Posts Tagged ‘Hedge Plants’

Rhamnus makes a moderate size hedge or background plant in a sunny to partly shaded site

Remember the first perennial garden you personally designed?  Mine was a rich riot of color with Daylilies and Rudbeckia.  But it was boring – I had achieved a solder like lineup of plants with similar heights.

Add Highs to your Lows with Vertical Elements

So what now?  I realized I needed some height along with different sizes and shape to gain balance and flow -so I added a few vertical plants namely Miscanthus and was really happy with the results.

Rhamnus Fine Line®

In the past few years, I discovered a wonderful vertical plant called Rhamnus Fine Line®

The soft ferny foliage compliments many shrubs & perennials

that combines the texture of an ornamental grass with Zone 3 hardiness.  Rhamnus grows around 6 feet and the fact that it only gets around 24” wide – you have a perfect complement to any border in a sun to partly shaded site.

Unlike a Miscanthus, Fine Line® does not need to be pruned down to the ground every spring – it just flushes out with fresh new ferny like foliage which can be trimmed to any shape.

Planting

The soft ferny foliage is so lovely when planted in groups of 3 or more.  It makes a terrific background plant and a medium sized Hedge Plant.  Try it with Knock Out Roses, Buddleia Blue Chip, or other moderate size shrubs.  It also makes a terrific container plant with season long interest Rhamnus is 98% sterile so it is noninvasive.  Fall brings on a brilliant gold color.

Vertical plants such as Rhamnus help to conceal unsightly objects such as air conditioning units.

This deer & drought proof deciduous shrub is a delightful medium sized vertical plant in almost any size garden.

Easy sun perennial combination for a small space or container garden

Here is a sun perennial combination idea for your garden with 3 easy to grow garden plants

For season long interest I like using perennial plants that will give me 3 seasons of foliage color.

I love the new cherry red SEDUM  (Sunsparkler) CHERRY TART and pairing this with the blue foliage of FESTUCA for a front of the border planting.

For long season flowering color, I added COREOPSIS STAR CLUSTER which grows up to 15″ – so plant in the back). Star Cluster picks up the deep red color in the center.  Another alternative to Star Cluster would be a yellow flowering Coreopsis such as Creme Brule or Moonbeam.

All these perennials are easy to grow in full sun and well drained soil while providing season long interest in your perennial garden.

What would you combine Sedum Cherry Tart with?

Hellebore is a drought & deer proof groundcover for the shade perennial garden

Have you ever noticed how poorly some plants do beneath trees and tall shrubs? Tree roots can easily zap away moisture and nutrients leaving anything under planted looking weary & tired.

Rather than fight with it, select from a group of care-free plants that can take dry shade conditions and have minimal requirements when it comes to nutrients & moisture.

I particularly love Hellebores for this.  When I planted seven of these early spring flowering ground covers last fall I thought I’m not sure if they are all going to make it.  I dug pretty hard to get in between a few tree roots and there wasn’t a lot of soil for me to work with.  I added some topsoil, mulched and watered well and to my amazement they all made it through next spring.

I do like planting spring flowering plants such as Hellebore in the fall. Plants still grow in the fall because soil temperature and moisture levels are usually at a level that promotes rapid root growth needed to sustain plants through the first critical year in the landscape.  So by spring I’ll have larger more established plants and more blooms to enjoy that first year.

Hellebores is a terrific solution if you have dry shade in your perennial garden.  In addition to the beautiful spring flowers, hellebore is the perfect deer resistant shade plant with evergreen foliage which provides year round interest.

KnockOut Roses are disease free, ultra hardy, long blooming and long lived rose!

Need a Back-yard Makeover Idea?  KnockOut Roses are an ideal  choice for a  a busy young mother of 2 energetic young boys.

Natalie Meeks of Mommy’s Memorandum decided to use KnockOut Roses for her garden project.  KnockOut Roses is one of the best-selling flowering shrubs on the market day.  They are long blooming, disease free, ultra hardy and long lived.

Natalie  talks about her project installation and shares some helpful tips on plants she purchased from www.GreatGardenPlants.com

Natalie states “Despite the record high temperatures, these plants continue to thrive.   I think that these plants will be the perfect addition to our backyard for many summers to come.”

CLICK HERE to read full article

Feather Reed Grass is used as a low growing screen to hide an unsightly utility box

Feather Reed Grass or Calamagrostis x acutiflora ‘Karl Foerster’ is definitely one of my favorite ornamental grasses to use as a privacy screen, low growing hedge or to add vertical height to the perennial garden.

This non-flopping, sun-loving vertical grass is a delightful accent that is both easy to grow and easy to maintain.  The slightest breeze sets this grass in motion.

Professional landscapers and garden designers love using Calamagrostis for creating a fast developing screen or Hedge Plant.

Calamagrostis will  add height while create a focal point or accent in the  sun loving perennial garden.

Facts about Calamagrostis Karl Foerster:

• Grows up to 60” (in flower)
• Tolerates a wide range of soil from clay to dry sand
• Blooms early in the season (most grasses bloom late)
• Drought Tolerant once established
• Deer Proof
• Winter Interest
• Salt Tolerant
• Low maintenance
• Landscape appeal from summer thru winter.
• Long lasting cut flowers
• Virtually pest free

Calamagrostis offers 3 seasons of interest planted in a long row

The only thing I do in the spring is cut back the stems to about 6 inches from the ground in late winter or early spring.

Calamagrostis pairs well with many garden plants when it comes to garden design.  Partner with Tall Sedums, Butterfly Bush, or other Ornamental Grasses.

If you are looking for a an easy perennial to grow and maintain, this ornamental grass might be just the ticket.

More on:

Ornamental Grasses

Hedge Plants

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