| Dear Expert, do you have any garden designs for the east coast. I live in the Washington DC suburbs. I really love plants that stay green all year. I hate seeing the starkness of winter. Thanks Donna Piccolo |
| The Monrovia website has a number of garden designs that you can print off (look under Theme Gardens) which should provide you with some wonderful ideas. I think ornamental grasses add a lot of interest to the winter garden. Camellias bloom in the winter, and here are a few more ideas: Hidcote hypericum (Hypericum 'hidcote') These plants start to flower in June and continue sporadically until winter. Hidcote hypericum grows to be about three feet tall and wide. Red twig dogwood (Cornus sericea) The fall color of the Cornus sericea shines. The red twig dogwood will slowly lose its vibrant color and should be pruned to the ground in early spring. This plant grows very quickly and needs annual aggressive pruning to keep it clean Natchez crapemyrtle (Lagerstroemia indica) The fall and winter interest of these shrubs is almost as wonderful as its summertime white flowers. The exfoliating and molted bark remains a classic aesthetic value of these large specimen shrubs. The annual growth shoots are pruned back in late winter or early spring. Paperbark maple (Acer griseum) The qualities of the paperbark maple are unsurpassed. The cinnamon-brown color and exfoliating bark make this a specimen tree with extraordinary ornamental characteristics. The winter interest in these trees compliment the winter interest of Natchez crapemyrtles. Oakleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia) The oakleaf hydrangea leaves turn a deep red-bronze color in fall. The bark of these plants also exhibit exfoliating characteristics. H. quercifolia plants are pruned after flowering. Witchhazel (Hamamelis intermedia) These fragrant flowers appear every year around January. The witch hazel is a very easy and pest-free plant. Re-blooming iris These irises will bloom in the summer, and then with care, the plants will bloom again in the late fall. Best wishes with your garden design! |
