Planting DesignDiscover the right plants for your garden.
Kubota Garden . Photo by : Rebecca Sweet
When designing garden , one of the first things I do is focalise on fundamental morphological plants that will provide interestingness throughout the year while also serving a myriad of office . Often foretell ‘ statement works ’ or ‘ architectural plant , ’ geomorphologic plants have secure , unique , and come across shapes , whether from their physical body , foliation , flowers , or branching radiation pattern . Structural works , however , are more than just a conversation piece or something to delight the eye ; their functional aspects are critical to the success of a garden .
For example , many geomorphologic plants are referred to as the ‘ clappers ’ of a garden . interchangeable to the strength and support supply by the pearl in our bodies , a garden ’s ‘ bones ’ provide a yr - round solid and stalwart fabric for the entire garden , even in the black twenty-four hour period of winter .
Statement plants can also offer a elusive sense of order , which is peculiarly important to many realistic garden that can quickly appear a bit chaotic and out of ascendency . In addition , structural plants can also create a sense of drama , anchor a garden , draw the eye upwards ( making a smaller blank space appear larger ) , or help delimitate traditional spaces .
STRUCTURAL PLANTS
' Big Blue ' sea holly . pic by : Rebecca Sweet .
SEA HOLLY (Eryngiumspp.)
Plant type : PerennialZones:4 to 9Height:2 to 3 feet improbable , 1 to 2 feet broad
Structural Appeal : The seasonal structural from the long - live , thistle - like flower are a favourite among gardeners and pollinators alike . Spiky bracts border the center of each steely - blue efflorescence , result in a arresting focal point moment or an telling drift in the midsection of the border .
exposure by : Rebecca Sweet
TORCH LILY (Kniphofiaspp.)
works type : PerennialZones:5 - 9 , sometimes colder , depending on varietyHeight:2 to 4 feet magniloquent , 2 feet wideStructural appeal : The structural torch - forge flowers are a highlighting in the early summer garden , lasting for weeks at a prison term . Further underline the flowers ’ unique structure by surrounding them with contrasting shape , such as the soft , grassyCarex divulsaor the cushion - shapedEuphorbia polychroma . Learn tritoma .
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Tanner Garden . Photo by : Rebecca Sweet
WEEPING WHITE MULBERRY (Morus alba’Pendula')
Plant type : Deciduous treeZones:4 to 8Height:6 to 10 feet improbable , 8 to 12 pes wideStructural appealingness : The unique umbrella form of the crying mulberry Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree shine brightest in the winter months , resulting in a stunning focal pointedness . Once every last leaf has drop , the shape create by the gracefully crying ramification is a conversation man in the garden like none other .
‘RUBY FALLS’ REDBUD (Cercis canadensis’Ruby Falls')
industrial plant eccentric : Deciduous treeZones:5 to 9Height:8 to 10 feet marvelous , 3 to 4 feet wideStructural appeal : idealistic for a small garden , patio , or container , the unusual cascading branches of ‘ Ruby Falls ’ resemble a refined falls . Truly a four - season plant , the colorful foliage delight throughout bound , summertime , and fall , with winter ’s quiescency foreground its unique bodily structure . Learn Cercis canadensis trees .
‘SKY PENCIL’ HOLLY (Ilex crenata’Sky Pencil')
Plant eccentric : Evergreen shrubZones:6 to 8Height:6 to 10 feet marvelous , 1 to 3 groundwork wideStructural appeal : resemble an exclamation percentage point in the garden , the rich and upright construction of the ' Sky Pencil ' holly add together a surprising shock of excitement to the garden seam . apply in a formal garden , to flank a nerve tract , or utilise as a individual specimen to wake up a border . see Buddy Holly shrubs .
MYRTLE SPURGE (Euphorbia myrsinites)
Plant type : Evergreen succulentZones:5 to 8Height:6 inches high , spreading 2 to 3 feet wideStructural collection : Not all morphologic plant must be oversized ; smaller groundcovers can be as mesmerizing . The spirals of the evergreen twisting root word are just as middle - catch as the bright yellowish green spring flowers , make this a must - have for year - beat pursuit . Learn to uprise euphobia plants .
Wave Hill . pic by : Rebecca Sweet
FEATHER REED GRASS (Calamagrostis acutiflora’Karl Foerster')
Plant type : repeated decorative grrassZones:4 to 8Height:3 to 6 feet tall , 2 feet wideStructural prayer : Beloved by garden designers everywhere ( and the recipient of the 2001 Perennial Plant of the Year honor ) , the towering , vertical stems make a morphological statement at the back of the border . This sens can be used alone as a focal point or mass together to make an telling drift that lightly sways with the slight breeze .
Washington Park Arboretum . Photo by : Rebecca Sweet
YELLOWTWIG DOGWOOD (Cornus sericea’Flaviramea')
Plant type : Deciduous shrubZones:3 to 8Height:5 to 6 feet tall and wideStructural appeal : The vivacious winter color and upright structure of this native dogwood make it an excellent nominee for a centre or back of the mete focal point . The unsloped branching structure also helps to pull in the heart upwards , lend visual movement and interest to the garden .
Innisfree Garden . pic by : Rebecca Sweet
WEEPING NORWAY SPRUCE (Picea abies’Pendula')
flora type : evergreen plant shrubZones:2 to 8Height:8 to 20 feet tall , depending on how the industrial plant is stakedStructural appeal : The striking serpentine form of the weeping Norway spruce resembles a waterfall when allowed to lightly drape over a bulwark . Highlight its unique structure by using it as a breath - taking focal point for yr - round pursuit .
DWARF GLOBE BLUE SPRUCE (Picea pungens’Glauca Globosa')
flora eccentric : Evergreen shrubZones:2 to 8Height:3 to 5 foot improbable , 5 to 6 feet wideStructural appeal : The innate Earth shape of this compact shrub , blend with its powdery - blue foliage , make this a scummy - alimony , yet impactful , social system flora for the garden . Take advantage of this shrub ’s visual density and unparalleled phase by using two to flank a pathway or place on either end of a perennial border .
Cornerstone Garden . photograph by : Rebecca Sweet
CENTURY PLANT (Agave americana)
works character : Evergreen succulentZones:8 to 11Height:3 to 6 feet tall , 6 to 10 fundament wideStructural appeal : No morphologic plant list would be perfect without including the majestic Century Plant — it ’s no wonder it come through the Award of Garden Merit by the Royal Horticultural Society . Best suit for bigger garden , this succulent ’s upright and oversized structure command attention , making it an ideal focal point .
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Wave Hill ’s Flower Garden has a multitude of evergreen plant structures from the upright exclamation power point to the mounding shrubs that anchor the perennial bed . pic by : Rebecca Sweet .
