Nothing pulls a landscape together better than the right combination of colors spread throughout the space. With plants, you can transform your scenery into anything you want it to be. Add color to your landscape with these picks from our plant nursery in the Ulster County, NY area.
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Since all plants have their own needs, and thrive under certain conditions, it is important to plan for the best pairings to adorn your home. These tips will help you to get creative and find the perfect array of plants to put the finishing touches on your landscaping, and impress your neighbors and friends!
Mixing Annuals & Perennials
Plant sections or borders of your landscape with both annuals and perennials; a healthy mix of both types will provide the most color possible throughout the year. The perennials you choose will bloom for years without needing to be replanted, which allows you to change which annuals you plant to accompany them every season. Choose perennials that can be matched with a wide selection of annuals. Spread them out throughout your space with enough room to intersperse a selection of different annuals. Now you have the freedom to choose any annuals that fit your mood or your theme for the season, and reinvent your flower gardens as much as you choose!
Placing Pops of Color
Some annuals are adorned with extremely bright and bold colors, that may not fit in with some of the softer colors of common perennials. When you find an eye-catching annual that you can’t live without, scope out your borders or garden beds for corners or short edges that could use a zing of color. Bright annuals are also stunning when used to line walkways and as accents in pots and containers.
Complementary Colors
Choose a variety of different colored blooms that complement each other, in order to focus attention on your favorite colors. One tried-and-true method is to balance warm and cool colors. For example, when you find a bright orange daylily that you fall in love with, plant it among some cool-colored plants such as the perennial blue sage (Salvia azurea). Salvia plants have long-lasting blooms that can also attract beautiful butterflies to the garden. In addition to balancing the colors of your plants, also keep in mind the importance of finding annuals with full foliage to act as a “carpet” to fill in empty space.
Plants with Similar Needs
While you decide on your favorite colors, complementary colors, and placements of your plants, remember that you will have the most success with your project when you mix plants that have similar sun and watering needs. It may be surprising how many different-looking plants have similar needs for their care! Mixing different flower shapes that grow well together will keep your borders and beds attractive and thriving. For example, both the perennial Russian sage (salvia yangii) and annual zinnia require full sun and need minimal watering. The skinny Russian sage, with silvery-grey foliage and lavender colored flowers, will grow nicely with the full-bodied zinnias and their wide array of warm colors.
Beautify the Shade
It’s common to scope out sunny areas around the home when planning out borders and beds for flowers, however, don’t forget to give some love to the shady areas too! There are plenty of annuals and perennials that love being in the shade with just a few hours of sun each day. Some shade-loving annuals are the impatiens plant (Balsaminaceae), elephant ears (Colocasia) for large spaces, and alyssum (Lobularia maritima). Add in some perennials to your shady spots, such as the astilbes (Rhizomatous), hosta plant (Funkia), bleeding heart flower (Lamprocapnos spectabilis), and Jacob’s ladder (Polemonium caeruleum).
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