Weekend Project Guide
SMALL PROJECTS WITH BIG IMPACT
SMALL PROJECTS WITH BIG IMPACT
BRIGHTEN A DARK CORNER with luminescent gold, silvery blue-green, and an early-spring surprise. Look for vibrant colors and unique textures like these to bring eye-catching beauty to your shady spaces.
A graceful, colorful groundcover for shady areas. Slender stems that hold bright golden yellow foliage create a tiny bamboo-like effect. Excellent color and texture for mixed borders, containers and mass plantings.
UP TO 18" TALL AND WIDE
PARTIAL SUN
ZONES 4-9 | #03591
A true collector’s gem suited for the shadiest of gardens, this handsome shrub’s lustrous, colorfully variegated foliage will brighten dim spaces. Perfect for foundation plantings, woodland gardens or low hedging. Brought to Monrovia by Dan Hinkley.
UP TO 4' TALL AND WIDE
FULL TO PARTIAL SHADE
ZONES 6-10 | #06334
This impressive new hybrid has perked up the traditional drooping flowers of hellebores with blooms facing outwards, and even upwards, to greet the spring. A delightful cool-season bloomer that’s perfect for lightly to deeply shaded beds.
UP TO 2' TALL AND WIDE
PARTIAL SHADE TO SUN
ZONES 5-9 | #44960
Beautiful mounds of dramatic foliage stand out in the shady garden. Luminescent blue-green fronds with dark central ribs fade to silver at the edges. The short stature and spreading form make it beautiful foreground foliage.
UP TO 2' TALL AND WIDE
FULL OR PARTIAL SUN
ZONES 4-8 | #03612
RETAINING WALLS OFFER AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHOWCASE PLANTS with weeping, cascading, or sprawling growth habits. When planning your project, include plants that have these attributes, as well as unique flowers that deserve a prominent placement.
Dainty, pink-flushed white flowers grace this hardy geranium from late spring into summer. Dwarf, groundhugging form spreads gently by underground stems. Remains neat all season with little care.
UP TO 10" TALL, 36" WIDE
PARTIAL TO FULL SUN
ZONES 4-8 | #03833
Terrific amounts of beautiful blooms on a smaller, far more compact plant than others of its kind. Blooms from mid-spring all the way into fall. A great, easy-care option for tough conditions.
UP TO 3' TALL AND WIDE
FULL SUN
ZONES 3-9 | #42703
The lowest of the dwarf cedars, with a unique spreading form that rarely develops a leader. The intriguing form with blue-green foliage is a wonderful specimen for smaller spaces.
UP TO 5' TALL, 10' WIDE
FULL SUN
ZONES 6-9 | #02328
This showy grass glows in the landscape, with golden spring leaves that age to bright lemon, followed by lime green. Light, airy plumes dance softly above the foliage in later summer, persisting through winter.
UP TO 2' TALL, 3' WIDE
PARTIAL TO FULL SUN
ZONES 5-8 | #44685
THIS PRETTY COMBO IS TOUGH, LOW-MAINTENANCE, and a fragrant, welcoming touch to your front landscape. When planning a driveway planting, look for hardy plants that can withstand foot traffic, runoff, wind, and reflected heat.
A compact, rounded North American native shrub with lustrous, evergreen foliage. Tolerant of wind, a range of soil conditions and moisture levels, and moderate shade. Suited for low hedging.
UP TO 4' TALL AND WIDE
PARTIAL TO FULL SUN
ZONES 3-9 | #04511
Outstanding, cold hardy, evergreen shrub with blue-grey foliage on a low mounded, spreading form. Ideal in the foreground of shrub borders or as a rugged, large-scale groundcover.
UP TO 2' TALL, 8' WIDE
FULL SUN
ZONES 3-8 | #05228
Elegant, sweetly fragrant mounds of disease-resistant silver foliage yield purple-blue flower spikes in summer and fall. This cold-hardy lavender persists through winter and tolerates heat and humidity.
UP TO 3' TALL AND WIDE
FULL SUN
ZONES 4-8 | #40443
Profuse color from a stunning groundcover with aromatic, variegated foliage and small pink blooms in summer. Tolerates light foot traffic and dry conditions.
UP TO 2" TALL, 24" WIDE
FULL SUN
ZONES 4-8 | #06571
CREATE AN INVITING ENTRANCE with cheerful blooms, evergreen structure, and a visually dynamic groundcover. Use easy-care shrubs to provide the height and year-round structure. Look for bright, long-blooming, and low-maintenance perennials to welcome visitors with color.
This little cutie blooms in abundance throughout the growing season, with small deep yellow and orange blooms that have light blushes of pink. A darling rose with excellent mildew and rust resistance.
UP TO 18" TALL, 24" WIDE
FULL SUN
ZONES 5-9 | #43152
A new, very hardy succulent groundcover, with fantastic lime green leaves edged in bright cherry red. In late summer, soft pink flower clusters dance just above a dense colorful mat of disease-free foliage.
UP TO 4" TALL, 18" WIDE
PARTIAL TO FULL SUN
ZONES 4-9 | #00730
Loads of large, vivid, citrus-hued, redsplashed, sun-loving blooms from late spring through the heat of summer. This well-behaved, easy-care plant has vibrant color, mildew-resistant foliage and a long bloom season.
UP TO 24" TALL, 30" WIDE
FULL SUN
ZONES 4-10 | #42889
An exceptional dwarf boxwood that slowly grows into a columnar shape as it matures. Perfect for creating a hedge or accent in tight spaces, requiring little to no pruning to keep its neat shape.
UP TO 3' TALL, 2' WIDE
PARTIAL TO FULL SUN
ZONES 5-9 | #05761
USE HERBS AND EDIBLE PLANTS to welcome visitors with abundance. The beloved fragrance of lavender and sweet blueberries of Bountiful Blue® are beautifully complemented by the shimmering foliage of Senecio and juniper.
Attractive sparkling blue foliage on dense, spreading branches. Creates a colorful contrast to purple and green foliage plants. Ideal for mass plantings.
UP TO 3' TALL, 4' WIDE
FULL SUN ZONES 4-8 | #05339
A compact evergreen shrub that blooms prolifically, perfect for edging pathways. Deep-purple flowers bloom above silvery-green and fragrant foliage.
UP TO 20" TALL, 12" WIDE
FULL SUN ZONES 5-9 | #44167
A sensational plant with large, broad, silvery, and velvety leaves. Perfect for a pathway border with its shimmering foliage. Treat it as an annual in most regions.
UP TO 16" TALL AND WIDE PARTIAL TO FULL SUN ZONES 8-11 OR ANNUAL | #43134
The bluest of foliage on a compact shrub, with pink-blushed spring flowers and a big crop of large, sweet berries. Self-fertile.
UP TO 4' TALL AND WIDE
FULL SUN ZONES 6-10 | #05623
VIBRANT BLOOMS AND AROMATIC FLOWERS welcome visitors with a full sensory experience. Use a well-behaved evergreen shrub to provide year-round structure and color. Bright purple and pink blooms set the tone with an energizing playfulness.
Beautiful lavender-purple star-shaped flowers bloom abundantly on this hardy perennial. Delightful wavy-edged foliage spreads and cascades down, making a perfect, colorful groundcover.
UP TO 1' TALL, 2' WIDE
PARTIAL TO FULL SUN
ZONES 4-9 | #44739
An exceptional new selection with variegated foliage, each leaf with a wide yellow edge. Rose-pink buds open in early spring to white, sweetly fragrant flowers. Place near the entrance to enjoy its fragrance.
UP TO 4' TALL AND WIDE
FULL SHADE TO PARTIAL SUN
ZONES 7-9 | #41654
Big, fragrant blooms provide the classic romance of roses with the added benefit of disease resistance. Blooms repeatedly spring through first frost. Use Grace N’ Grit™ Pink rose as a widely available alternative.
UP TO 4' TALL AND WIDE
FULL SUN
ZONES 5-10 | #43160
Deep green, dense foliage on this compact plant provides a beautiful, formal appearance with minimal trimming. Tolerant of a variety of conditions including heat, poor soils and salt spray.
UP TO 2' TALL, 1' WIDE
PARTIAL TO FULL SUN
ZONES 6-9 | #03510
USE A REFINED GREEN-AND-WHITE PLANT PALETTE to create an elegant entrance. This soothing combination offers a serene and upscale atmosphere as visitors approach your home.
2 1 4 3
Hydrangea
This new, compact form of the famed Annabelle hydrangea is perfect for foundation plantings under windows. Masses of big, white flower heads put on a spectacular summer show, and the sturdy stems hold up in heavy rain.
UP TO 4' TALL AND WIDE
PARTIAL TO FULL SUN
ZONES 3-8 | #41079
Fragrant white flowers on tall scapes complement lush apple-green leaves with yellow margins. The large, bright foliage adds wonderful texture and color to shaded gardens and borders, making it perfect for planting next to the house.
UP TO 20" TALL, 36" WIDE
PARTIAL TO FULL SHADE
ZONES 3-8 | #40349
An enhanced version of a timeless spring-blooming perennial. This upgraded variety boasts larger and more abundant blooms, along with an extended flowering period. The gently spreading habit is perfect for softening the edges of sidewalks and porches.
UP TO 12" TALL, 18" WIDE
PARTIAL TO FULL SUN
ZONES 4-8 | #30315
This easy-care favorite forms a charming low mat of butter-yellow leaves, bearing bright, golden flowers from late spring into summer. Excellent as a foliage accent and groundcover between shrubs and perennials.
UP TO 4" TALL, 18" WIDE
FULL SUN
ZONES 3-8 | #06231
ADDITIONAL DIGITAL DESIGN RESOURCES FROM MONROVIA monrovia.com/digital-guide-library
SIGN UP
Sign up for our Grow Beautifully newsletter to get design inspiration, garden tips, how-tos, and first access to exclusive guides, webinars, and plants. monrovia.com/grow-beautifully-enews
FIND MORE
Discover more inspiration and ideas for plants and design on our “Be Inspired” blog. monrovia.com/be-inspired
ON THE COVERS
FRONT: Seaside Serenade® Crystal Cove Hydrangea and Colorburst™ Rose Cape Fuchsia
BACK: Royal Hawaiian® Waikiki Elephant Ear
SPECIAL THANKS
Photography by Doreen Wynja
Landscape plans and illustrations by Lisa Nunamaker of Paper Garden Workshop