I am always looking for interesting annuals to fill in my borders. Perilla Magilla (a relative of coleus) can be grown in full sun to part shade and has become a staple each year in the narrow area of my garden border. It does not have showy flowers, but it has beautiful magenta colored leaves similar to coleus. In my garden it grows close to three feet tall and about two feet wide. It looks wonderful next to David Phlox and blends in with pinks and blues.
Another annual that blends in beautifully with perennials in the border is Coleus 'Inky Fingers.' It is a weaver, trailing up to eight feet. Inky Fingers is described as mounding, but mine always sends out shoots on each side about four feet in length. It looks great with other brighter coleus plants, oranges, light greens, yellows. I plant it in the raised bed where I have boxwood bordering my patio.
Monday, February 08, 2010
Sunday, February 07, 2010
Very Impressive Perennials
Whether it's in a border, as a screening plant or the focus in a backdrop, Persicaria Polymorpha(fleeceflower) will not dissapoint. This plant commands attention, and where I have it in a narrow border, you cannot help saluting it.
It is hardy down to zone three, grows five to seven feet tall and once established does not require much water. It blooms all summer and has fall and winter interest. Mine grows about seven feet tall, and I shared some divisions with my sister-in-law that she uses as a screen. I am going to divide mine this spring (which I haven't done for six years) in order to keep it out of the walkway.
Phlomis Tuberosa (jerusalem sage), grows to five feet, hardy to zone 5, is the lavendar-pink flower in front of the Persicaria. It is a lovely tall plant, but you will need to consider placement (I since have moved it). It flowers for a short period of time, so it is better placed with perennials that will take over for it when it's done
Helianthus Lemon Queen is a stunner in the late summer and fall garden. It can grow to seven feet tall, but after the first couple of years and having to tie it because it is along a narrow strip, I pinch it back in May. It then stays a more manageable height for my location. All of these are available at http://www.diggingdog.com/
Although, I noticed that they do not have "polymorpha" listed at this time - many other varieties.
It is hardy down to zone three, grows five to seven feet tall and once established does not require much water. It blooms all summer and has fall and winter interest. Mine grows about seven feet tall, and I shared some divisions with my sister-in-law that she uses as a screen. I am going to divide mine this spring (which I haven't done for six years) in order to keep it out of the walkway.
Phlomis Tuberosa (jerusalem sage), grows to five feet, hardy to zone 5, is the lavendar-pink flower in front of the Persicaria. It is a lovely tall plant, but you will need to consider placement (I since have moved it). It flowers for a short period of time, so it is better placed with perennials that will take over for it when it's done
Helianthus Lemon Queen is a stunner in the late summer and fall garden. It can grow to seven feet tall, but after the first couple of years and having to tie it because it is along a narrow strip, I pinch it back in May. It then stays a more manageable height for my location. All of these are available at http://www.diggingdog.com/
Although, I noticed that they do not have "polymorpha" listed at this time - many other varieties.
Saturday, February 06, 2010
Martha's Got Her Groove Back
OMG! My March Martha Stewart Living came yesterday! I have always been a Martha Stewart fan, even when I refused to make the pansy cake that took four days, I have most of her magazines right back to the beginning. My children even call me "Martha," because I use so many of her recipes for our gatherings.
Over the past several years, her magazines have been a leaf through, maybe one idea or a recipe here and there. But, I never gave up on you Martha! Then yesterday, I could barely get off of each page, one after the other I was captivated - a multitude of houseplants on Martha's front porch, step-by-step directions for faux stone pots and tables, outdoor lighting, the five senses in the garden, daisies, fragrant gardens (I am definitely seeing a different Martha).
The food is really doing me in. How can I possibly cook all of these recipes (I am beginning to feel like Julie from Julie and Julia). In Good Things Martha talks about infusions of herbs, tarragon, lemon verbena, thyme and peppermint and then gives directions how to make a tower of herbs with clay pots. Martha, you are really on a roll - haven't seen you like this in years!
The recipes have got me in a tizzy, braised carrots with feta and parsley, walnut stuffed chicken roulades, a salad with heirloom tomatoes, peaches and ricotta, tangerine and lemon marmalade crepes and she continues on and on ending with a flourless apple pecan torte. I haven't even touched on half of what is in this issue - it's unexplainable, but Martha certainly has gotten her groove back!
Over the past several years, her magazines have been a leaf through, maybe one idea or a recipe here and there. But, I never gave up on you Martha! Then yesterday, I could barely get off of each page, one after the other I was captivated - a multitude of houseplants on Martha's front porch, step-by-step directions for faux stone pots and tables, outdoor lighting, the five senses in the garden, daisies, fragrant gardens (I am definitely seeing a different Martha).
The food is really doing me in. How can I possibly cook all of these recipes (I am beginning to feel like Julie from Julie and Julia). In Good Things Martha talks about infusions of herbs, tarragon, lemon verbena, thyme and peppermint and then gives directions how to make a tower of herbs with clay pots. Martha, you are really on a roll - haven't seen you like this in years!
The recipes have got me in a tizzy, braised carrots with feta and parsley, walnut stuffed chicken roulades, a salad with heirloom tomatoes, peaches and ricotta, tangerine and lemon marmalade crepes and she continues on and on ending with a flourless apple pecan torte. I haven't even touched on half of what is in this issue - it's unexplainable, but Martha certainly has gotten her groove back!
Friday, February 05, 2010
All Season Borders
Borders can be one of the most difficult areas of garden design. They can be straight, curvy, narrow or wide or all of these together. I admit my choice is to have all of these characteristics in a border. For many years I had borders that hugged my home, straight up against the house going all the way around from back to front. My borders were beautiful but only during the month of July. I planted all summer flowering perennials because I did not know how to plan for all season interest,
What is wonderful about gardening is that you are always learning, changing, reinventing. Evergreens and dried grasses add winter interest, structures such as pergolas, arbors, tuteurs and seating are all part of keeping your attention in the colder climates.
Daylilies bloom throughout three seasons, roses bloom three seasons, Rozanne perennial geranium, Max Frei perennial geranium and on and on. Blubs of course are a staple for spring bloom and there are many fall blooming plants. Don't hesitate to put annuals in your border to keep it in continual bloom.
Highs, middles and lows are important in plant selection. Don't be afraid to put a very tall grouping next to a lower grouping, keep the wave going visually with plants, not just sculpting out the border. Use some weavers, those long viney plants that crawl throughout the border. Repeat plants, repeat colors, repeat viney, tall, short, etc. Oh, I could go on forever, but there is always another day to talk about specific plants.
What is wonderful about gardening is that you are always learning, changing, reinventing. Evergreens and dried grasses add winter interest, structures such as pergolas, arbors, tuteurs and seating are all part of keeping your attention in the colder climates.
Daylilies bloom throughout three seasons, roses bloom three seasons, Rozanne perennial geranium, Max Frei perennial geranium and on and on. Blubs of course are a staple for spring bloom and there are many fall blooming plants. Don't hesitate to put annuals in your border to keep it in continual bloom.
Highs, middles and lows are important in plant selection. Don't be afraid to put a very tall grouping next to a lower grouping, keep the wave going visually with plants, not just sculpting out the border. Use some weavers, those long viney plants that crawl throughout the border. Repeat plants, repeat colors, repeat viney, tall, short, etc. Oh, I could go on forever, but there is always another day to talk about specific plants.
Thursday, February 04, 2010
Think Ahead - Planting Early Spring Containers
I can't wait to see all of those spring bulbs poking their little heads out of the ground! I also like to see some of those spring bulbs in my containers. However, as you know, in zone 5 and below bulbs do not do well in containers over the winter. You can start them indoors, keep them cold for a period of weeks and bring them into a warmer environment to get ready to bloom. I did this years ago, and it is lots of preparation, a long time span and necessitates a place to store the potted bulbs like a spare refrigerator or a warmer garage.
A few years ago, I found a new way to do this at Home Depot (I am sure there are many other stores and nurseries that supply pre-planted bulbs). I spotted little packs of four tete-a-tete daffodils and pink Jan Bos Hyacinths all ready to bloom. There were tulips and muscari also. I bought some large baskets of pansies and some little packets of the bulbs. The pansies were almost full grown, so I cut them apart and got eight plants from each basket. When the bulbs are spent, I take them out of the planter boxes and put them in the ground to come up next year.
For many years I bought the little pansies in the baskets of twenty-four, and by the time they really looked good, it was time to pull them out because of the heat. They certainly did not make a statement for the first four weeks. In my area, it is difficult to keep pansies through the summer, so I do relocate them to the shady part of my property because they look so beautiful!
It is a great look for containers because they blend with what is coming up out of the ground, rather than putting in the plants that look like they grew in the tropics.
A few years ago, I found a new way to do this at Home Depot (I am sure there are many other stores and nurseries that supply pre-planted bulbs). I spotted little packs of four tete-a-tete daffodils and pink Jan Bos Hyacinths all ready to bloom. There were tulips and muscari also. I bought some large baskets of pansies and some little packets of the bulbs. The pansies were almost full grown, so I cut them apart and got eight plants from each basket. When the bulbs are spent, I take them out of the planter boxes and put them in the ground to come up next year.
For many years I bought the little pansies in the baskets of twenty-four, and by the time they really looked good, it was time to pull them out because of the heat. They certainly did not make a statement for the first four weeks. In my area, it is difficult to keep pansies through the summer, so I do relocate them to the shady part of my property because they look so beautiful!
It is a great look for containers because they blend with what is coming up out of the ground, rather than putting in the plants that look like they grew in the tropics.
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