Garden Gate – October 2019

GardenGateMagazine.com | GARDEN GATE 57

Nʣ

eed some inspiration for your own foundation

planting? Check out this plan and use all or

some of the plants to create a design of your own.

It’s best for a north- or east-facing home so the sun

won’t be too hard on these small trees. For a south-

or west-facing yard, try serviceberry or crape myrtle.

Care is relatively simple: Remove spent fl owers

from the hydrangeas in late winter or early spring.

And during the growing season deadhead the spent

hosta blooms by cutting the stems back under the

foliage for a tidier look.

Most of these plants do need regular watering to

look their best. An inch or two of organic mulch will

help conserve moisture and give a polished look to

the border.

Keep plants healthy and growing with a slow-

release fertilizer applied once in spring. The annuals

will fl ower even better with a boost from a liquid

plant food every couple of weeks. So with just a little

effort you can ensure that your foundation planting

says “Welcome!” to everyone who passes by.

—Sherri Ribbey

Japanese maple

Acer palmatum dissectum

‘Viridis’

Tree; lacy green spring and

summer foliage changes to

crimson and gold in fall; part

shade; 6 to 10 ft. tall and wide;

cold hardy in USDA zones 5 to 8

Panicle hydrangea

Hydrangea paniculata

‘Pinky Winky’

Shrub; conical shaped

white blooms age to pink in

midsummer to fall, flowers can

get up to 16 in. long; full sun

to part shade; 6 to 8 ft. tall,

7 to 9 ft. wide; cold hardy in

USDA zones 3 to 8

Mealycup sage

Salvia farinacea ‘Victoria Blue’

Tender perennial; purple-blue

flowers in spring to fall; full sun

to part shade; 18 to 24 in. tall,

10 to 18 in. wide; cold hardy in

USDA zones 8 to 11

Simple Care For a Great Look

Botanical

Names

Crape myrtle

Lagerstroemia

indica

Serviceberry

Amelanchier

canadensis

GardenGateMagazine.com | GARDEN GATE 57

N

eedsomeinspirationforyourownfoundation

planting? Check out thisplananduseallor

some of the plants to create adesignofyourown.

It’s best for a north- or east-facinghomesothesun

won’t be too hard on these smalltrees.Fora south-

or west-facing yard, try serviceberryorcrapemyrtle.

Care is relatively simple: Removespentflowers

from the hydrangeas in late winterorearlyspring.

And during the growing seasondeadheadthespent

hosta blooms by cutting the stemsbackunderthe

foliage for a tidier look.

Mostoftheseplantsdoneedregularwateringto

looktheirbest.Aninchortwooforganicmulchwill

helpconservemoistureandgivea polishedlookto

theborder.

Keepplantshealthyandgrowingwitha slow-

releasefertilizerappliedonceinspring.Theannuals

willflowerevenbetterwitha boostfroma liquid

plantfoodeverycoupleofweeks.Sowithjusta little

effortyoucanensurethatyourfoundationplanting

says“Welcome!”toeveryonewhopassesby.

—Sherri Ribbey

Japanese maple

Acer palmatum dissectum

‘Viridis’

Tree; lacy green spring and

summer foliage changes to

crimson and gold in fall; part

shade; 6 to 10 ft. tall and wide;

cold hardy in USDA zones 5 to 8

Panicle hydrangea

Hydrangea paniculata

‘Pinky Winky’

Shrub; conical shaped

white blooms age to pink in

midsummer to fall, flowers can

get up to 16 in. long; full sun

to part shade; 6 to 8 ft. tall,

7 to 9 ft. wide; cold hardy in

USDA zones 3 to 8

Mealycup sage

Salvia farinacea ‘Victoria Blue’

Tender perennial; purple-blue

flowers in spring to fall; full sun

to part shade; 18 to 24 in. tall,

10 to 18 in. wide; cold hardy in

USDA zones 8 to 11

Simple Care For a Great Look

Botanical

Names

Crape myrtle

Lagerstroemia

indica

Serviceberry

Amelanchier

canadensis