A guide to the Lowcountry’s thorniest landscaping challenges
Fungus and flooding and rabbits — oh my!
Story by Alea Wilkins
Though beautiful, the Lowcountry’s landscape is not without its thorns. High heat and humidity cultivate fungus, and salty soil strips nutrients from plants. These and other common problems can prevent homegrown flowers and shrubbery from looking their best, smearing dirt on a home’s appearance. Skip the headache and learn from local professionals how to solve the most typical challenges. Plus, dig into budding landscaping trends for inspiration to grow a garden that wows while withstanding the coastal climate.
Landscaping tips
Above all landscaping techniques, Suzanne Barton, certified professional horticulturist at The Green Thumb, says her top piece of advice is dedication. Regular observation of a backyard garden can help homeowners identify issues in their first stages and solve them before they grow out of hand. “If you can catch insects, disease, weeds and animal-grazing early, it is far easier to remedy,” she says. Plus, spending more time outdoors means gardeners can appreciate their hard work more often. Barton treasures it as part of her daily routine. “My favorite thing has always been to take a cup of coffee out in the mornings and walk in and around the garden,” she says. “In this way, I keep on top of the garden’s health overall and enjoy the beauty of my endeavors.”
Temperamental climate
Sweltering summers can send even Hilton Head natives searching for A/C, but backyards also need help enduring the elements. Elizabeth Turner of Earthworks Landscape Company says the climate causes the most common problems in local landscaping. “Four to five months of heat can create stress on plants and grass, and it can promote disease and insect activity,” she says. Even as summer cools down, Turner says the temperature drops can be detrimental to home gardens. “Winter months can absolutely harm some plant types and ultimately kill others,” she says. To counter the varied conditions, Turner says to opt for vegetation that’s indigenous to the area and its climate. She also recommends sod varieties that can acclimate with the seasons, ensuring your garden thrives no matter the weather.
Fungus
A common cause of rot, fungus runs rampant in high heat and humidity, making the Lowcountry the perfect brewing ground for plant diseases. In combination with overwatering, gardens are especially at-risk during the transitional seasons. “Fungus issues on lawns and plants occur more often during spring and fall, when the daytime temperatures are at 80 to 85 degrees and when we are experiencing humidity and excessive rainfall,” says Lawn Doctor owner, Mark Deloach. While fungicides can eliminate or prevent plant disease, Deloach doesn’t advise investing in them because they are often expensive and require reapplication every two to four weeks. Instead, he suggests adjusting your watering schedule with the weather. “The biggest factor to prevent fungus is to monitor your irrigation and cut it off when we are getting sufficient rainfall,” he says. Precipitation sensors are a handy back-up solution, helping gardens look and feel their best.
Poor soil
Any Home Goods display will declare that salt and sand are the staples of coastal living, but for plants these minerals can be less than ideal. They stream into the soil from ocean beaches, hindering growth and nutrient absorption. When planning out the perfect garden, Deloach says to pick plants that are beach-ready. “Palms, viburnum, ligustrum, Indian hawthorns and hibiscus can handle the salt-water intrusion that we can deal with from high tides and floods,” he says. When flooding does happen, take precaution by washing out the brine. “It’s a good idea to saturate the plants with fresh water after they become saturated with salt water,” he says. Sand poses the opposite problem, stripping soil of hydration and necessary nutrients. Deloach recommends products like Moisture Manager and Hyrdatain to help. “We have been using these products the last 3 or 4 years with good results,” he says. Life may be better at the beach, but lawns are on the fence.
Deer and rabbits
The Lowcountry’s cutest inhabitants can also be some of the peskiest. Deer and rabbits eat many common blooms like asters, coneflowers and black-eyed Susans. To avoid accidentally adopting an unwanted pet, add plants that these critters find unsavory. Barton says there are certain characteristics that deter the critters. “As a general rule, fuzzy, scented, bitter, spiked and thorny plants are considered deer-resistant. Rabbits can be a bit more difficult to pin down but also have certain dislikes,” she says. Barton lists ferns, wax myrtle and snapdragon as a few deer- and rabbit-proof varieties, but she also recommends using ornamental herbs like catmint and salvia. “Interplanting herbs with ornamentals in a sunny location has also been known to help with the issue,” she says. It’s a double-win: more fresh fragrance for your backyard and fewer unwelcome guests.
Invasive species
Although beloved flowers like azaleas and camellias originated overseas, not all foreign fauna should take root in the Lowcountry. Some of the most concerning invaders are kudzu, Chinese tallow trees and Japanese climbing ferns. The plants grow rapidly and, when left to fester, can harm native wildlife. Barton says taking quick action to stop their spread is key to a healthy home garden. “Dealing with invasives as soon as they are spotted is the best way to keep them from becoming a large-scale problem,” she says. Frequent mowing, herbicides and even pet goats can cut the roots and prevent escalation, but Barton advises homeowners to not get overzealous. Especially with weed killers like glyphosate and triclopyr, careful application is required to not damage surrounding plants. “These weed killers are non-selective, meaning they will kill anything green,” she says. “Follow directions and use with caution.”
Flooding
While the marshlands add unique beauty to the Lowcountry, backyards shouldn’t turn into a swamp. Flooding can cause issues like lawn disease, pest infestation and damage to a home’s foundation. Turner says the easiest way to prevent water from collecting is to direct it from roofs and gutters to receptive areas like storm drains, ideally through underground measures. “Earthworks can design and install subsurface drainage almost anywhere, provided we have somewhere to take it,” she says. Landscaping professionals can assess your property’s conditions to determine the best solution for your home and maintain its natural splendor from the ground up.
Landscaping trends
A healthy garden is a beautiful garden, but a little pizazz doesn’t hurt. Spruce up your backyard with exterior design trends that are budding all over the Lowcountry. Turner of Earthworks says one of the most popular is embracing your surroundings. “Utilizing native plants introduces a natural and coastal aesthetic to the property,” she says. Try adding grand yucca bushes to gardens and Carolina jessamine vines around arches. Homeowners can also allude to the ocean with exciting water features. Turner says to embrace the unexpected, not just reserving fountains for the backyard but to incorporate them into side courtyards or at the front of the property. Exciting extras like fire pits and bocce courts add entertainment value, making backyards the ultimate place to be while at home. Thanks to a little labor of love, the picturesque beauty of the Lowcountry is well worth the effort.
