Perennials Work Beyond the Blooms

May flowers are getting all of the attention right now.  And in the next few weeks this explosion of color will be spectacular!  As you see bright purples, pinks, and yellows pop up, if you are like me, you will head to the garden center to obtain the 'perennial of the week'.  Just be aware that in a few weeks, perennials blossoms will fade and you will just have the foliage to view in the landscape.

Beyond the blooms will be months of what can be a landscape full of interest, textures, contrasts, and soothing colors.  As the progression of flowers comes and goes, think about the setting, not as a Monet, but as a sunrise or sunset. The swirls and blends of soothing shades of leaves will be a delight. And who doesn't like to view a sunset?

Bright

 leaves of heuchera are brilliant examples of color available in foliage plants. I've grouped these closely so the shading will play off of its neighbor.  A mass planting , say five or seven plants, of just one of these would be an eye catching element in the garden, too. 

 

Ferns and Hosta (this hosta is H. Gin and Tonic) work in the shady garden.  The broad leaves of the hosta and the light, airy fern compliment each other well. 

This combination of Catmint (Nepeta), with its small  leaves, and open clump, sits next to Hosta, and a large Sycamore Tree. The tree trunk bark has alot of texture and adds to the tapestry .   The Sunny spot behind the tree is a Gold Thread Juniper. Don't forget to consider year-round interest when placing plants in the garden.  Our winters can be long and cold here in Zone 5b, and the evergreens and tree trunks put on a show all year long! 

The bright contrast of the euonymous is a year round event, too.  The chartreuse next to the deep green is stunning.  I've tucked a Hosta in the mix here.  The large leaf of the Hosta, and the smaller leaves of the euonymous have a nice effect.( And note:  no flowers!)

Some other elements that offers visual texture to the landscape are stones and boulders. 

The rocks have an edge, and the plant material tucked up close, softens the edges for a calming feeling.

When choosing plants the foliage and textural contrasts play an important role in the overall feeling of the garden.  Wide leaves next to light airy fronds or light colors beside dark shades all complement the eye.  The low round plant next to a tall, spikey one will go a long way to add interest to your yard.

Veriagated foliage, as in this Loriope, can bring a brightness to a group of plants and offer its own sublety.

It may not scream 'Look at me!' but the minds eye will quietly appreciate the effort.

I've presented an insight to my psyche.  I like the long term relationship of plants. I love the blooms when they are here, but the steadfastness of the full season soothes any loss I feel  beyond the blooms. Enjoy.

Shrubbery Garden - Elegant and Easy

I get to my local library often, and the elegant shrubbery garden that surrounds three sides of the building is always changing.  The garden was donated by Dorothy R Yeck and named after her.  The design was created by Craig Jaynes who is a talented landscape designer.  The ever changing garden caught my eye this week.  It was a mild gloomy day here in South West Ohio, and the Woodbourne Washington-Centerville  Public Library caught my eye as anything but gloomy. 

Evergreens, like these Gold Thread Junipers, sometimes referred to as False Cypress, set off the lovely red fruit of the Ilex verticillata , “Red Sprite”. 

The Ilex “Red sprite” stays small and grows only to three and half feet high and about four feet wide.  Nice plant in this border because it stays within its boundaries.

The Rhassus Frangula, “Fine Line” is the tall thin shrub here.  It will spread to about two – three feet wide, and it’s delicate leaves give this plant a wispy appearance.



This bright blue shrub is a Picea pungens glauca “Globasa” – a compact shrub with blue needles.  



Juniperus ‘Gold Cone’, is a columnar evergreen that will not grow more than two feet wide.  The leafless shrubs around the Juniper, are Caryopteris, ‘Worchester Gold’ and Caryopteris ‘Longwood Blue’ Even thought the Caryopteris is a deciduous shrub, the seed heads remain for some winter interest.


Featured at the front door of the library are Hydrangea quercifolis “Sikes Dwarf”.  Again, this deciduous shrub holds onto the dried seed heads that rustle in the breeze.


Pinus nigra “hombrookiana” is the round pine on the right.  Staying small in height of about 3 feet, this shrub can spread to 6 feet wide. The ‘army’ green needles make this a good backdrop for this shrubbery border. 

Syringa “Prairie Petite” is a dwarf lilac that has ‘large panicles packed with tubular, purple flowers’ as described by Craig Jaynes in his plant summery of this garden.


Aronia, melanocarpa “Viking” has shiny black berries from September through December.  (These few are hanging on into January.)

Beautyberry has these wonderful purple berries.  Callicarpa D “Early Amethyst is the botanical name for this plant.  I’m told that Beautyberry will bloom with small, pink blossoms and will produce more berries if planted in groups. The stems of this shrub make great winter decorations in planters and holiday decorations.

Liriope and an ornamental grass grouped at the entrance of this library garden, are not in the original shrub garden, but they certainly add texture to the winter landscape. The liriope is a grass-like plant that gets spikes of berries in the fall and is sometimes called lily tuft, or border grass.  Just to the rear of the liriope are Oak Leaf Hydrangea, a native shrub.

As these photos show, the shrub garden is in a narrow border surrounding the front three sides of the library.

All the plants chosen are dwarf or columnar so that the maintenance is minimal.  Ask  questions when you are planning a space in your landscape, and choose plants that 1) have color, 2) have texture, 3) have seasonal features like blooms or winter berries, 4) will grow to mature size that will fit into the space.
Do you have a space where the plant material outgrew the allotted area?  I’ve learned this lesson the hard way on several occasions. Envision the look you want, plant the right plants, and above all, enjoy your garden.