Variety is the spice of Life……And Landscapes!
If we look out our windows or drive through town, spotting the mundane is not difficult. Some examples are the property line divider with a sterile, straight run of 35 arborvitaes, or the home where someone saw or liked a specific plant so they plant not one, but say…..six Dwarf Alberta Spruces or Japanese Maples along the front of a building.
Plant what you like but do it like my mother used to say about most things in life – in MODERATION.
Often times less is more. With that good start, keep in mind these other factors that can help us get better variety in our landscapes.
- Plant sizes – Shake it up. Use varying height and width plants. Just make sure if planting under a window, you pick a plant that won’t block your view in a few years.
- Plant Shapes- Rounded/globe, pyramidal, vase, columnar etc…
- Foliage Colors: Light green, dark green, yellows, reds & creams.
- Flower Color – Just keep in mind that the flower color factor, though often spectacular, is often a short lived few weeks.
- Leaf textures – Broad leafed, fan shaped, needles etc.
- Plant placement – Simply staggering plants or curving the planting line/beds can give your plantings a “depth” factor & make things more interesting.
Now spice it up!
From Randy Marcucci of Green Acres Landscaping
