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Crazy for cool plants
Mercer Island Modern
Before
The homeowners wanted to refresh their existing landscape to a more modern one, remove lawn, and retain privacy. They wanted some flowers and seasonal interest without requiring heavy maintenance.
Design
Around the front door, we chose a meadow style garden filled with flowy summer grasses planted with colorful perennials in between.
One Year Later
Just one year later, the Pennisetum grasses are lush, and the Echinacea, Verbena, Geum, and Drumstick Allium bloom in bursts throughout summer.
Design
We wanted to add height to the front bed to balance the elevation transition from the driveway to the house. We chose three Dogwood Trees, two here by the front door, and another across the sidwalk.
At Planting
The same bed just after planting. The grasses, planted from one gallon size pots, look small now, but they grow to about 3ft wide We placed them back from the sidwalks to accomodate the space they will need by the next year. When we were onsite, we felt the space needed a groundcover, and we added Ajuga 'Catlin's Giant' to cover the soil and add an evergreen presence.
At Planting
Below the main planting, in the face of the rockery slope, we planted winter-blooming Heathers in a large swath under the existing Rhododenrons. This picture is just after planting, before we topdressed the soil with organic compost.
One Year Later
The Heathers are growing in well.
Design
Across the driveway, there was a patch of lawn. We chose to leave one strip of lawn as a path to the fence gate, then add more Pennisetum grasses, and two shrubs from the other side, Viburnum davidii and the Heather, Calluna 'Mediterranean White' . Three tall Miscanthus on the corner will help divide the space from the neighbors'.
One Year Later
In August the following year. The Miscanthus grasses sparkle in the sun.
The front garden in August, one year after planting.
Vibirnum davidii and Arctostaphylos uva-ursi (Kinnikinnick) in the rockery.
Echinacea 'Magnus' is a GaGa favorite; it blooms large, hot pink flowers all summer. Maintains good seed heads in the fall, for both birds and visual interest.
Verbena bonariensis is a great pick for low water-gardens. It is tall and airy through the grasses.
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