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HOME OUTDOOR LIVING
56 | April 2019
[PLANT PICKS]
GO BIG
Like a splashy
work of art, plants
with large-scale
foliage make an
immediate diff erence
on a patio.
ACCENT
WITH
CONTAINERS
Potted plantings soften the
edges of a patio. Here are some
rules for maximizing their
impact and making them vibe
with the rest of the space.
1
Stick with pots in a single color and
fi nish. “That uniformity allows
the plants to stand out,” Farris says.
2
For an accent next to a piece of
outdoor furniture, cluster a trio
of pots: a tall, medium, and shorter
one. “Using three diff erent sizes fi lls out
the space for the eye,” landscape designer
Molly Wood says. Plant each container
with tall, midsize, and cascading plants.
3
Size up. “I know pots can
be expensive, but it’s better to
go larger than you think you
need,” Przygoda-Montgomery says. The
reasoning: Bigger pots draw attention;
small ones get visually lost.
PURPOSEFUL
PLANTS
Strategically placed
plants give a patio
the same sense
of enclosure as an
indoor room.
■CREATE A WALL
Landscape designer
Julie Farris of
Landstylist likes to use
long planter boxes to
separate a patio from
the yard. Fill them with
plants that tie into the
rest of your landscape
or opt for grasses.
“Grasses have some
transparency, so
they’re suggestive of
defi nition without
being hard-looking,”
she says.
■ADD PRIVACY
Trees and hedges
along the perimeter
can make your yard
feel more secluded.
But be sure to choose
types that will grow to
the height you need.
■ANCHOR THE
SPACE Tall potted
plants or trees in
corners “ground the
patio so it doesn’t feel
like it’s fl oating,” says
landscape designer
Elizabeth Przygoda-
Montgomery of
Boxhill Design.
Make the most of potted trees by
underplanting them with fl owers or trailers
that you change with the seasons.
Vary the
foliage
colors in a
container to
highlight
individual
plants.
‘BLACK MAGIC’
ELEPHANT’S EAR
Adds height
‘SUN KING’ ARALIA
Grows quickly
ANGEL’S TRUMPET
Smells sweet
‘HUDSON BAY’ HOSTA
Likes shady spots
‘RED SENSATION’
CORDYLINE
Brings year-round
color
