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This landscape design was inspired by so many areas around the south. Each of these plants represent a long lasting tradition. Modern landscape projects will still add some of these shrubs and trees, as their beauty engulfs us all. Below is a design key and description of of the azaleas and some other traditionally southern plants. Many of these plants can be used in a variety of zones.
- Magnolia Tree - an evergreen tree. Some of the Magnolias can be deciduous. There are around 220 species all over world and 80 different varieties in the United States. One of the most popular in the Grandifloria. It has a single white bloom. The bloom will appear any time from mid-March through mid June. Magnolias can reach 50 feet tall and 10 to 15 feet wide. The Little Gem Magnolia is a dwarf and will reach 10 t0 15 feet tall and five to eight feet wide. Some other species are the Star, Saucer, and the Sweet Bay. The Sweet Bay grows in zones five through nine. A person visiting the south will walk away remembering the fragrance of a Magnolia bloom. Their is one down fall of a Magnolia tree, the leaves will turn brown and fall to the ground creating a little more work for you.
- Forsythia Bush - this is a deciduous shrub in zones five through nine. It requires full sun. Striking yellow flowers appear in late winter and early spring. Forsythia grows three to ten feet high and five to twelve feet wide. Great to do a mass planting or incorporate this shrub with some other evergreen shrubs. Emerald Green Arborvitae or a Leyland Cypress act wonderful as a back drop to the Forsythia. It is more drought tolerant then other deciduous shrubs, but will need some watering every so often. Forsythia does better away from a foundation as it will spread out. Great idea for an open area. A few Azaleas around the Forsythia will accent this plant wonderfully.
- Fern - in this landscape design, I put ferns hanging in baskets on a porch. There are a lot of homes in the south with large porches. Many of these homes have ferns to provide a nice curb side appeal. There are indoor and outdoor ferns. A variety of ferns live naturally in wooded area, ranging anywhere from the northern state of Maine, to Texas and Florida. Popular types are Boston, Asparagus (only in zones nine and ten) and Water Fern, a great aquatic plant. The green leaves are long and most of them have a rigid shape. Ferns need shade and in the south, usually are brought in during the winter months. When I had my greenhouse, people would ask to store there ferns in the greenhouse, which maintained a constant 68 degrees. Nice plant for pots out in a shady garden area.
- Nandina - evergreen shrub growing in zones six through nine. This shrub will grow one and a half to eight feet high and three to four feet wide. The Nandina is adaptable to full sun or shade. This shrub is a great plant to have in a garden or along the house as in the winter the leaves turn bright red and some varieties have berries on them. (Nandina Domestica) Looks great next to an Indian Hawthorn, Globosa Nana, or any other solid green evergreen shrub. Nandana should only be pruned if it needs some thinning. Don't cut straight across. Trim at various heights for a much fuller plant the following year. Great for small beds.
- Boxwood - the Boxwood is one of the oldest plants in a southern landscape area. If you visit the south, you will see Boxwoods line across a house neatly trimmed in a square or rounded shape. Boxwoods are also used a lot in formal gardens and for centuries have been planted in English style gardens. Read the back issue of Growing Together on the history of English style gardens. The Common Boxwood grows in zones five through eight. It is three to fifteen feet high and three to fifteen feet wide. Partial sun works well for this plant. Boxwoods will tend to become leggy after many years. Here is a photo page of different varieties of Boxwoods that would look great with Azaleas. Other varieties include the Japanese Boxwood, which only grows three to four feet high and three to four feet wide. There are also the Korean and English varieties. Azaleas also make a wonderful accent plant near the Boxwood shrub.
- Holly - Holly shrubs grow well in zones seven through nine. There are many varieties. Some plants such as the Chinese Holly, can take full sun. It grows three to twenty feet high and three to twenty feet wide. Many Hollies have long pointed leaves and can hurt your hands when trimming. Always wear gloves. The Burfordi Holly has beautiful berries in the winter months and birds love feeding off them. Water the Hollies the same you would with any new shrub. Water two to three times a week until well established. Once established, the Holly can withstand some drought conditions. The dark green foliage provides a constant color year around.
- Crepe Myrtle - deciduous tree -grows in zones six through ten. Different colors of red, pink, purple and white flowers appear in mid summer. The Crepe Myrtle varies in growth from eight to ten feet high and five to eight feet wide. The Dynamite is a smaller tree and grows has striking red blooms in late July and August. This tree is a native of Asia. This is a wonderful tree to plant in a row along the side of your house, or a row across the end of your grass line, near the road. Pruning is important and done in the first or second week of February. I love to see a Crepe Myrtle retain its natural shape, so I recommend pruning at staggered levels and not straight across. By pruning in different layers, this will give the tree a continual natural growth pattern the following year. One of the highlights of a a Crepe Myrtle is a multi-trunk and bark features. The bark is smooth and creates a unique look in any yard or garden.
- Dogwood - a deciduous tree growing well in zones four through nine. Many different species of Dogwoods are available to you. Flower colors range from white, pink, and red. The Dogwood can grow up to twenty feet tall and ten feet wide. Tree needs to be watered to get established. This tree can be sensitive to certain fertilizers and chemicals. Check out this out with your nursery when purchasing a certain type of Dogwood. The Dogwood fits well with solid evergreen shrubs and also different color Azaleas. Great tree for attracting birds. Put a suet feeder on a branch and watch the Blue Jays and Woodpecker family munch away. Takes full sun to part shade. There are over 100 varieties and the Kousa is attractive with its white blooms in the springtime. Feel free to read a little more information on the Dogwood.
- Azalea - I think of this specie as being the granddaddy of all southern landscape gardens. There are hundreds and hundreds of plant specimens of Azaleas. This shrub can be evergreen or deciduous. Their height can be anywhere from three to fifteen feet high and three to ten feet wide. Azaleas need some shade as the summer heat in full sun is too much for the plant. A goal in having a mass planting of this type of plant is to find varieties that bloom at different intervals of in the spring. Most of your deciduous Azaleas grow in the eastern part of the United States. The evergreen Azaleas are becoming more readily available and are wonderful as some will produce blooms twice a year. The Encore evergreen comes in many colors and will accent any house color or hard - scape feature. Azaleas do well with most any other plant. Many people like doing a full bed of us Azaleas, having multiply colors throughout. Look nice with any type of solid green shrub or next to other flowering shrubs, such as an Spirea, Indian Hawthorn, Gardenia, or a Forsythia. The Azalea flowers only last one week or so. This shrub is true representation of southern traditional landscaping.
Any one of these plants can be seen at any time in a southern garden. Today the south is growing by leaps and bounds. There are many new sub divisions going in different areas. People are opting to plant different evergreens and ornamental shrubs, flowers and trees. You might not see the whole landscaped area full of Azaleas or Dogwoods, but you will most likely see at least a few of these plants in any one given garden. The old traditional southern landscape will always have its home in the southern United States. See y'all real soon!
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