Friday, October 29, 2010

Sedum 'Autumn Joy' - All Season Performer

Sedum 'Autumn Joy' isn't the most spectacular perennial around, 
but it's got a lot going for it.
It looks great all season, and asks so little in return.
In the fall, when most other perennials have petered out,
Autumn Joy Sedum is just coming into its glory.

Grasses, which are also in their prime in the fall,
are enhanced by the
rusty red of Autumn Joy Sedum.
Lamb's Ears (Stachys byzantina) and Hosta round out the composition.




Although Sedum 'Autumn Joy' waits until fall for its color, its
flowers form throughout the summer and provide striking textural interest -
here they front Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea).


The round white summer flowers of Autumn Joy Sedum act as a
bright white exclamation point
in the midst of blue Russian Sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia to the rear),
blue Catnip (Nepeta racemosa 'Walker's Low' in the front),
with pink roses and Hydrangea on the left.


As summer progresses, the puffball flowers
slowly turn pink.



The deep fall flowers complement
pale blue Russian Sage flowers (Perovskia atriplicifolia in the background) and
Blue False Indigo foliage (Baptisia australis in the left foreground).
 
 
Autumn Joy Sedum
brings out the red in branches of
Variegated Tatarian Dogwood (Cornus alba 'Elegantissima'). 
Cornus Alba 'Bailhalo' Ivory Halo is a smaller Tatarian Dogwood for smaller spaces.


Chrysanthemums and the
crimson fall leaves of Plumbago (Ceratostigma plumbaginoides)
complement Sedum 'Autumn Joy'.
 


Gray, fuzzy Lamb's Ears (Stachys byzantina) layer welll with Sedum 'Autumn Joy'



A colorful fall show of
Crimson Pygmy Barberry (Berberis thunbergii 'Crimson Pygmy'),
Sedum 'Autumn Joy',
Maiden Grass (Miscanthus sinensis) and
Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida).
 
 

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Daffodils and Daylilies Make a Great Pair

Trumpeting the coming of spring,
cheerful yellow daffodils
are always a welcome sight.
 
The catch is, they require advanced planning.  
You can't run to the garden center when spring fever hits,
and buy some daffodils to throw into the garden.
 
Fall is the time to plant bulbs for spring bloom. 
Ideally, they should be planted several weeks or a month
before the ground is frozen to allow time for establishment. 
But bulbs can be planted as long as the ground is sitll workable in the fall.
 
While you're planning ahead, consider interplanting daffodils and daylilies.
 
Daylily foliage looks similar to that of daffodils.

Pairing daffodils and daylilies 
solves that pesky dilemma of unsightly wilted foliage,
which needs to be left in place until yellowed
to nourish the following year's bloom. 
The similar looking daylily leaves
grow up around daffodil foliage, masking it. 
The unsightly mess is out of sight and you've
saved yourself the chore of trimming off the yellowed daffodil foliage.
 
 


Plant daffodils
in the fall for a
spring flower show!
 

 Happy Gardening!
Chris

Friday, October 22, 2010

Fall Flowers

Chrysanthemums are an obvious
fall flower choice,
but there are other options to
to keep the show going.
 
Fall Asters like Aster 'Little Carlow' make a nice walk edging.
These look fine against a stone wall and broadleaf evergreen backdrop.
 
 
 
Asters pair nicely with Rudbeckia fulgida var. fulgida (a Blackeyed Susan variety), which blooms later than Rudbeckia fulgida var. sullvantii 'Goldsturm'.
 



 
Ceratostigma plumbaginoides (Plumbago) is a low growing perennial. 
Pretty blue blooms begin in mid to late summer. 
 
As the blooms fade in the fall, the leaves turn a pleasing crimson.










 

 
 
 
 
 
 
Persicaria amplexicaulis 'Firetail' (Firetail Knotweed) is a vigorous grower,
but not invasive like the species. 
Its unique blooms are effective from summer until frost.


 


Sedum 'Autumn Joy' is another fall classic.
It's effective all season long, but
comes into its glory in the fall,
when rosy pink blooms turn to deep magenta.   
 
 

The clear blue flowers of
Bluebeard shrub (Caryopteris x clandonensis 'Heavenly Blue')
are set off by orange mums.


 

Japanese Anemone
(Anemone x hybrida)
is a beautiful addition to the
late summer and fall garden.

 
 Don't forget Pansies,
which enjoy
cool fall weather.




Solidago x 'Golden Fleece' is a
low growing Goldenrod, with a height of only 12-18".

 



Gently nodding panicles of Fireworks Goldenrod (Solidago rugosa 'Fireworks')
are relaxed next to the
rigid leaves of Siberian Iris.
 


Goldenrod (Solidgo) is most at home in a naturalized planting -
here it makes a spectacular show with Purple Love Grass (Eragrostis spectabilis)
 
 
 
Enjoy the fall blooms while they last!
 
For more fall flowers, see:
 
Happy Gardening!
Chris
 

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Mums - More Great Combinations.

Chartreuse Creeping Jenny,
bold textured Ornamental Kale
and lavender Chrysanthemum.

Mums are an expected fall show.
Try some of these unexpected combinations to
take your display from ordinary to exceptional.
 

Orange mums paired with
purple petunias that are still going strong
are bold and beautiful.
 
 
 Lavender (Lavandula  angustifolia) and
Columbine (Aguilegia foliage)
hide leggy stems and set off bright mums.
 

Subtle Bluebeard (Caryopteris) flowers 
beautifully set off
orange mums.



Mums are an exclamation point of color to
Fountain Grass (Pennisetum alopecuroides) and
Burgundy Wedding Train Coleus.




Japanese Forest Grass (Hakonechloa macra)
is another stunning grass to pair Chrysanthemums.
 
 
For more Chrysanthemum combos, see Mums - Stunning Combinations
 
 
Enjoy the fall weather and
keep a lookout for
new and interesting ways to
highlight your Chrysanthemums.
 
Happy Gardening!
Chris

Friday, October 15, 2010

Mums - Stunning Combinations

Lime and rose leaves of Caramel Coral Bells (Heuchera 'Caramel')
are a striking accent to burgundy and gold mums.


Chrysanthemums are a fall classic for good reason.
A final flower hurrah, they
keep our yards bright into the fall. 
For a more spectacular display,
combine them with other fall stars.

 

 
Bronze Plumbago foliage (Ceratostigma plumbaginoides) and 
Autumn Joy Sedum add depth to
burgundy and gold mums.
 
Black and Blue Salvia (Salvia guarantica 'Black and Blue')
makes a cool counterpart to bright pink mums.


Sweet Potato Vine (Ipomea 'Emerald Lace') adds a
bright foreground to yellow mums.



Deep purple Heliotrope and red mums
are a striking combination.


 
Yellow mums and Marigolds brighten the
fading fall flowers of Russian Sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia).



My personal favorite -
a quiet combination of
violet and white mums with
rosy sedum (perhaps Sedum spurium 'Red Carpet'), silver Artemesia,
gray Rose Campion foliage (Lychnis coronaria),
white Sweet Alysum and lavender Aster.

See Mums - More Great Combinations for more ideas. 

Happy Gardening!
Chris
www.gardensenses.blogspot.com
 


Tuesday, October 12, 2010

That Made My Day

 
I was recently invited to join a blog game by Signature Gardens.
 
The rules of the game are:
1. Inform who invited you
2. List 10 things you like to do
3. Invite another 10 blogger to do the same.
 
I hope you'll bear with me as I share a few of the things that make my day.
 
Enjoying the wonder of God's creation
I marvel at the beauty and intricacies of God's creation.
"The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands."
Psalm 19:1
 
Family
My husband and three children bring me great joy and I love being with them.
 
Photography
Capturing beautiful images is deeply satisfying.
Since my kids have outgrown their willingness to pose,
my focus has shifted to nature and landscapes.
 
Writing
One of the things my father passed on to me was his
love of the written word and writing.
Blogging has become a great outlet for this dream.
 
Eating Chocolate
Since I live in Hershey, it's only fitting to include chocolate, preferably dark!
At about 20 calories each, a dark chocolate Hershey's Kiss is a
most satisfying yet modest splurge.
 
Visiting Gardens
Gardens are a great source of inspiration, ideas and photo opportunities.
 

Hershey Gardens
Anything Slovak
Our family lived in Slovakia for over 12 years and it became our adopted home. 
We no longer live there, but
our hearts will forever be knit to that beautiful land and people.



Spissky Hrad (Castle) in Slovakia

Travel
During our time in Slovakia, we had the opportunity to visit many wonderful places and
the travel bug was born - now if only the budget would cooperate!
 
TESL (Teaching English as a Second Language)
I love volunteering to help others learn English at my church. 
I'm happy to be able to pay forward the efforts of
all those who helped me as I struggled to learn the Slovak language. 
ESL students are the most motivated and enjoyable students ever!
 
Fellowship with God's people
Joining others on Sunday to
worship God is the
highlight of my week.
 
 
 
I've invited the following blogs to join the game.  Be sure to check them out!
 
Gardens of a Golden Afternoon
 
 
Happy Gardening!
Chris

Saturday, October 9, 2010

Garden Design IV – Choosing the Perfect Plants

It's finally time to choose plants!  
Colorful combination of Rudbeckia with (clockwise)
Lobelia siphilitica, Hemerocallis, Carex and Filipendula. 
Pink Hydrangea in the background

The time you put into site inventory and concept will pay off now. If you haven't done these, see
Garden Design -
I-Getting Started with a Plan
II-Design Strategies for Creating a Concept
III - Defining the Concept
for the how-to.
 
I'm sure you had specific plants in mind as you went through the concept stage, but the exercise of developing a concept encourages creativity and helps to compose a more cohesive design.  Those plants you've been dreaming about will find a way into your plan, but now purposefully placed.

As you're choosing plants, keep the following tips in mind:

Know Your Site
Refer back to the site conditions recorded on your Base Plan (see Getting Started with a Plan) and select appropriate plants for those conditions.  You may have varying conditions within the planting area - locate plants accordingly.  Plants will thrive when planted in conditions they like.

My planting plan is for an area near a large tree.  I've shosen fairly rugged plants since they'll have to compete with tree roots.

Easy care garden with Russian Sage (Perovskia),
Crimson Pygmy Barberry, Juniper, Japanese Holly and
Butterly Bush (Buddleja)

Know Yourself
Know your maintenance tolerance and choose plants that fit it.  While I enjoy gardening, I don't have a lot of time, so I'm not interested in demanding plants.  My garden should be a source of joy and beauty, not another demand on my already full schedule.  I generally steer clear of perennials that require staking, supplemental watering or frequent division, for instance.

Cultivars Count
Cultivar choices are important in plant selection.  Botanical names of plants specify the genus, species and cultivar.  Size, flower and foliage color, hardiness and even invasive tendencies can vary greatly depending on the species and cultivar of a plant.  It may seem like too much trouble to bother with such details, but you'll be glad later, when there are no unpleasant surprises!

Border planting with yellow Daylilies,
purple Verbena, white Zinnias and Sedum 'Autumn Joy'
Beware of Invasives
It's wise to check references for plant characteristics.  Aggressive and invasive perennials are readily available (and generally not labeled clearly as such).  I've been disapointed in the past when I bought a perennial on a whim, only to learn after I brought it home that it was invasive.  Fighting my frugal tendencies, I threw it in the trash - struggling with invasive plants is no joke!

Size is Significant
I'll mention size again.  You'll reduce maintenace by choosing varieties that won't grow too large.  Many shrubs and perennials have small or dwarf varieties - use them to keep you garden from growing out of bounds.


A Few Resources
Web sites:
Kemper Center Plant Finder Search
The New Perennial Club

Books:
Designer Plant Combinations
50 High-Impact, Low-Care Garden Plants
All About Perennials (Ortho's All About Gardening)


 
Planting Plan
Now to get your plan on paper. With a layer of trace over your Concept Plan, draw plants as circles which correspond to the size the plant will grow to. Label plant masses with a letter "symbol" which represents their name. A plant list on a seperate piece of paper identifies what plant each symbol stands for and should include the botanical name (with cultivar), common name and quantity. This will be your shopping list. I also like to list the ultimate size (height and width, bloom color and bloom time). This is helpful for choosing another cultivar that meets your design criteria if a plant isn't available. You'll find yourself adjusting your plan again as you develop the Planting Plan - this happens at each stage as you become more specific in your design.


Get Planting
It's time to get your hands in the soil.  Enjoy getting your garden in the ground.  I trust it will bring you many years of beauty and joy.

 
Happy Gardening!
Chris

 
 
 

Saturday, October 2, 2010

Garden Design III – Defining the Concept

Violet and white color scheme

Now that your base and concept sketch are prepared - see Garden Design I - Getting Started With a Plan and II - Design Strategies for Creating a Concept - it's time to begin defining plant masses.

Plant Description
Lay a piece of trace over the concept sketch to refine the plan further.  Jot notes about types of plants for each mass - shrub, perennial, annual, height, color (flower and/or foliage), and season of bloom or interest.  Feel free to modify your concept as you work through this stage.  Design is a process which won't be finished until the garden is planted... if then.  You can always add or move plants over time. 


Concept Plan 2


Utilize the design principles discussed in Design Strategies for Creating a Concept - layering, focal point, repetition and contrast.  Adding some color to your sketch will help you visualize the color scheme.  This is still a rough sketch - it's a step in the process of getting your thoughts on paper.

Mixed plant tyes


Plant Characteristics
Use these variables to set the design concept:

Plant Type - Shrubs provide structure and year round interest.  Perennials add seasonal color but return year after year. Annuals add color during gaps in perennial blooms and make it easy to change things up a bit each year.  Trees make a bigger statement, acting as an anchor or focal point.

Size - Ultimate plant size is an important consideration.  Don't crowd the bed or leave it too open.  I like to see plants cover the bed when full grown (which helps weed control, by the way).  Size is important in layering - keep taller plants to the rear and plant in descending height towards the front.  In defining your concept plan, note tall, medium or short as a guide in plant selection.

Color - Effective use of color will set your garden apart. 

Colors create moods.  Blues and purples are cool colors and are calming; reds and oranges are bold and dramatic, while yellow is bright and cheerful.  Note the different moods created by the calming palette of violet and white plants in the photo at the top of the post and the vibrant red, yellow and blue garden below.  What atmosphere are you aiming for?  
Vibrant Red, yello and blue.
Reds pop, blues recede.


Add color through foliage

Colors also impact the sense of depth.  Cool colors tend to recede or appear further away and have less impact when viewed from a distance.  Warm colors appear closer and can draw attention to areas in the distance. 

In addition, colors can create repetition, contrast and balance in the garden.

Finally, flowers aren't the only color in the garden - foliage color can play an integral part in the color scheme.

Bloom time - Stagger the bloom time of plants.  A spectacular spring display which turns to wilted leaves the rest of the summer will be disappointing.  That's where planning comes in - choose plants with various bloom times and focus on those with long bloom displays.  Plants with fleeting blooms can be interspersed for accent, but don't depend on them to carry the show.


Foliage - Foliage can add season long interest.  Include plants whose foliage shape, texture or color provide contrast or a foil for blooms.
 

Foliage color and texture provide interest
Form - Form is another element to use for repetition, contrast and to create drama.



Yucca echos the form of Fountain Grass
In the next post - Garden Design IV - Choosing the Perfect Plants - we finally get to the fun of choosing plants that are right for your garden.

 
Happy Gardening!
Chris


Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...