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Desperate Landscape: Creating a Garden Spot on Garden Road New shutters, a white picket fence and a generous helping of new plantings puts new sparkle on a diamond-in-the rough. From "Desperate Landscapes" episode DDSL-106

(Continued from page 3)

The newly planted bed

Planting Beds

Before planting, the bed is outlined and cleared of sod and some existing shrubs. The yews growing in the front were planted in the 1940's and were difficult to remove, but Jason and the crew were able to dig them out. A good rule of thumb is with stumps more than 5 inches in diameter you should rent a stump grinder. We're creating a bed that's more than 20 feet deep.

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Mary Lynn's Plants

• Sullivan Cypress
  Chamaecyparis 'Sullivan'
  The Sullivan cypress was chosen, in this case, to create a screen to some unpleasant views in the backyard. This tree has bluish-green needles, and grows to about 20 feet tall (or more in some locations) and 13 feet wide. It grows well in full sun to partial shade. It's super hardy and performs well through zone 5.
  Cost: $287.

  Sullivan Cypress Chamaecyparis 'Sullivan'

  Sullivan Cypress Chamaecyparis 'Sullivan'

  
  

• White Crape Myrtle
  Lagerstroemia indica 'Alba'
  Crape myrtles are a staple of many southern gardens. The white crape myrtle has pure white blooms in mid-summer until fall. This variety performs well in zones 6-10. It's a fast grower. Plant it in full sun.
  Cost: $172

  Design Tip: The crape myrtle can be pruned for height and does well in small gardens.

  White Crape Myrtle Lagerstroemia indica 'Alba'

  White Crape Myrtle Lagerstroemia indica 'Alba'

  
  

  'Otto Luyken' Laurel Prunus laurocerasus

• 'Otto Luyken' Laurel
  Prunus laurocerasus
  This laurel a compact evergreen shrub with dark green leaves and white flowers followed by black fruit. It grows 3 to 5 feet tall and 4 to 6 feet wide. It does well in full sun to shade and performs well in zones 6-9.
  Cost: $149 for two

  Maintenance Tip: It tolerates pruning well. If pruning, do so in early spring before new growth.

  Note: All parts of this plant are very poisonous.
  

• 'Endless Summer' Hydrangea
  Hydrangea macrophylla
  True to its name, this hydrangea blooms all summer long. In this case it provides a splash of color coming up the walkway. 'Endless Summer' has pink blooms in alkaline soil and blue blooms in acidic soil. It grows best in full sun. This variety performs well in from northern states into northern Florida (zones 4-9) and grows 3 to 5 feet tall. It is not drought tolerant so it needs regular watering
  Cost: $40 each

  Maintenance Tip: To encourage blooming in hydrangeas, remove spent flowers.

  'Endless Summer' Hydrangea Hydrangea macrophylla

  'Endless Summer' Hydrangea Hydrangea macrophylla

  
  

• 'Moonbeam' Coreopsis
  Coreopsis verticillata
  This award winning coreopsis has fern-like foliage and light lemon-colored flowers. It blooms from early summer to fall. It can grow to about 24 inches tall and 18 inches wide. It does well in zones 3-9.
  Cost: $17 each

  'Moonbeam' Coreopsis Coreopsis verticillata

  'Moonbeam' Coreopsis Coreopsis verticillata

  
  

• Willow Oak
  Quercus phellos
  The willow oak is a popular residential tree. It's a good choice near the street because it's tolerant of heat and air pollution. It performs well in zones 5-9. It's a fast grower (about 2 feet annually) and can reach heights of 120 feet. The oak has acorns which attract birds and squirrels.
  Cost: $287

  Willow Oak Quercus phellos

  Willow Oak Quercus phellos

  
  

• Rudbeckia
  Rudbeckia hirta, also known as Black-eyed Susan, is a popular garden flower. It can be an annual, perennial or biennial. It prefers full sun to light shade and does well in zones 3-10. They are somewhat drought tolerant, but they perform best with regular watering. Rudbeckia are commonly called coneflowers.

  Maintenance Tip: Cut off old flowers to encourage re-blooming.

  Rudbeckia Rudbeckia hirta

  Rudbeckia Rudbeckia hirta

  
  

• Judd Viburnum
  Viburnum x juddii
  Some gardeners believe that every garden should have Viburnum in it, and the Judd is a great choice. It's prized for its very showy and very fragrant flowers. It blooms white in spring. Flowers are followed by berry-like drupes that ripen from red to black. This Viburnum grows 6 to 8 feet in height and is a slow grower. It thrives well in zones 4-8.
  Cost: $120

  Maintenance Tip: Viburnum it needs to be pruned. Do so immediately after flowering, but note that when you prune it, you'll eliminate some of its summer fruit

  Judd Viburnum Viburnum x juddii

  Judd Viburnum Viburnum x juddii

  
  

It's important to remember when choosing a window box to select one that matches the style of the house. Avoid a common mistake of choosing a window box that's too small. The planter should be slightly larger than the window.
Cost: $120 for plants and soil

DIY Planting Tip: Window planters dry out very quickly. They should be watered daily, and 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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