It ’s been bully fun to be on garden tours again in 2021 after a year off during the pandemic . As always , I ’m learning a lot from the wonderful gardener who afford their yards to visitors . Here are three tips from garden tours this year :
Chartreuse is a Power Color
My sister and I took theNorth Oaks Garden Tourlast week , and the industrial plant she ended up buying after seeing it in a garden was‘Sun King ’ aralia . I already have two in my garden and love them . ‘ Sun King ’ was one of the star plants during theSt . Anthony Park Garden Clubtour earlier this yr , too . ‘ Sun King ’ holds its bright chartreuse color in shade and it stands out where ever it is . In idealistic conditions , the plant life will grow to 3 feet grandiloquent by 3 substructure broad . One affair to remark is that it does take awhile to emerge in saltation . ( I remember for sure mine had die this spring , but they eventually came up in late May and face peachy . ) The plant life also takes three years to reach full size .
‘Sun King’ aralia brightens shade gardens.
While ‘ Sun King ’ is wonderful , there are other Paris green go out plants that work well in northern garden . ‘Tiger Eyes ’ sumacis a long - time favourite of northern gardeners with it ’s petite size of it and yellowish green leaves . Of course , there are lots of coral bell shape ( Heuchera)with chartreuse leaves , such asLemon LoveorTwist of Lime . Other options include‘Lemon Lace ’ elderberryand any of the dozens of coleus with chartreuse leafage .
If you have a louche , slightly dark spot , consider add some chartreuse to power it up .
Repeat industrial plant for a Cohesive Look
Repeating a plant, such as phlox, adds a cohesive look to your garden.
OurNorthern GardenerBy Design columnist , Diane McGann , often recommend repetition as primal to a cohesive design — whether it ’s a color , a design component or a plant . Repetition sure enough work in a beautiful Excelsior garden I visited as part of theCarver - Scott Master Gardenertour in July . This well - care for landscape painting used phlox , bee balm and lilies throughout . The repetition of those plants in several garden beds and border draw in the landscape together .
It did n’t hurt that this garden also had a lovely entrance , a distinct moulding issue by a wooden fence and art throughout the quad . I really liked the apparel on a fence that the owners made using leftover trimness from a remodeling project !
plant life for pollinator
Who knew? It’s made of trim leftover from a remodeling project.
We say this a lot here , but if you plant it , they will add up and you ’ll bask watching pollinator and knowing your helping our comrade beast . I saw many examples ofplanting for pollinatorson the garden tours , from the bee house below in the midst of a pollinator - well-disposed landscape painting in North oak to pollinator seethe and swoop all over a expectant landscape in Prior Lake . Creating a home ground for pollinator with the right-hand plants , water and place to nuzzle and overwinter is well-fixed and rewarding .
Some native bees will nest in a bee house like this.
Plant it and they will come!
