August / September 2009 | Home Magazine Article
- For the Virtual Magazine Click Here | August / September 2009 article in Home Magazine.
- To download the magazine Click Here (PDF) - our article is on page 40
- Jon George is the writer of these articles and the owner of Cottage Gardens Inc., a Gainesville based landscape design and installation firm. He has been gardening in North Central Florida for more than 30 years. You may contact his staff for questions at cottagegardensinc@yahoo.com.
August / September Article
The thrill of football season in North Central Florida brings entertaining to the grill and tailgating parties with friends. Make your home the star of the party with inviting entry plants and poolside tropicals. Take a look at these sturdy selections that beat the heat and give years of color and enjoyment. We gave this classical home in Town of Tioga a makeover by planting two mature Sugar Palms on either side of the front foundation. These clustering palms solved a design challenge of desperately needed height and anchored the dramatic columns of the front porch. The Sugar Palm, also known as Arenga Palm, hails from the southern tip of Taiwan and has multiple trunks and arching green fronds. If given light shade and a protected site, this palm with weather our most severe winters with little damage. Fourteen to fifteen feet is the maximum height these palms should reach in our area.
What poolside is complete without a touch of the tropics? Make a splash with colorful bromeliads and native yuccas. Both of these plants need little care and do not shed leaves into the pool. The large sword like foliage of Yucca Silver Star stays evergreen year-round and develops an interesting trunk with age. This soft-tipped yucca does not have sharp points and is safe around children and pets. Cold-hardy bromeliads bloom in different seasons and love the filtered light they get from a pool screen. Both the water and the pool screen help buffer the cold temperatures; however, the planting for this client on the north side of Gainesville will benefit from covering on the coldest nights of winter in order to avoid tip-burn on the bromeliads.
Gracious southern hospitality begins by welcoming guests to the front door. Make your entry more inviting with planters full of succulents and icicle plants, both forgiving if you forget to water them. A wrought iron plant stand gives nice lift to the arrangement and turns an ordinary container into a focal point.
We used Bird of Paradise and Hibiscus to lend tropical panache to this poolside planting at a home near Archer Road. With petals that resemble feathers, Bird of Paradise is one the few flowers known to contain both orange and blue in the same flower – a real bonus for game-day decorating. On the other hand, Hibiscus comes in an array of colors and hybrids and has large unmistakable blooms that last a day or two. Both of these tropical plants are best grown in containers and will need some protection in event of a severe cold snap. A well-designed landscape with layers of height and texture will add value to your home. With the right selection and placement of plant material you can have low maintenance color in your garden all year long.
Jon George is the owner of Cottage Gardens Inc., a Gainesville based landscape design and installation firm. He has been gardening in North Central Florida for more than 30 years. You may contact his staff for questions at cottagegardensinc@yahoo.com. |
