Guides: Small Gardens
Hardiness
Flowering Crabapples with Persistent Fruit
From fall into winter, crabapples put on a terrific display of colorful fruit in a wide array of color, including pale lime, chartreuse with yellow highlights, various shades of gold often rouged with pink, orange or bright red cheeks, bright orange, crimson, carmine, burgundy or even bishop's purple. If persistent, their color parade can be enjoyed for months unless hungry birds feast on them.
Add Drama in Your Garden With Terrific Japanese Maples
While all Japanese Maples are beautiful and provide a fabulous architectural presence, in the garden or in containers, some enjoy particularly outstanding features such as dramatic foliage, long-lasting striking leaf color, unusual leaf shape or striking winter bark. The eye can never pass lightly over the dazzling color presented by their flaming foliage across seasons or the graceful outlines of their brilliant coral twigs and branches.
How To Choose The Right Flowering Crabapple for Your Garden
Most gardeners are unaware of the wide range of characteristics offered by Malus species and their cultivars in terms of flower color, fragrance, fruit color, fruit retention, fall foliage, tree shape, and disease resistance. These are key elements to consider when selecting a flowering crabapple. Consequently, you should not eliminate varieties merely by flower color alone, or you may end up with a less than optimum tree with limited interest.
Syringa vulgaris (Common Lilac)
Prized for its delightful fragrance, Syringa vulgaris (Common Lilac) is a mainstay of the spring landscape in northern and colder climates. Easy to grow, tough as nails, deer resistant and relatively free from major pests, Common Lilacs are one of the most effective flowering shrubs. Tailored to meet the needs of all gardens, this species counts 2000 cultivars.
Fuchsias
Among the most spectacular summer flowers, Fuchsias are outstanding garden plants with their continuous display of ravishing, dancing blossoms, dangling in clusters like prize jewels. Often blooming from late spring until the first frosts, they are available in a wide range of colors, from luscious pinks and purples to whites and even peach.
Great Companion Plants For Your Flowering Crabapples
Spectacular on their own, flowering crabapples can hold center stage across the seasons by themselves. However, their magnificence can be enhanced by companion plants that will frame and accent their beauty.
Syringa x hyacinthiflora (Early Flowering Lilac)
Vigorous, Syringa x hyacinthiflora are early-flowering hybrids between Syringa oblata (Early Lilac) and Syringa vulgaris (Common Lilac). Exceptionally hardy, these terrific shrubs reward us with an abundance of exquisitely scented flowers in mid spring, about 7-10 days earlier than common lilacs. But this is not their only charm. Their foliage often colors up to shades of red, purple and gold in fall, extending their season of interest. As an added bonus, they are highly resistant to powdery mildew, unlike many other lilac varieties. Easy to grow, Hyacinth Lilacs are low-maintenance shrubs that will grow and flower profusely without much attention. They should be on every gardener’s list.
Pretty Lilacs for Small Gardens
A lilac in full bloom, with its heavenly fragrance, is a breathtaking sight. A mainstay of the spring landscape in northern and colder climates, lilacs are one of the most effective flowering shrubs. Easy to grow, tough as nails, deer resistant and relatively free from major pests, these hardy shrubs have been tailored to meet the needs of all gardens, including small gardens. There are now lilacs that rarely grow more than 3-4 ft. (90-120 cm) tall, which makes them suitable plants for small gardens and containers.
Wonderful Lilacs for the Middle South Region
Sadly, not all lilacs are suited to the heat of the south. They often need a long period of winter chill for buds to mature and bloom the following spring. However, some lilac varieties and cultivars bloom well in the Middle South Region.
Wonderful Lilacs for the Lower South Region
Sadly, not all lilacs are suited to the heat of the south. They often need a long period of winter chill for buds to mature and bloom the following spring. However, some lilac varieties and cultivars bloom well in the Lower South Region.
Blooming Seasons of Lilacs
Depending on where you live, and the lilac varieties you choose, lilacs can provide color and fragrance from April through June. By selecting carefully, it is possible to have two months of spring blooms, particularly if the weather is cool.
Wonderful Lilacs for the Upper South Region
Sadly, not all lilacs are suited to the heat of the south. They often need a long period of winter chill for buds to mature and bloom the following spring. However, some lilac varieties and cultivars bloom well in the Upper South Region.
Helleborus (Hellebores)
There are 17 Hellebore species. Most are native to the mountainous regions of Europe, especially the Balkan region of the former Yugoslavia, south along the eastern Adriatic to Greece and Turkey. Many of the species have been interbred, producing countless hybrid Hellebores in a rich array of colors and forms.
Plant Combination Ideas with Japanese Maples
Japanese Maples can adapt to a wide range of cultural situations. Easy to plant, they are shallow rooted and not serious competitors with companion shrubs.
Combining Japanese Maples for long-lasting color impact
Combine Japanese Maples with multiple seasons of interest, forms, leaf shapes or colors will extend their colorful impact in the garden and provide double the pleasure.
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