Last week, I used the simple shapes in the title graphic to illustrate massing based the "magic triangle" concept. Playing with these shapes will help you develop good bones for your garden. But, what plants can be used to make these shapes in the garden? A simple answer is that many will. You aren't limited to evergreens, although they are in my mind since it is winter in my USDA zone 7 garden.
In winter, the needled evergreens dominate. In my area, eastern white pines (Pinus strobus), truly lovely trees, have been over used by developers wanting fast growing screens along the road and around new houses. These are not plants for shade; they are plants that create shade.
Nearly all of the needled evergreens planted by developers are unsuited to the average garden, since they are forest trees that get huge in fifteen years or so. But, there are dwarf versions of many species that are suitable if we can offer them some sun. Almost all needled evergreens want, at a minimum, a half day's sun to prosper; and some want full sun in northern gardens. If your garden is bereft if any sun, you will be limited in the needled evergreens you can use. Yew (Taxus) and Hemlock (Tsuga) are the only two needled evergreens that I know tolerate a good deal of shade. There are numerous broad-leafed evergreens that can be substituted that will provide you the form and shape you need; Ilex (hollies), Rhododendrons, Pieris, Kalmia, to name only a few.
Nonetheless, if you can provide what they need, do consider the needled evergreens.
"Dwarf" Needled Evergreens
This photo, taken of the Blooms of Bressingham dwarf evergreen exhibit at Chelsea Flower Show several years ago, illustrates the vast variety of shapes and colors available in the needled evergreen world. If you've got a bit of garden that's not completely overshadowed by tall deciduous trees, you can combine shapes, form and foliage color that will give your garden bones as well as interest in the dreary winter months.
I was privileged to visit Adrian Bloom's conifer garden at Bressingham. This border is from that garden and illustrates the massing of conifers, heathers and perennials to create a border of interest and color year around. As I remember, only the purple shrub in the center of the photo and the adjacent gold mass were non-evergreens. I don't know how many of these plants were "dwarf" evergreens, but I recently read an article by Adrian Bloom, in which he wrote of having to remove some that had grown too large. Some conifers will remain small for many years, but in others, the term "dwarf" merely means that they don't grow as tall as fast as the regular species. The pink and orange flowers are heathers, also evergreens with a variety of habits, many blooming in winter. If you don't have total heavy snow cover all winter, consider some of these plants to provide form and color in your borders.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
