Sage Advice

We have a relatively steep hill on one side of the yard that has presented an interesting landscaping design challenge. I've drummed up a few schemes over the time we've been here, but haven't really settled on an overall plan. I knew I wanted a relatively tall, full plant along the top row to create a border, but not peak over the fence and distort our neighbor's view. This plant also needed to be heat and drought tolerant once established.

After pondering drought tolerant vegetation and the cost of purchasing the mass needed, the thought occurred to me to utilize a plant that was already doing well in the yard.

Meet Russian Sage.

This fragrant, purple shrub would do well as a border plant and was free! All I had to do was dig up runners and clip limbs.

With a bucket of clippings, I climbed the hill and began laying out my plan of attack.

The top of the hill was cleared of existing vegetation (read: weeds) and the sage clippings were evenly spaced.

 
Across the length of the hill, twenty-eight clippings were planted. Were I to purchase that many Russian Sage from a local nursery, the cost would have been around $200. Sure, the plants would have been a bit further along and more visually pleasing, but I'm patient. Especially when I'll get the same effect for free.

With the hard part of digging in the clay over, I'm working my way across the hill, laying down geotextile fabric to prevent weed growth and covering everything in pond pebbles. Cedric spent an afternoon running irrigation, so now all the clippings are watered consistently with a turn of a knob.

 

It's been a few weeks since the runners and clippings have been in the soil and they've all taken root. New growth has appeared and things are looking green and healthy.