Gardens in the Lower Mainland struggle with rapidly transitioning microclimates and complex soil conditions. Without proper awareness of the factors that affect your garden, it’s nearly impossible to stay on top of things. But, what more issues could Lower Mainland gardens face?

Lower Mainland gardens also face issues with salt damage, wind exposure, heavy shade, and seasonal flooding. Choosing the correct plant species and bracing saplings will help greatly. Also, landscaping services such as barrier installation, pruning your plants and installing drainage systems will go a long way in securing a thriving garden.

In the previous article, we discussed how solving 4 issues with landscaping services can help you achieve the perfect yard. In this article, we’ll explore 4 more issues that gardens face specifically. We’ll help you learn about the issues in-depth so you can pre-plan and stay safe from them.

4 Lower Mainland Gardening Issues and Effective Solutions 

In the Lower Mainland, gardens face unique combinations of challenges that don’t quite exist anywhere else in Canada. The most prominent 4 issues are:

  1. Salt Damage
  2. Wind Exposure
  3. Dense Shading
  4. Seasonal Flooding

Let’s go through each of these issues, and discuss potential solutions, including landscaping services that may help greatly.

Salt Damage

In coastal areas such as White Rock and Tsawwassen in Delta, salt damage cripples gardens. Because of geographical positioning, road salt and ocean spray invade the soil. The salt accumulates and generates a higher osmotic pressure. This extra salt stops plants from absorbing water and removes moisture. 

This water stress will often express itself as these 3 symptoms:

  1. Leaf Browning and Burns
  2. Curling and Shriveling Leaves
  3. Progressive Dieback

To prevent this from happening, try these 3 ideas:

  1. Choose Salt-Tolerant Plants: Plant species such as Sea Thrift (Armeria maritima), Rugosa Rose (Rosa rugosa), and Shore Pine (Pinus contorta) are hardy and survive in high-salinity conditions. Shore Pine and Rugosa Rose in particular thrive in such environments.
  2. Barriers: You can get landscaping services to install burlap screens or hedges between your garden and roads.
  3. Spring Flushing: You can rinse out the soil with fresh water in early spring to leach out the salt content. However, you should have retaining walls or other soil loss prevention methods installed beforehand.

These proactive measures help reset soil conditions and introduce variables that prepare your garden to combat salt damage with ease.

Wind Exposure

Coastal winds in areas like Delta and Richmond are death sentences for plants. In these areas, constant, strong winds desiccate leaves and uproot shallow-rooted species. The pressure generated by the winds can also cause the following 4 issues:

  • Hinder Growth
  • Break off Stems and Leaves
  • Evaporate Soil Moisture Content
  • Lower Ambient Temperature

Try these 3 solutions to prevent that from happening:

  1. Use Dense Evergreens: Try planting species like Sitka Spruce (Picea sitchensis), as they function as effective natural windbreaks. They have dense foliage that reduces the wind’s speed and impact on more vulnerable species. Combine them with tall grass species such as Feather Reed Grass to create natural borders that protect your garden.
  2. Staking: Stake plants that have weaker roots to provide them with extra support. Use flexible ties and sturdy stakes to ensure that the plants are not damaged.
  3. Mulch: Apply a thick layer of bark mulch to insulate the topsoil and the plant roots. The mulch will keep the temperature stable and retain moisture, and stop wind-blown particles from hitting plant roots.

You can also call landscape services to alter the layout of your garden. Create walls and niches that control the airflow. Or add more layers of topsoil and create natural contours that protect the plants by buffeting and guiding the wind away from them.

Shade Management

Dense trees in West Vancouver neighbourhoods create heavy shade that significantly reduces sunlight in your garden. Shades can create a cooler microclimate and be welcoming for wildlife. However, for a garden, that only means unwelcome guests.

To combat this, you can do 3 things:

  1. Prune Strategically: If permitted, try to thin out canopies by pruning the lower branches of trees.
  2. Shade Gardens: You can plant Hostas, Bleeding Hearts (Dicentra formosa), and Ferns under trees. These are shade-tolerant species that thrive in low-light conditions.
  3. Reflective Mulch: You can also use light-coloured stone mulch. Use this to redirect light onto plants.

You can also assess how much sunlight you get around your entire property, then use landscaping services to target areas exposed to sunlight only. You can build vertical gardens, or even set-up a rooftop garden.

Seasonal Flooding

Seasonal flooding is a common issue in low-lying areas such as Richmond and Pitt Meadows. These areas get waterlogged often as they have high water tables, poor drainage, heavy rainfall, and clay-heavy or compacted soil. Waterlogged or icy soil will kill plants through root rot, oxygen deprivation, and plant stress.

You should try the following 3 ideas:

  1. Install Drainage Systems: Get landscaping services to install raised beds or French drains to remove the water. Retaining walls are also good options if your soil is loose.
  2. Plant Water-tolerant Species: You can plant water-tolerant plants such as willows (Salix spp.), Red Osier Dogwood (Cornus sericea), Skunk Cabbage (Lysichiton americanus), and various sedges (Carex spp.) as they have evolved to thrive in waterlogged soil.
  3. Permeable Paving: Hire landscaping services to replace concrete with gravel or other permeable options to reduce puddling. Permeable paving allows water to reach the ground, reducing surface runoff. It also helps to maintain the natural water cycle in your garden.

You can install sensors and smart drainage options that automatically remove the excess water from your garden. But Alan Block Walls are the most effective and affordable solutions available.

New Wave Earthworks. Landscaping Service Experts.

Armed with nearly a decade of landscaping experience in the Lower Mainland, New Wave Earthworks is your best gardening companion. Our experience in working in the Lower Mainland will help you with every challenge you may face in your garden, and beyond. So when you search for landscaping services in the Lower Mainland, especially Chilliwack, Abbotsford, and the Tri-Cities, choose New Wave Earthworks. 

Call us today at (604) 855-2603 and get your free quote!

Conclusion

Gardening in the Lower Mainland is about leveraging your strengths, and your knowledge. Know everything to know about your garden, and then plan accordingly to see your garden thrive. And if you struggle with the complexity of it all, don’t hesitate to seek professional help.