Don Engebretson , a.k.a . ,The Renegade Gardener , call himself “ the lone voice of horticultural reason . ” That may be a piece of an overstatement , but Don — who also writesNorthern Gardener’sBy Design column — does make a portion of sense when he talks about plant choice . One of his basic points for gardener is that when prefer plants , the last thing you should remember about is bloom . Instead , consider foliage color as well as plant human body and form when adjudicate what to found .
At his talk at theMinnesota Home and Patio Show , call in “ Really Cool Plants for Northern Gardens , ” he highlighted more than 20 great plants for northern gardens . He ’ll be verbalise about this discipline again Saturday at 2:30 p.m. , and he ’ll mouth about “ Plants and Design Tips for Sandy Spaces ” Saturday at 6:30 p.m. and Sunday at 3:30 p.m. Stop by the show and check it out .
While we do n’t have space to number all the plants Don recommends , here are five great choice that you may not have heard of that will add form , color and texture to your garden .
When designing a garden, Don Engebretson recommends gardners think first about foliage color, plant shape and form first, then blooms.
Calamintha nepatoides‘White Cloud’is often heel as not unfearing to USDA Zone 4 , but do n’t believe it . It is hardy to the Twin Cities , Don tell , and it forms a delightful airy swath of leaf and bloom . The industrial plant will bloom much of the summer and into the declivity — Don had a photograph of one blooming in December ! It stays under 2 feet marvellous and likes sunny to part - Lord’s Day gardens .
Heucherella‘Alabama Surprise’is one of several Heucheras and Heucharellas that summate fabulous foliation color to sun to part shade gardens . Its lime - green foliage is streaked with Bourgogne - red . In pin , the plant turn red . If you desire a striking plant in your garden , try this one .
Chamaecyparis pisifera‘King ’s Gold’looks like lucky dreadlock in the garden . It stick around little : 4 feet high by 4 foot spacious and adds a vivid chemical element to any foundation planting or rock garden .
Here’s another plant Don recommends: Dwarf globe blue spruce.
Fothergilla‘Blue Shadow’has blue green foliage all summer that turns a bright Orange River - red in the fall . It ’s blank bottlebrush blossom bloom in fountain or early summer and offer fragrance to the garden .
Sambucus nigra ‘ Black Lace’is a dieback shrub , and that is a great thing , according to Don . This elderberry will grow 6 or more foot grandiloquent during the season with its purple - almost calamitous foliation , which is why it is sometimes yell the northerner ’s Nipponese maple . pinkish flower in spring become deep red berries later in the season , which can be harvested or left on the shrub to attract hoot .
These are just a few of the many corking plant suggestion and approximation from Don . Check out hiswebsiteor enjoy his presentations at the home show this weekend .
