Field Guide to Outside Style by Ryan McEnaney

Author:Ryan McEnaney
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Cool Springs Press
Published: 2022-08-15T00:00:00+00:00

Spring-flowering trees are one of the first harbingers of spring in the garden. These crabapples stand out against the black siding of this modern home.

Even in warm climates where you have more evergreen plants and can grow vegetables year-round, the spring garden still brings additional flashes of color and the opportunity for a lush landscape as evening temperatures rise and the risk of a frost diminishes. Just like the cool climates, azaleas are one of the most well-known starters to a spring landscape in the southern United States due to The Masters Golf Tournament. I’ve had the great honor of attending The Masters with their horticultural consultant, and the precision they have in getting those azaleas to be in perfect bloom on time in April is incredible. Because you’re starting off with a fuller landscape than those of us with more deciduous gardens in cold climates, I like to focus on the pops of seasonal color and texture to make spring special. Early spring is a great time to get annuals in the ground, in baskets, or in your pots so they can start to put on some growth before the heat of summer settles in. Since these are planted annually, it gives you the chance to create new themes every year. Other perennials and shrubs that I love for spring in a warm climate are the drought-tolerant yarrow (Achillea millefolium), doublefile viburnum (Viburnum plicatum), witch alder (Fothergilla spp.), pincushion (Scabiosa caucasica), and redbud (Cercis canadensis).

SUMMER. The height of the luscious gardening season is ushered in during the summer months; it is the grand crescendo of the annual garden display. Designing a summer garden is all about celebration of what you love most. That could be color or texture, it could be a singular kind of plant, or it may just be creating the most beautiful yard to host family and friends while the weather cooperates. Creating these moments is such a fun endeavor and allows you to show off some personality.

Summer is the time to enjoy and maintain the garden. It’s a really tough time to plant due to higher temperatures, so unless you’ve got a special reason to plant, you can put that shovel away and enjoy yourself. For that reason, think back to Chapter 2 and how you intend to use your outdoor space and plan to plant for summer either in spring or fall. Bear in mind the summer weather conditions in your region when you’re choosing plants. Do you have regular rainfall that can temper the high temperatures? Or are you in a more arid or desertlike climate? Do you have big fluctuations in weather or is the weather pretty consistent? All these factors should come into play because the summer months can be some of the most stressful on your plants, so you’ll want to be sure they can take it.

No matter your climate or ultimate design scheme, you can add lots of variation in your summer garden. Like the spring-blooming azaleas at The Masters, if we had to name summer’s classic bloom, it’d probably be the hydrangea.

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