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Color Garden for the Rockies and High Plains
Illustrations by Simutis Illustrations
Immerse yourself in color! This landscape design plan creates an ever-changing collage of bold, vibrant hues in foliage and flowers throughout the seasons.
Enter this garden of hues through the vine-draped arbor or by way of two other stepping stone walkways that wind past pots of annual color. The bench with a commanding view of the numerous spreading, mounding and cascading blooms is sheltered by a flowering tree. While the overhead canopy provides summer shade, a cluster of shrubs behind the bench provides enclosure. A vine clambers over a tuteur to provide a vertical architectural focal point.
The undulating border and meandering pathways provide easy access to all of the plants and containers of color. Wait until spring to trim back any frosted plants and you will enjoy the wintry textures provided by the branches and remaining stems and seed heads. Allow some of the perennials to reseed to create a full and bountiful garden of color.
Illustrations by Simutis Illustrations
Plant List
A. Afterglow winterberry (Ilex verticillata 'Afterglow') (female) (1), needs male like 'Jim Dandy' to pollinate
B. Grape honeysuckle (Lonicera reticulata) on arbor (2)
C. Hyacinth bean vine (Dolichos lablab 'Ruby Moon') on tuteur, annual (1)
D. Annuals, selected by gardener, in 3 containers
E. Red-osier dogwood (Cornus sericea) (2), plant 4 feet apart
F. Spanish Gold Broom (Cytisus purgans 'Spanish Gold Broom') (2), plant 4 feet apart
G. Jim Dandy winterberry (Ilex verticillata 'Jim Dandy') (2) (male), plant 3 to four feet apart, pollinates 'Afterglow'
H.Variegated Jacob's ladder (Polemonium reptans 'Stairway to Heaven') (14), plant 1-1/2 feet apart
I. Bar Harbor creeping juniper (Juniperus horizontalis 'Bar Harbor') (10), plant 2 feet apart
J. Bar Harbor creeping juniper (Juniperus horizontalis 'Bar Harbor') (4), plant 2 feet apart
K. Goldsturm black eyed Susan (Rudbeckia fulgida var. sullvantii 'Goldsturm') (9), plant 1-1/2 feet apart
L. Fernleaf yarrow (Achillea filipendula) (8), plant 2 feet apart
M. Sunrise coneflower (Echinacea 'Sunrise') (4), plant 1-1/2 feet apart
N. Burgundy blanket flower (Gaillardia 'Burgundy') (8), plant 1-1/2 feet apart
O. Wood's Pink aster (Aster dumosus) 'Wood's Pink') (8), plant 1-1/2 feet apart
P. Sand love grass (Eragrostis trichodes) (8), plant 2 feet apart
Q. Spike speedwell (Veronica spicata) (15), plant 1-1/2 feet apart
R. Silver mound sage (Artemesia schmidtiana) (9), plant 1-1/2 feet apart
Key
1. Arbor: 4' wide x 2' to 3' deep
2. Tuteur: 2' wide x 6 to 7' high
3. Container: 18 to 22" wide
4. Stepping stones with mulch paths
5. Bench: 4' wide
