How to Landscape With Woodland Flowers

Build a soothing lawn or garden area with soft woodland flowers and plants to achieve a beautiful outdoor space.

Filed under: Flowers, Shade

This woodland planting gives a sense of calm serenity. The soft colors of the geraniums and foxgloves (Digitalis purpurea) mingle with the dark orange flower bracts of the Euphorbia and are striking against a sea of deep green foliage. These plants are ideal for a woodland situation: they can cope with the light shade and shortage of moisture that is caused by the canopies and roots of the trees. You will need approximately 10x10 feet (3x3 m) of space to grow these plants. These plants, which are best-suited for a woodland garden with shady, herbaceous borders, prefer free-draining soil and dappled shade.

Materials Needed:

3 Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) plants
7 Brempat (Geranium Patricia) plants
1 Dixter (Euphorbia griffithii) plants
gardening shovel

leaf mold or compost
gardening rake
watering can or gardening hose

Planting and Aftercare

Lightly dig up the soil, being careful not to damage any tree roots. Incorporate plenty of organic matter such as leaf mold or compost into the planting area, and then rake it level. Plant the geraniums in the center of the space, about 24 inches (60 cm) apart — they can spread rapidly. The Euphorbia can be planted in the foreground, and if you choose to plant any Epimedium, these should be positioned around the outside of the planting design to form a "foliage frame." The foxgloves should be dotted about among the geraniums toward the back of the design to give it some height. The plants should be watered in well. The geraniums and Euphorbia can be cut back after flowering since they are perennial. Since the foxglove is a biennial, it should be left to drop its seeds. Be careful not to get the milky sap of the Euphorbia on the skin because it can be an irritant and may burn.