The key to any great outdoor garden space is coordinating your blooms.
Height
will allow your beds to continuously reinvent themselves with ever- changing colour palettes. Choosing shrubs with off-season berries such as winterberry and holly, or year-round leaves like rhododendrons, can give your outdoor space some unique variation from basic evergreens during the winter, and keep things bright and interesting. Winterberries are also native to PEI, and make a wonderful wild bird food during the winter months.
Many times the main factor in choosing a shrub or perennial is height. It is not only important to plant taller items at the back of a bed, but it’s also very important to consider height when planting alongside decks, under windows, and along fences and property lines. Some great shrubs under four feet to consider when planting in height-restricted areas include euonymous, spirea, potentilla, and some varieties of weigela or rhododendron. Low-lying varieties of evergreen shrubs like many juniper or spruces are another great option, as they maintain their foliage all year round.
Foliage Colour
Another great way to add diversity to your garden space is by choosing plants with unique and varied foliage colour. Red is a popular choice, with some great examples being perennials like coral bells, or shrubs such as barberry, ninebark, or purple sand cherry. Brighter shades of green can help to brighten your space and create subtle diversity. Gold, pink, blue, black, and variegated shrubs are also beautifully bold options, and with many of these shrubs also producing flowers, they’re sure to be a showpiece in anyone’s garden.
Root Depth
Root depth is something that often gets overlooked when planning a green space. To avoid future issues and concerns, keep water-loving trees and shrubs away from building foundations, water pipes and leaching fields, as they can cause damage that is difficult to repair once the tree is established. Some examples of water- loving plants include blooming trees such as magnolia and willow trees, as well as birch, pine and maple. Take note of leaching fields and be sure to plant approved, shallow-rooted trees and shrubs only.
Shady Spaces
Planning for a fully shaded area is always a challenge, as there are few plants for our climate that thrive with little-to-no sun. Ferns are a great natural choice, with many varieties to choose from, and larger varieties such as ostrich ferns help to add drama and create impact in a garden bed. Brunnera and hostas are wonderful, low-lying shrubs that are very hearty and easy to care for and take little time to establish, making them perfect for new garden spaces. Bleeding hearts are an excellent choice when looking to add height and colour to a shade garden. Available locally in both pink and white, they provide a great pop of colour amongst green foliage.
Bloom Time
The key to any great outdoor garden space is coordinating your blooms. Choosing perennials and shrubs with staggered bloom times ensures your garden beds will always have colour. Look for especially early blooming plants such as forsythia, tulips, crocuses, and irises, and ultra late bloomers like heather and hydrangea to help lengthen your ornamental garden season. Creating beds using flowers with staggered bloom times will ensure colour and impact from spring straight through to fall, and
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SUMMER 2018 www.pei-living.ca
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