Outdoor space
Common name: Japanese or Chinese anemone USDA zones: 4 to 8 (find your zone) Water requirement: Needs moist but well-drained soil Light requirement: Full sun to partial shade. Mature size: 1 to 5 feet high Benefits and tolerances: Can survive cold winters Seasonal interest: white flowers bloom in autumn. When to plant: Early fall or spring after the last frost
Common name: Astilbe, false spirea USDA zones: 4 to 9 (find your zone) Water requirement: Regular watering. Soil should be moist, rich in organic material and well drained. Light requirement: Light to moderate shade Mature size: 24 inches high, up to 18 inches wide Benefits and tolerances: This is a showy shade plant that thrives in moist/damp soils. Seasonal interest: Lovely base of leaves in summer; showy summer blooms. When to plant: Mid-spring or after the last frost
Common name: Aster, michaelmas daisy, starwort, frost flowers USDA zones: 3 to 8 (find your zone) Water requirement: Although somewhat drought tolerant, asters do best in well-drained soil. Light requirement: Full sun to partial shade Mature size: Ranges from 4 inches high (dwarf varieties) to 4 feet high Benefits and tolerances: Asters can be susceptible to quite a few problems; choose a disease-resistant variety. Seasonal interest: Blooms in the fall When to plant: Early fall or after the last frost of winter
black-eyed susans add interesting texture to a fall garden, especially when mixed with the feathery heads of grasses.
Shown here: Liatris pycnostachya, both the purple species and the 'Alba' cultivar.
Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum)
Creeping mother of thyme
Soften stone steps and their surroundings with low alpine perennials like candytuft (shown).
star magnolia
A concrete picnic table doubles as a rill water feature with small pond outlets on both ends.
Botanical name: Itea virginica 'Little Henry' Common name: 'Little Henry' sweetspire USDA zones: 5 to 9 (find your zone) Water requirement: Average to wet Light requirement: Full sun or partial shade Mature size: 2 to 3 feet tall and wide Benefits and tolerances: Attracts butterflies but not deer; tolerates wet soil, although once established it will cope with drier conditions Seasonal interest: Spring, summer, fall When to plant: Anytime
Botanical name: Itea virginica 'Little Henry' Common name: 'Little Henry' sweetspire USDA zones: 5 to 9 (find your zone) Water requirement: Average to wet Light requirement: Full sun or partial shade Mature size: 2 to 3 feet tall and wide Benefits and tolerances: Attracts butterflies but not deer; tolerates wet soil, although once established it will cope with drier conditions Seasonal interest: Spring, summer, fall When to plant: Anytime
Color combo!
Here we see a colorful bed that uses herbaceous perennials to create the same effect. Perennials in orange, magenta and bright yellow are guaranteed to energize your garden. Don't try to combine bright colors with pastels.
purple prairie clover
A small bench or stool in an outdoor shower provides a spot for soap and shampoo
This border of Annabelle hydrangea with a towering hedge of yew provides complete privacy but it also beautifully highlights the hydrangea.
Using more of the same plant has a surprisingly bold and beautiful effect. Here, irregular stepping stones were made more romantic by planting Mazus repans around them. Nandina (right), brunnera (in path) and sedges keep the palette simple and graceful.
Instead of going overboard with many different plants, try to find one that will fill all of your needs. This mass of Solidago 'Fireworks' is simple and amazingly effective at covering the ground aggressively, limiting potential weeding, mulching and maintenance. This large space could have easily housed dozens of different plants (which would've required a PhD to manage), but this designer found one that worked and went big.
Plant in masses. Grasses planted in masses create a dynamic experience. The drift of feather reed grass (Calamagrostis 'Karl Foerster', USDA zones 3 to 9) in this photo connects and frames a view of the meadow beyond. This tall cool-season grass screens undesirable views and harmonizes with the greater landscape.
Flasher daylily: burnt-orange color Botanical name: Hemerocallis 'Flasher' Common name: Flasher daylily Benefits: Attracts hummingbirds, butterflies and bees Where it will grow: Hardy to -40 degrees Fahrenheit (USDA climate zones 3a to 9b; find your zone) Water requirement: Average to low Light requirement: Full to partial sun Mature size: 2 feet tall and 4 feet wide Seasonal interest: Summer When to plant: Spring or fall
Common names: Golden creeping Jenny, moneywort, golden pennywort USDA zones: 3-9 Water requirement: Medium to regular Sun requirement: Full sun to partial shade Mature size: 2"-4” tall x 2’ spread or more Tolerances: Limited foot traffic, rocky, shallow and wet soils
Windflower (Anemone x hybrida spp) cultivars spread aggressively. These plants are very effective in shade and sun, as long as they don't get too dry. Windflowers bloom in the late summer and have what may be one of my favorite blooms. They are downright mesmerizing
Dead nettle (Lamium purpureum, zones 3 to 8) can spread in dry shade, in rocky outcroppings, under pines, in dense woods and even in some shade. It can be effective at managing erosion, as it spreads from rooting stems.
Bee balm (Monarda didyma, zones 4 to 9) has become a favorite functional perennial of mine. I have used this plant to battle latent weed seed spikes of Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense, zones 3 to 7) with little maintenance.
Common names: Downy serviceberry, shadbush (so named because it blooms around the time of the running of the shad fish), Juneberry, common serviceberry, serviceberry Origin: Native to zones 4–8 in eastern North America Where it will grow: USDA zones 4–9 (find your zone); can grow in clay soils and areas with partial shade to those with full sun Water requirement: Well-drained medium to moist soil; can work along ponds and stream banks. Once established, the serviceberry has been known to tolerate drought conditions. Light requirement: Partial to full sun Mature size: 10–25 feet high; 10–15 feet spread. It can grow up to 40 feet, but this is uncommon, especially in cultivation.
Common names: Downy serviceberry, shadbush, Juneberry, common serviceberry, serviceberry Origin: Native to zones 4–8 in eastern North America Where it will grow: USDA zones 4–9 (find your zone); can grow in clay soils and areas with partial shade to those with full sun Water requirement: Well-drained medium to moist soil; can work along ponds and stream banks. Once established, the serviceberry has been known to tolerate drought conditions. Light requirement: Partial to full sun Mature size: 10–25 feet high; 10–15 feet spread. It can grow up to 40 feet, but this is uncommon, especially in cultivation.
Coralberry It works well in informal woodland gardens, and its suckering habit makes it a great choice on a slope to ward off erosion. As a bonus, it's known to be deer resistant, too. Where it will grow: USDA zones 3 to 7 (find your zone) Water requirement: Medium moisture; well-drained soil Light requirement: Full sun to partial shade Mature size: 3 to 5 feet tall and wide
Winterberry (Ilex verticillata 'Afterglow') Large, dark and glossy green leaves turn yellow in fall before dropping, allowing the red berries to steal the show. Keep in mind that you must plant at least one male winterberry to produce the berries — one male will pollinate six to eight females. Ask your local nursery how to tell which is which. Where it will grow: USDA zones 3 to 9 Water requirement: Medium to wet soil Light requirement: Full sun to partial shade Mature size: 3 to 6 feet tall and 3 to 9 feet wide
Chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia 'Brilliantissima') Chokeberry is a lovely shrub that produces white to light pink flowers, followed by bright red berries that persist well into winter. This particular cultivar has stunning red fall foliage, hence the cultivar name Brilliantissima. You can turn them into a tasty jam or jelly. Where it will grow: USDA zones 4 to 9 Water requirement: Medium moisture; well-drained soil Light requirement: Full sun to partial shade Mature size: 6 to 8 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide
Winterberry are dioecious shrubs, with male and female plants, so you'll need a male to ensure good fruit set. Your nursery or a landscape professional can guide you to the right pairings; I. 'Southern Gentlemen' and I. 'Jim Dandy' are the most popular male cultivars.
Wild Thyme (Thymus serpyllum) Thyme is a fragrant ground cover that works well in sunny, dry spots. Where it will grow: Hardy to -30 degrees Fahrenheit (zones 4 to 8) Water requirement: Medium to dry, well-drained soil Light requirement: Full sun Mature size: 3 inches tall and 3 to 12 inches wide Bloom time: Mid- to late summer
Chinese Astilbe (Astilbe chinensis ‘Vision in Red’) This taller variety of Astilbe works well between shorter hedges and taller shrubs. It’s perfect for shady gardens and is resistant to rabbits and deer. Where it will grow: Hardy to -30 degrees Fahrenheit (zones 4 to 8) Water requirement: Medium to dry, well-drained soil Light requirement: Part to full shade Mature size: 1½ to 2 feet tall and 1 foot to 1½ feet wide Bloom time: Midsummer
Cheddar Pink Dianthus (Dianthus ‘Feuerhexe’ Firewitch) Spring-blooming Dianthus provides a mass of color at the front of a perennial border. Where it will grow: Hardy to -40 degrees Fahrenheit (zones 3 to 8) Water requirement: Medium, well-drained soil Light requirement: Full sun Mature size: 3 to 6 inches tall and 6 to 12 inches wide Bloom time: Early to late spring
Winter Red Winterberry (Ilex verticillata ‘Winter Red’) This is a better selection for gardeners in cold regions — and it’s more compact. The male cultivar for this plant is I. ‘Southern Gentleman’. It makes for an eye-catching border and is very low maintenance.
Winterberry holly look fantastic mixed with pine boughs, fir tips and other evergreens, and they last a long time indoors, too. Origin: This is the female cultivar of the eastern U.S. native. Where it will grow: Hardy to -40 degrees Fahrenheit (zones 3 to 9) Water requirement: Medium to wet soil Light requirement: Full sun to partial shade Mature size: 6 to 8 feet tall Benefits and tolerances: Adapted to swamps and wetlands; attracts birds
simple lines of outdoor screen/space divider
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