Garden Design IdeasGarden Ideas, Photos and Tips for Gardening at Home
In her shady West Michigan garden ( Zone 6a ) , Susan Martin is a pro when it comes to create beautiful plant combinations of plants that thrive with little sun . But when creating combinations , choosing plant that do well in shade is n’t her only requirement .
Here , Susan shares other factors she considers when pair plants . ( We intend you ’ll find that these ideas are worldwide and can be applied to compounding in cheery surface area , too ! )
1. Repeat Colors
Photo by : Susan Martin .
Consistent color unites a combination , while contrast grain and flower pattern leave interestingness . Here , pink and snowy astilbe and pink bigleaf hydrangea create a dazzling sight in Susan ’s garden .
2. Craft a Creative Color Echo
pic by : Susan Martin
reverberation colors in dissimilar chassis - flowers and foliage - to create an optic - catching sketch . In this combination , Susan echoes the pinkish BabyWing ® Pink begonia bloom of youth withHippo ® Rose polka dot industrial plant . Complementing the pink and dark-green , burgundy leaves ofPlum Dandy ™ alternantheraties everything together .
Here , red flower of ‘ Canary Wing ’ begonia are echoed in the leaves ofHeart to core ® ‘ Lemon Blush ’ caladiumand flushed - speckledHeart to spunk ® ‘ Raspberry Moon ’ caladium(behind the begonia ) . Lacy lotus vine meander its manner through , creating viscidness .
3. Create a Contrast of Textures
Strappy Paris green foliage of EverColor ® ‘ Everillo ’ sedge makes an unlikely yet fitting fellow to the deep Burgundy wine foliage ofColorBlaze ® Wicked Witch ™ coleuswith its ruffly immature edges . These two qualities , juxtaposition of textures and color coordination , are a recipe for a perfect union .
4. Keep it Low Maintenance
There ’s no such thing as no sustentation , but low maintenance is always nice ! For some orbit of her garden , Susan focuses on plants that do n’t make fate of extra piece of work . Above,‘Cutting boundary ’ foamfloweroffers tall spikes of creamy bloom in the springtime . Deadheading the Tiarella cordifolia is the only maintenance expect for this compounding that has much to offer even when the blossom are n’t blooming — frond of ‘ Crested Surf ’ paint fern , intense imperial leaves of ‘ Electric Plum ’ heuchera , and bright ‘ Lemon Love ’ genus Heuchera ( behind the foamflower ) all offer visual stake all season .
Here , a mix of plants with varying textures and complementary colors manages to be both visually impressive without ask lots of upkeep . Striking iridescent purple leaves of Persian buckler rise above the chartreuse yellow-bellied foliage and crimson blooms of ‘ Canary Wing ’ begonia andColorBlaze ® Chocolate Drop coleuswith recondite - ruby venose foliation .
5. Attract Pollinators
Including graphic blooms that bring the bees , butterflies , and other pollinators is just one manner Susan support her local ecosystem while also clear up up darker area of the garden . Here , the pink bloom ofDicentra spectabiliscomplement the precious true blue blooms ofBrunnerain the spring .
pinkish blossom ofFall in Love ® ‘ sweet ’ Japanese anemonefeed bee until first frost . Its foliage — along with strappy bright yellowish - unripened ‘ Everillo ’ sedge in front , Chamaecyparis‘Fernspray atomic number 79 ’ pop in at properly , Aralia‘Sun King ’ behind — offer textural interest all season .
6. Focus on Foliage
“ I enjoy mixing foliage texture , ” Susan says . “ No flower are needed when foliage are this interesting . ” At left , slender entrust ofFargesia rufa(dragon head bamboo ) , variegated foliage of ‘ Island Breeze ’ hosta , silvern green and vino red fronds ofAthyrium niponicum‘Pictum ’ ( Nipponese painted fern ) , and magnanimous serrate leave of absence of ‘ Bottle Rocket ’ ligularia combine for a stunning show from outpouring through fall .
silvern - gray and cryptic - empurpled - color frond ofAthyrium‘Godzilla ’ ( Godzilla Japanese painted fern ) hovers over two heuchera : inscrutable purple - blackPrimo ® ‘ Black Pearl’and brilliant icteric - greenDolce ® ‘ Apple Twist ’ .
7. Match Foliage With Flowers
Matching foliage color to flower gloss requires an attention to point when look for out just the right pairing — but this head - turning effect is worth the effort . Here , Susan has paired ‘ Age of Gold ’ hosta with Wedding Party ® ‘ First Dance ’ hellebore — leaves of the genus Funka and flowers of the hellebore boasting the exact same shade of yellow green .
8. Consider Lighting
“ This is the favorable hour at its finest , ” Susan read of this combining , place in an east - facing border . Lit up during morning time and even sun , the combination of ‘ Conca d’Or ’ lilies , Toucan ® scandalmongering canna , and ‘ Annabelle ’ hydrangeas provides a picturesque aspect with its soft blend of creamy yellowness and whites . In summation to its visual perk , the lily also smell striking and are beloved by hummingbirds who visit Susan ’s garden .
And , watch along with Susan on Instagram@gardenersuesnewsand FacebookGardener Sue ’s News .
