Nancy’s Boston Garden

Augmenting with annuals

Today we ’re visiting Nancy Kressin ’s garden .

I have been building my garden in the Boston region of West Roxbury for 24 class , with the cooccurring goals of collecting as many plants as possible , sustaining bloom from spring to fall , and growing healthy and attractive plants in extremely difficult conditions in some region ( dry full shadeunder Norway maples and white pines ) . One fundamental strategy I use in these tough area is to insert throne ofannualsto brightenshady region , adding works withchartreuse(for object lesson , hostas , Hakonechloamacra‘All Gold ’ , Zones 5–9 , andPersicaria‘Lance Corporal ’ , Zones 4–8 ) and silver foliage(Pulmonaria‘Majeste ’ zone 3–8 ) to reflect light .

In improver to purchasing low-pitched - maintenance annuals like theTophat ™ Rose bicolorbegoniaspictured here , I like to “ go shopping ” in my yard for plant to add to my pots , such as theLamium‘White Nancy ’ ( Zones 3–8 ) andAthyrium‘Ghost ’ ( Zones 4–8 ) in this pot .

Several large blanched pine tree edge our property , and the soil underneath them is mainly indite of decayed pine needles , in which lily of the valley(Convallaria majalis , Zones 3–9 ) thrive but not much else except small leafrhododendrons , which only blossom in the leap . So to insert summertime colour , I added green goddess of begonia and planted bright - leavedhostas(Hostacultivars ‘ Sum and Substance ’ and ‘ Paul ’s Glory ’ , Zones 3–8 ) in grow bags , dig out into holes snuggle among the pine needle . This strategy maintain potting soil and moisture next to the hosta roots , minimise rivalry from the pine tree and lily of the vale . At the boundary of this area is a Golden Shadows ® Pagodadogwood(Cornus alternifolia , Zones 3–7 ) , which brightens this otherwise shady , deep green domain .

The next full - tone area is situated 6 feet from aNorway maple(Acer platanoides , geographical zone 4–7 ) growing from my neighbour ’s property . colour , lighting , and involvement here come from more potted begonias(BegoniaBIG ™ and Dragon Wing ® RedBegoniahybrids , annual ) , nestled among theCarex‘Ice Dance ’ ( zona 5–9 ) , hosta , Persicariavirginianavar.filiformis‘Lance Corporal ’ ( Zones 4–8),Geranium × cantabrigiense‘Karmina ’ ( Zones 5–8),Japanese paint fern(Athyrium niponicumvar.pictum , zona 3–8),Liriope‘Big Blue ’ ( zone 5–10),Pulmonaria‘Majeste ’ , andHeuchera‘Silver Scrolls’(Zones 4–9 ) .

These pots of flame nettle , Hakonechloa‘All Gold’,Begonia boliviensis , and other begonia cultivars ( yearbook ) , together with a dog fuchsia(Fuchsiahybrid , annual ) , take shape a stand - alone vignette .

One soothing vignette I did not seek to brighten with potted annuals is this one . fill in by aCryptomeria‘Yoshino ’ ( zone 5–9 ) and ‘ Cripsii ’ Golden Hinoki sham cypress(Chamaecyparisobtusa‘Crippsii ’ , Zones 4–8),Hosta‘Guacamole ’ ( Zones 3–8 ) , andCorydalislutea(Zones 4–8 ) form a restful palette on their own .

This sketch is deposit near another Norway maple , but two pots withHakenechloa , coleus , and hosta were inserted among the chartreuse hosta , Kirengeshoma palmata(Zones 5–8 ) and Endless Summer ® Twist - n - Shout ® bigleaf hydrangea(Hydrangea macrophylla , Zones 5–10 ) to add all - summertime color to the area .

Here is one area that needs no additional pa of color from annuals . part in bound , this partly louche area is populated with hellebores(Helleborushybrids , Zones 4–9),Pulmonaria(Zones 3–8 ) , andIndian pinks(Spigella marilandica , Zones 5–9 ) , which provide former color that yield to the foliage colors in the Japanese painted fern , heuchera , and redtwig dogwood(Cornussericea , Zones 3–7 ) . Blooms come in midsummer from thepanicle hydrangea‘Quick Fire’(Hydrangea paniculata , Zones 3–8 ) and in late summer from theLigularia‘Britt Marie Crawford ’ ( Zones 4–8 ) . In fall , asters provide a last flush .

And finally , the bloom of myHemerocallis‘Lilting Lady ’ ( Zones 3–9 ) dally nicely with the ‘ Fire and Ice ’ panicle hydrangea blossoms , emphasise by theLamiumground screen .

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