Practical Advice from Brad Olson
Good landscaping is not just about making a yard look attractive for a season. It is about creating a space that is balanced, water-wise, visually interesting, and easier to maintain over time. In a recent presentation, Brad Olson. owner of Olson's Garden Shoppe in Payson, Utah, shared practical advice drawn from decades of hands-on nursery and landscaping experience. His message was simple: do your homework, plan carefully, and choose plants that fit your space and your lifestyle.
Start With a Plan
Brad Olson emphasized that one of the best ways to begin any landscaping project is with a simple plot map of the yard. A plot map does not need to be fancy. It can be a rough sketch that shows the house, sidewalks, driveway, patios, window wells, and major measurements. A scale, such as one inch equals ten feet, makes the drawing even more useful.
This planning step matters because it helps homeowners think in terms of space, balance, and function. It also allows a nursery professional or landscape designer to suggest plants that will actually fit the site. Olson noted that homeowners should know how much lawn they have, where their planting beds will go, and what kind of mature size their chosen plants will reach. He stressed that many landscaping problems begin when people plant without thinking ahead.
 |
| Image created by ChatGPT |
Choose Plants for Their Mature Size
One of Olson’s repeated themes was to study plants before putting them in the ground. A plant that looks small and manageable at the nursery may become far too large in a few years. He advised homeowners to think more about a plant’s width than just its height, especially when planting near the house. If a tree or shrub will eventually spread ten feet wide, it should be placed far enough away from the foundation to avoid crowding the structure.
He recommended using narrower, columnar trees near homes when space is limited. One example he mentioned was the weeping white spruce, which stays relatively narrow while adding strong vertical character. He also described other narrow trees that can frame a house beautifully without overwhelming the foundation.
Use Variety, Not Repetition
According to Olson, too many landscapes rely on repeating the same plant over and over. He encouraged homeowners to resist filling the yard with large blocks of one shrub type, such as rows of junipers, simply because they are familiar. Instead, he advocated for variety. A successful landscape should include a mix of evergreen plants, flowering shrubs, grasses, and perennials that bloom at different times.
This approach creates more visual interest and extends the season of beauty in the yard. Olson encouraged gardeners to include plants that flower in between the larger structural plants and to mix foliage colors as well as flower colors. He likes landscapes that offer something interesting even when a plant is not in bloom.
Include Evergreens for Year-Round Structure
One of Olson’s practical observations was that many professionally drawn landscapes include too few evergreens. That may not seem important in spring or summer, but it becomes very noticeable in winter. A yard that contains only deciduous shrubs and perennials can look bare and lifeless for several months of the year.
He advised homeowners to make sure they include some evergreen material, such as boxwoods, columnar evergreens, or other reliable shrubs, so the yard still has form and color in the winter. Even a few well-placed evergreens can make a landscape look more finished and balanced.
Build Around the Foundation Thoughtfully
Olson spoke about the value of foundation planting around the house. These plantings soften the look of the structure, help create privacy around lower windows and window wells, and can improve the overall appearance of the property. He also noted that foundation plantings may provide a small amount of insulation benefit.
At the same time, he urged homeowners not to crowd the house. Taller plants usually work best near corners, where they can help frame the structure. He recommended creating asymmetrical balance, which means the plantings do not have to match exactly on each side of the house, but the overall design should still feel visually balanced.
Reduce Lawn Where It Makes Sense
Another strong point from Olson’s presentation was the need to be more thoughtful about lawn size, especially in dry areas. He encouraged homeowners to measure their grass areas and consider whether every section really needs to remain turf. Many cities and water agencies now encourage lawn reduction, and some even offer incentives to remove portions of grass and replace them with more water-efficient plantings.
Olson was especially critical of narrow park strips filled with grass. In his view, these areas often waste water because much of it runs into the street and gutter. He suggested replacing such spaces with drought-tolerant plants, grasses, yucca, Russian sage, or rock-based designs that still look attractive while using much less water.
Save Water With Better Irrigation
Water conservation was one of the most important topics in Olson’s talk. He argued that homeowners can save a great deal of water through smarter irrigation practices.
First, he recommended switching landscape beds from overhead spray heads to drip irrigation. Spray heads throw water onto sidewalks, walls, and open soil, which wastes moisture and encourages weeds. Drip systems deliver water right where it is needed and reduce both waste and weed growth.
Second, Olson urged people to water less often but more deeply. Instead of watering every day for short periods, he advised watering deeply and allowing the moisture to penetrate well below the surface. This encourages deeper roots and healthier plants. He even suggested running lawn zones, letting the water soak in, and then running them again to push the moisture deeper rather than letting excess water run off.
Improve Soil With Humic and Organic Matter
One of Olson’s strongest recommendations was the use of humic products to improve lawns and planting beds. He described humic as one of the best things a homeowner can do for soil. In his experience, it helps loosen compacted ground, improves the pathway for water and nutrients to reach roots, and can reduce the need for excessive fertilizer and irrigation.
He also suggested incorporating organic mulch into planting holes and beds. Products such as composted mulch or soil conditioners can improve soil texture and moisture retention. For clay soils, he also mentioned gypsum as a soil-conditioning option that can help loosen hard ground.
Olson explained that when planting shrubs and trees, he likes to mix the native soil with organic amendment and a small amount of humic, then return that mix to the hole. This gives the plant a better start and improves long-term soil performance.
Always Create a Basin Around New Plants
A simple but important recommendation from Olson was to leave a basin or bowl around newly planted trees and shrubs. Too often, people mound soil away from the plant, which causes water to run off before it can soak in. A shallow basin around the root area helps capture irrigation water and direct it into the soil where it is needed most.
This is especially important on slopes. Olson noted that trees can do well on hillsides, but the lower side may need to be built up or retained with rocks or soil so water does not immediately run away from the root zone.
Plant at the Right Time
Many homeowners assume that late spring and early summer are the only times to plant. Olson challenged that idea. He said that while spring is still an excellent planting season, early spring and fall are often the best times to install trees and shrubs. Fall planting, in particular, gives roots time to establish before the stress of summer heat.
He reminded listeners not to be afraid of planting in cooler weather. In his view, plants usually struggle more with summer heat than with winter cold, especially when they are planted properly.
Add Color Through Foliage as Well as Flowers
Olson’s approach to design goes beyond bloom color. He encouraged gardeners to use plants with interesting foliage color and texture, not just flowers. Coral bells, brunnera, boxwoods, spirea, and other plants can contribute beauty long after their blooms fade.
He also highlighted old-fashioned but dependable plants such as columbine and forsythia, as well as long-blooming perennials like echinacea, blanket flower, Shasta daisies, and black-eyed Susans. These kinds of plants can bring reliable color to a landscape with relatively little maintenance.
He specifically praised plants that bloom for extended periods, since they provide more value in the garden. He also noted that some perennials will rebloom if cut back after their first flush of flowers.
Use Ornamental Grasses
Olson is clearly a fan of ornamental grasses, especially in areas where homeowners want drought tolerance and vertical interest. He mentioned grasses such as Karl Foerster grass as popular choices that require relatively little water and provide a clean, modern look. Grasses can be especially useful in planter beds, on slopes, and in low-water landscapes.
Fertilize Correctly
Olson also shared some practical advice on lawn fertilization. He explained that not all fertilizer applications work the same way. Pre-emergent products are designed to stop weeds before they germinate, so they need to be watered into the soil. Weed-and-feed products, by contrast, work through the leaves of broadleaf weeds, which means the lawn should be damp first, and then the product should remain on the foliage long enough to do its job.
His broader point was that homeowners should understand what a product is intended to do rather than applying it automatically. He encouraged listeners to pay attention to timing, watering instructions, and actual need rather than relying on habit.
Practical Landscaping Is Good Landscaping
Brad Olson’s presentation was full of practical, experience-based advice. He did not present landscaping as a matter of trends or luxury. He presented it as a process of good planning, wise plant selection, soil improvement, and water stewardship. His recommendations reflect a gardener’s mindset: use what works, avoid waste, and create a yard that looks good in every season.
For homeowners, the lesson is clear. A successful landscape begins with a sketch, a tape measure, and a willingness to learn what each plant will become. From there, the best designs are those that combine beauty with function: a balance of evergreen structure, flowering color, healthy soil, efficient irrigation, and plants placed where they can thrive for years to come.
