#martinsonsms

HOW TO CREATE A SUMMER OASIS WITH A FEW SIMPLE GARDENING ESSENTIALS

Looking for the perfect gardening techniques for a beautiful oasis that will outlast the summer’s heat? Whether you are ready to get your hands a little dirty or would prefer to hire one of their professionals, we have asked the experts from Martinson’s Garden Works to help us create the perfect space. Read a few tips below on how to start discovering your inner green thumb:

1. ADD RUNNING WATER. Nothing says summer relaxation like the sound of trickling water. Place a self-contained fountain on your patio (or have the team at Garden Works install one), or add a larger fountain as a permanent feature of your backyard landscape. The calming sound of running water creates a relaxing, cooling effect that anyone outdoors during a Mississippi summer can appreciate.

2. CREATE SHADE. No summer oasis is complete without a space to retreat to when the weather is great, but the sun is bright. Consider a sturdy garden arbor that can offer relief from the harsh sun and can even be topped with a custom fit shade cloth for the ultimate shady haven. Arbors are also the perfect place to grow vines, which, once established, can offer restful shaded areas underneath. You might also consider planting appropriate shade trees in your landscape to shade your outdoor living spaces from the relentless summer heat our area is known for. If you need help designing a shade structure or choosing trees appropriate for your levels of sun and rain (every yard is different!), please feel free to schedule a consultation with Garden Works Landscape Architect Randy Graves.

3. GARDENING ABOVE GROUND. Maybe the thought of crawling through mulch to pull weeds every week makes you cringe? Did you know that you can grow beautiful miniature landscapes in raised containers? Containers can easily be situated on porches and patios, making them extremely convenient to maintain and close enough to enjoy from inside the house. Be sure to pay attention to the level of sun your container will receive when picking your plants. (For example: you don’t want to plant a potted succulent garden under a heavily shaded porch, but it would be perfect for a bright and sunny bird bath near a window). Garden Works offers Mississippi’s largest selection of containers and their staff can help you choose the best pot for any location and the perfect plants to pair with it! If it’s already too hot to consider tackling this project on your own, Garden Works has a container design team that can come to your home and do it for you!

Along these same lines, when we asked Mimi what her favorite color palette is for an outdoor area, she said, “GREEN! Lots of green! Chartreuse ANYTHING! There are many shades of green in the world of plants, even mixing these subtle color differences and varying textures makes me happy. My favorite blooms right now are HOT colors. A bright orange and hot pink combination is my latest fave. Of course, if you ask me again in a few months, that will probably change!”

Since working with the Martinsons through The Scout Guide, we have loved getting to know them, so we wanted you to get to know them a little bit better as well! 

A fun fact about Allen Martinson is that he has traveled to over 30 countries backpacking and mountain climbing and was a Peace Corps volunteer in the Caribbean in the late 1980s.  Allen is set to climb Mt. Ranier for the second time in mid June.  This time he is taking their son, Max, to the summit with him to celebrate his recent high school graduation.  Max will attend Mississippi State in the fall to begin work on his own degree in horticulture.  

A fun fact about Mimi Martinson is that she absolutely loves vintage! At the top of her list of favorites are mid-century modern pieces, pottery, fabrics, furniture, lamps, & vehicles. Allen and Mimi have owned three 60-something Volkswagen vans during their marriage and have just recently added a 1966 Greyhound bus to their list of vintage vehicles! In the winter months when the garden is resting, Mimi hunts flea markets and junk stores for entertainment. She collects mid-century art, pottery, planters…most of which usually wind up planted with baby succulents for sale at Garden Works!

Pictured above: Mimi & Allen Martinson + pup Barney. 

And when you go, tell them Scout sent ya!