Sunday, April 17, 2011

April Showers Bring...

Sorry for the delay in posting, but boy do I have a lot great posts coming your way very soon (or at least once finals are over and I'm settled in my summer rotation site)!  

Last Summer we managed to finish the patio paver project in our backyard (it should have been a Spring instead of a Summer project because it was soooo hot!), and this Spring I'm excited to start on the landscaping!  I have so many ideas of how I want to layout everything, so I really need to start narrowing them down soon.  I've posted descriptions and photos of the plants and shrubs that I'd like to use, so stay tuned for the next step!  
Continue reading for pictures :)

Liriope muscari 'Big Blue':
Liriope/ Monkey Grass, Ground Cover, Evergreen, Mature Height and Spread of 12-18", Grass-like, green foliage, Blue flowers, clumping habit, Sun to part shade, Rapid Growth, Flower spikes in summer.
  
Thuja occidentalis 'Emerald':
Arborvitae, Shrub, Evergreen, Mature height of 10-15', Mature spread of 4-6', Bright green foliage, pyramidal broad upright habit, Sun, Moderate Growth

Hemerocallis fulva 'Happy Returns':
Daylily, Perennial, Mature height of 18", Mature spread of 12-24", Dark green foliage, Pale yellow flowers, Full Sun, Rapid Growth

Salvia nemorosa 'Caradonna' (Perennial Sage):
A fast growing, rhizome spreading perennial  forming a low clump of aromatic gray-green to mid-green, obovate leaves up to 5 inches in length that are topped with much taller spikes of flowers in early summer then often repeating later if deadheaded; The 12" tall x 18" wide clump is composed of dark purple stems clothed with felty green leaves. Hummingbird and butterflies love it! Hardy zone 3 to 7 in sun on well drained soil. Moderately drought tolerant; these are truly perennials for FULL SUN!!! If they look worn in mid-summer, cut them back hard and fertilize to induce a new flush of growth and re-bloom.

Boxwood (Dwarf and Green Mountain):
Boxwoods prefer soil PH from 6.7 to 7.5 and foliage has bronze leaf tips on acidic soil in which case dolomite lime should be used. Fertilization is best in October. Boxwoods do not like clay; if they are planted on clay add gypsum to the soil to change the soil structure. Thinning out boxwoods greatly reduced fungal diseases. If a Boxwood hedge is cluttered with dead shaded out wood in its interior; all that should be thinned out to maintain good health. Seed germinates easily but Boxwood is usually reproduced from cuttings which root easily during most of the year.  The "Green Mountain" variety grow in a natural pyramidal shape (see second and third pictures in this group).

Lagerstroemia indica 'Hardy Lavender' or Lagerstroemia indica 'Catawba':
Crape Myrtle, Tree, Deciduous, Mature height of 15-25', Mature spread of 6-8', Green foliage, Red fall colors, Medium lavender flowers, multi-stem upright vase shaped habit, Sun, Moderate Growth, Smooth bark. Mildew-resistant and deer-resistant, drought tolerant.

Phlox subulata 'Candy Stripe' (Perennial Candy Stripe Thrift):
The soft, evergreen, needle-like foliage of this durable, drought-tolerant rock garden (high class) or ditchbank (lower class) groundcover is topped with round flowers, each carefully striped pink and white like a candy cane...a real hummingbird treat. Although Phlox 'Candy Stripe' flowers heaviest in spring, it usually reflowers in fall...superb! Any species of phlox will work, although this one is my favorite!

Notice a trend here? PURPLE!  
I love the various shades of purple that I've chosen, but I'm considering adding a little white and yellow (already have a yellow Lady Banks Rosa along my fence - picture below isn't mine, but it's similar enough) here and there so that our backyard isn't totally monochromatic :)

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