DIY Network

• Bracken's 'Brown Beauty' southern magnolia
  The big highlight of the yard is the new magnolia. It's about 9 feet tall, and can grow up to 50 feet tall with a 25-foot spread. This magnolia performs well in zones 5-10. It's considered one of the most cold-tolerant magnolias available. It
  Cost: $315
  Landscape Design Tip: Don't plant big trees in the dead center of the landscape. Plant them slightly off center and use lots of colorful plants around them.
  
  
• Limelight Hydrangea
  The Limelight hydrangea an award winner having won the Pennsylvania Horticulture Society Gold Medal 2006. It brightens up the yard with its lime green blooms. It can grow 6-8 feet tall, but it can be kept smaller with pruning. This hydrangea is hardy to zone 3. Unlike other hydrangeas, this one is actually considered hard to kill.
  Cost: $50
  Maintenance Tip: The limelight hydrangea is best pruned in late fall or early spring. Also, this type is not as "thirsty" as some other hydrangeas. It does become somewhat drought resistant.

• 'Endless Summer' Hydrangeas
  This hydrangea It provides a splash of color coming up the walkway. Itblooms all summer long, grows best in full sun and performs well in from northern states into northern Florida (zones 4-9). It grows 3-5 feet tall. It is not drought tolerant and needs regular watering. Endless Summer has pink blooms in alkaline soil and blue blooms in acidic soil
  Cost: $200 for five hydrangeas
  Maintenance Tip: To encourage blooming in hydrangeas, remove spent flowers.

  Limelight hydrangea

  'Endless Summer' hydrangea

  
  

  	Hosta undulata
  	'Emerald Green' arborvitae

• Hosta undulate 'Albomarginata'
  These hostas are appreciated for their dark green leaves with a bright white band. Hostas are shade lovers. This variety performs well in zones 3-8. These low maintenance perennials are great for beginners.
  Cost: $290 for 16 hostas

• 'Emerald Green' Arborvitae
  This is a pyramidal evergreen that requires no pruning. It grows 10-15 feet tall. This variety performs well in zones 3-7 and grows best in full to part sun.
  It is not drought tolerant.
  Cost: $105
  

  Sambucus

• Black Lace Sambucus
  This sambucus was named best new plant of 2006. It has dark purple foliage with massive 10-inch flowers with a lemon scent. It grows 6-8 feet tall but can be kept smaller with pruning. This variety performs well in zones 4-7. Its foliage looks best in full sun.
  Cost: $30 each

• Inkberry Holly
  These hollies were chosen for their year-round interest. They're evergreen and, in this application, will help hide the walkway. This variety performs well in zones 4-9. This is a honey plant. Bees make a flavorful, amber-colored honey from the inkberry flowers.
  Cost: $138 for 4 hollies
  

  Caladiums

• Caladiums
  Caladiums are tropical plants prized for their foliage color which can be green, red, pink and white. They are not winter hardy, but the tubers can be over-wintered indoors and replanted in the spring. Caladiums prefer dappled shade.
  Cost: $86

• Northern Bayberry
  This ornamental shrub is also known as a waxberry or wax myrtle in some parts of the country. It has a medium growth rate and can grow up to 10 feet wide and 10 feet tall. The bayberry is prized for its berries which start out as green and then become silvery before turning a dark, almost black color in the winter. It performs well in zones 3-7. It is considered a winter resistant shrub and will not attract deer.
  Cost: $86
  

  Window boxes add a colorful and dynamic accent to a home's appearance.

We filled Mary's window box is filled with seasonal annuals. It's important to remember when choosing a window box that you want one that matches the style of the house. In this instance, we chose a hayrack style window planter.
Cost: $287 for plant material

Window Box Tips

• Avoid a common mistake which is choosing a window box that's too small. The planter should be slightly larger than the window.

• Remember that window planters dry out very quickly and should be watered daily. On the hottest days, they might need watering twice. Fertilize twice a month.

Go to next article in DIY's "Desperate Landscapes" series.

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