By Jason Rathe

What's that he's holding?

This is one of my favorite statues in Minneapolis. It is outside St. Albert the Great church on 2836 33rd Ave S. The statue has a beautiful austerity and power but my favorite thing is that he is holding a huge frog.

That's a big frog!

Who doesn’t love frogs? But why is the saint holding a frog you ask? Because the statue represents St. Albert the Great, who is the patron saint of those who study the natural sciences. You can read more about the saint at the St. Albert the Great website.

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By Ann Davenport

Slopes are one of the most common landscaping problems and can be one of the most difficult to deal with.  Often times, grass doesn’t grow well on a slope, sloughing off allowing the soil below to erode away.  Water infiltration varies meaning the area at the top may be dry while the bottom can become waterlogged.  Steep slopes can also pose a safety hazard in that they can be difficult and dangerous to mow.

My existing slope, complete with failing turf.

My property in Southwest Minneapolis boasts one of those “mountain-like” front slopes.  When my husband and I first moved into the house 6 years ago, the grass on the slope seemed to be holding its own but it quickly began to deteriorate.  Today it is easy to see where the grass has died and water running down the slope has eroded some of the soil in those areas.  And trying to mow this beast is a task unto itself!  We practically have to tether ourselves to the house and “lower” one person down with the mower while the other acts as a counter weight!  Although I’m sure it’s entertaining for the neighbors, it isn’t exactly the safest practice.

So, after several years of muttering about “doing something with that darn hill” we decided to requisition the help of our friendly neighborhood landscape design/build company (a.k.a. my awesome employers), Field Outdoor Spaces, Inc.

A closer look at "Mt. Davenport"

After some discussion with Jason & Shannon, it was decided that this project would be nice case study for our “Solutions for the Urban Landscape” blog series.  In the coming months we will present the process of landscaping my front slope from start to finish.  We’ll include information on the design process, plant & hardscape selection, installation, and of course the final product.  Stay tuned as we move forward in transforming this problem area into a useable urban landscape.

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By Ann Davenport

Now's the time to see this beauty

Meet pasque flower, Pulsatilla vulgaris.  Who wouldn’t want this sweet little flower in their spring garden???  Right now this little beauty is putting on its show!  In addition to the beautiful purple flowers, the foliage is covered with silky hairs giving the plant a silvery look.  Showy seed heads persist after blooming, extending its ornamental value into early summer.  Native to Minnesota, pasque flower is found in the dry-soil and rocky prairies and savannas that once covered the southwestern part of the state.  It is a tough little plant, withstanding late spring snow and cold weather and is also quite drought tolerant.  Wouldn’t this little guy make a great addition to your garden?

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By Carolyn Johnson

Mulching Provides a Clean, Finished Look to the Garden

Spring clean ups are wrapping up and our next focus at Field will be composting and mulching.  This is the perfect time of year to apply compost and mulch because the plants are just now starting to poke their little heads up.  It’s easier to work around the plants in the garden now rather than when they are fully-leafed out.

The benefits from compost and mulch are immense.  Compost and mulch can do the following:

• Conserve moisture, reducing watering needs
• Prevent weed germination
• Regulate soil temperatures
• Improve the condition of the soil by adding nutrients
• Reduce compaction
• Provide a ‘finished’ look in your landscape.  Should I keep going?

We recommend applying new mulch and compost every two to three years to help your garden stay healthy and look its best.  Please call me, Carolyn, at 612-554-8179, if you would like to schedule our services.   You can reach me at fieldcare@fieldoutdoorspaces.com as well.  We would be happy to help you strive to have the best looking garden on your block!

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