BrightleafLandscape Design Can Include Colorful Fruit for Every Season
One of my favorite ways to add seasonal color to a landscape is to incorporate fruit bearing plants. This is also a great way to invite wildlife, such as birds. One consideration is proper placement of fruiting trees. You want to avoid planting near walkways, patios, or parking areas to prevent messy litter. Read on to see which plants I suggest for the seasons.
One of the great benefits of my job is access to a ton of interesting plants from our growers. I recently had some large Leyland Cypress come down on my neighbor’s property, with the result that my front yard gets a lot more light, and I have a bit more space to add some new plants. Read on to learn about three exciting new cultivars I’ve added to my garden.
I love the holiday season and start decorating sometime between Halloween and Thanksgiving each year. While I love getting my house ready for the season, I also really enjoy seeing what my neighbors are doing to decorate their yards. Read on to learn how to incorporate Christmas lights into your landscape.
If you’ve got mature conifers planted in your yard chances are good that you’ve got a great place to put some lights. Pyramidal conifers such as Dwarf Alberta Spruce, Japanese Cedar, and even Leyland Cypress look great in holiday lights, and depending on their size, can make a huge statement in the winter garden.
As the leaves fall my focus shifts from beautiful fall color to plants that stay evergreen year round. While many evergreens are used simply as background plants to keep gardens from looking bare, or to provide year round screening, there are some uniquely interesting evergreens that can be added to your garden. Read on to learn about two.
Mums: An annual or a perennial?
I always considered fall mums to be an annual. Here in the south, I’m used to seeing porches lined with containers of various colored mums each autumn. I typically tossed mine in the compost after they got hit with the first frost. Read on to learn about how to enjoy your mums year after year.
A landscape design can be more impactful when using plants with standout color, texture, or form. I like gardens that have a balance of dramatic plants with year round interest. Read on to learn about plants that add drama to the garden.
Succulent plants have fascinating textures and colors. Sedums are a succulent species that are cold hardy, heat resistant, and drought tolerant. They are small, but are extremely tough plants ideal for North Carolina. Read on to learn more about some of the Sedum species that I incorporate into my garden and designs.
For the past few years I’ve taught a class at Duke Gardens that focuses on Creating a Colorful Mixed Border. I really enjoy the chance to work with other gardeners and share my experiences on designing a strong plant combination. And, preparing the presentation each year makes me think about my own design process and what I feel is the most effective way to design. Read on to learn more about my process.
I like to incorporate edible plants with unique colors and foliage into my landscape. My neighbors will agree that my raised veggie beds are an exciting addition to my garden. Read on to find out some plants that I use to make my vegetable garden ornamental.
Once spring comes to an end, my bulbs are done blooming and my perennial border will soon be buzzing with a multitude of insects and hummingbirds. I depend on them to pollinate some of the plants in my garden, like Ilex verticillata (Winterberry Holly). Read on to learn about some of the plants that I use to attract pollinators.