Garden trends to try this spring
Like interiors, landscapes evolve over time and certain trends become evident. In landscape design, the following trends have become increasingly popular: use of edibles, structure in the garden and furnishing with garden accents.
Use of edibles
The use of edible landscape material has gained momentum not only in an “eat local and fresh” way but also in an ornamental, decorative method as well. A classmate who was studying plant propagation as a way to combat hunger in her native Sudan could not understand why anyone would plant something they could not eat. It really opened my eyes to the fact that with edibles, you can have both beauty and food!
The next time you visit any of the villages in Mountain Brook, notice the herbs mixed in with spring or fall annuals in planters and the flower beds.
What to plant: Start with herbs like my favorites parsley, chives, ‘Golden Lemon’ thyme and ‘Kent Beauty’ oregano. Mix your herbs in border plantings with your annuals, in window boxes, or containers and urns. Then, move on to these easy, prolifically producing vegetables: ‘Sun Gold’ and ‘Better Boy’ tomatoes, ‘Sweet Banana’ and ‘Jalapeno’ peppers and eggplant. If you would like to grow your own fruit, I recommend are ‘Early Girl’ strawberries, ‘Tophat’ and ‘TifBlue’ blueberries, and ‘Celeste’ and ‘Brown Turkey’ figs. So find an area in your yard that gets at least six hours sunlight, has good drainage, is rich in organic material, and start your own “eat local and fresh” movement by visiting a local shop like Leaf & Petal or Oak Street.
Structure in the garden
Typically, when structure is mentioned in the garden, most people are thinking of fences or hardscape materials. But the structure we are discussing has to do with the use of evergreen shrubs in the garden to form the backbone or “structure” of the landscape.
English-style hedges have really exploded in popularity and for good reason. They provide year-round consistency and act as a backdrop to showcase the ornamental plants in your yard. Evergreen shrubs can be used to edge parterre gardens, form small hedges to define areas and create privacy.
What to plant: Boxwoods like ‘Wintergreen’, ‘Winter Gem’, ‘Green Velvet’ or ‘Green Beauty’ are excellent choices. You will also see ‘Suffruticosa’ English Boxwood commonly used. For a less formal look, try herbs such as rosemary or lavender as a low hedge. For a good backdrop shrub, buy hollies such as ‘Mary Nell’ and ‘Nellie R Stevens’, Fragrant Tea Olives, Camellia, Arborvitae, Wax Myrtles, and Glossy Privet. Or try these evergreen trees for a large screen: ‘Claudia Wannamaker’, ‘Bracken’s Brown Beauty’ or ‘DD Blanchard’ Magnolia.
Furnishing with garden accents
With mild weather in the South, landscapes are an extension of our home and used most of the year. Often outdoor “rooms” complement interiors. Accents can include anything from urns, to whimsical statues, to classical sculptures and columns. Weathered stone basins, pottery or wall-hung vessels as water features can also be used as a tranquil, garden accent. These accents can fill an area where plant material may not thrive and add a touch of the homeowner’s personality.
Peyton King, Mountain Brook resident and co-owner of Elegant Earth at the Arbor, said he has seen items from their collections used not only in the landscape but also in some of the most well-appointed interiors in the South.
“Blending exteriors through the use of our urns, benches, tables and decorative items has gained popularity,” King said. “Clean lines and classic proportions, as found in our Birmingham collection like the Forest Park Trough and the English Village Urn, are increasingly used for their timeless design.”
Hilary Ross completed the landscape design program through Jefferson State Community College and is a certified landscape designer and horticulturist. In 2011, she launched Mater Natura Designs. For more, visit maternaturadesigns.com or maternaturadesigns.blogspot.com or find her on Facebook.