CREATING YOUR GARDEN’S “LINE”

The dog days of late summer are here: time to order bulbs! That’s right: for gardeners “spring forward” happens in fall, and has nothing to do with daylight savings.

Hans Langeveld, third generation Dutch-American plantsman, knows his bulbs and is passionate about sharing this knowledge. As co-owner of Longfield-Gardens.com, an online bulb retail website, Langeveld is constantly on the move, looking for fresh ideas and new ways to showcase flower bulbs.

Here he offers five tips for fall bulb planting season. For more ideas and bulb offerings, see longfield-gardens.com.

Use Bulbs as Borders

You can define spaces and direct the flow of foot traffic using plants as borders in your garden. How the size of the object relates to the other objects around it is a size relationship called “scale.” Scale can be established with objects placed in the garden, plantings and structures surrounding and in the garden. Scale in garden design is the combination of height and width.

A garden’s line is how it visually or physically flows. When creating lines with plants you can use bulbs, perennials, annuals or evergreens to create beautiful borders. Walkways, objects, patios and garden beds all work together to create visual lines and direct the flow of foot traffic. Garden lines can be created using contrasting plant materials such as patio bricks or mulch. You can create borders to soften a pathway or structure by repeating or forming patterns when planting.

By planting hostas, caladiums or border dahlias in a row towards a front porch or gated entrance, you can create an inviting border that guides your guests to their destination. The repetition in planting these plants help direct your eyes along the walkway and the garden.

Choose Mixes for Layered Bloom

Consider creating a multi-layered mix of spring bloomers when planting bulbs this fall, says Langeveld. Choose tulip and daffodil varieties that bloom in the same period of spring. Mix short and medium-tall varieties with small flowers and taller varieties with larger flowers. Premix the bulbs and plant them together, all at once, in a trench 6 to 8 inches deep.

Bloom Color Choices

One of the best things about gardening is the lack of rules. That’s especially true when it comes to color – anything goes! In the garden, there are as many different ways to use color, as there are gardeners. Flower and foliage colors can be chosen to complement the exterior of a house. Colors can be used to make a creative statement, or to create a mood that’s exciting, soothing or somewhere in between. More often than not, we simply choose colors that we like.

Though all color choices are highly personal, some combinations are more universally pleasing than others. This year the trend is towards monochromatic colors. A good example is this appealing mix of blue and purple hues, starring blue grape hyacinths (Muscari armeniacum), fuchsia hyacinths and purple tulips. The trio of mid-spring bloomers are framed beautifully by a border of green.

MIni Bulbs, Maxi Impact

Crisp white and blue are classic spring bloom colors, says Langeveld. For naturalistic perennial plantings with a subtle but sophisticated air, try planting mixed beds of white wind flowers (Anemone blanda ‘White Splendour’) and blue grape hyacinths (Muscari armeniacum). Both bloom early spring through late spring, making them ideal as long-lasting bloom partners in garden beds or landscape plantings.

Texture in the Garden

Texture is how something feels to the touch and can also describe its visual appearance. Plant texture is generally considered the visual surface of the plant and varies within individual plant varieties. Foliage and blooms can be fine or coarse. The growth habit of the plant can be airy, or dense. Texture is often influenced by the way light plays on the plant as well. Planting your garden with various textures adds interest and a special charm. Flowers, trees, planters, mulch and stone can also add additional texture to your garden.

Some tulips create a soft and smooth appearance such as Triumph Tulips, with their smooth petals. While other types of tulips, such as fringed or parrot tulips have more jagged or ridged petal, giving it a stronger textured appearance.

“Fall is the time to plant tulips, hyacinths and other flower bulbs that are the first to bloom in spring,” says Langeveld. With a few simple techniques, your garden will be bursting with color from early spring until fall.