Creating Interest and Colour in a Garden

By Kristian Laws

The best way to design outdoor planting décor is to consider the garden an extension of the indoor living area. The plants will be a continuation of the interior style; design choices should work to create a cohesive living space, indoors and outdoors.

Start by looking around the planting area. Though most plants will grow well with enough help, a landscaper should determine which part of the property faces north or south, and what grows well (and poorly) in the neighbour’s yard.

Some plants flourish in areas where they shouldn’t, based on climate and planting zone. These areas offer a microclimate, especially if they are in a region sheltered from prevailing winds and colder temperatures. This can also happen along coastal areas, where warmer offshore breezes create havens for certain plants.

That said, why fight nature? If certain plants are always a chore or struggling to grow, a garden will be a constant source of disappointment, instead of the fun family learning experience it should be.

Once the climate zone and best location have been determined, think about plant colours and how they will be used in the garden. While it is important to consider the colour of both flowers and foliage, always remember flowers can be fleeting; the foliage, however, will remain.

Colour in the garden is as important as it is in the home; it sets the mood and should be compatible with the homeowner’s likes, style and taste. While bright, bold colours can enhance the greyest of days, they can often be overbearing in small areas or during prolonged sunny periods. Lighter colours, on the other hand, create a feeling of tranquility and a cool, calming effect, but can be lost during periods of extended cloud cover.

The shape and size of a plant, in its most mature form, are also important. Any plant that eventually blocks the view, lifts the landscape, enters the drainage system or overtakes a property border, thereby dwarfing (and possibly annihilating) all other plants, should be avoided.

If children or pets use the yard, consider their needs when choosing plants. Delicate foliage and blooms are not always ideal in an environment where ball games are played and the pet dog runs free.

Ultimately, if plants are chosen carefully, a garden will thrive. Here are some suggestions:

Abelia (yellow and green variegated)
Abelias (yellow and green variegated) make great plants in green and variegated forms with either golden-orange or silver and yellow margins on the leaves, mixed with green. All abelias produce an abundance of either white or pink flowers throughout late spring and summer. They are beautiful as either individual specimen plants or grouped together in multiples. All are evergreen to semi-evergreen: during the fall, foliage turns an assortment of yellow, orange and red tones. These plants do well in most conditions, in full sun to full shade. They grow from 1 to 1.5 m (3 to 5 ft) tall and 1.2 to 1.8 m (4 to 6 ft) wide but can easily be kept compact with light pruning.

Abutilon (hot pink)
Abutilon (hot pink) is an evergreen shrub or small tree with delicate flowers and soft foliage. Other abutilon varieties offer red or yellow flowers, with some types sporting variegated yellow and green leaves. Taller varieties can reach 2.4 to 3 m (8 to 10 ft) in height and width, though they can be kept lower with pinch pruning. All types are best planted in locations with morning sun or dappled shade, with moderate to regular water. For colder zones, abutilons make an ideal plant for a conservatory or sheltered garden spot against a warm house wall.

Achillea (sunbeam)
Achillea (sunbeam) is a truly beautiful herbaceous perennial with upright bright yellow flower clusters. Although often planted individually, achillea is most impressive when planted in groups of three or more. When planted in full sun, they will 457 to 609 mm (18in to 2 ft) tall, with flowers at the very top of the foliage.

Bougainvillea (golden jackpot)
Bougainvillea (golden jackpot) create a splash of vibrant colour with flowers and bracts (leaves) of red, orange, pink or white. It offers an abundance or gorgeous purple flowers, accompanied by a contrasting green leaf with golden borders. The problem with most bougainvillea, is once the colour has gone, the foliage offers little interest. Unlike other bougainvilleas, golden jackpot stay dense, reaching a height of 2.4 to 3 m (8 to 10 ft) when supported. Best grown in full sun, they also make great ground cover over level terrain or hillsides, growing 381 mm (15 in) tall and 1.2 to 1.8 m (4 to 6 ft) wide.

Caryopteris x clandonensis (blue-mist)
Caryopteris x clandonensis (blue-mist) makes an ideal shrubby perennial for a sunny border, with beautiful blue colours from June through late summer. This plant is relatively drought-tolerant and extremely heat-tolerant, requiring little water. The most important consideration with all caryopteris varieties is the need for vigorous pruning after flowering has finished; this will ensure continued compact growth and flowers the following season. This plant will not endure frost, so it needs to be grown in warmer areas. If pruned annually, it will grow 762 mm (2.5 ft) tall and wide. For a more dramatic effect, they should be planted in groups of three or more.

Gardenia jasminoides (white gem)
Gardenia jasminoides (white gem) produces the sweet fragrance of gardenias. This new variety offers compact evergreen growth, making it ideal for small gardens, container planting or raised borders. The flowers have single star-like shapes with six petals. Unlike the larger double flowers of most gardenia types, white gem can easily withstand rain showers without spoiling. Even when not flowering, dark green leaves offer an attractive point of interest. Best grown in full to partial sun, this plant is slow-growing to a maximum of 609 mm (2 ft) tall and wide. The ground should be kept moist, but not overwatered.

Geranium (jolly bee)
Geranium (jolly bee) is part of the hardy geranium family, not to be confused with the seasonal geranium with its red, pink or white flowers. Geraniums offer soft mounding, green ground-hugging foliage and flowers in many shades of blue, white and pink. As a perennial plant, they require cutting back after flowering to preserve their shape, prevent plants from becoming leggy and ensure a fresh show of gorgeous flowers. Geraniums grow well in sun to partial shade and require little maintenance. They are often used under trees, where the flowers and green leaves combine to carpet the ground.

Hebe (wiri blush)
Hebe (wiri blush) is part of the hebe plant family, offering cultivars for almost every situation. Wiri blush has rich, glossy evergreen leaves and masses of hot pink flowers from spring through summer. With its compact form, it does well in both containers and borders. It should be pruned after flowering to maintain its density and motivate new growth. Growing to a height and width of 1.2 m (4 ft), wiri blush should be planted in areas with light shade.

Lantana (bandana cherry)
Lantana (bandana cherry) makes a great addition to most gardens. While lantanas are sometimes regarded as too ordinary for the gardening connoisseur, every plant has its place. With the correct location and variety, bandana cherry displays a mix of hot pink and yellow flowers making it more interesting than solid flowering types. Lantanas flower from late spring to fall and are perennial in climate zones 9 through 11; in zones three through 8, it is an annual only. All lantanas make great ground- covering plants and will tolerate extreme heat and dry areas with poor soil conditions.

Rosa flower (carpet scarlet)
Carpet roses are low-maintenance, ground-cover plants offering a long flowering period from spring to fall. They are available in yellow, pink and white, but strong red is a favourite as it offers a stark contrast to the plant’s soft green leaves. Carpet roses make ideal weed-suppressing shrubs and, unlike most roses, offer great disease resistance, producing attractive healthy foliage without the need to spray. A deciduous shrub in colder regions, it requires full sun and well-drained soil, growing 762 mm (30 in.) tall and 1 m (3 ft) wide.

Scabiosa (butterfly blue)
Available in pink, blue and creamy white, scabiosa (butterfly blue) form a low mound of ferny green foliage, with pincushion flowers appearing from late spring to late fall. As with most flowering plants, faded flowers must be removed to prevent formation of seed pods, which will slow down (and eventually stop) new flower production. Scabiosa are ideal for mass planting or at the front of a border; they also make great window-box or container plants and are very drought-tolerant once established.

Viburnum tinus (spring bouquet)
A flowering plant with lightly fragrant, pinkish-white blooms in spring and summer, viburnum tinus (spring bouquet) is a hardy evergreen shrub that makes a beautiful addition to most gardens. Dark green foliage provides interest all year, while dense growth makes it a great choice for small hedges and screen planting. It can be grown as individual specimens or in groups, ideally in full sun. Spring bouquet grows 1.2 to 1.8 m (4 to 6 ft) tall and wide and is easily controlled with light trimming to accommodate available green space.