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| Mound magic: Mounds make showy, 3-D floral displays (Spring 2008) |
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By Dale McDonald
Lush mounds make for spectacular summer flower displays
The stunning flower beds in Lyons, Colorado’s Bohn Park started with a simple request. The park host who summered there in his RV had seen
Ken Jackson’s beautifully landscaped yard. So he asked Ken if he would help him build a flower bed. He got more than he bargained for.
When he returned the following summer, the park’s first flower mound was already in
place, a surprise courtesy of Ken Jackson’s
green thumb. Today there are a half-dozen
more, and they literally light up the park.
"I do this every summer because I love
flowers and I believe in volunteering in my
community," Jackson says. "It also turned
what was already a beautiful place into a real showplace. Everyone comments on the flowers
and that’s what makes it worthwhile."
Jackson says the most asked question is,
"What’s the secret?" So here it is.
First, he says, you have to create the perfect
growing environment, and that starts with
the soil. To create a new mound, he digs the
soil out leaving a shallow basin. Then he
brings in a planters mix (50% top soil, 30%
organic matter, 20% manure compost) and
blends that with a couple wheelbarrows of
sand to a depth of 30 inches. The beds are 8
to 10 feet across, and over time they settle to
a height of about 24 inches. Existing mounds get a makeover every spring, when he adds
peat moss, compost, wood chips, and a planters
mix including timed-release fertilizer. All
of this is dug in until perfectly blended.
"It’s very important to blend it well," he
says, "especially the peat moss. If you don’t,
a layer of peat moss will prevent water from
percolating into the soil. Also, for the first
month I apply liquid fertilizer once a week,
and every other year I add leaf compost."
Once the soil is blended, it’s time to consider the plants. Jackson says to select proven plants with bold colors. Favorites include zinnias, marigolds, snap dragons, coleus, blue salvia, sweet potato vines, kale, dusty miller, and cosmos. When he begins planting the rings, he alternates with contrasting colors that will easily stand apart.
"Symmetry really matters," he says.
"When you layer in heights, if the plants are
two inches off, it shows. So I use small cups
to mark every plant location, and a tape measure
to make sure I get it right. Some of the
mounds contain over 200 seedlings, so just
throw out plant spacing recommendations.
Plant very dense. That’s how you get thick
foliage and masses of flowers."
After planting, water the plants in heavily,
then water daily during the summer. To avoid
fungus problems, water in the morning—
then the sun will keep the foliage dry during
the day. Finally, he says it’s fun to experiment
with different plants each year, but stick
with annuals. Perennial flowering plants tend
to peak quickly, then slowly fade away.
Grateful. For mayor Nick Angelo, the Bohn
Park flower mounds are like a landmark.
"Being a gardener myself, Ken’s talent is
just unbelievable, he says. "It’s an honor to
have volunteers like him in our community.
His work reflects on all of us."
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