Picking out the right permanent plants will give your landscapes great color throughout the year. They will complement your house and the flowers you chose for the rest of your garden. That’s why many considerations need to go into choosing the foundation plantings that work best for your yard. Here are some things to think about before you start planting:
It is always tempting to go out to your local big box store and buy some shrubs that look beautiful, plant them, and call it good. Unfortunately, this approach often leads to disappointment. Taking the time to research the conditions on your property and finding plants that will fit best is worth the effort. You will need to know what kind of soil you have and whether you’ll need organic fertilizers to improve it, the amount of sunlight your yard gets, and other factors that may affect the success of your plants. Here’s what you need to know:
In landscape design, planning is critical. If you’re trying to cover up a foundation that is unattractive, you’ll want evergreen plants such as leafy or needled shrubs. Once you’ve picked these out, you can match them with deciduous trees and shrubs and perennials.
You will also want to think about the timing of blooms - having plants that provide you color throughout the year will give your yard life even in the dead of winter. Some of the plants listed below can help you achieve this. Timing your blooms so that they balance each other out will make your garden look rich and full.
After reviewing these general tips, you may be wondering what specific foundation plants you should consider. Here are a few favorites:
Also be sure not to forget about late bloomers like Cornus Kousa (sometimes called a Korean dogwood) or Clethra alnifolioa, commonly known as sweet pepperbush. These plants bloom in August and emit a beautiful scent that is especially popular with hummingbirds.
Establishing beautiful foundation plantings can be a lot of work at first, but they give your house an attractive and natural look. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, we can help walk you through every step of the process, from assessing the conditions in your yard, to picking out the plants that will look lovely and thrive there.
Moodscapes LLC is an organic landscape design and service company with a focus on helping you extend your life outdoors to enjoy activities on your own, as a family and with friends. We create opportunities for you to commune with and find joy and peace in nature and to live in an ecologically friendly and healthy environment. Please explore our landscape services and the portfolio that demonstrates many examples of our work.