Design Principles for Shade Gardens
Ask five “weekend gardeners” to name the plants they would put in a shade garden and you will most likely get a series of sighs and shrugged shoulders and then five variations of hosta, ferns, impatiens and begonias, with possibly a few caladiums thrown into the mix. The overall attitude usually implies that …
Who's Showing Off Today?
Revered for their fall color, the maples are putting on quite a fall show of color here in the Midwest. Although many of the varieties of maples on the market today originated in Asia, there are about 12 varieties that are native to the United States, with the familiar sugar (rock) maple …
What's Your Style?
Designing a shade garden that is inviting and interesting throughout the entire year takes serious research and planning. As we have previously discussed, you have to thoroughly understand everything about your site — everything from its ecoregion and soil, climate and native plant communities to the specific types of shade and their locations. Once …
Give the Earth a Gift - Plant a Tree
This article was originally published November 13, 2017. It has been revised and updated, Join us next week as we look at plant communities for shade areas. When you really stop and think about the big picture, planting trees is one of the most important actions you can take for yourself, your community and even …
What's In Bloom Today?
Shrub roses are celebrating fall with a big burst of end of the season color right now! The American Rose Society describes shrub roses as “A class of hardy, easy-care plants that…..do not fit in any other category of rose bush.” They come in a variety of colors, have single or double blooms, …
Establish A Community - Part 4: Ecological Function, Aesthetic Form
Our modern perceptions of what a beautiful landscape looks like are not really our own ideas. They were in large part shaped by English landscape artists of the 18th and 19th centuries. Their highly romanticized works interpreted for the public what landscape designers were providing for the wealthy upper class. Their paintings, like the …
Establish A Community -- Part 2: Design Principles - The Site
For the past week my study of plant communities for shade gardens has led me into rereading Thomas Rainer and Claudia West’s book Planting In A Post-Wild World. It’s an interesting read, a satisfying mix of philosophy and how-to advice for the novice as well as the professional who is looking for a way to …
Establish A Community -- In Your Shade Garden Part 1: What Is A Plant Community?
I love lush beds of hostas! I love the variety of colors and shapes and sizes and bloom stalks. I love how hardy they are and how little maintenance they need. Unfortunately, our neighborhood deer love them as much as I do. After losing plant after plant to their voracious appetites, I knew I had …
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