Set a Tone in Your Garden with These Expert Plant Picks
Introducing joy, elegance, or whimsy into a design could be as simple as a trip to the nursery. The trick is to decide what kind of vibe you’d like your space to have, then seek out the plants that evoke those feelings. In this entertaining episode, designers Catharine Cooke and Susan Morrison share some choices that will spark your imagination and get you thinking about what kinds of moods you might want to bring into your own designs.
Listen to the episode below or on your favorite podcast platform. You can also watch the podcast on our YouTube channel. Be sure to subscribe to get notified when we release new episodes!
Expert guests:
Plants That Set a Mood
Mood: Joyful
- Susan’s choice: ‘Victor Reiter’ flowering maple (Abutilon ‘Victor Reiter’, Zones 8–10)
- Catharine’s choice: Sparky Mix French marigold (Tagetes patula cvs., annual), butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa, Zones 3–9)
Mood: Elegant
- Susan’s choice: ‘Mission to Mars’ mangave (Mangave ‘Mission to Mars’, Zones 8–10)
- Catharine’s choice: Moth orchid (Phalaenopsis cv., Zones 10–12)
Mood: Nostalgic
- Susan’s choice: ‘Petite Butterfly’ sweet pea shrub (Polygala fruticosa ‘Petite Butterfly’, Zones 9–11)
- Catharine’s choice: ‘Wedgwood Blue’ lilac (Syringa vulgaris ‘Wedgwood Blue’, Zones 3–7)
Mood: Whimsical
- Susan’s choice: Cousin Itt acacia (Acacia cognata ‘ACCOG01’, Zones 9–11)
Mood: Hopeful
- Catharine’s choice: ‘Butterflies’ magnolia (Magnolia ‘Butterflies’, Zones 5–9)
Mood: Disney princess
- Susan’s choice: ‘Superb’ silky oak (Grevillea ‘Superb’, Zones 9–11)
Mood: Contemplative
- Catharine’s choice: Laceleaf Japanese maple (Acer palmatum var. dissectum, Zones 5–8)
Check out some of Susan’s past articles on her author page here: Susan Morrison, and get a copy of her book The Less Is More Garden: Big Ideas for Designing Your Small Yard.
Catharine Cooke’s past articles can be found here: Catharine Cooke
Learn more about Garden Design in The Four Cornerstones of Great Garden Design with Jay Sifford and Fine Gardening’s on-demand course offerings here: https://courses.finegardening.com/
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