Fraser Valley Soils and How to Ensure a Year Around Foliage Structure
The soil is a very important part of landscaping. Plants and flowers make a landscape come alive and to enable their growth, soil plays a crucial role besides sun and water. Fraser Valley has a very interesting soil combination – including, but not limited to coarse rock, gravel, and sand. The Fraser Valley is a fertile floodplain, it falls in the Fraser Lowland subdivision which is part of the Georgia Lowland which has glacial and alluvial deposits. The soil in the southeast corner area, closer to the Cascade Mountains are mainly argillite and shale. As per many studies in the past, the rock is usually buried by 150 m or more of unconsolidated deposits in most of the valley. The soil in the Fraser Valley is best suited for berry farming. In areas closer to Langley soil ranges from mud to fine sand and natural vegetation is marshy.
Basic Soil Types of Fraser Valley:
Loam: A mix of sand, silt, and clay.
Sand: Gritty. It drains quickly
Clay: Small particles and retains moisture longer.
What you should know about the soil in your area:
- Soil Texture
- Soil Moisture
- Soil drainage
- Soil erosion
All the above serve as guidelines to us. When a landscaping expert from East Lang Landscaping is called to evaluate the proposed landscaping area and provide consultation, the first thing we review is the soil type.
While conceptualizing a design, we keep in mind the seasonal and year around characteristics of the soil. To ensure that an area has inspiring colors and luxurious foliage in all seasons, plants, shrubs must be chosen carefully. Starting from the top, we start defining the canopy of the area where landscaping is required, after that shrubs and herbaceous plants are picked based on the soil type, the location of the area – how much Sunshine an area receives.
For example, Pieris japonica is an evergreen shrub suitable for coastal areas. The GoldenRod and Red Columbine, the native North American plant can bring any area alive with their beautiful, vibrant colored flowers. Plants like Common lady fern offer green cover year around, they are native to Fraser Valley, therefore survive well in the Pacific coastal climate.
Therefore, before we begin working on a design, it is critical to know the soil type – strength and weaknesses, plants and foliage that can support the landscape throughout the year and desire of the client- their vision for the landscape. At East Lang Landscaping, we offer rounded advice to ensure that the design is lively and brings joy to our clients all the year around.