Holly Shrubs Can Compliment A Burning Bush And Balloon Flowers
Holly Shrubs are rich colored evergreen plants.
This plant family represents a large number
of different varieties. Their planting zones can
range from a cold hardy zone three to a milder
climate of zone nine. The plant family also
produces fine looking trees that are a wonderful
in full sun but can take a little bit of shade.
The Nellie Stevens, Robin, Yaupon, and Burfordi
trees are great to plant in a natural setting.
I have used them in designing an already wooded
area. They also can act as a back drop along a
fence or outdoor structure. The Yaupon is a
favorite of many in zones seven through nine.
It is noted for the beautiful red berries appearing
throughout the winter months. The Yaupon will
grow anywhere from three to eighteen feet high
and four to eighteen feet wide. The Weeping
Yaupon is wonderful in a small area and gives
a garden some height. It can grow fifteen to
twenty feet in height. The Nellie Stevens will
grow ten to twenty feet also as will the Burfordi.
You can plant these trees throughout different
gardens on your properly, giving you a
lush green color year around.
Many of the Holly shrubs look vary similar and
sometimes hard to identify one from the other.
These shrubs are used a lot in foundation planting
in many new and older homes. One of the most
popular bush is the Carissa.
The Carissa can grow three to four feet tall and
two to four feet wide. It is noted for its shiny
leaves but also sharp pointed tips on the leaves.
I usually recommend to my clients not to
put them near a doorway or any area where
children may be around. The Rotunda is a larger
Holly specimen and has the same characteristics
of the Carissa. The Rotunda will grow three to four
feet high and up to eight feet wide.
Two other specimens that will enhance formal
or informal gardens are the Helleri and Soft
Touch.
The
Helleri is a wonderful shrub
for filling in dead spaces. It grow three to
four feet tall and three to four feet wide.
It has small leaves and will compliment a
variegated shrub such as a Mop Cypress
or Golden Euonymus. Take a look in the
Cypress gallery page for ideas to use with a Holly.
The Helleri is also used as a foundation plant.
The
Soft Touch is one of my favorites to
plant throughout a landscape. The leaves
are softer by nature and this plant will
grow two to four feet tall and two to
three feet wide. The Soft Touch is being
used more and more everyday. Many of
these plant specimens are considered
to be in the Chinese Holly family, such
as the Burfordi, Rotunda, and Carissa.
To compliment any of these Hollies, you
can plant some Burning Bushes throughout
a garden area. The
Burning Bush is also
known as a Windged Euonymus. This is a
cold hardy shrub and can grow in zones
three through nine and some of ten.
This deciduous shrub can grow anywhere
from six to twenty feet tall and ten to
fifteen feet wide. There is a smaller
version which is called the Compacta.
It will grow six to eight feet high and
five to seven feet wide. Take a look
at a couple of pictures of the Burning
Bush.
One of the most spectacular sites of the
Burning Bush is in the fall when the leaves
start turning. Berries appear on the bush
and then the wonderful transformation begins
of the green leaves turning into the full
mass of vibrant red. Take a look at this
close up as well as the entire bush taken
two days ago. It is at about at full peak.
The Burning Bush will take full sun but
doesn't like excessive moisture. This bush
is excellent in front of a Nellie Stevens.
Another option is along a fence or natural
rocks or stone walls. The Spruce or Arborvitae
family are also good accents with the Burning
Bush. Notice how both of these shrubs
are 100 percent in full bloom. The one on the left is the bush we took on the picture above. Look at how the some of the leaves have fallen and also how the tones of the leaves have changed.
Together with the Holly shrubs, trees, Winged Euonymus or Burning Bush, your gardens can have a wonderful array of color. I use these two plant specimens a lot
together but also like to give an area a little more color during the growing season.
The
Balloon Flower is a great complimentary flower to go with these two other shrubs. This mass of flowers are stunning during the summer months. Take a look at a close up of
a Balloon flower and think of using this beauty as an accent plant.
As fall arrives the flowers die out but
the leaves of the balloon take on their fall foliage. The golden yellow leaves bring
on a great autumn look, as the balloon plant becomes a wonderful accent around the burning bush
and the holly evergreens. The fall leaves of this plant also compliment different Maple trees.
The Holly, Burning Bush and Balloon Flowers
will compliment each other in most any garden.
You can fertilize these plants one to two
times a year with a slow nitrogen release
fertilizer. You can purchase the fertilizer
at any major chain store, nursery or garden
center. These plants are durable and provide
different colors and textures throughout many
months of the year. Consider using the three
plant combination to add some real warmth and beauty
to your landscape gardens.
