Design Inspiration —
Annuals for Connoisseurs
P
R
E
M
I
E
R
iLandscape
TM
0 2 Landscape 1 The i llinois + wi2 sconsin C T Show O
N
E
T
N
Plant Guru Mark Dwyer shares some of his favorite annuals at iLandscape
by Nina A. Koziol
Far too often, annuals are
thought of as expensive accessories to temporarily plug gaps before more important plants fill in the space. Or they’re a luxury — the “wow” element — dazzling during the growing season. Mark Dwyer showed several tantalizing reasons to use annuals in your clients’ gardens during his virtual presentation at this year’s iLandscape conference. “Seasonal plantings offer outstanding color from both flowers and foliage,” said Dwyer, owner of Landscape Prescriptions by MD. “Using annuals in borders, compositions, and containers creates months of interest and may provide scent, pollinator value, and food.” He also uses herbs, kale, and other edibles as decorative and useful annuals in his designs. Dwyer was director of horticulture at Rotary Botanical Gardens in Janesville, Wisconsin, for over 20 years. He knows his stuff. “We planted and featured about 150,000 annuals representing 600 varieties each year,” Dwyer said. So it’s no surprise he enjoys annuals — a lot! “Other benefits include extended color, brightness in sun and shade, and sometimes fragrance.” He did note that annuals are not always an easy sell to some clients. “There’s a lot of expense involved in purchasing and maintenance,” he says. “But the benefits usually outweigh the downside.”
22
Foliage and flower
Dwyer carefully considers foliage and flowers when designing with annuals. “The composition is equally important not only for flower power, but for extended interest of foliage that becomes a foil for surrounding plants. Many annuals offer impact like Begonia Jurassic Silver Swirl with its silvery leaves. That’s its primary feature — you may never see the blooms. It’s the visual, textural component that is interesting.”
“The marigold was the gateway plant that my mom got me interested in as a youth,” Dwyer said. The new cultivars are not your granny’s marigolds. “Breeders have extended coloration well into frost. They’re just dynamite in the landscape in full sun, and they’re very durable and tough.” At Rotary Botanical Garden, he grew 30 to 40 varieties every year. Now, he’s particularly fond of the Marvel™ series.
Marigold Marvel series TM
Begonia Jurassic Silver Swirl
Some annuals offer fragrance at night to attract pollinators while others, like zinnias, can be used by clients as cut flowers for indoor arrangements. There’s also an incredible assortment of new varieties of old favorites suitable for containers and bedding plants.
The Landscape Contractor May 2021
“Our clients are spending more time gardening, and gardening in containers,” said Kim Hartman, member of ILCA’s education committee. “We’re getting new, exciting, and innovative ideas from Mark.” Here are a few of the annuals that fascinate him. (continued on page 26)
