Right Plant, Right Place - Lopaholics

A common landscape mistake that both homeowners and landscape professionals make is to choose the wrong plant for its intended spot. Sometimes the reason for the mismatch is due to unmet cultural needs or a lack of plant cold hardiness, and sometimes it is because the eventual size of the plant is wrong for its given spot. In the former, a sort of horticultural Darwinism applies, and the plant struggles or dies. In the latter, the plant happily establishes itself and grows to exceed its allotted space. Then the loppers or hedge shears are taken off the hook on the wall, and the mistake is "corrected". Some people are so eager to correct these mistakes that they do so several times each year.

There should be a 12-step program for lopper addicts, something like Plantabusers Anonymous ("Hi. My name is Tim, and I...I am a lopaholic. I can't help myself. I see a bush, and I gotta get the hedge shears out. I crave the smell of clippings on a Saturday morning. My father was a lopaholic, too...; I got the habit from him...")

Consider the use of the so-called dwarf burning bush (Euonymus alatus 'Compactus') near the home. This plant provides little interest to the landscape except for a couple of weeks in the fall, when its leaves turn ruby-red before dropping. The word "dwarf" is actually a misnomer: the standard form of the burning bush will get to fifteen feet in height, and the same in spread. The dwarf form will easily get to twelve feet, both in height and width: hardly a dwarf. When I advise people against the use of this plant near the house, I am usually told "That's OK, I can hack it back each year." (That's one of the warning signs of lopaholism). If you want a plant to get no more than four feet tall because it is to be planted below a window, then it makes sense to choose a plant that won't grow any taller than four feet, rather than one that must be cut back regularly. (By the way, burning bushes, dwarf or not, are now categorized as invasive exotics that spread into the natural landscape by their prolific seeds, displacing native plants. A ban against their sale and distribution is presently under consideration in New Hampshire as well as other northeastern states.)

There are many other examples as well, all of which are typically found in "foundation plantings" on any street or road. Most yews are actually trees, unless we clip them into cones, hockey pucks and McNuggets. Arborvitae and hemlocks will become tall as well: usually to forty feet or more. And large-leaved rhododendrons will one day become house-eating green monsters as well. All of these require periodic lopping to prevent them from reaching their genetically-programmed size.

There are many choices of plants that will fit comfortably around a house better than the usual choices we usually see. Instead of the typical large-leaved rhododendrons, why not try some of the compact types? 'Boule de Neige' is a dandy, with white flowers in late May. This variety, although less common, has been available for about a hundred years or more. It performs better in New Hampshire than 'Cunningham's White' or 'Chionoides', which are easier to find. Weston Nurseries, in Hopkinton, Massachusetts has developed some other compact rhododendrons with pink or red flowers. These may be difficult to locate. Or, try some of the compact small-leaved hybrids, which are usually hardier anyway, especially in full sun. 'Waltham' will only grow to about three feet in height, and wider than tall. The Wilson rhododendron (Rh. laetivirens) will become a bit taller, but no more than four feet, and has excellent foliage that somewhat resembles that of mountain laurel. Both of these have clear pink flowers in May.



Rather than the ubiquitous yew, why not try a dwarf conifer? There are many types available, more than the number of varieties of yews, including dwarf forms of spruce, false cypress (Chamaecyparis spp.) and fir. Foliage colors range from green to yellow and blue. Most of these will never need trimming, if the right plant is selected for the spot.

For shrubs, put forsythias and burning bushes in a shrub border, where they can grow as tall as they please, and replace them with an assortment of ornamental shrubs. Some of my favorites are the many forms of Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii), which provide at least 6 months of interest. A dwarf form of the native summersweet (Clethra alnifolia 'Compacta') is especially nice, with fragrant flowers in mid-summer. It will get no more than four feet tall. It has proved hardier than the other compact form called 'Hummingbird'. There are several spireas that have interesting foliage as well as early summer flowers: Spirea albiflora, or the white-flowered spirea, will get no more than three feet tall; Spirea 'Magic Carpet' has colorful yellowish foliage with burgundy tones at the tips of the branches. It, as well as the dwarf alpine spirea (S. japonica 'Alpina') are superb in the mixed border, where they associate well with perennials.

Dwarf weigelas, fothergillas,and winterberry are but some of the other choices of plants available that will not outgrow their welcome in the garden. Their size makes them adaptable to the traditional foundation planting, as well as to their inclusion in a perennial garden or mixed border.

If low maintenance is your goal, why not choose plants that don't need to be cut back to keep them in check? There are many advantages: no wondering if you have just cut off next year's flower buds, the natural shape of the plant is maintained, and you have more time to do other activities. Like cutting the lawn.


The previous article originally appeared in the Hollis Times, Hollis, NH.

Mellow a Garden with Yellow

Although it has been said that the imitation of nature is the most difficult of the arts, there is much to be gained from the attempt. Indeed, it is from nature that most good garden designers receive their creative inspiration. Careful observations of how plants arrange themselves in the natural world, and how they change with the seasons, stir designers to interpret such vignettes in abstract or realistic presentations that we call gardens.

If one looks closely, there is beauty to be found everywhere, even in the most banal of scenes. One can find inspiration in the verticality of reeds piercing the rippled surface of a pond, or in the interplay of light and shadow on plants growing at the edge of woods; even the desert-like existence of a gravelly bank reveals textures and patterns that appeal.

Although my attention is sometimes captured by a meadowy field of flowers, I am more often moved by the colors of leaves against a blue sky, in much the same way as when viewing a stained glass window illuminated by sunshine. When similarly backlit, leaves reveal that they are not all the same shade of green. There are deep greens, blue- greens, gray -greens, yellow -greens, and every shade in between, not to mention plants with reddish or wine-colored leaves. Such variation of leaf color is what adds beauty to a natural landscape, and to a garden as well. Of course, flowers usually enhance the scene as well, but they are ephemeral, to be ravished briefly before they pass. Leaves endure for months, if not longer.

Were all leaves the same shade of green, a garden would be less interesting, and would depend more upon varying shapes, sizes, and textures to stimulate the viewer. Lacking those differences, the scene would have little appeal. Think of a lush, weed-free lawn, which is, after all, a garden composed of millions of plants: it may be lovely for a moment, but quickly becomes boring, and one's view is carried to its surroundings for visual relief.

Varying shades of green enliven a landscape, by enhancing each other. Dark greens make light greens even brighter, and blue-greens bluer. It is tempting to think that these are healthy shades of green, since yellow leaves are often associated with ill health or lack of fertility. For this reason many gardeners have an aversion to yellow leaved plants. But by observing nature, we can see that some leaves are indeed yellow-green when in good health. In spring, the new growth of grass as well as other foliage is often pale green. In the full richness of summer, a maturing meadow has a lot of yellow leaves, which stand out against the bluish-green of pines. I particularly enjoy passing by salt marshes at the ocean on sunny August days, and seeing the very pale green leaves of the marsh grass against the deep blue of the sky or the gray-green of the water. In fall, yellow leaves are all around, and in winter, have you noticed how some pines on roadsides become almost golden?

When choosing plants to fill your garden, it is important to imagine plants in a garden context: a tall, thin plant may look too narrow examined at the nursery, or when viewed in a book, but imagine what it would look like in a garden, with spreading plants nearby for contrast. The differences in form are accentuated in each other's presence. Similarly, a plant with yellowish leaves may appear in need of nutrients if you have a bias toward deep green foliage, but be daring, and try putting that plant next to other shades of green. The resulting contrast confers a luminous quality on the yellow-greens, and thereby creates more interest.

There are many plants whose leaves are lighter than the norm, whatever the norm is. Many of them are variegated with yellow, creamy or white leaf portions, which I am especially fond of, but variegated plants are for another article. Most plants with entirely yellow leaves are brightest early in the season, and become closer to green as the season progresses. Some of my favorite yellow-leaved shrubs are the golden barberry (Berberis thunbergii 'Aurea', or 'Bonanza Gold'), golden elderberry (Sambucus canadensis 'Aurea' or 'Sutherlandii'). A wild new spirea with buttery foliage from spring through fall is Spirea thunbergii 'Mellow Yellow', which bears tiny white flowers in spring. For trees, try the rare but choice golden black locust (Robinia pseudacacia 'Frisia'), or the similarly textured golden honey locust (Gleditsia triacanthos 'Sunburst').

There are innumerable dwarf conifers that have yellow or golden needles. Perhaps most well known are the false cypresses (Chamaecyparis species.), represented notably by the yellow thread-leaved false cypress (Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Gold Spangle' is one of many forms). Also easy to find are golden junipers (Juniperus species.), such as the gold-tipped Pfitzer juniper. Less common, but very choice, are the golden forms of our native pasture juniper, such as the bullet-shaped Gold Cone (Juniperus communis 'Gold Cone'), and the golden mutation of the prostrate Bar Harbor juniper called Mother Lode (Juniperus horizontalis 'Mother Lode'). Golden pines (Pinus species.), firs (Abies species.) and spruces (Picea species.) are rarer still, but available.

There are many perennials whose leaves are anything from light green to golden as well. Many hostas have been selected for their rich yellow foliage, which brighten up a shady area. There are gold-leaved forms of sedges (Carex elata 'Bowles Golden', among others) which also are best for shade, and grasses which prefer sun that have yellowish leaves, such as autumn moor grass (Sesleria autumnalis), and especially the new golden form of fescue (Festuca glauca), called 'Golden Toupee'. Bellflowers (Campanula species), Speedwells (Veronica species) and other popular perennials also appear in yellow-leaved forms.

A couple of tender perennials used as annuals in our climate that have been popular lately are such plants as the Coleus, more often found with reddish foliage but there are pure yellow forms as well; sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas 'Marguerite'), with chartreuse foliage, and the yellow form of licorice plant (Helichrysum petiolarum 'Limelight'). The latter two make excellent plants for hanging baskets and other container plantings.

When using yellow-leaved plants in the garden, a little goes a long way. Just as too much of the same shade of green is dull, too much yellow can be overpowering. Try to work in different shades of green, including deep greens which act as a foil to the lighter shades, and a bit of yellow, which will make your garden appear richer, mellow, and pleasing to the eye. If you aren't sure how to find the right balance, consult a garden designer. Or, seek inspiration from all around you and see how nature so easily achieves what we all strive for. And then be daring. Go for the gold.


The previous article originally appeared in the Hollis Times, Hollis, NH.

When to Plant?

"But it's too late to plant!" said my sister the other day when she asked for recommendations about what to plant around her house. "Don't I need to wait until fall?" These questions are frequently asked, indicating the widespread but incorrect belief that all plants must be in the ground by Memorial Day, or they won't survive.

In fact, plants can be installed almost anytime that the soil isn't frozen. Better plant harvesting techniques and the culture of plants in containers have removed the barriers of planting in summer. When I told her this, she then asked another common question: "But won't I have to water it more often in the summer?" The answer is yes, that is true, but you also have to water plants installed earlier in the year throughout the summer as well, so there is little difference.

Such myths are unfortunate, because they cause people to think that the only time they can create or improve their gardens is confined to a very narrow window of time. This results in a rush to get things done in the spring, instead of at a more relaxed pace throughout the 6 or 7 months that it is safe to plant. Such belief also creates a frequent complaint of gardeners: that they don't have enough color in their gardens after June. Gardeners usually choose plants that are in flower when they purchase them. If they are making their plant purchases in the spring, then it is no wonder that their gardens are only green in the summer or fall. Now is the time to add more color to the garden, besides the use of annuals. There are many plants that will flower in early to midsummer, and from late summer to autumn: from deciduous trees, shrubs and vines, to hardy perennials. Late-blooming spireas are just now coming into flower, as are potentillas and even summer-flowering azaleas such as the variety 'Pink and Sweet' and others. Late lilacs continue to bloom, well after the familiar French hybrids have faded into memory: 'Donald Wyman' and 'James MacFarlane' included, as well as the Japanese tree lilac (Syringa amurensis). Soon to follow is the rare but hardy stewartia (Stewartia pseudocamellia), whose botanical name reveals that its flower resembles a white camellia, opening throughout the summer.

In mid-July and after, the butterfly bushes (Buddleia davidii hybrids) are in bloom. An earlier column highlighted these colorful and fragrant plants that will remain in blossom until fall. Summersweet, a hardy native shrub, also blooms in July, bearing fragrant flowers that are creamy white, and sometimes slightly pinkish. The compact form of this plant (Clethra alnifolia 'Compacta') is one of my favorites for summer blooms.

Also consider that many plants offer wonderful foliage for about 6 months of the year, and that the leaves can be quite colorful. There are many forms of Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii) that come to mind, from the relatively common compact 'Crimson Pygmy' to 'Rose Glow', which has wonderfully variegated leaves which are splashed with pink, cream and purple on the new branches. 'Gold Ring' has a thin golden margin around each leaf on the new growth as well. 'Golden Nugget' is a new, quite compact form with bright yellow leaves throughout the summer on a tight mound-shaped plant. Other variegated and colorfully-leaved plants also come to mind, such as the variegated shrub dogwood (Cornus alba 'Argenteo-marginata'). Such plants work well with perennials in the mixed border garden, whether in a foundation planting or further from the house.

As for perennials, there are many that will bloom for a long time, once the days turn warm. Salvias such as the variety 'Blue Hill' honored as plant of the year by the Perennial Plant Association, Knautia, Scabiosa 'Pink Mist' and 'Butterfly Blue' all will flower throughout the summer, with periodic deadheading. And remember Hostas for their foliage effects as well as their later flowers.

Daylilies are now coming into bloom, and there are many varieties to choose from, from early- to late-season bloomers. Many of the newer hybrids also have an encore performance a few weeks after the initial show of flowers. Tall garden phlox (Phlox paniculata hybrids) will soon be in bloom as well. Choose the forms that are powdery-mildew resistant, such as the pink 'Eva Cullem' or the white 'David'. Russian sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia) is a welcome addition to the August garden, with its stalks of bluish flowers and grey foliage. And soon, plants for the summer meadow or border will be on display. Tall coreopsis of different types, rudbeckias, coneflowers, and many others can be planned and planted now for cheerful late-summer flowers, and consider some grasses to complement them in the garden.

As you can see, the flowering season needn't stop when the first day of summer arrives, nor should the gardening season. Take advantage of these warm, pleasant days of sunshine that we have yearned for since late last summer. Decide what your garden needs for summer beauty, and do something daring. Plant it.


The previous article originally appeared in the Hollis Times, Hollis, NH.