Four Seasons Garden--An Interview with Wendy and Walter Lysyk

Written by Tally

Friday, 30 October 2009

Monday, October 26th, I interviewed Walter and Wendy Lysyk of Turlock for our first Guest Gardener article--Over the Fence. It was a perfectly beautiful day with two perfectly wonderful individuals with which to interact. We talked at great length about their garden and love for gardening. The following answers have been paraphrased based on the interview with Wendy and Walter... Question: Wendy and Walter, when I met you two, you both seemed so excited by gardening and the unique plants you selected. Have you always gardened together or has gardening become a shared love over time? Answer: Walter answers that his parents were farmers, so growing up, he innately picked up how to care for plants and knew the importance of working the earth. However, it was Wendy that knew the names of plants and plant placements. Over the years, their complementary skill sets have allowed them to grow together as gardeners as well as grow great gardens. Q: How long has this garden been growing and did you put it together piecemeal or all at once? A: Wendy and Walter have been in this home for 10 years, but have been gardening together for far longer. Actually, the first projects the Lysyk’s worked on were one’s that involved their children. Among the first things planted was a vegetable garden with the kids (who are all avid gardeners today). Then came color in the form of seasonal annuals. Then they moved into their new home in Turlock. From there, plant choices became far more personal, a story or purpose behind each purchase. The Lysyk’s home was one of the first houses in the newly developed sub division. Before the subdivision creation, the property was previously home to a dairy farm. Originally, they were going to put in three different, distinct garden “rooms” dedicated to like groupings of plants in each. However, once they put in the patio, they decided to put in a massive 1000 gallon water feature instead. The water feature took Wendy, Walter and a friend 5 months to complete the 15 x10 x 3 foot cavernous hole. This allowed them a central focal point to build a garden look around, offering a pleasant sound source, and to draw in birds. The garden has grown and changed with these ten years to accommodate their love of nature and new plants. Q: What kind of plants do you remember in your yard while growing up and do you find that you tend to incorporate these familiar plants in your space OR have you gone a completely different, more experimental, direction? A: Plants Wendy and Walter remember from childhood include vegetables, roses, hydrangea, oaks, maples (both spent time in Canada). These plants  are also found in their current space. However, now they find themselves to be much more experimental gardeners, delving into interesting plants from Annie’s Annuals, Poot’s House of Cactus, and native plants. They read Sunset Magazine to get a feel for what’s new on the market. They often go to nurseries while traveling, finding even more diverse plant selections. This sentiment is definitely reflected in their beautiful garden as they seek to draw in beneficial insects and birds. Q: In your opinion, what is the most substantial addition or change you’ve made to the garden? A: Without a doubt, the addition of a water feature wins hands down as the best addition to their garden space. It adds aesthetic value and auditory interest. It also allowed them to bring in fish like Koi and goldfish and water plants, which they watch growing throughout the year. Q:So, you have a thousand gallon water pond. How did the addition of a large water feature affect your garden space? Would you recommend adding a water pond to other gardeners?  What problems have you encountered, if any? A: Walter encourages all gardeners with space to invest in some sort of water feature--small, medium, or large. To get ideas for their water feature, they went to Creative Water Gardens in Escalon where they learned more about the style of pond they wanted and how to care for it. Placement is the next crucial step for water feature install action. Then they suggest deciding whether or not you want to have fish in your pond. For a large pond (like the Lysyk’s), Walter also suggests investing in a large water pump and multiple filtration systems to control string algae. They use a smaller sponge and UV filter in addition to a red lava rock filter (suggested by Jungle Jim), cleaning the sponges once every three days in summer. Q: What are some of your favorite garden perennials? A: Some of Walter and Wendy’s favorites include agapanthus, clematis, arctotis, abutilon (that bloom all year round, drawing in hummingbirds), cotoneaster, daylillies, dahlia, salvia, and gaillardia. They’ve also been selecting unusual tubular perennials to draw in birds. Q: Favorite annuals for fall/winter? A: Pansy, dianthus, snaps, and violas. Q: Annuals for spring/summer? A: Zinnia (Profusions and Magellans), portulaca, petunia, cosmos, and vinca. Q:Do you have any bulb plants in your space? A: Yes, in the form of crocosmia, daffodils, iris, daylillies, dahlias. Q: If you could start over, are there any plants you would remove? A: They would remove the tallow tree from front yard only because of it’s tendancy to produce seedlings and mess in the yard. Also, they would reconsider the Twisty Baby Locust behind the pond because of size constraints--didn’t realize its mature size, though it reflects beautifully in the water pond. Q: For the future, what plants do you look forward to adding? A: Wendy really looks forward to adding a waterwise cacti rock garden out front. Also, they want to add more fruit trees and roses, fuschia and any other interesting plant that speaks to them.  Q: What are your favorite garden tools you believe all gardeners should own? A: Right now, Walter is loving his reciprocating saw for tree limb removal. However, different rakes, shovels, and pruners are used on a regular basis. Q:What advice would you give to the new gardener? A: You can always improve your soil. Compost your soil daily with used green goods by simply digging a hole and plopping them in to improve soil. You can compost things like onions, bananas, lettuce, green veggies, orange peels, egg shells. You can also find great deals on store bought soil ammenders by buying broken bags since usually the bags are full, just the packaging damaged. Stake the plants that need it, including new trees, roses, and taller perennials so you don’t lose them in high winds. Use bird houses, feeders with niger seed, sunflower seed, etc. to bring in and support nature. Use nature to fight nature--Wendy loves praying mantids for controlling aphid and other pests that frequent, especially in spring. Use lattice work to create texture and give climbing plants and espaliered plants a chance to shine.