Lake house landscape and garden
12. Toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia) Aptly referred to as California Christmas berry or California holly, this West Coast native shrub-tree produces brilliant berries in fall that cling to the branches all winter, dotting the hills with color. Some say it’s toyon that gave Hollywood its name. Toyon suits native and more-casual gardens, where its natural shrubby form has room to breathe; plants can also be pruned into stunning multitrunk specimen trees. Berries provide a winter food source for wild birds. Plants are also considered to be fire-retardant. Where it will grow: Hardy to 0 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 17.8 degrees Celsius (zones 7 to 10) Origin: Native to California Water requirement: Moderate to low; drought tolerant once established Light requirement: Full to partial sun Mature size: Dense shrub 6 to 10 feet tall; broad or multitrunk tree 15 to 25 feet tall Seasonal interest: Evergreen foliage, summer flowers, berries in fall and winter
8. Redtwig Dogwood (Cornus sericea syn. Cornus stolonifera) While an attractive shrub year-round, redtwig dogwood really steals the show in winter. Fiery red twigs stand out in winter landscapes and can also be clipped to bring indoors for winter arrangements. While the straight species is known to spread laterally, cultivars that spread less often work best in garden settings. Plants are very cold-tolerant and adaptable to heavy and wet soils. Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 45 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 42.8 degrees Celsius (zones 2 to 9) Origin: Native to much of North America Water requirement: Moderate Light requirement: Full sun to partial shade Mature size: 7 to 9 feet tall and spreading up to 12 feet wide Seasonal interest: Year-round, but known for its bare, bright red stems in winter.
Maestro’ hellebore (H. x ballardiae Gold Collection Maestro) 4. Hellebore (Helleborus spp.) Lovely hellebores, or lenten roses, are like delicate dancers in the winter garden, with pale green to pink blossoms that float above dark-green foliage. Don’t let their fragile appearance fool you. Hellebores are tough plants that can withstand cold temperatures and some neglect. Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 25 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 31.7 degrees Celsius (zone 4 to 9) Origin: H. orientalis is native to Central Europe Water requirement: Moderate Light requirement: Light to moderate shade Mature size: Up to 3 feet tall and 1 to 2 feet wide Seasonal interest: Flowers from winter into spring
3. Heaths and Heathers (Erica spp. and Calluna spp.) Cold-hearty heaths (Erica spp.) and heathers (Calluna spp.) bloom from late summer through early winter in their natural settings, but you’ll often find greenhouse-grown plants blooming through winter. Try them as potted plants to brighten window boxes and doorstep arrangements through the holidays. Flowers fade once the bloom is finished, but they look nearly as attractive when left on the plant as dried flowers. Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 25 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 31.7 degrees Celsius (zones 4 to 10) Origin: Wide native range, including Africa, Madagascar, the Mediterranean and Europe Water requirement: Regular Light requirement: Full sun Mature size: Varies from ground cover to 3 feet tall Seasonal interest: Flowers from late summer through early winter
Japanese Pieris (Pieris japonica) Aptly called lily-of-the-valley shrub for its clusters of bell-shaped flowers with white and pale pink hues in spring, Japanese pieris provides interest year-round through its decorative foliage. New growth emerges reddish bronze and matures to glossy green. In winter gardens, variegated hybrids, such as ‘White Rim’, look as though they are edged with frost. Try these plants in mixed containers with other evergreens. Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 15 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 26.1 degrees Celsius (zones 5 to 8) Origin: Native to Japan, Taiwan and eastern China Water requirement: Moderate Light requirement: Full sun to partial shade Mature size: 9 to 12 feet tall and 6 to 8 feet wide; stays much smaller in a container Seasonal interest: Evergreen foliage; spring flowers
2. Dwarf Mugo Pine (Pinus mugo var. pumilio) In the coldest regions, you can’t go wrong with dwarf conifers for year-round interest. If you’re looking for a rounded shape, gum-drop like dwarf mugo pine is your best bet. Plants grow very slowly and maintain a mounded form without pruning, although some pruning in spring can even out shape and control size. Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 35 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 37.2 degrees Celsius (zones 3 to 7) Water requirement: Low once established Light requirement: Full sun Mature size: Very slow growing, from 3 to 5 feet tall and 6 to 10 feet wide — takes 10 years to reach maturity Seasonal interest: Evergreen foliage
“We used Trex composite wood as the veneer material to provide a low-maintenance, long-term solution,” as well as to perfectly customize the color, Dickinson says. The team anchored the bench to the concrete below and added storage in the base, which the owners can use to store cushions or other outdoor accessories when not in use. In front of the sofa, a linear fire pit from Ore Designs features an oxidized patinated zinc finish with pebble infill in the fire strip. “The built-in seating bench and fire pit have certainly turned out to be the most popular area of the garden when [the homeowners] entertain friends and family,” Dickinson says.
Hardscape — hard surfaces such as pathways, pavers and patios — is often one of the biggest “budget eaters” in a landscape remodel, as the materials and installation can both be expensive. If you’re looking for ways to help rein in your budget, resilient but less expensive hardscape materials can fill in, either temporarily or permanently. For a front yard redesign in Berkeley, California, landscape designer Ian Moore used a mix of gravel and pavers instead of cut stone for the front patio and walkway as a cost-saving measure. The 12-by-10-foot gravel patio, pictured here, was installed with the thought that the clients might upgrade to cut stone in the future. “Gravel can be an excellent permanent low-cost alternative [to cut stone],” says Moore, who recommends using a mix of gravel and concrete (another of his go-to budget-friendly materials) or precast pavers to create pads for furniture. Regardless of the material you choose, it pays off to invest in proper professional installation.
All the landscape experts we interviewed agree that you should follow correct spacing guidelines for individual plants, but to help prevent weed growth, you should avoid leaving excessive gaps. Choosing fuller plants and those that form mats can also help to suppress weeds. “Plant close enough to avoid huge, empty spaces,” Wheatley-Miller says. In this New York garden, for example, a mix of perennials and mat-forming ground covers leaves little room for weed growth. Pell agrees with this strategy. “I look for plants and plant combinations that can become dense enough to reduce weeding. [This] can make the garden read as very healthy and luxurious,” he says.
Spotted Beebalm (Monarda punctata) Native to eastern North America, from Vermont to Florida and west to Minnesota and New Mexico Spotted beebalm is a resilient, low-maintenance and long-blooming perennial that attracts important pollinators, including bees and wasps, as well as other beneficial insects. Colorful bracts extend the length of time the plant appears to be in bloom. While spotted beebalm is considered to be a short-lived plant, lasting only about three years, it is a vigorous reseeder. It’s also deer-resistant. Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 35 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 37.2 degrees Celsius (zones 3 to 8) Water requirement: Moderate Light requirement: Full sun to partial sun Mature size: 1 foot to 3 feet tall and wide When to plant: Sow seeds in fall or early spring; plant bare-root plants or nursery containers in spring.
Purple Prairie Clover (Dalea purpurea) Native to prairies across most of central North America, from Saskatchewan down through Texas Garden visitors of all sorts can’t resist the purple pompoms of purple prairie clover. This drought-tolerant perennial will have your garden abuzz with bees and butterflies in summer. Purple prairie clover is a legume, meaning it also is a nitrogen fixer, adding natural fertilizer to the soil. It grows well in heavy clay soils. Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 35 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 37.2 degrees Celsius (zones 3 to 9) Water requirement: Low Light requirement: Full sun Mature size: 18 to 30 inches tall and wide When to plant: Sow seeds spring through fall.
outdoor dining area notice the removable cushions on the seating
Japanese Maple Keep it simple with a specimen tree planted in an elegant pot that’s big enough for the tree to grow there for years. (Make sure your pot has drainage holes.) In this container by Bliss Garden Design, a bronze-foliage Japanese maple (Acer palmatum) under-planted with maidenhair vine (Muehlenbeckia complexa) thrives in a waterside garden in the Pacific Northwest. Water requirement: Moderate to high Light requirement: Partial sun; in dry, hot climates, find a spot with more shade to prevent leaves from burning
gravel pathway? wild flowers?
benches
stepping stones
4. Doublefile Viburnum (Viburnum plicatum f. tomentosum ‘Mariesii’) This is a cultivated variety Loved by: Jennifer Hoxsie of Greenhaven Landscapes in Chicago Why this tree: “Doublefile viburnum makes a great accent plant in a relatively small space,” Hoxsie says. Generally topping out at about 10 feet tall and wide, doublefile viburnum is technically classified as a large shrub but can be used as a small tree in smaller gardens. “It looks great with boxwood, astilbe, daylily and really any plant due to its unique habit, horizontal layering and medium texture,” the designer says. Special features: Hoxsie appreciates the three-season-interest the trees bring to gardens. “In May it has large, white, sterile lacecap flowers. The foliage is a dark green in summer. In the fall the foliage turns a beautiful burgundy,” she says.
Doublefile viburnum shown in fall. Growing tips: “It grows best in full sun to partial shade and prefers moist, well-drained soils,” Hoxsie says. Live in a cold-winter climate? Hoxsie shares that after the 2019 polar vortex, when temperatures dropped to minus 20 degrees Fahrenheit in the Chicago area, they found that the ‘Mariesii’ cultivar had minimal dieback. Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 15 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 26.1 degrees Celsius (zones 5 to 8) Water requirement: Moderate to low Light requirement: Full sun to partial shade Mature size: 10 to 12 feet tall and 12 to 15 feet wide
2. Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida) Native to the Eastern, Central and Southern U.S., from Texas to Florida to Maine Loved by: Christine Krause of Christine Krause Design Studio in Mill Valley, California Why this tree: “This is a wonderful landscape tree that works in most styles of gardens,” Krause says. In addition to its spring blooms, flowering dogwood offers other seasonal interest. “Red berries in September and October attract wildlife, and the aged bark has a distinctive appearance in the winter,” the designer says. Special features: Snowflake-like blossoms in spring are held horizontally and are beautiful when viewed from above. The designer adds that an understory of sedges or low-growing, shade-tolerant grasses creates a natural effect. Growing tips: The designer recommends planting flowering dogwood in rich, moisture-retentive soils. She also suggest checking out some cultivars, including white-flowering ‘Cherokee Princess’, variegated pink-flowering ‘Cherokee Sunset’ and white ‘Cloud Nine’. Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 15 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 26.1 degrees Celsius (zones 5 to 8) Water requirement: Moderate Light requirement: Partial sun to partial s...
arbor with outdoor lighting
Clumps of plants with repeating color palette
fire pit in hardscaped area
patio areas
trees along the sides for screening future pool?
outdoor cooking area
covered and uncovered seating areas
fire pit landscaped in
large trees some larger beds
something like this might be nice at the side of the year near to the house but we don't want to block the lake view
gas fire pit?
covered seating area with a built in kitchen?
covered seating area with an outdoor kitchen?
consider covered seating area but no pool!
ground cover and stone steps (no brick)
Native plants and a restricted color palate
birdfeeder
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