pushing the end of the window well below grade. We were on a site visit a few years ago with an egress window on one side of the home that was flooding the basement. On the other side of the house, a poorly-planned addition was causing similar flooding. Understanding elevations is critical!

5- Consider building retaining walls before the addition! Difficult access means huge cost increases in landscape projects. One way to save money landscaping is to build any necessary backyard retaining walls before putting in an addition. More room to work and more room to dump materials means the project can be done more quickly and efficiently.  Again, completing the walls first requires a solid understanding of the planned grades in order to ensure every aspect will dovetail together nicely, so be sure to inquire about this factor with the installation designer. Furthermore, many new additions necessitate a new driveway. On a narrow lot, this may be the only access point to the backyard. Be sure to have a solid handle on the grading and complete the retaining wall before the driveway is poured!

If you’re planning an addition and want help thinking things through, fill out our contact form to schedule a consultation. We believe in being a resource for our community and do what we can to keep these consultations affordable and bring value to them.

Wake me up Before September Ends

What not to forget about in your rush to an apple orchard or pumpkin patch 

Fall doesn’t have to mean the end of your gardening season! Here in Madison, WI, fall can be a great time to plant things that you want to enjoy next spring and summer- The lack of blistering hot days can help encourage root growth and get your plants nice and cozy in their new home before the snow falls. Some bulbs and seeds also require a dormancy period - by planting in the fall you can fulfill this requirement without the need for unnecessary human intervention...like putting them in the freezer and inevitably forgetting about them and feeling guilty when you find their hollow corpse in a paper bag behind a pizza a year later. NOT speaking from experience.

In the fall you can take advantage of knowing where everything is when making the decision of where you would like to plant bulbs. By taking inventory of where things have spread over the summer you lower the risk of accidentally damaging your great-aunts heirloom plant’s roots in the process.

If your garden is chock full of bulbs already, fall is also a great time for a lawn installation or maintenance. Whether it’s over-seeding an existing patchy lawn, or aerating to assist in the generation of deeper and more resilient roots before the frost, there is still time to take action to have your dream lawn next season. You will also want to be sure to give an extra boost of acidity to your soil near plants that thrive in a low pH like rhododendrons, blueberries and azaleas. You can achieve this by adding soil sulfur. When done in the fall, there is time for the chemistry to take place so your soil is at the optimal pH for nutrient uptake when things start growing again in the early spring. 

Now that you know some new things you can keep your green thumbs busy on- let’s not forget to harvest the last 1000 zucchini from those couple plants you started in the garden a couple months ago….

Sensible Landscape Fruit Variety Choices for the Working Woman

To let your garden feed you is a pleasure. And it’s a pleasure many of us want to bring into our lives. Fruit carries a lot with it: health, history, and enjoyment. Humans cultivated apples not just for sustenance, but because we loved them.

Like most things in life, the reality of growing fruit is messier than our idea of it- wasps get into the grapes, rust spores splotch pear leaves, apple trees become tangled and wormy. But messy things are usually worthwhile. And there are some fruit trees and shrubs that make themselves easier for us to enjoy than others.

Here are five favorites for Madison, Wisconsin:

5. Currants (ribes)

Currants would be my number one choice, except for the fact that the shrubs aren’t particularly beautiful* and not everyone likes this fruit. Tthe red, pink, and white varieties are quite tart, and the black varieties usually have a musky taste before they’re cooked (my young neighbor describes them as “dogfood-y”). That being said, I love them all, and the neighborhood kids usually strip my red and pink bushes bare before I can get more than a bowlful.

Red, pink, and white currants look like jewels and are great with creamy things. Norwegians eat them with vanilla custard, and there’s nothing better on top of a cheesecake. Black currants are less jewel-like but incredibly nutritious and make some of the easiest and best jam (there’s plenty of pectin and acid in the berries). I can never have enough black currants. All these varieties are easy to grow, easy to maintain, small in stature, and resistant to pests.

I should also mention that currants, especially black currants, can be hosts for white pine blister rust, which won’t hurt your fruit, but can be detrimental to white pines. The good news is, there’s a lot of work being done to breed resistant varieties. If you have pines closeby, be sure to choose resistant black currant varieties like Minaj Smyriou, Chernaya Lisovenko, and Titania.

*There is an American black currant variety called Crandall that’s really quite lovely and has yellow clove-scented flowers in early spring. I should also mention that the black currant Chernaya Lisovenko has nice autumn color.

Some recommended varieties: Crandall is very good (see above), and Blackdown is my favorite European black currant for fresh eating (all black currants are delicious cooked). The pinks, reds, and whites varieties all taste like the others of their color to me. I like having one of each, but if I could only have one, it would be a red currant. They’re the tartest but the prettiest.

4. Juneberries (amelanchier)

Juneberry fruits are easy to love. They are juicy, and they are sweet, and they are purple. They grow on beautiful small trees/large shrubs that have wedding-like spring blossoms and brilliant fall foliage. Unlike mulberries, they don’t stain the sidewalk or your fingers. The only downside is they can be a bit rust prone, and I have never (not once) been able to get my fill of them. Because they’re so tasty, it’s not a fruit one gets a surplus from for baking and sharing (when I find a particularly delicious roadside tree, I keep quiet about it.)

Some recommended varieties: I haven’t met a juneberry I don’t like. Just find one that’s the right size and don’t let the rabbits eat too many of the branches in winter.

3. Peaches

This choice is a bit self-indulgent, because unsprayed  home-grown peaches in Madison, Wisconsin are rarely blemishless. The branches like to be pruned yearly, the flowers can get nipped by late frosts, and the trees have a reputation for being short-lived (full sized pear trees regularly live past one hundred, peaches often just reach fifteen).

That being said, they grow quickly, bear fruit young, don’t have a lot of serious pest/disease issues, and are really quite charming trees with willowy branches and leaves that turn bright yellow in October. But the thing that matters is the peaches. Until I grew them myself, I had never tasted a tree-ripened peach (ripe peaches are very delicate, so they are always picked and shipped unripe.) This year, my three-year-old tree gave us enough peaches to eat our fill, bake a pie, and send a few home with friends. I wouldn’t want to be without one.

Some recommended varieties: In zone 4/5 Wisconsin, our options are limited, but Contender, Redhaven, and Reliance are all great choices and have sweet pink flowers. Peach trees are self-pollinating, so you only need one.

2. Pie Cherries 

I learn a lot about gardening by watching kids, and kids like eating pie cherries from the tree. Incidentally, squirrels do too, and so do I, so I haven’t had a chance to make any pies or preserves. But the fruit and trees and both so good and problem-free, my answer has been to plant more of them- I have more of these trees in my yard than any other.

Sometimes called “sour cherries,” they aren’t really very sour if you wait until they’re fully ripe to pick them, and they are much easier to grow than sweet cherries. Plenty of dwarf varieties are available and most all are self-pollinating, so they are ideal fruit trees for small yards. As a bonus, some have lovely spring flowers, and unlike peaches, which always seem youthful, cherry trees show character early.

Some recommended varieties: North Star is a great natural dwarf with dark red juice and Mesabi has a reputation for sweetness. Still, the classic Montemorecy cherry is hard to beat.

1. Pears

If you want fruit fast, don’t plant a pear. They have a reputation for taking a long time to bear. There’s a saying “pears are for heirs,” and for some varieties, the wait for fruit can be up to a decade (there are some exceptions- like Harrow Sweet, which usually starts flowering in the first couple years). 

But pears are also for heirs because of their longevity. It’s nice to plant something knowing that it can be enjoyed by your grandkids. In the meantime, pears aren’t so picky about the care they get. They have less disease/insect pressure than apples, and their form is nice even when they aren’t pruned.

Besides all that, the incredible yield from a mature pear tree affords you the opportunity to be really generous. You can give everyone you know a paper shopping bag full and still have plenty.

I think there’s nothing better than that kind of abundance, but one thing to be aware of is that pears (depending on the variety) are often ready to be picked all at once, and if they sit on the tree too long, they can rot from the inside. This can be difficult, but it can also allow you to handle the glut all in one weekend. And what’s better than dried pears?

Some recommended varieties: Harrow Sweet is not only precocious, but also disease resistant and incredibly good. Cabot is self-fertile and supposedly has lovely double flowers (mine hasn’t bloomed yet.) Seckel is sweet, reliable, and well-loved. An important thing to remember about pears is that most need a partner for pollination, so plant two. Bees and other pollinators aren’t as attracted to their flowers as some other blossoms, so it’s a good idea to plant them within 50 feet of each other to increase the chances of good fruiting.

Of course, growing your own fruit is not sensible- pleasure rarely is. If what you really want is to grow European prune plums, figs in pots that you move into the house for winter, or a giant apple tree that’s impossible to gather fruit from (but wonderful to climb), that’s what you should do. The joy of gardening is in playing and noticing and doing what you like.

2022 Not So Great Aspen Open - RESULTS ARE IN !

The 2022 Annual “Not So Great” Aspen Open was a resounding success.

Team America - captained by Graham Scheel handily defeated brother Zach Scheel’s Team Europe in a four person Scramble format at Foxboro Golf Club earlier this week. Scheel credit’s the victory to a “team effort” where everyone “pulled their weight”. First-year entrant Nick M. grew steadily better throughout the tournament. Seasosoned vet Eric Jacobsen had four good shots throughout the round - all of them on the par five seventh - single-handedly adding yet another birdie to the teams score. Even first-time golfer Lindsey W. knocked a ball at least 70 yards a fair number of times . Scheel was the captain and most consistent player,

Fun was had by all - even Laura, Zack, and maybe even Jaxon.