By January, the garden looks like a pause: bare stems, frozen soil, and the one patch of green that refuses to quit. That is where the work really shows. The evergreens keep their shape, softening corners and holding the structure together until the growing starts again. These plants are the quiet scaffolding of the garden, […]
Evergreens That Work for You Read More »
inkberry holly Common Name: Inkberry Holly (Shamrock) Botanical Name: Ilex glabra ‘Shamrock’ Hardiness Zones: 4-9 Height: 3-4 feet Spread: 3-4 feet Foliage: Dense, glossy, small smooth-edged leaves; stays green year-round Bloom: Tiny white flowers spring; black berries persist into winter Growth Rate: Slow to moderate Light: Part shade preferred; tolerates morning sun Soil: Acidic, evenly
Plant Profile: Inkberry Read More »
Opening Observation I first learned about Tuff Stuff while designing a shade garden for a neighbor who wanted to surprise her parents with something beautiful, fragrant, and low-maintenance. She sent me inspiration photos filled with layered, flower-heavy beds, the kind that look lush and lived-in. Hydrangeas were everywhere in her examples, but the space she
Plant Profile: Mountain Hydrangea ‘Tuff Stuff’ Read More »
Opening Observation I had admired panicle hydrangeas for years without realizing what they were. From a distance, the cone-shaped blooms looked like a cross between hydrangea and lilac, familiar but not quite. I would see them in the neighborhood, pale and upright, some bright white, some tinged green, some fading to pink, and think they
Plant Profile: Hydrangea ‘Berry White’ Read More »
Opening Observation I found Clethra while looking for something else. I had a list of reliable evergreens—Sweet Box, Pieris ‘Little Heath,’ a few other steady choices meant to hold shape and color year-round. Summersweet was only on the list as an option, a maybe. But the moment I saw it, compact and quietly elegant, I
Plant Profile: Clethra alnifolia ‘Hummingbird’ (Summersweet) Read More »
Opening Observation I am still deciding how I feel about Wine & Roses Weigela. I like the idea of it more than the current reality. The deep purple foliage is striking, and I love the way it plays off the purple tones of the bigleaf hydrangea nearby. On paper, it is exactly the contrast I
Plant Profile: Wine & Roses Weigela Read More »