One of the best ways to add interest to any garden is working with the various textures and shapes of plants.
Euphorbias have always been interesting with their stunning bracts. Euphorbia wulfenii is a particular favourite growing three to four feet tall with bottlebrush-like lime green flowers in early spring. They are great for our area, being deer and rabbit resistant and drought tolerant once established.
The award winning variety Euphorbia ‘Blackbird’ (Spurge) has exceptionally dark rich foliage with contrasting lime flower heads. It has a compact clumping habit (18-24“) and is very easy to grow. Give it full sun to part shade and add some sand to ensure good drainage. You can place it anywhere in the garden as a specimen in the border or in containers. Originally from the Mediterranean, Euphorbia are fabulous for the seaside garden, but equally at home in the country cottage or city garden designs. They also attract many pollinators, butterflies and hummingbirds.
From the prairies comes the award winning Baptista australis (False Indigo) which blooms late spring to early summer. Another sun lover that likes well drained soil, it is drought tolerant, deer and rabbit resistant, and attracts butterflies and hummingbirds. This rugged beauty can survive Zone 3 and grows to four feet with blue green foliage and tall spires of colourful blue pea-like blooms.
For a wow factor add Delphinium ‘Red Lark’(Larkspur) to your garden. It is two to three feet tall which adds height to your design and the unusual coral-red double flowers are so surprising in a delphinium that it has caused such a stir in the flower industry. It's an absolutely stunning addition!
For something a little smaller try Armeria Dreameria ‘Vivid Dreams’ (Thrift). Their compact tidy habit (12“) is perfect for the landscape and in patio containers. They bloom all summer when dead headed and have charming globe shaped deep purple flowers on sturdy stems. Armeria are extremely heat tolerant, deer resistant and butterflies love them.
We have a charming new compact Verbascum ‘Dark Eyes’ that is only eight to 14“ tall. It forms clusters of lovely creamy coloured flowers with burgundy centers that are irresistible. Plant in full sun with well-drained soil and remove the spent flowers to encourage reblooming. This deer resistant and drought tolerant plant is perfect for the cottage or wildlife garden. This little sweetheart adds a touch of whimsy to any design.
For the rock garden or the edge of the border, Sedums are amazing for adding colour and texture. They are hardy, drought tolerate, deer and rabbit resistant and attract all the pollinators. They can even tolerant the sea side garden. Two standouts are Sedum ‘Atlantis’ (four to six inches) which has serrated leaves that are dark green with very wide creamy yellow margins and Sedum Sunsparkle ‘Plum Dazzle’ (eight inches) which has dark purple foliage and clusters of large cherry starry flowers in late summer to fall.
Designing a garden is like painting a picture: by adding a variety of colours, forms, textures, and heights you can have fun turning your garden into a work of art this year.
Happy Gardening!
