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This year it seems that all of my clients have had a portion of their properties with a wooded area which needed refinement, but they wanted it to retain its forest-feel after additional plantings. The rest of the garden seemed to be basking in sun, oblivious this spring of the droughty, hot summer months ahead. Where does a gardener begin?
An excellent resource is the Great Plants Picks list. Woodland favorites, drought-tolerant and sun-loving plants, moisture-loving plants and selections in between are all represented. Each plant is given a single page outlining its cultural requirements, with a picture and a description of its characteristics such as bloom time and fall color. Old favorites are included as well as species plants that may be new to many, along with fabulous new cultivars that have proven themselves here in the Pacific Northwest.
New this year: Great Plant Picks has grouped Rhododendrons by color, so choosing a purple rhodie is a breeze. They have included other “Collections” of plants for easier reference.
Now that all the work has been done, only the fun remains. If you have a printer and can print the plant pages out, you can cut out the pictures and combine them on your desk until you hit a combination that works for you. It’s much easier working in two dimensions than three, saving hundreds of dollars on massages—which can be used to buy more plants.
Two woodland combinations suitable under conifers that I’ve found clients like are Epimedium x rubrum, Campanula ‘Dickson’s Gold’ at the outermost edge and, for an evergreen anchor, Sarcococca confusa.
For woodland plant lovers, there is Dryopteris wallichiana, Polystichum munitum, Polygonatum odoratum pluriflorum var. ‘Variegatum’ for spring blooms and Omphaloides verna at the front.
This year people sense a hotter than normal summer, taking our drier-than-usual winter as a cue. Here is a combination for a mixed border: Perovskia atriplicifolia growing to about four feet can offer a lacy lavender background for Leucanthemum x superbum ‘Becky’, which achieves 3 to 3½ feet in one season. Geranium ‘Salome’ grows to 18 inches tall and spreads, looking very nice in front of the daisies at the border’s edge. The pinky-purple blooms work well with the Russian sage.
Another drought-tolerant combination is Physocarpus opulifolius ‘Diablo’ Helleborus argutifolius, flanked by Ophiopogon planiscapus ‘Nigrescens’ at the front and sides. Purpleleaf Ninebark can reach ten feet tall and wide making it an excellent deciduous screen. It can be pruned yearly to maintain shorter stature. If you prefer striking red stems try Cornus alba ‘Elegantissima’ and remember to prune each year. This shrubby dogwood can grow quickly once established. Consider it a source for stems in floral arrangements. Corsican hellebore can also reach good size—three to four feet tall. It requires staking eventually so leave room. Be size-wise; prune them or expect growth. These are only warm-ups. Check out the web site www.greatplantpicks.org and treat yourselves. If you find the plants for 2005 aren’t enough, go backwards in time and consider the lists from previous years. ~ Nancy Tom is an environmental horticulturist who designs, installs and maintains landscapes for Down-to-Earth Gardens, Inc. This article was written for The Perrenial Post, Spring 2005 p. 8 ~ Archived
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