PLANT SELECTION

By C. Kohn, Waterford, WI

Based on “Designing Your Gardens and Landscapes” by J. Macunovich

COLOR THEORY

COLOR THEORY Warm colors…

Stand out from a distanceGive the impression of warmth or powerCreate a sense of urgency or excitement Are good if the landscape is meant to

impress Cool Colors…

Disappear at a distanceCreate a soothing feelingAre good if the landscape is meant

for escape

COLOR THEORY Analogous Color Schemes are those

that consist of 2-4 colors immediatelynear each other on a color wheelThese create a more peaceful or soothing

atmosphere Complementary Color Schemes

incorporate two colors that are directly opposite each other on the color wheelE.g. yellow/orange and violet/blueThese create an exciting and eye-catching

design

COLOR THEORY Monochromatic Color Schemes have

only one color, but this color exists in multiple shades and tints. This is seen as a sophisticated form of color

selection but is very difficult to get exactly right The fewer colors used, the more classical or

professional a design will feel (unless it is monotonous)

Polychromatic Color Schemes include colors from throughout the color wheel Green foliage acts as a harmonizer and enables

many colors to look good together The more colors you add, the more simplistic

and carefree a design will feel

COLOR SELECTION Your selection of colors should reflect

your design’s goals Are you trying to be calm or exciting? Eye-catching or relaxing? Professional or Partying?

COLOR OUTCOMESEye-Catching Peaceful or

Serene

Colors Warm Cool

Color Schemes Complementary

Analogous

Amount of Color

Polychromatic Monochromatic

Shades Lighter Darker

SHAPE & TEXTURE For each plant in your design, you may

want to include a symbol that denotes its texture at a glanceTexture – smooth (like a gumdrop) or jagged

(like an evergreen)? Your design should incorporate an

effective use of multiple textures; you will want a balance between variety and repetition

Texture is particularly important for perennials when they are not in bloom

TEXTURE Texture refers to the visual pattern

made by the parts of the plants Coarse textured plants such as hostas or

rhubarb stand out from a distance; their leaves can clearly be seen from far away

Fine-textured plants appear more like a solid mass from a distance and create a solid mat of colorE.g. grass

TEXTURE PRIMER Large leaves usually mean the plant will have

a coarse texture (e.g. bean plants or rhubarb) Lacy, feathery leaves or divided leaves

usually create a finer texture (ferns, lobelia) Leaves with variegated edges (multi-colored)

are coarser than leaves of one solid color This is because the leaf edge stands out more E.g. Hosta, Coleus

Highly reflective or shiny leaves are also coarser because of the sharp contrast between dark and light shades.

PLANT SELECTION When selecting plants, you will want to

pick and assortment that…Fits within your budgetWill not create excess needs for care and

maintenanceWill meet the goals created by your client

(or you)Will create non-chaotic variety and non-

monotonous repetition Your first consideration is to find plants

that will thrive in the conditions present at your site.

PLANT SELECTION While a landscape design is meant to fulfill

a person’s goals, plants that immediately die because they are not suited to the site are rarely within someone’s goals

For this reason, survivability in the site conditions should be the first consideration

Begin by avoiding pictures – they will always make the plant look good

Instead, analyze the needs and growing conditions of each plant.

Be sure to also consult more than one source to verify the needs of each plant

3 MAIN CONSIDERATIONS The three main considerations in

selecting plants that will thrive areSunlight – Full, Partial, or Shade?Soil – Sand, Clay, or Silt?Water – Dry, Moist, or Wet?

Often this is directly related to soil conditions

If a plant does not meet the sun, soil, or water criteria of your site, immediately disregard it (and certainly do not look at its picture!)

EXISTING PLANTS Do not allow existing plants to have any

more consideration than new plants Treat existing plants as if they only

existed in the catalog you are paging through

Put them on your final list only if they meet the criteria of the site and your design’s overall goals

PLANT CHARACTERISTICSNotes about catalog descriptions – Flower size/fragrance/color – always look for a

picture of a whole plant; close-ups of blooms can be misleading

Season of bloom – take claims about long-season blooms with a grain of salt

Hardiness- refers only to cold-weather resistance, not other environmental factors

Durability/Vigor – overall health and stamina; vigorous plants tend to be the last to succumb to problems

Speed of Growth- slow growers are often longer-lived and require less work once established

COMMON DESCRIPTIONS AND MEANINGS “Do not allow to dry out” – will thrive in moist soils

or areas by a downspout “Does particularly well in dry soils” – can tolerate

drought or dry soils but will easily rot if over-watered “Cut back in late winter/after flowering” – will be

ugly at some point if not pruned “Deadhead regularly” – old flowers must be

removed to keep up appearances “Mulch well in cold areas” – extra work in late fall! “Lift and Divide Regularly” – extra spring pruning is

needed; additional time and maintenance “Slow to Establish” – long-lived but probably higher

maintenance plant “Protect from Early Frost” – more work!

HONE YOUR LIST Begin by making a long list of all the plants in

consideration that can survive in your landscape’s conditions and meet your most basic goals It is a good idea to write the botanical name as well

as the common name as sometimes multiple species can be called by the same common name

Also record the details of each plant to narrow your list (color, size, price, etc.) Be sure to also consider the leaf color!

About 10 plants is a good start – too many plants at once is too overwhelming Choose 10 plants from your “will survive” list that

are the right price, the right color, and the right size

ANNUALS VS. PERENNIALS While the cost of annuals will most likely

be less, you will make up for this in terms of your cost of time and labor

A perennial, while more expensive, will provide more for the same cost with its continual return each year

A mix of annuals and perennials is often ideal for most designs, but this is entirely dependent on the goals of your client (or you if it’s your own home).

IDEAS ABOUT COLOR An easy way to consider whether or not

specific color combinations will work is to imagine those colors in clothing. In other words, would a combination of

colors work in a wardrobe? If not, then they probably won’t work in a garden either

Use surrounding materials as guides for choosing color schemes – narrow your list by excluding plants whose colors would not go with the already-existing colors

MORE COLOR Consider your lighting – dark or shady

areas will benefit from light or bright colored flowers such as white, pastel, or yellow blooms

Areas that are sunny can gain depth and contrast by using dark and light plants

The main color in your focal point should be repeated throughout your landscape (but not too much!)