Designing your Garden

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DESIGNING Y OUR GARDEN White Flower Farm plantsmen since 1950 $2.00

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Transcript of Designing your Garden

Page 1: Designing your Garden

DESIGNINGYOUR GARDEN

White Flower Farmp l a n t s m e n s i n c e 1 9 5 0

$2.00

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DESIGNING YOUR GARDEN

The aim of this brochure is to help you select a site,size, and shape for a flower garden and then to fill itwith a harmonious combination of plants. We presentthis process as a series of steps—seven in all—thattakes you from the mere notion that you want a flowergarden to a finished plan. If you already have a gardenbut are not satisfied with it, we suggest that you reviewthe first four steps, then study Steps 5 through 7.

When we say “flower garden” or “border” in thisbrochure, we mean an ornamental planting, one withwell-defined edges and often (but not always) a back-drop of some sort—a house, a hedge, a wall, or a fence.You may be familiar with annual beds and perennialborders, but most gardeners (ourselves included) getgreatest satisfaction from what are known as “mixedborders,” gardens that contain the gamut of plants—annuals, perennials, bulbs, shrubs, and small trees—forvariety and a long season of interest.

We want to emphasize at the outset that there is nosingle “right” way to make a garden. Most experiencedgardeners follow guidelines similar to those we offerhere, but others ignore them—sometimes to gloriouseffect. Your taste and desires are what matter, not whatyour neighbor is planting or what a gardening maga-zine says you should want. This brochure is meant tohelp you make choices, not to paralyze you with thefear that you’re not doing things just so. Have fun, andif fun happens to coincide with “rules” of design, fine.If not, that’s fine, too.

© 2008 White Flower Farm, Litchfield, Connecticut 06759-0050

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❁ Where will a garden provide the mostpleasure? If you plant a garden in order toenjoy it, then you should probably put it whereyou spend time outdoors or where you passoften—near the back terrace, along the drive-way, at the foot of the front steps, or by theswimming pool. You’ll appreciate your gardeneven more if you can see it from inside thehouse. Rinsing dishes and tapping away at thecomputer seem less like drudgery when youcan pause to gaze out the window at brightflowers swaying in the breeze.

❁ Where is the nearest spigot? A garden also needs to be within reach of a hose. Even in climates where rainfall is abundant, dryspells are inevitable. If you can’t supply waterwhen your plants require it, you risk theunpleasant prospect of watching them gasp insummer’s heat.

❁ What sort of background will the borderhave? Think about the superb garden photosyou see in books and magazines. In almost

1. Think about what you want.The first step in designing a garden is to decideexactly what sort of garden you want. You’reunlikely to realize your dream if you’re not surewhat your dream is. Do you want to decorate a small square by the front steps with a fewannuals, or do you long instead for a sweepingborder bursting with perennials? When do you want your garden to look its best? Will abrief but spectacular spring or summer showsuffice, or do you want a garden that looksattractive from early spring until hard frost?How much time, energy, and money are youprepared to devote to the task of planting andcaring for a garden? Do you want a garden that you can dig and plant in an afternoon andthat requires little effort to maintain, or do youprefer a more ambitious project, a garden thatwill usurp at least a weekend at planting timeand require regular attention throughout thegrowing season?

2. Choose a location for your garden.If you don’t already have a place in mind foryour new garden (and even if you do), youshould walk your property and peer out yourwindows. Ask yourself the following questionsas you look around you:

❁ Where does a garden “belong” in the landscape? A flower garden is not a self-con-tained unit. It’s a part of the landscape, just as a shade tree is, or a flowering Crabapple or a bluestone patio, and as such it needs to beplaced where it will fit in with its surroundings.A border plopped into the lawn or stuck into a corner looks like an afterthought at best, adistraction at worst. A good design is wastedon a bad location.

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CHOOSING ALOCATION FORA FLOWERGARDEN

Put your garden whereyou can see and enjoyit, from both indoorsand out. Provide abackground such as a fence or a hedge,and make sure thegarden is within reachof a hose.

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but the number of plants that thrive in fullshade is relatively small (though quite a lotlarger than most people believe). The point isthat if you dream of Iris and Peonies, Dayliliesand Roses, Asters and Mums, you’ll need to putyour border where it will receive ample sun-shine. If you put your border in shade, youmust be prepared to explore Hostas, Astilbes,Heucheras, Hellebores, Ferns, and otherdenizens of shady nooks.

Soil type is the other factor that determineswhich plants you can grow. Most plants growbest in a soil that retains moisture reasonablywell while allowing the excess to drain away.On the extremes are sandy soils that dry outrapidly after rainfall or irrigation and heavyclay soils that stay soggy long after the rain hasstopped. If you site your border on a hot sandybank or in a low, poorly drained area, you mayhave to abandon your list of favorites and dosome research to discover plants adapted toyour soil type. It is possible to amend soil, tochange it to suit the needs of plants (see our“Caring for Your Plants” brochure and the cul-tural instructions booklet under GardeningHelp on our Web site), but radical transforma-tion is labor-intensive and expensive. You’ll dobetter to grow plants that like your conditions.

3. Determine the size and shape ofyour border.

A border’s size should match the scale of thesurrounding landscape (large properties gen-erally require large borders, small properties,small borders) and the inclinations of the gar-dener. Most people start with a small bed in asunny spot and are astounded at how fast thespace fills up. They then add a few more feet to

every case, there is something standing behindthe exuberant floral display—a fence, a stoneor brick wall, a dark green hedge, or a mass ofshrubs or trees. These backgrounds preventyour eye from wandering all over the land-scape, allowing you to focus instead on the colorful plants in front of you.

If the location you choose for your borderlacks a good background, consider building asimple fence or planting a hedge. A hedgeneedn’t be a row of tightly sheared Yew orPrivet. An informal assembly of shrubs such asViburnum, Syringa (Lilac), Clethra, Roses, andHydrangea offers a combination of brightflowers, fruit, and striking fall color, as well as arich green backdrop for the summer spectaclethat unfolds at their feet.

If you want to use a border to break up alarge expanse of lawn, you may wish to dis-pense with a traditional background and plantan island bed instead. An island bed standsalone, surrounded by a sea of turf. To be effec-tive, it must generally be large—but in scalewith the overall landscape—and it must con-tain tall plants (4ft or more) either at the backor through the middle of the garden. These tallplants act as a background for their shorterneighbors and give the bed the sort of presencethat a small circle of compact plants lacks.

❁ What sorts of plants do you want to grow?Plants have basic needs that must be met ifthey are to thrive. The most important of theseare sun and soil. The majority of floweringplants require full sun to reach their full poten-tial (see drawings at right). Many will toleratepartial shade with little reduction in bloom,

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THREE TYPESOF LIGHT

FULL SUNSix hours or more ofdirect sun between9:00 and 4:00.

PARTIAL SUNDirect sun for 3–4hours and shade therest of the day.

SHADEBright reflected light but little or no direct sun.

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for straight-edged beds) or a garden hose(which mimics a sinuous edge). Step back andlook at the area from various vantage pointsand adjust the lines to suit your taste.

When you’re pleased with the layout ofyour garden, take a can of spray paint (white iseasiest to see) and, following the string or thehose, paint a line on the lawn or the soil. Thenmeasure the dimensions of your border. If yourborder has an irregular shape, take multiplemeasurements so that you’ll be able to repro-duce the curves on paper. It’s also important to note the relative position of anything that isto remain inside the border—a shrub or aboulder, for example—and the location ofnearby shade trees, hedges, fences, or otherobjects that might affect the amount of lightthat reaches your garden.

Now it’s time to do some research.

5. Look for plants adapted to yourgrowing conditions.Faced with the seemingly endless variety ofplants available in catalogues and garden cen-ters, how do you choose the few you have roomfor in your garden? Height, flower color, bloomtime, and leaf texture should all be considered(and we’ll discuss each in some detail below),but the overriding concern of the gardener canbe summed up in another question: will thatplant grow for me? Plants are living things thathave basic requirements for good health.Provide those requirements and your plantswill thrive; deny them and your plants will lan-guish or expire despite your best efforts. Nomatter how good your design looks on paper, itis doomed to failure if the plants you chooseare not adapted to the growing conditions inyour border.

the front or along the sides, perhaps severaltimes over the years. There is nothing wrongwith this gradual approach to garden making.In our experience, it’s better to start small andexpand as time, money, and interest allow thanto be overwhelmed by the demands of design-ing and planting a large border. The object ofgardening, remember, is to have fun, not topull your hair out because you’ve bitten offmore than you can chew.

If you are designing a new garden fromscratch, however, you should aim to make it noless than 4 feet deep. A 2-foot-wide strip alonga fence or deck barely allows for a single row ofplants. A depth of four feet or more allows fora difference in plant height between front andback and for enough variety to hold your inter-est through the season. In a few years, you maydecide to deepen the border to eight or ten feet.Sixteen or 20 feet is not too much if you wantto put large shrubs along the back.

Should the edges of your border be straightor curved? Straight lines and hard angles suitformal designs, in which borders are givenstandard geometrical shapes (squares, rectan-gles, circles). Gentle curves and irregularshapes have a more relaxed, natural, and there-fore informal look. Choose a shape that fitsyour landscape, but don’t be afraid to mix andmatch. Borders close to the house and deck, forexample, might be straight-edged, matchingthe lines of the architecture, while bordersalong a property line or surrounding a groupof trees and shrubs might undulate with thenatural contours of the site.

4. Mark and measure the garden.To help visualize the border-to-be, trace itsedges with strings tied to stakes (appropriate

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shrubs and a few large perennials, such asAruncus dioicus (Goatsbeard) and ornamentalGrasses, most plants put on a better show whenplanted in numbers of three or more in irregu-lar groupings called “drifts.” A drift is generallywider than it is deep, and the plants that com-prise it are typically arranged in a staggeredpattern resembling an upside-down “W,”which provides a natural, flowing look.Succeeding drifts are added in overlapping lay-ers to help conceal the joints between them.Planting in drifts means fewer varieties ofplants in your border, but those that are repre-sented have much greater impact than singlespecimens.

A few tips on using color. Color prefer-ence is very personal. Combinations of colorthat cause one person to sigh with delight maycause another to wince. So, while entire bookshave been written on color theory and whysome colors “work” together and others don’t,it makes sense to begin by choosing the colorsyou like and experimenting to arrive at combi-nations that please you. Don’t be surprised ifyour taste evolves with time. Changing colorpreference is one of the many reasons garden-ing sustains a lifetime of interest.

Because trial and error can be frustratingand expensive, the best ways to discoverwhether a plant will grow in your garden is totalk with fellow gardeners, read gardeningbooks, and consult plant catalogues. The charton pages 22 and 23 lists many good gardenplants and, along with flower color, height, andbloom time, indicates their sun and soilrequirements. If your new garden will be in theshade and you’re at a loss for what to grow, werefer you to the list of plants on page 32 thatthrive with little or no direct sun. Most of theplants are available in either the spring or thefall from White Flower Farm.

6. From the list of suitable plants, makeselections according to the basic prin-ciples of flower garden design.A single flowering plant can be very beautiful.A grouping of several specimens of the sameplant can be impressive. Combining groups ofdifferent plants so that each complements theothers is the art gardeners aspire to. Here are afew principles of organization that many gar-deners have adopted because they work so well.

Tall plants at the back, low-growers upfront. A plant has to be seen to be appreciated,so it makes sense in most borders to put theshortest plants along the edge, long-leggedplants at the back, and the rest in between, cre-ating a gradual slope from, for example,Dianthus in front to Coreopsis, Lilium, Phlox,and finally tall ornamental Grasses at the rear.

“Drifts” make a statement. There is a ten-dency among new gardeners to fill a gardenwith individual specimens. The result is a col-lection of plants that becomes a confused jumble when seen from a distance. Apart from

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A PERENNIALLINE-UP BYHEIGHT

For a good view ofall of the plants inyour garden, arrangethem by height—tallest at the back,shortest up front.

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For the budding designer, the big questionis whether to devote most of the border to agroup of plants that flowers simultaneously, fora superb but brief crescendo, or to opt for a lessspectacular but longer-running show. Theanswer depends on when you look at the bor-der. If you are away on vacation every July orAugust, then you can ignore plants that bloomthen and concentrate on those that bloom ear-lier and later. If your garden surrounds a poolthat is used only in high summer, you can leaveout spring bloomers and fall-flowering Astersand fill the space with annuals, Daylilies, Phlox,and Echinacea. But if you see your border fromone end of the growing season to the other, youwon’t be satisfied with just one big splash.

Here are some suggestions for designing aborder with a long season of interest:

❁ Squeeze in spring-flowering bulbs. Nomatter how much you crowd your border withshrubs, perennials, summer bulbs, and annu-als, you’ll still be able to mount an impressive

If you’re at a loss at where to begin, tryfollowing these suggestions:

❁ Pastel colors (creams, pale yellows, softpinks, lavenders) are soothing. They have theeffect of a cool drink on a hot summer day. Ifyour border is near the house or near whereyou sit outdoors, you might want to choose acolor theme in which pastels predominate.

❁ Hot colors such as red, orange, and brightyellow tend to grab attention. Use them tomake a dramatic statement in a pastel border.A single orange Oriental poppy (Papaver orien-tale), for example, can draw attention to awhole drift of cool blue Baptisias. And becausehot colors stand out at a distance, they deservethe leading role in a border that is located wellaway from the house.

❁ If you want to separate colors that you fearwill conflict with one another, try using blueor white. Both go well with almost all othercolors, which allow them to serve as buffersbetween warring neighbors.

Managing the sequence of bloom. Gardenersdream of borders brimming with flowers fromearly spring through frost, but most bulbs,shrubs, perennials, and even many annualsbloom for a limited period of time. Spring-blooming shrubs such as Rhododendrons andLilacs, for example, are at peak bloom for just aweek, two at most, and such popular perenni-als as Peonies and Iris don’t last much longer.

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EARLY SPRING

Brilliant Tulips bring early color asthe perennialsawaken from theirwinter nap.

A FLOWERGARDENTHROUGH THESEASONS

Gardens can beplanted to provideone or two bigsplashes or a lessspectacular butlonger-running display. The fourphotos of the LloydBorder at WhiteFlower Farm on thisand the followingpage show the succes-sion of bloom in asunny garden plantedfor a long season ofinterest.

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spring display if you plant spring-floweringbulbs. Planted between the crowns of perenni-als in fall, Narcissus, Tulips, and a host of otherearly risers will perform magnificently the following spring, while the perennials are justbeginning to awaken from winter slumber.The perennials then shoot up and hide thebulb foliage, which withers and disappears asthe bulbs enter summer dormancy. Spring-flowering bulbs are offered in the fall by WhiteFlower Farm.

❁ Keep the show rolling with annuals andlong-blooming perennials. Don’t depriveyour garden of Peonies and Iris just becausethey don’t bloom all summer. Instead, growthem with plants that do. Annuals and tenderperennials such as Gomphrena and Petuniascompensate for their short lives by bloominglike the blazes all summer and into fall. Manyhardy perennials have similarly irrepressibleblooming habits. They keep on making flowerswhile other plants shine more briefly, then fadeto green. (See page 32 for a list of long-bloom-ing perennials.)

❁ Add a few plants with colored leaves. Thereare perennials, annuals, and shrubs that areprized more for their beautifully colored leavesthan for their flowers. Silver Artemisias, goldenCallunas (Heathers), and purple Heucherascomplement the flowers of other plants when aborder is at its peak and offer welcome dashesof color when blooms are scarce. In the shade,where summer color is at a premium, the two-tone leaves of variegated plants such as Hostas,Lamiums, and Polygonatum odoratum‘Variegatum’, when combined with all-greenplants, carry a border right through summerand into fall.

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LATE SPRING

Bold chartreuseCatalpa foliagemakes a strong counterpoint withthe purple spheres ofAllium ‘Globemaster’and the dark-leavedRosa glauca.

SUMMER

All the hot colors of summer explode in a glorious mix of annuals and perennials.

LATE SUMMERINTO FALL

Tall, dark-leavedCannas and thedrooping pink flowersof Polygonum orien-tale take center stageamong the Grasses asthe season progresses.

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A variety of textures brings the border to life.An attractive garden includes a variety of plantforms as well as colors. Contrasting flower andleaf shapes and plant silhouettes provide tex-ture and give a border a dynamic quality evenon a calm day.

A garden of daisy-shaped flowers, forexample, may be colorful and charming, butadd the trumpets of Lilies, the spikes of Liatris,Foxglove or the flat-topped heads of Achillea,and the airy cloud of a Gypsophila, and thecomposition really sings.

The same diversity is found in leaves. Theycan be vaguely thumb-shaped, broad andwavy, grassy, needle-like, lacy, or delicatelylobed. Combine and contrast them and yourborder will hold your interest even when thereare few flowers to be found. In a sunny border,try putting the sword-shaped leaves of aSiberian Iris behind the fine, needled leaves ofCoreopsis ‘Moonbeam’; set the lance-shapedleaves of a Physostegia against the flowingbackdrop of a Grass; or contrast ferny Achilleaswith the huge, cabbage-like leaves of Crambe.In the shade, pair the broad, rounded leaves ofAsarum with the smaller, heart-shaped leavesof Lamium; juxtapose the finely divided frondsof Ferns with shield-shaped Hostas; or softenthe bold, flame-like leaves of Convallaria withthe delicate lace of Corydalis.

Plants also have a variety of silhouettes.Many, such as hardy Geraniums, Nepetas,Peonies, and Hostas form broad mounds.Ornamental Grasses resemble arching foun-tains. Garden Phlox, Buddleia, and tall Astersare vase-shaped. Ground-huggers such asDianthus and the shade-loving Lamiums makespreading mats. And Delphiniums and Alceas(Hollyhocks) throw towering spikes.

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TEXTURE INTHE GARDEN

SHAPELY FLOWERS

Flowers of various shapes and sizes enliven an all-white border.

THE ROLE OF FOLIAGE

In the shady mixed border,leaves in all their shapes, colors,and sizes play leading roles.

PLANT PROFILES

Create interest by includingplants of different heights,shapes, and growth habits.

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an 8½ by 11-inch sheet of graph paper. If yourborder is 20 feet long, you’ll have room enoughfor a scale of two squares per foot of your gar-den (2 squares per foot x 20 feet = 40 squares).If your border is smaller, you can assign a scalewith more squares per foot; if your border islarger, you’ll have to use one square per foot orperhaps give each square a value of two ormore feet of garden space.

Put the outline of the border on paper.Once you’ve decided on a scale, mark thepoints where you took measurements out-doors and connect the dots to create the out-line, in miniature, of your border. Then indi-cate the points of the compass (North, East,West, and South) in one corner and add theimportant landmarks—trees, shrubs, largerocks, fences. (The easiest way to show treesand shrubs on a plan is to draw circles or arcsthat describe the spread of the branches.)

Fill in the outline of the border. Lay apiece of tracing paper over the outline andbegin sketching out possible combinations ofplants. Represent large specimen plants,shrubs for example, as circles; show drifts asirregularly shaped blobs resembling the cellsyou saw through the microscope in biologyclass. Inside each circle and blob, note thename of the plant and a few key bits of infor-mation: flower color, bloom time, and height(see the drawing on page 18). Color the circlesand blobs with colored pencils to help visualizethe distribution of flower and foliage color. Useseparate pieces of tracing paper for eachmonth or for each bloom season (spring, June,summer, and late summer/fall, for example) to

7. Draft a plan.Once you’ve narrowed your plant choices andand ruminated a bit on the principles for com-bining them, you’re ready to begin working on a plan.

Purchase drawing supplies. The drawingsupplies required are available at most sta-tionery and art supply stores. You’ll need a fewsheets of graph paper (8½ by 11in sheets with¼in squares are adequate for all but the largestborder), a straight edge, sharp pencils, and aneraser. You should also consider investing insome transparent tracing paper, a set of col-ored pencils, and a compass (the sort used fordrawing circles and arcs) or a plastic templatethat artists use to draw perfect circles. The trac-ing paper allows you to doodle without havingto redraw the basic outline of the border overand over again. The colored pencils come inhandy when arranging plants in the border byflower color. The compass (or template) sim-plify the drawing of accurate circles.

Determine a scale. Before you put pencilto paper, you need to determine an appropriatescale for the drawing. Drawing your border toscale (that is, assigning a unit of measurementon paper that equals a much larger measure-ment of the real border) will help you keepplant groupings proportional and help youdetermine, with a fair degree of accuracy, thenumber of plants you will need.

The simplest way to proceed is to choose ascale that allows you to fit the entire border ona single piece of paper. There are 44 one-quar-ter inch squares running across the long side of

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plant you’ll need. You might think that comingup with this number would be straightforward,but in practice, it’s a bit tricky. People have dif-fering opinions on how full a border shouldlook. Also, the plants you buy from a mail-order nursery or garden center will not be fullsize. Shrubs, and many perennials, require sev-eral seasons to reach their mature dimensions.Do you want to wait for the plants to fill in orwould you prefer to have the garden look fullsooner rather than later (with the understand-ing that you’ll have to do some thinning to pre-vent overcrowding)?

To arrive at a reasonably good estimate ofthe number of plants you’ll need for your bor-der, we suggest the following procedure:

❁ Consult the White Flower Farm catalogueor Web site, the cultural instructions bookletshipped with your order, and the label thatcomes with every plant for recommendedspacing. In most cases, you’ll find a range (12 to18 inches, for example), which is generallyequal to the mature spread of the plant.Choose the lower number for a fuller look, thehigher number for a more open look.

❁ Lay a fresh piece of tracing paper over yourdesign.

❁ With a compass or a template, draw a circlefor each plant that is in scale with your plan. Ifthe scale is one square = six inches, then a plantthat spreads 12 to 18 inches wide should have a½- to ¾-inch diameter circle. Within a drift oflike plants, remember to stagger the plants atthe points of an imaginary, upside down “W.”The points mark the centers of the plants. Thedistance between points is the spacing (12 to 18inches in our example).

see how the display will change over time.If you’re unsure of where to begin, pencil in

the shrubs first. They’re often larger than theother plants in a border and they’re more diffi-cult to move if you change your mind (you canchange your mind) after you’ve planted them.Then add the perennials, including hardy,summer-blooming bulbs such as Lilies, and theannuals. Because they can be planted betweenthe feet of perennials and shrubs, the spring-flowering bulbs should be added last and thearea they occupy should be marked with dot-ted lines on your plan.

This process goes more quickly if youremember that this is your garden and you canplant what you want to. Give your favoritesprominent placement and combine them witha supporting cast that shows them to advan-tage. Once you’ve made a few big decisions,you’ll generally find that the space fills quickly.

Estimate the number of plants you’llneed. When you’ve settled on a basic design,the final step is to estimate how many of each

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PUTTING YOURTHOUGHTSON PAPER

As you winnow thelist of plants adaptedto the growing condi-tions in your garden,sketch out ideas onpaper. Draw circlesfor individual shrubs.Show drifts of threeor more perennials orannuals as irregular,overlapping blobs.Spring-floweringbulbs—which get anearly start, then disappear—can berepresented by circleswith dotted lines.

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Next steps.With a plan in hand, you can proceed to

buy plants, prepare the soil (see our “Caring forYour Plants” brochure on our Web site and thecultural instructions booklet that accompaniesyour order for instructions on soil prepara-tion), and plant your garden. You’ll soon beable to enjoy the flowers you’ve dreamed of.But your work as a designer has just begun.That’s because a garden is never finished. It’s aprocess, an everchanging work in progress, thatrequires regular intervention on the part of thegardener as the plants grow and flourish (oroccasionally disappear.) That’s what makesgardening so much fun. There’s always some-thing new and different to look forward to. ❁

As you draw your circles, you’ll probablydiscover that your plan needs adjustment. Toget the show you want from a drift of GardenPhlox (which might require five to sevenplants), you may have to reduce the number ofEchinacea you had hoped to use or eliminatethem entirely. If you left more space along theedge of the border for Nepeta x faassenii thanyou think it requires, you may want to addsome Silver Mound Artemisia to fill the gap.

Don’t be surprised if, at planting time, youdiscover you’ve purchased either too few or toomany plants. The translation from paper toreality is never perfect. If you come up short,order more plants or plug in annuals. If youhave a surfeit of plants, look around your prop-erty for additional planting sites; you canalways find a corner that would benefit from asplash of color.

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ESTIMATINGTHE NUMBEROF PLANTSYOU’LL NEED

When you’ve arrivedat a design thatpleases you, replaceyour rough sketchwith carefully drawncircles, each repre-senting a single plant.The finished plan willprovide you with agood estimate of thenumber of plantsyou’ll need to fill yournew garden.

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ANNUALS & TENDER PERENNIALS FLOWER HARDINESS HEIGHT BLOOM SPACING

GENUS (Common Name) COLOR 1 ZONES 2 (inches) TIME 3 SUN 4 SOIL 5 (inches) 6Canna (Canna) O, P, Y, R 7-10 36-84 Jul-Sep 1-2 M 24Coleus (Coleus) L 9-10 12-24 Jun-Sep 1-2-3 M 12Gomphrena (Globe Amaranth) R annual 24 Jul-Sep 1 M 12Heliotropium (Heliotrope) L, Pu 9-10 24-36 Jun-Sep 1 M 18Petunia (Petunia) P, Pu, W 10 12 Jun-Sep 1 M 12

BULBSFLOWER HARDINESS HEIGHT BLOOM SPACING

GENUS (Common Name) COLOR 1 ZONES 2 (inches) TIME 3 SUN 4 SOIL 5 (inches) 6

Crocosmia (Monbretia) R 5-8 48 Jun-Jul 1 M 12-15Crocus (Crocus) B, L, Pu, W, Y 4-8 3-8 Mar-Apr 1-2 M 4Dahlia (Dahlia) all but blue 8-10 16-48 Jul-Oct 1-2 M 18-30Lilium (Lily) all but blue 5-8 14-108 Jun-Sep 1-2 M 12Muscari (Grape Hyacinth) B, W 4-8 8-12 Apr-May 1-2 M 3Narcissus (Daffodil) O, P, W, Y 3-8 6-24 Apr-May 1-2 M 4-12Tulipa (Tulip) all but blue 3-8 3-36 Apr-May 1 M 6

PERENNIALS FLOWER HARDINESS HEIGHT BLOOM SPACING

GENUS (Common Name) COLOR 1 ZONES 2 (inches) TIME 3 SUN 4 SOIL 5 (inches) 6

Achillea (Yarrow) L,P, R, W, Y 3-9 24-48 Jun-Sep 1 D-M 12-18Alcea (Hollyhock) P, R, W, Y 4-7 48-96 Jun-Sep 1 M 18-24Alchemilla (Lady’s Mantle) Y 3-7 18 Jun-Aug 2 M 15-18Anemone (Anemone) P, rose, W 3-8 24-48 Jul-Oct 1-2 M-W 18-24Aquilegia (Columbine) B, P, R, W, Y 3-9 6-36 May-Jun 1-2 M 12-18Artemisia (Artemisia) foliage 3-8 12-36 – 1 D-M 12-24Aruncus (Goatsbeard) W 3-8 8-72 May-Jun 2 M-W 12-36Asarum (Wild Ginger) foliage 5-8 6 - 3 M 8-12Aster (Aster) B, P, Pu 3-8 24-48 Jun-Oct 1 M-W 12-18Astilbe (Astilbe) P, W 3-8 10-48 Jun-Aug 2 M-W 12-18Baptisia (Wild Indigo) B 3-9 36-48 Jun 1 M 18-30Boltonia (Boltonia) P, W 4-8 36-60 Aug-Oct 1 D-M-W 18-24Calamintha (Calamint) L/W, P 5-9 12-18 Aug-Oct 1 D-M 15-18Campanula (Bellflower) B, Pu, W 4-8 6-72 May-Sep 1-2 M 10-24Centranthus (Valerian) P, W 5-7 36 Jun-Sep 1-2 D-M 12-18Chrysanthemum (Mum) P, R, W 5-9 14-18 Aug-Oct 1 M 12-24Cimicifuga (Bugbane) W 4-7 60-72 Aug-Sep 2 M 24-30Convallaria (Lily-of-the-Valley) W 3-7 8-12 May-Jun 2-3 M-W 3-6Coreopsis (Tickseed) P, Y 3-9 8-24 Jun-Oct 1 D-M-W 8-18Corydalis (Corydalis) B, Y 5-7 8-15 May-Sep 2-3 M-W 8-12Crambe (Colewort) W 4-7 60 Jun 1 M 36-48Darmera (Umbrella Plant) P 5-7 24-48 Apr 2 M 36-48Delphinium (Delphinium) B, L, P, Pu, W 4-8 24-84 Jun-Oct 1 M 12-30Dianthus (Garden Pink) P, R, W, mixed 4-8 4-18 May-Sep 1-2 D-M 8-24Dicentra (Bleeding Heart) P, W 3-9 10-36 May-Sep 1-2-3 M-W 12-30Digitalis (Foxglove) P, R, W, Y 4-8 30-48 Jun-Jul 1-2 M 12-18Echinacea (Purple Coneflower) R/Pu, W 3-9 40 Jun-Oct 1-2 D-M 18-24Echinops (Globe Thistle) B 3-7 30-36 Jul-Aug 1-2 M 15Epimedium (Barrenwort) P, W, Y 5-8 10-30 May-Jun 2-3 M 12-15Eryngium (Sea Holly) B, W 5-8 24-36 Jun-Aug 1 D-M 18-24Ferns foliage 2-9 12-72 – 1-2-3 M-W 12-30Geranium (Cranesbill) B, P, W 4-7 8-48 May-Aug 1-2 M 12-24Grasses & Bamboo tan, W 4-10 6-84 Jun-Dec 1-2 D-M-W 12-48Helenium O/R, R 3-9 36 Aug-Sep 1 M-W 15-18Heliopsis (False Sunflower) Y 5-9 48 Jun-Sep 1 D-M 18-30Helleborus (Hellebore) P, Pu, W 3-8 8-18 Feb-May 2-3 M 12-24

PERENNIALS (for footnotes see previous page)FLOWER HARDINESS HEIGHT BLOOM SPACING

GENUS COLOR 1 ZONES 2 (inches) TIME 3 SUN 4 SOIL 5 (inches) 6

Hemerocallis (Daylily) all but blue 3-9 18-48 May-Oct 1-2 D-M 15-30Hosta (Hosta) L, W, foliage 3-9 12-48 Jul-Oct 2-3 D-M-W 12-36Heuchera (Coral Bells) W, P, R 4-9 10-24 Jun-Aug 1-2-3 M 15-18Iris, bearded all colors 3-9 10-48 May-Jun 1 M 18-24Iris ensata (Japanese Iris) B, P, Pu, R, W 4-9 36-48 Jun-Jul 1 M-W 18-24Iris sibirica (Siberian Iris) B, Pu, W, Y 3-8 10-36 May-Jun 1-2 D-M-W 15-18Kirengeshoma (Waxbells) Y 5-7 36-48 Aug-Sep 2 M 36-48Lamium (Dead Nettle) P, W, foliage 4-8 12 Jun-Jul 2-3 D-M 12-18Lavandula (Lavender) B, P, L, W 5-8 12-36 Jun-Aug 1 D-M 12-36Liatris (Gayfeather) P, Pu, W 3-8 24-60 Jul-Sep 1-2 D-M 12-18Liriope (Lilyturf) L, W 5-10 20 Aug-Sep 1-2-3 D-M-W 12-18Lobelia (Lobelia) Pu, R 5-8 36-48 Jul-Sep 1-2 M-W 12-18Lupinus (Lupin) mixed 3-8 18-24 Jun-Jul 1 M 15-18Malva (Mallow) B, P, Pu, W 3-9 24-48 Jul-Oct 1 M 15-24Mertensia (Virginia Bluebells) B 3-8 18 Apr-May 2-3 M 12-18Monarda (Bee Balm) P, Pu, R, W 3-8 30-42 Jul-Aug 1-2 M-W 15-20Nepeta (Catmint) B 3-8 12-48 Jun-Sep 1-2 D-M 12-30Paeonia (Peony) P, R, W 4-8 26-48 Jun 1 M 18-30Papaver (Oriental Poppy) O, P, R 3-7 24-40 Jun 1 M 15-20Penstemon (Penstemon) P, Pu, W 3-9 18-36 Jun-Sep 1-2 D-M 12-18Perovskia (Russian Sage) B 4-9 36-48 Jul-Sep 1 D-M 24-30Phlox (Garden Phlox) P, R, W 3-8 30-40 Jun-Sep 1 M 18-24Platycodon (Balloon Flower) B, W 3-8 15-40 Jun-Sep 1-2 M 12-18Polygonatum (Solomon’s Seal) W 5-8 24 May-Jun 2-3 M-W 12-18Primula (Primrose) L, P, mixed 3-8 4-24 Apr-Jul 2-3 M-W 8-12Pulmonaria (Lungwort) B/P 3-8 12 Apr-May 2-3 M-W 12-18Rudbeckia (Coneflower) Y 3-9 24-30 Jul-Oct 1 M 18-24Salvia (Sage) B, L, P 4-9 18-36 May-Aug 1 M 12-18Scabiosa (Scabious) B, P, W, Y 4-8 15-48 May-Nov 1 D-M 12-18Sedum (Stonecrop) P 4-9 18-24 Aug-Sep 1 M 12-18Smilacina (False Solomon’s Seal) W (R fruit) 3-8 24-36 Jun-Jul 2-3 M-W 12-18Stachys (Betony) W 5-9 10-12 Jul-Aug 1-2 D-M 12-15Stokesia (Stokes’ Aster) B, W 5-9 20-24 Jul-Sep 1 D-M 12-18Thalictrum (Meadow Rue) L, W 4-10 36-96 Jun-Aug 2 M-W 12-18Tiarella (Foam Flower) W 3-9 12-18 May-Sep 2-3 M-W 12-18Tricyrtis (Toad Lily) V, W 5-8 15-24 Sep-Oct 2-3 M 12-15Trollius (Globeflower) O, Y 4-7 16-24 May-Jun 1-2 M-W 12-18Veronica (Speedwell) B 3-8 3-24 May-Oct 1 D-M 12-18Veronicastrum (Culver’s Root) W 3-8 48-60 Aug-Sep 1-2 M-W 24-30

SHRUBSFLOWER HARDINESS HEIGHT BLOOM SPACING

GENUS COLOR 1 ZONES 2 (feet) TIME 3 SUN 4 SOIL 5 (feet) 6

Aronia (Chokeberry) W (R fruit) 5-8 6-10 May 1-2 D-M-W 9Buddleia (Butterfly Bush) P, Pu, R/Pu 5-9 5-8 Jun-Sep 1 M 4-10Callicarpa (Beauty Berry) Pu fruit 5-8 4-6 Aug– 1-2 M 4Caryopteris (Bluebeard) B 5-9 3-4 Aug-Oct 1 D-M 2½Clethra (Sweet Pepperbush) F-P, W 4-9 4-6 Aug 1-2 D-M-W 8Corylus (Hazelnut) Pu 4-8 6-12 May 1-2 M 6-12Cotinus (Smokebush) Pu/R 5-8 8-10 Jul-Aug 1-2 M 10-15Deutzia (Deutzia) P, W 5-8 5-6 May 1 M 4-6Fothergilla (Fothergilla) F-W 5-8 3-4 May 1-2 M 3-4Hamamellis (Witch Hazel) O, Y 5-8 10-15 Feb-Mar, Oct 1-2 M 10-15Heathers & Heaths L, P, Pu, R, W 4-8 1-3 Jan-Nov 1 M ½-2Hydrangea (Hydrangea) B, P, W 4-8 6-10 Jul-Aug 1-2 M 4-10Ilex (Holly) R fruit 4-8 5-8 May 1-2-3 M-W 10Indigofera (Indigo) P 5-8 3-4 Jun-Sep 1 D-M 4Kalmia (Mountain Laurel) P, R/W 4-7 5-7 Jun 1-2-3 M 6-10Microbiota (Microbiota) - 3-7 ½-1½ - 1-2 M 6-8Paeonia (Tree Peony) F-P, Pu, R, W, Y 4-8 4-5 May-Jun 1-2 M 4-5Potentilla (Cinquefoil) W 3-7 4-6 Jun-Oct 1-2 D-M-W 4Rhododendron (Rhododendron) F-L, P, Pu, W 4-8 3-8 Apr-Jul 1-2 M 4-6Rosa (Rose) F-L, P, R, W, Y 4-9 6-10 May-Oct 1 M 1½-8Spiraea (Spirea) P, W 4-9 3-5 May-Sep 1-2 M 2-9Syringa (Lilac) F-B, Pu/R, W 5-7 8-10 May-Jun 1 M 6-8Viburnum (Viburnum) F-P/W, W 5-8 5-10 Apr-Oct 1 M 5-8

FOOTNOTES:1 B = blue, L = lavender, O = orange, P = pink, Pu = purple, R = red, W = white, Y = yellow.2 Varieties within a genus or species will grow in the zones listed. See our Web site for the USDA hardiness zone map.3 Indicates bloom time outdoors in Litchfield. Plants in pots may bloom up to 4 weeks earlier.4 1 = full sun; 2 = partial shade; 3 = shade, bright light but no direct sun.5 D = dries quickly, even after heavy rain; M = moderately moist and well drained;. W = wet, never flooding, but constantly moist;6 Indicates distance between plants in a group.

p l a n t s e l e c t i o n c h a r t

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Page 14: Designing your Garden

A BG

H

E F

C D

A

C

This garden grows near the nursery on a narrow road lined withancient Sugar Maples. Virginia Bluebells and old-fashioned BleedingHearts, both pink and white, spread on their own there among varie-gated Solomon’s Seal. Over the years we’ve added the Emerald IsleHosta collection, our favorite ground cover for shade. The Hostas arejust waking up as the others are in bloom, but once fully unfurled,their leaves create a lush, weed-smothering carpet. The Shady LaneGarden includes two plants of Dicentra spectabilis, one of D. s. ‘Alba’,five of Polygonatum odoratum ‘Variegatum’, six of Mertensia virginica,plus five plants of four different Hostas.Garden measures approx. 5ft × 20ft. Tallest plant is Dicentra (36in).

zones 4–8s/9w 2

A Dicentra spectabilis (2)B Dicentra spectabilis ‘Alba’ (1)C Mertensia virginica (6)DPolygonatum odoratum

‘Variegatum’ (5)

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E Hosta (5)F Hosta (5)GHosta (5)HHosta (5)

Shady Lane Garden

Page 15: Designing your Garden

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Deer won’t bother with this garden, but you’ll love its long season ofbloom and varied foliage forms and colors. From May throughSeptember, the plants provide a spectrum of harmonious flowers inshades of blue, rose, yellow, and white, offset by the greens, burgundy,and silvers of foliage. The tawny spikes of Feather Reed Grass carry theshow through fall and into winter.

Garden measures approx. 5ft x 20ft. Tallest plant is Calamagrostis‘Karl Foerster’ (5–6ft).

zones 5–7s/8w 1

A Weigela Wine & Roses™ (1)B Phlox paniculata ‘David’ (3)C Calamagrostis ‘Karl Foerster’ (2)DSalvia nemorosa ‘Caradonna’ (3)E Echinacea (3)F Perovskia atriplicifolia (1)

GCoreopsis ‘Moonbeam’ (4)HStachys byzantina ‘Big Ears’ (3)I Amsonia hubrichtii (3)J Geranium ‘Rozanne’ (3)K Calamintha nepeta nepeta (2)L Monarda (3)

Deer-Resistant Garden for Sun

A

C

D

F

H

I

J K

L

C

B

G

E

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Cool Lights Shade Garden

B

A

I

C E

GH

B

JK

E

F

DA Hydrangea serrata ‘Blue Billow’ (3)B Hosta ‘Thunderbolt’ (3)C Cimicifuga ‘Hillside Black Beauty’ (1) DDryopteris erythrosora ‘Brilliance’ (2)E Astilbe ‘Pink Lightning’ (4)F Dicentra ‘Ivory Hearts’ (3)

GHeuchera ‘Obsidian’ (3)HHakonechloa macra ‘All Gold’ (3)I x Heucherella ‘Stoplight’ (3)J Hosta ‘Fire and Ice’ (3)K Dicentra ‘Candy Hearts’ (3)

Designed by our head gardener, this garden for partial shade combinesshrubs and perennials with colorful flowers and foliage that will pro-vide a long season of interest. Garden measures approx. 8ft by 24ft.Tallest plant is Hydrangea serrata ‘Blue Billow’ (3–4ft).

zones 5–7s/9w 2

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Sultry Delights Garden for Sun

R

J

O

CF

H

IK

LE

G

D

B

A

L

M

N

PQ

QNP

A Buddleia davidii ‘Guinevere’ (1)B Phlox paniculata ‘Junior Dance’ (3)C Nepeta yunnanensis (1)D Hemerocallis ‘Daring Deception’ (1)E Daphne ‘Summer Ice’ (1)F Achillea ‘Summerwine’ (3)G Hemerocallis ‘Apricot Sparkles’ (3)H Calamintha nepeta nepeta (3)I Veronica ‘Pink Damask’ (2)

J Leptodermis oblonga (2)K Rosa Carefree Wonder™ (2)L Caryopteris Grand Bleu™ (2)M Echinacea ‘Fragrant Angel’ (2)N Delphinium ‘Pagan Purples’ (2)O Monarda ‘Coral Reef ’ (2)P Achillea ‘Gold Plate’ (2)Q Eryngium ‘Sapphire Blue’ (2)R Echinacea ‘Sundown’ (2)

This garden is a collection of brazen sun worshippers. Many have along season of bloom as well and will attract hummingbirds and dif-ferent varieties of butterflies to your yard. Garden measures approx.15ft by 25ft. Tallest plant is Buddleia davidii ‘Guinevere’ (8-10ft).

zones 5–7s/9w 1

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A Selection of Long-blooming PerennialsAchillea ‘Moonshine’ (Yarrow)Aster x frikartii ‘Mönch’ (Aster)

Boltonia ‘Pink Beauty’ (Boltonia)Calamintha nepeta nepeta (Calamint)

Centranthus ruber and C. r. ‘Snowcloud’ (Valerian)Coreopsis (Tickseed)Corydalis (Corydalis)

Dicentra (Bleeding Heart)Echinacea (Purple Coneflower)

Heliopsis (False Sunflower)Hemerocallis ‘Happy Returns’ and

‘Stella de Oro’ (Daylily)Nepeta sibirica (Catmint)Perovskia (Russian Sage)

Rudbeckia ‘Goldsturm’ (Black-eyed Susan)Salvia ‘Rose Wine’ and ‘May Night’

Scabiosa ‘Butterfly Blue’ and ‘Pink Mist’ (Scabious)Stokesia (Stokes’ Aster)

Veronica ‘Goodness Grows’

Plants that Thrive in ShadeAruncus (Goatsbeard)Asarum (Wild Ginger)

Astilbe (Astilbe)Convallaria (Lily-of-the-Valley)

Corydalis (Corydalis)Dicentra (Bleeding Heart)

FernsHelleborus (Hellebore)

Hosta (Hosta)Lamium (Dead Nettle)

Liriope (Lilyturf)Mertensia (Virginia Bluebells)Polygonatum (Solomon’s Seal)

Primula (Primrose)Pulmonaria (Lungwort)

Smilacina (False Solomon’s Seal)Tiarella (Foamflower)

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Silvery blue tones of Eryngium ‘SapphireBlue’ bring the weathered bench and stonewall into a mellow composition of Sedum‘Black Jack’ and Nepeta, punched up withthe peachy pink Coneflower, EchinaceaBig Sky™ ‘Sundown’.

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