Home-garden expert Carol Reese introduces plants that provide year-round garden color. Even if you live in a cold-winter climate, certain deciduous plants with brilliant yellow or red bark can give you something other than white to look at during the coldest months. An emphasis on foliage color has become a major trend in the landscape world. We no longer rely solely on flowers to add interest to our gardens. Cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis) provides bright summer blooms. Native to boggy areas, it requires constant moisture and full sun. Dianthus offers floral color in early spring, and verbena is the accent that sets off the whole design. Verbena needs heat to perform well, but it blooms continuously throughout the summer. Coleus (Solenostemon scutellarioides) is an excellent foliage plant for the shady areas of your garden. Its exquisite combination of brilliant hues enhances any garden. These perennials are often grown as annuals and require shade, ample water and well-drained soil. Plant in spring from seed or cuttings from the previous year's plants. An excellent choice for late-season color is Mexican bush sage (Salvia leucantha) (figure A). A perennial native to Mexico and tropical Central America, it produces velvety purple spikes. It prefers full sun and tolerates any type of soil but must have good drainage. It grows quite large in mild climates.
You can enjoy color in the winter months too by combining Loropetalum chinense 'Burgundy' and Thuja occidentalis (arborvitae) 'Improved Ellwangeriana Aurea', or 'Rheingold'. A tender evergreen shrub, loropetalum blooms in late winter and early spring. It needs a well-drained, nonalkaline soil. If you live west of the Mississippi, add some peat moss at planting time to make the soil more acidic. Variegated carex, or sedge grass (figure B), is an excellent choice for the winter garden. Dwarf nandina has gorgeous fall and winter color as well as bright-red berries that are just right for flower arrangements. Heuchera (coral bells) (figure C), a perennial prized for its beautiful foliage, requires some shade in warm climates. Regular water and well-drained soil will have this garden staple blooming in spring and summer.
In late winter or early spring flowering quince (Chaenomeles) (figure D) leads the blooming pack with a profusion of bright-pink, red or white flowers. A deciduous shrub, quince produces sweet-smelling fruit in late summer. Beware! The acerbic fruit smells better than it tastes.
Primulas, or primroses, in the polyanthus group (figure E) also bloom in late winter or early spring, providing a range of colors close to the ground. Tuck them among other perennials or in containers.
Featured plants provided by Wolf River Valley Farms
RESOURCES :
Wolf River Valley Farms
Wolf River Valley Farms
Pall Mall, TN 38577
Fax: 1-931-879-5479
Email: pwpg@twlakes.net
Website: www.wolfriver.net
GUESTS :
Carol Reese
UT Agricultural Extension Service
5201 Marchant Drive
Nashville, TN 37211-5201
Phone: 615-834-5162
Fax: 615-832-0043
Email: CentralDist@cru.gw.utk.edu
Website: www.utextension.utk.edu
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