Plants for Special Situations —

(continued from page 114)

Provencher transplanted her Rising Sun redbud from her previous home two years ago. “I have loved that little thing,” she said. “I’ve even wrestled with plastic in 30 mile-per-hour winds to cover it when the late frosts threatened its tiny little gold leaves in spring. It has grown like a weed and throws out random peach, red, and yellow leaves all summer long. It grew about one to two feet this past year. It’s about 10 feet tall now and it’s only three years old. It looks like a traditional redbud most of the year but the spring show and the random leaves give it some pizazz in the garden. I have it in full sun and it doesn’t scorch the lighter leaves at all. In fact, I think the sunnier side of the plant gets better colored leaves than the branches that hang into the shadier side of my garden.”

Sedum rupestre ‘Angelina’ (Angelina Sedum)

“The color can range from chartreuse to bright gold to orange and reddish tinges depending on the time of year and growing conditions,” Trecartin explained. “It makes an excellent accent along the border of the garden or in a rock garden. I have a batch planted between my Flower Carpet roses and it makes a nice groundcover transition.”

Hosta ‘Coast to Coast’ PP26469 (Proven Winners® SHADOWLAND®)

“This is a newer hosta, at least to us,” Trecartin said. “Every time I walked by the growing house where they were this past summer, I wanted to take a picture. It has gold leaves with [plant breeder] Hans Hansen’s signature wavy edges that really made this one jump out.”

Thuja plicata Forever Goldy® ‘4Ever’ (Forever Goldy Arborvitae)

Provencher has experimented with golden arborvitaes to see how fast they grow and if they kept their color. “They grew three to five inches per year and they did keep the gold color.” And the rabbits left them alone. “Their spring and summer color is much more bright lemon yellow and it’s a nice color change in my narrow, long border. They are right next to some ‘Blackhawks’ big bluestem so there is really nice color contrast in late summer to early fall with the deep burgundy grass.”

Chamaecyparis pisifera ‘Filifera Aurea’ (Golden Threadleaf Sawara Cypress)

We’ll end here with one of my favorites. The feathery gold falsecypress has the most delicate weeping branches with gold-tipped, threadlike foliage that does not burn in full sun even in winter. We have fairly heavy deer pressure in our landscape and they don’t bother these shrubs. So, plant snobs, beware. Gold in the landscape is a hot commodity.

2X–3X FASTER THAN A SHOVEL!

WORKS IN ALL HARD SOILS

SAFE AND EFFECTIVE WITH BUILD-IN E-CLUTCH TECHNOLOGY

We prioritize safety without sacrificing efficiency. Our upscale clientele allows us to focus on Quality over Quantity. Things may be good for you now, but what if they could be even better? Contact me today to discuss how a Kanavas career would benefit you!

George N. Kanavas Owner/Founder Kanavas Landscape Management, Inc.

Moonlight Serenade Designing with Plants that Shine after Dusk

Nina A. Koziol

“And still within a summer’s night

—

Emily Dickinson (1830-1886)

The reclusive American poet Emily Dickinson no doubt spent evenings wandering her family’s gardens and meadows in Amherst, Massachusetts, looking for inspiration. She was keenly interested in all nature had to offer from blossoms and birds to beetles and butterflies. Her poems illustrate how attuned she was to the weather, the changing seasons, and transitions in the garden throughout the day and into night.

Dickinson appreciated that a garden with white flowers at night is totally different from one enjoyed during the day. On sunny days we tend to enjoy showy, vibrant hues— the bright reds, oranges, blues and purples—of annuals, perennials, shrubs and vines. By late afternoon or early evening as the sun begins to set, those glorious colors fade. Orange and red become muted and deep colors disappear into the darkness.

The next time you design a patio, outdoor kitchen, or seating area, or revamp a foundation planting around an entry, consider adding white-flowering plants to elevate the space not just during the day, but at night. When you design it around a patio, an evening garden offers a respite from electronic devices, the non-stop news cycle, and the stress of everyday life.

(continued on page 120)

We are the premier shade tree grower in the Chicagoland area with of 400 acres of quality field-grown nursery stock . Cedar Path Nurseries has two conveniently located sales yards, Lockport and Barrington, to better serve our clients.

Cedar Path Nurseries carries a full line of B&B trees and shrubs, container shrubs, perennials and groundcovers. Not only are we your onestop-shop, but we are sourcing experts. We look forward to assisting on your next project.