Foliage To The Rescue! Part 2 - Page 2
© Nathalie Gignac Henderson
Wetlands Gardens
Gardens located in wet soil, such as along a pond or a stream, require suitable plants as well. Some of these plants also counter erosion. When you are making your plan, consider each plant's preferences.
These plants will thrive nicely near water and all have appealing foliage: maiden grass, cut-leaf rhubarb, rodgersia, goatsbeard, astilbes, Siberian iris, Japanese iris, blue flag iris, yellow flag iris and Louisiana iris, Irish moss, lady fern, sedges. For a selection of tree or shrub, you would have heritage river birch, saucer magnolia, sour gum or redtwig dogwood.
Water Gardens
Still or moving, water always gives a sense of peace and tranquillity to a garden. A water garden should be in a sunny location, for they perform best in those. Some varieties of water plants can survive winter. For these, the foliage can be cut back and the plants moved into the deepest part of the pond. A selection of water plants includes water lettuce, water hyacinth, water lilies, cattails, umbrella palm (paper plant), parrot's feather, and arrow arum.
Sunny gardens
In a sunny garden, foliage can provide consistent colour from month to month. Leaves enhance and provide a backdrop for flowers, and coloured foliage can give an exciting touch. Arrangements of silver foliage and purple or blue flowers make an effective and beautiful bed.
Purple foliage can serve alone or as a backdrop to flowers. For pale yellow flowers, smokebush will make a contrasting background. Tall Japanese blood grass provide a showy display. Other useful plants are licorice plant, "Kew Gold" sage, "Moonshine" yarrow, artemisia, "Silver Queen" heather, lavender-cotton, dusty-miller, "Palace Purple" heuchera, "Bronze" fennel, Japanese barberry, "Gold Edge" thyme, "Purpureus" smokebush, and "Bright Edge/Golden Sword" yucca.
As a ground cover
A patch under a tree or replacing a lawn for faster maintenance, foliage will always bring to life the dullest yard. It can be used in a border as well as in an open area. Ribbon borders were very popular at the end of the 19th century, and are still very useful in narrow borders. A ribbon border is a group of plants of different heights planted in parallel rows. Here is an example of a ribbon border.
Variegated foliage in your garden
Variegated foliage (foliage which is marked with colours in spots or streaks), should be used in moderation. They should be separated from other speckled species. Also, it is very important to mix them with green foliage.
It's a lot of fun to experiment with foliage. With all the choices available, anybody can plan an attractive yard. Shapes, colours and textures will be your friends and companions, teaching you how good it is to put some green in your life. Enjoy!
 |
Go To Page: 1 2
The copyright of the article Foliage To The Rescue! Part 2 - Page 2 in Garden Planning is owned by Nathalie Gignac Henderson. Permission to republish Foliage To The Rescue! Part 2 - Page 2 in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
