Regional Picks: Foundation-Friendly Plants – Northwest

Find understructure - favorable plants for the Northwest below , and read the clause by Nick McCullough for even more ideas :

“ The most critical vista of your founding beds is selecting plants that make an impact but do n’t whelm the space . You need to include morphological flora that will make the framework and architecture of the blank space , but it ’s also important to include statement plants to waver the tapestry of the garden together . The blending of these two types of plantings creates foot bottom that are essential to your domicile . ”

learn more inFoundation - Friendly Plants .

1.‘Dwarf Bright Gold’ Japanese yew

Name:Taxus cuspidata‘Dwarf Bright Gold’

Zones:4–7

Size:5 to 6 pes tall and 6 to 7 feet all-embracing in10years

Conditions : Best in partial shade ; suffer a wide mountain chain of dirt , but not pee – log conditions

It is hard to miss the brilliant new growth of this tough evergreen plant shrub . From spring until early summer , this yew is aglow in shiny gamboge yellow . In summer , the color softens to a prosperous green that comfortably complement other works . The soft needles will not poke , and because the ascendent system is not aggressive , it is good near a foundation . This cultivar is more thick than dwarf , but as with all yew , it is conformable to pruning and can even be cut back heavily if it outgrows its space . I find the colour especially upbeat during the showery winter month of the Northwest . The new growth can burn in a hot placement .

2.‘Rozannie’ aucuba

Name:Aucuba japonica‘Rozannie’

Zones:7–9

Size:4 to 5 invertebrate foot tall and wide

Conditions : Full sunlight ; well - drained good garden soil;not grumpy

Gardeners in the Northwest can become obsessed with discover plant that will tolerate the dark , dry shade under our aboriginal conifers . ‘ Rozannie ’ aucuba is perfect for this intriguing term . Many are intimate with the more common variegated cultivars of aucuba that can impart a gaudy aspect to the garden . ‘ Rozannie ’ is a more refined survival of the fittest with a thick , easy - produce habit and shiny , deep emerald green evergreen foliage . It is idealistic for planting on the shady north side of a house . As a fillip , it produces bright crimson berries in fall that will last until leap .

3.Topiarist’s hebe

Name:Hebe topiara(syn.Veronica topiaria)

Size:3 to 4 foot tall and 4 to 5 feet extensive

Conditions : Full Sunday to luminousness shade;best in sandy soil , but will stand heavy soilwith honorable drain

Topiarist ’s hebe is aptly named . Over time , this moderately slow - growing evergreen shrub form perfectly rounded domes without a unmarried clipping . The foliage is a striking and beautiful chalky gray - leafy vegetable with tiny leave of absence that mimic a box . Though this bush is aboriginal to New Zealand , it is a double-dyed complement for Mediterranean plant life , due to its gray color and knotty constitution . Topiarist ’s hebe is a shy bloomer when vernal but , as it historic period , will produce clusters of small , snow white heyday in midsummer . Hebes are often regard a little tender , but after years of trials , this specie has proven itself to be one of the fearless and most reliable hebes for our region .

4.Five-color false holly

Name:Osmanthus heterophyllus‘Goshiki’

Zones:6–9

Size:4 to 5 invertebrate foot tall and 4 to 5 feet wide in 10 years

Conditions : Full Dominicus to dappled shade ; well - drained stain

Since its foundation from Japan , five - color false holly has become increasingly popular for good understanding . describe for the bright regalia of colors produced as the new growth charge in the natural spring , this bush sport shades of white , cream , pink , orange , and yellow spotted and swirled in the greenish foliage . As the parting mature , emollient , white , and green predominate . ‘ Goshiki ’ is much more compact than other false hollies and responds well to pruning . Once set up , it is toughened and will tolerate drought condition with only an casual watering . The best foliation color is in at least a half - 24-hour interval sun .

Richie Steffen is curator at the Elisabeth C. Miller Botanical Garden in Seattle .

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Regional Picks: Foundation-Friendly Plants – Southeast

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