Landscape and Garden Design Tip #5

It sounds silly, doesn’t it? How many times have you picked a few prize winning specimens in the height of their bloom and rushed home to plant them. Two weeks later, your hard earned dollars are shriveling and shrinking into the soil. Preparing to take a nap until next year at this time.

Sun, shade, bloom time, moisture, height, width and zone hardiness are all considerations to be evaluated before purchasing. Mature plant height is very important. It’s also one of the most effective ways to create variety and interest in the garden. What is the mature width of the plant? Next year will it crowd out the other inhabitants of the bed? Is the species invasive? Send us a note regarding any experiences you’ve had with troublesome/invasive species in your garden. I’d like to post them on a separate page. I’ve seen first-hand the destructive effects of the morning -glory vine in my zone. They’re prone to reseeding, twining and choking out entire beds of plants. Keeping them in a remote corner or planting them in a container can make all the difference in the world.