Solutions for Noise Pollution

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Noise Buffersby Marie Hofer, Gardening editor, HGTV.com

 

 

 

 

Gardens are all about nature and less about man-made noise, right? When Thoreau spent two years on Walden Pond, his nearest neighbor was a mile away. He could hear traffic on a distant road and a railroad track, but the sounds of it didn't interfere with his hearing geese flap their wings overhead or the ground crack during a freeze. That was then and this is now. Today the average garden is more apt to share air space with the sounds of steady traffic, neighbors' lawn mowers and string trimmers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Letting plant material cover walls helps reduce echoes, and it also enhances the wall's attractiveness, giving it a timeless look.It's one thing to create privacy in the garden; the right plants, a fence or a vine-covered trellis, and you've got it. It's another thing altogether to dampen noise. Unlike light waves, which travel in straight lines, sound waves bend around obstacles.Plants don't really do the trick. Fleshy-leaved plants such as hollies are better at reducing sound than even dense-needled evergreens, but that's not saying much. You'd have to have at least a 100-foot-wide border of dense plantings to see any real effect on noise levels. Instead, the chief value of plants in this context is to block the sight of the noisemakers, which often takes care of part of the problem, at least psychologically.In Silicon Valley, Calif., sound issues are a "very big deal," says landscape architect Thomas Klope, ASLA. "We don't rely on plants. Instead we opt for physical structures like masonry walls. Then we might use a very thick vine over the wall--a very dense mat of plant material such as creeping fig."Another approach that Klope likes to use is a conventional double-sided wood fence with a "sonic barrier" suspended between the panels. The material is a special high-density vinyl that hangs free and invisible between the panels. "We can take an 85 decibel [noise level] and knock it down to 59," he says. The material must hang limp and can't be either tacked at the bottom or stretched, so that it's free to vibrate.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As anyone who has ever walked to the other side of a hill knows, soil is a great sound buffer. Still another good sound reducer is the earth itself--chiefly berms, or strategically placed banks of soil. The western edge of the Chicago Botanic Garden borders the Edens Expressway, and the steady roar of traffic has been a common complaint of visitors to the garden. Next year visitors will hear less noise and they won't see the traffic, thanks to the combination of a giant berm-plus-wall that's being created along the 1-1/4-mile boundary. On the traffic side of the berm and wall, thousands of new plantings will give passersby something pleasing to look at and will essentially add another garden to the 23 that are already on the site.If you'd like to reduce sound in your landscape, here are more tips from the experts: A lot of variables affect how much noise you hear--grade differences and distance between you and the noise source, the size and distance of other structures, etc. Before you commit to a major construction project, consult an acoustical engineer for advice on what will work best in your landscape. If you're planning to use a landscape architect, you can typically expect that such an engineer will be consulted. Even a berm of only three to five feet can have some impact on noise reduction. Make the berm as natural-looking as possible, shaping it so that it appears to fit with the natural environment. Plants on top can help it look more natural and also create privacy. Add a water feature. The sound of running water can help mask traffic noise. Full story plus resources

 

 

 

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Gardeners AskQ. What flowers are best to plant in the fall here? One area gets sun all day and another gets some shade from a chinaberry tree. I want lots of color.

 

 

 

--P.S., Phoenix, AZ

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The calendula, or pot marigold, is a low-maintenance annual that tolerates light frost. Like other calendulas, Touch of Red Buff self-sows. It isn't a hybrid, so new seedlings will likely be similar to the original crop.A. There are two distinct growing seasons in the low desert. The cool season lasts from the end of September through April. Cool-season annuals can be planted from September to February. The warm season starts with planting in mid to late February. Some warm-season plants will make it through the summer's heat; others will end their growth when the heat arrives. Cool-season flowers include calendula, bachelor's button, pansies, violas, nasturtiums, stock, snapdragons, alyssum, dusty miller, poppies and dianthus. Wildflowers are also seeded in the fall (usually October) for spring bloom. Most of these are sun lovers.Bulbs might be a good choice in the shady area, as they appreciate shade in the summer. Bulbs that would do well include Ranunculus, Tritonia, iris, amaryllis, spider lily and rain lily.A good reference book that contains planting calendars for the low desert is Desert Gardening for Beginners. Good luck! Q. I have a west-facing townhouse with a narrow--about two-foot--space between my driveway and the next townhouse's driveway. I'd like to plant something in this space to create vertical interest. Would 'Medora' or 'Skyrocket' juniper be a good choice?

 

 

 

--D.S., Alexandria, VA A. Both are columnar junipers (Juniperus scopulorum) and are relatively slow-growing, especially 'Medora'. 'Skyrocket' is narrow (about two feet wide at the base) but it will reach a height of 15 feet or more. 'Medora' is slightly less narrow (two to three feet) and grows to about 10 feet tall. To some extent your choice would depend on how long you plan to be in your home and the size of plant you buy.It's difficult to plant between two driveways that are so close together. Road salt, car doors and passengers, delivery trucks, loose dogs and shoveled snow tend to trample the area. Also, utility lines may be under that strip.Instead, you might consider a decorative fence, trellis or a sculptural piece softened with a vine such as English ivy or clematis. This will allow you full control over the ultimate height and width of the planting from the start. Another alternative might be a mural-type panel or similar ruse to provide height without relying on plant material at all.

 

 

 

--National Gardening Association

 

 

 

 

 

 

Big Changes for Fall 2003 on HGTV

 

 

HGTV's lineup will change with the seasons this fall. Starting September 29, you'll see some exciting new shows and new times for some of your favorites. Plus, cable viewers in the Pacific time zone will benefit from our switch to dual feed delivery. We're also moving to a slightly longer day. HGTV's programming day will run from 7 am ET/PT until 4 am ET/PT, with an expanded prime-time lineup running from 8 pm ET/PT to 12 am ET/PT.Find out moreYou can find complete listings for all shows, including weekly grids, in our program guide.

 

 

 

 

 

You Should SeeWhat's on HGTV!

 

 

 

Every week, get a load of the competition with brand-new episodes of Ground Rules! and Landscapers' Challenge.Let Paul James help you discover the virtues of having a night garden, Saturday, Sept. 6, 11:30 am ET (8:30 am PT).

 

 

 

 

 

Great Ideas

 

 

Enter the Great Fall Fix-Up Sweepstakes for a chance to win $50,000 and a new vehicle!If daylight fades from your garden before you're ready to call it quits, light your landscape.Can you, your garden and a dog/cat coexist peacefully? Furry Critters offers tips for keeping your garden and your sanity.Having the right tool by your side can make even the toughest gardening chore a lot easier.

 

 

 

 

 

Cool Plants

 

 

Are hummingbirds coming through your area? Provide a way station they'll truly fight over: the cigar plant (Cuphea micropetala). The two-inch-long tubular flowers--multi-toned in shades of red-orange, yellow and green--begin appearing in midsummer and the plant will be in full bloom late summer to fall. Give this plant a sunny location and well-drained soil. Hardy to Zone 8; the top dies back at about 25 degrees F, but the roots are reportedly hardy to 15 degrees. Elsewhere, treat as an annual.Variegated sedum (Sedum sieboldii ' Mediovariegatum') offers a cool pastel, sometimes a rarity in the late summer garden. Pale sage-green leaves have a bloomy look and are mottled with cream and rimmed in pink or red. In fall, tiny pink flowers appear in flat clusters. Zones 6 to 9.A look at these plants

 

 

 

 

 

Previews of 2004!

 

 

These flowers have won All-America Selections awards for 2004. Be on the lookout for them at the beginning of the year.

 

 

 

'Queeny Purple' hollyhock. Touted as the shortest Alcea rosea and "the first purple hollyhock available as a single color not part of a mixture," this miniature hollyhock produces three- to four-inch "powder-puff" blooms on a plant that stays under three feet. Seed will be available from mail-order catalogs, and plants should be available from garden centers.

 

 

 

'Gypsy Deep Rose' gypsophila. Double and semi-double flowers cover this mounding plant over a longer bloom period than others in the family. Low-maintenance.