With Garden Media Group

The days of the ho-hum landscape are gone. Now more than ever, our yard is truly an extension of the home. Crafting an outdoor space for entertaining, relaxing or playing is not all about construction projects and expensive stonework–thank goodness! The plants and trees you choose are just as important as hardscaping to maximize your outdoor living space’s beauty, functionality and efficiency. Try one of these planting projects and watch as your space takes on a whole new life.

 

Did you know July is National Blueberry Month? Celebrate by planting tasty treats that look as sweet as they taste. Blueberries may be small, but they pack a big nutritional punch! Midnight Cascade and Sapphire Cascade from Bushel and Berry produce tasty fruit all summer long without needing much space. Also, these blueberry plants have pretty spring flowers and bright fall foliage to sweeten the deal.

If you have enough space to create a hedge of blueberries, BerryBux is an ideal choice. This ornamental blueberry plant looks like a boxwood but has the bonus of blueberries. Its boxwood-like foliage and compact habit make it perfect for planting as a hedge or in groups in the garden. Plus, it is easy to care for with very little pruning.

 

Experts agree that a child’s exposure to nature can have a lifelong impact on their appreciation of plants and animals—plant seeds of learning and discovery with a mini children’s garden. Children naturally gravitate toward plants that attract the five senses. So, appeal to their sense of touch with silvery soft lamb’s ear; its subtle blue hues pop against purple shrubs like Purple Diamond Loropetalum or Autumn Majesty Encore Azalea, which use bright colors to enchant little ones. Next, children can not resist a deep whiff of a fragrant flower like gardenias, which thrive in Middle Tennessee. Try the ScentAmazing or Jubilation Gardenia varieties from the Southern Living Plant Collection with their crisp white blooms and perfume-like scent. And finally, what sensory garden would be complete without a tasty treat? Herbs like rosemary and thyme smell and taste terrific, and their dense growth habit makes them attractive in pots and as garden borders. Educators have observed that children are more likely to try new foods if they have grown or picked them–so if you have a picky eater at the dinner table, give home-grown herbs a try!

 

Sun protection is critical in the hot summer months, and plants can be an essential partner in this regard. “Large canopied, low-maintenance trees are one of the best investments you can make in your yard. They raise home values, provide shade for play structures and eating areas and can even lower air conditioning bills by keeping homes cooler during the hot summer months,” says Scott Johnson, a certified arborist with The Davey Tree Expert Company in Nashville. Scott recommends white oak, tulip poplar and sugar maple as excellent local choices for their coverage and natural beauty. 

 

Some homeowners fret about landscaping in the shade, but a world of colorful, vibrant options awaits in the full and partial shade plant palette. Beneath larger trees, layer small to mid-sized shrubs with texture and blooms; try the delicate foliage of Soft Caress Mahonia or the bell-like flowers of Mountain Snow Pieris for two striking shade-loving options. 

 

When you center your outdoor space around creative and functional plants, their beauty, utility and growth will bring you season after season of delight.