Gardening in the Tetons

Gardening in the Rockies isn’t rocket science. All you need is a little patience and a few bags of mulch. “The soils in this area are described as clay soils, which means they don’t drain well and plant roots have a hard time growing in them,” says Carrie Baysek of MD Landscaping in Driggs, Idaho. “To help amend clay soil add organic matter when planting, and every year after. I like to top dress all my garden beds with bags of compost each spring.”

It’s a simple solution for a common problem in the arid West, where the gardening season is just a little shorter, and the perfect combination of flowers and shrubs might take a little longer to blossom.

Mulch isn’t exactly a miracle cure. But it comes close.

“Mulch helps keep in moisture and weeds out,” Carrie says. “Mulch can be bark, a thin layer of aged compost, or landscape rock bark. Early spring is a great time to do it while the weeds are still small and easy to pull out.”

Small gardens and hanging pots are easy ways to spruce up your front yard. But when it’s time to reimagine the entire property? Carrie says, call the experts. Gardening in the West might not be rocket science, but landscaping is hardly an afternoon project.

“We specialize in premium landscape design and installation from start to finish,” Carrie says. “We love to build relationships and work with our clients for years after as well, maintaining the landscape and plant materials.”

Carrie has been with MD Landscaping for 25 years, almost as long as they have been curating custom landscapes at homes and businesses across the Teton Valley. Her home away from home is a 50-acre nursery off Highway 33, where MD experts tend for perennials, annuals, trees and shrubs that are hardy enough to thrive in the Rocky Mountains. You’ll also find the compost you need to spruce up your garden every spring, plus fertilizer, grass seed, bark and pest control products.

And when you’re done shopping? Stop by the Marigold Cafe for a snack or latte, and then visit the in-house gift shop for bird feeders, gardening books or houseplants. Stop by during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays to find a slew of local gifts for the season.

LIGHT IT UP

Based in Jackson is Wyoming Landscape Maintenance. Founder, owner and president Nick Orsillo offers full-service landscaping for residential and commercial properties.

If you’re redoing your property from the dirt up, Wyoming Landscape Maintenance will take your yard to a new level. Nick and his team of landscape architects work with clients to personalize every project for any budget. They design custom waterfalls and ponds using stones cut by in-house masons. If grass is in your vision, they install irrigation systems for any size yard or garden. They will even make your property pop after dark with unique “nightscapes,” using ground and suspended lighting.

When your project is finished, Wyoming Landscape Maintenance can maintain it with mowing, weed control, slash removal, pruning and planting.

Wyoming Landscape Maintenance has been working with property owners, manag- ers and caretakers on summer projects for over two decades. And when the snow flies? Give them a call. They plow properties of all sizes, all across the valley.

3 PRO TIPS

Want to make your property pop? Career gardening pro Carrie Baysek of MD Landscaping has three easy tips

1. Plant with the season. This varies from year to year based on snowmelt, temperatures, site location and what you are planting, but for the novice gardener, Carrie recommends waiting until Memorial Day. Just be aware that it can still freeze in mid-June, or even later.

2. Plant a few pots. Potted flowers and hanging pots on your patio or entryway will brighten up your outdoor living area in a snap. They’re a smaller commitment than in-ground gardens and easier to keep alive when the frost hits. If you don’t know what flowers to plant, visit a nursery for advice.

3. Mulch before you plant. Carrie says mulch is a natural weed block. Do it early, and don’t be afraid to refresh if it washes away or pools up in a heavy rainstorm.