Garden Design IdeasGarden Ideas, Photos and Tips for Gardening at Home
In her shady West Michigan garden ( Zone 6a ) , Susan Martin is a professional when it comes to creating beautiful industrial plant combination of plants that prosper with small sun . But when creating combination , choosing works that do well in shade is n’t her only requirement .
Here , Susan shares other factors she considers when pairing plants . ( We think you ’ll find that these theme are universal and can be applied to combination in cheery sphere , too ! )
1. Repeat Colors
pic by : Susan Martin .
reproducible colour unite a combination , while contrasting textures and efflorescence shapes render interest . Here , pink and white astilbe and pink bigleaf hydrangea create a dazzling sight in Susan ’s garden .
2. Craft a Creative Color Echo
Photo by : Susan Martin
reverberation color in different kind - flower and foliage - to create an heart - pick up vignette . In this combining , Susan echoes the pink BabyWing ® Pink begonia blooms withHippo ® Rose polka dot plant life . complement the pinkish and immature , burgundy leaves ofPlum Dandy ™ alternantheraties everything together .
Here , red blooms of ‘ Canary Wing ’ begonia are recall in the leaves ofHeart to Heart ® ‘ Lemon Blush ’ caladiumand scarlet - speckledHeart to nerve ® ‘ Raspberry Moon ’ caladium(behind the begonia ) . Lacy lotus vine weaves its way through , make cohesiveness .
3. Create a Contrast of Textures
Strappy chartreuse foliage of EverColor ® ‘ Everillo ’ sedge makes an unbelievable yet fitting familiar to the deep Bourgogne foliage ofColorBlaze ® Wicked Witch ™ coleuswith its ruffly unripened border . These two qualities , collocation of texture and color coordination , are a recipe for a double-dyed sexual union .
4. Keep it Low Maintenance
There ’s no such thing as no care , but low maintenance is always nice ! For some areas of her garden , Susan focuses on plant that do n’t create lot of extra piece of work . Above,‘Cutting border ’ foamfloweroffers tall spikes of creamy flowers in the spring . Deadheading the foamflower is the only maintenance required for this compounding that has much to offer even when the flowers are n’t blooming — fronds of ‘ Crested Surf ’ paint fern , intense purple farewell of ‘ Electric Plum ’ genus Heuchera , and bright ‘ Lemon Love ’ heuchera ( behind the false miterwort ) all volunteer visual interest all time of year .
Here , a mix of plants with varying texture and completing colors care to be both visually impressive without necessitate Lot of sustenance . come to iridescent imperial leaves of Persian shield rise above the Paris green yellow foliage and reddened blooms of ‘ Canary Wing ’ begonia andColorBlaze ® Chocolate Drop coleuswith rich - crimson veinlike foliage .
5. Attract Pollinators
Including vivid bloom that bring the bee , butterfly stroke , and other pollinator is just one way of life Susan support her local ecosystem while also brighten up darker area of the garden . Here , the pink blooms ofDicentra spectabiliscomplement the precious dead on target blue blooms ofBrunnerain the spring .
Pink blooms ofFall in Love ® ‘ Sweetly ’ Japanese anemonefeed bee until first frost . Its foliage — along with strappy vivid yellowish - green ‘ Everillo ’ sedge in front , Chamaecyparis‘Fernspray Gold ’ pop in at right , Aralia‘Sun King ’ behind — bid textural interest all season .
6. Focus on Foliage
“ I love flux leafage textures , ” Susan say . “ No peak are involve when leaves are this interesting . ” At left , slender leaves ofFargesia rufa(dragon head bamboo ) , vary leaf of ‘ Island Breeze ’ Funka , silvery green and wine-colored red fronds ofAthyrium niponicum‘Pictum ’ ( Japanese paint fern ) , and magnanimous serrate leaves of ‘ Bottle Rocket ’ ligularia blend for a stunning show from saltation through fall .
Silvery - grizzly and deep - violet - ting fronds ofAthyrium‘Godzilla ’ ( Godzilla Japanese paint fern ) hovers over two heuchera : bass purplish - blackPrimo ® ‘ ignominious Pearl’and bright xanthous - greenDolce ® ‘ Apple Twist ’ .
7. Match Foliage With Flowers
Matching foliage people of color to flower color requires an attention to detail when seek out just the right union — but this head - turning effect is deserving the effort . Here , Susan has paired ‘ Age of Gold ’ hosta with Wedding Party ® ‘ First Dance ’ hellebore — leaves of the genus Funka and bloom of the hellebore boasting the precise same shade of pea green .
8. Consider Lighting
“ This is the prosperous hour at its fine , ” Susan says of this combination , positioned in an east - face border . Lit up during morning time and evening Sunday , the compounding of ‘ Conca d’Or ’ lily , Toucan ® Yellow canna , and ‘ Annabelle ’ hydrangeas provides a picturesque scene with its lenient blend of creamy yellowness and whites . In addition to its visual perk , the lilies also smell spectacular and are beloved by hummingbirds who inflict Susan ’s garden .
And , follow along with Susan on Instagram@gardenersuesnewsand FacebookGardener Sue ’s News .
