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Desperate Landscape: Engaged to a Mess

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Julie and Graham's plants

The following plants will provide year-round structure, color and bulk to the landscape:

Sandanqua viburnum
Viburnum suspensum

Sandanqua is a popular evergreen viburnum in areas where winter is mild. In late winter, it bears white flowers with pink highlights. Berries appear in the fall.

Fast grower up to 12 feet tall and wide

Relatively inexpensive

Full sun to part shade

USDA Zones 8-10

Maintenance: May need pruning for shape and size

'D.D. Blanchard' magnolia

'D.D. Blanchard' magnolia
Magnolia grandiflora 'D.D. Blanchard'

Although it has fragrant flowers like other magnolias, 'D.D. Blanchard' is prized for its leaves. The evergreen leaves are shiny green on top and brownish-orange on the underside

Mature size: up to 50 feet tall and 30 feet wide

Prefers full sun

USDA Zones 7-9

'Southern Charm' azalea

'Southern Charm' azalea
Azalea 'Southern Charm'

This evergreen azalea produces rosy-pink flowers.

Mature size: eight feet tall and wide

Prefers full sun to part shade

USDA Zones 8-9

Maintenance tip: Feed with acid fertilizer after blooming and use thick layer of mulch to keep roots cool

Variegated ginger

Variegated ginger
Alpinia zerumbet 'Variegata'

This beautiful ginger has varigated leaves up to two feet long and six inches across. Its flowers look like small seashells, but in northern Florida it doesn't often flower.

Prefers partial shade but grows in sun

USDA Zones 8-12

Maintenance tip: Provide adequate moisture; not drought tolerant.

'Maui Yellow' ixora

'Maui Yellow' ixora
Ixora 'Maui Yellow'

One of the most popular flowering bushes in Florida, ixora blooms much of the year. 'Maui Yellow' has bright yellow flowers.

Maintenance tip: Annual pruning helps produce flowers but avoid repeatedly removing tips of branches because this will cut off flower buds. Prune in early spring.

Note: if planted too close to concrete, it may result in poor flowering.

Sweet viburnum

Sweet viburnum
Viburnum odoratissimum

This large evergreen shrub (or small tree) is prized for its fragrant flowers.

Fast grower

Mature size: 20 feet tall and 15 feet wide

Produces red berries, but they're not often seen when grown in Florida

Can be used as a hedge

Not often bothered by pests

USDA Zones 8-10

Plumbago

Plumbago or leadwort

The sky-blue flowers of this shrub resemble those of phlox.

Grows 3 to 10 feet high and wide

Evergreen in warm climates

Blooms almost all year except for coldest months

Prefers sandy soil with good drainage

Once it's established, it is drought tolerant

USDA Zones 8-11

Maintenance tip: Produces flowers on current season's growth; prune in late winter.

Wax myrtle

Wax myrtle
Myrica cerifera

Wax myrtle is a native that's typically used in the landscape as a screening or border plant. It can be pruned to encourage dense foliage; when left untrimmed, it has an irregular shape with multiple trunks that can form a thicket.

Tolerant of salt spray

The yellowish-green leaves are fragrant when crushed.

Female plants have waxy blue berries. (The pioneers used to make candles from the waxy berries.)

USDA Zones 7-10

Aromatic foliage is said to repel insects in a yard.

Cast iron plant
Aspidistra elatior

Named for its ability to withstand most conditions, this plant is often used indoors, especially where light is low and care may be sporadic.

Grows two feet tall and wide

Prefers shade

USDA Zones 6-11

Leyland cypress
X Cupressocyparis leylandii

This fast-growing pyramidal evergreen is often planted for fast screening. If planted well, this conifer can grow up to three or four feet per year. It can be pruned but it looks best if allowed to keep its natural shape.

Mature size: Up to 100 feet tall and 20 feet wide

Tolerant of salt spray

USDA Zones 6-10