Hello again and happy spring! I hope yours is off to a flourishing start. Despite too much wind lately (I am not a fan!) we have had some truly gorgeous weather here in Northwest Arkansas, and a lot is happening around the house. As you can see, the tulips certainly are putting on their annual show. As in years past, I planted a blend of three white varieties (one early-, one mid- and one late-blooming) and they have been going strong for weeks now, already.
Last weekend was particularly lovely, and I couldn’t resist running to the nursery to grab a few plants. I decided to spruce up the planters on the front porch to help usher in the season, and I thought I would share the results with you.
I decided to anchor each of the wooden planter boxes with a green and white variegated Sansevieria and to surround that with a layered planting of Plectranthus and Bacopa.
I love how the Sansevieria stands out against the dark brick and subtly contrasts with the dark stems of the Plectranthus.
In the tall urns, I also added Pincushion Flower (Scabiosa).
My front garden is a challenging mix of sun and shade, and in some ways, the combination I ended up with is an experiment, as some of the plants prefer more sun than others. In general you should combine plantings that thrive under similar light conditions, and you should take this under consideration when planting your own containers, but in this case I am willing and interested to see how each of my choices performs.
At least for now, I am pleased with the results!
Elsewhere in the garden, blossoms and foliage are popping up everywhere. The front garden dogwoods are reaching their peak while the Hellebores have been in blossom for at least four weeks.
The Oakleaf Hydrangeas and hostas are also filling in rapidly.
Along the perennial path, some Candytuft that I transplanted from another part of the garden, seems to be settling in nicely, and bulbs of Camassia are quickly approaching their bloom cycle.
The Japanese Anemone are absolutely flourishing. In fact, they are spreading so rapidly that I know I will have to thin them out eventually, but for now they are really a nice addition to the early spring garden!
Also in the perennial garden, the ‘Bloomerang’ repeat-blooming Lilac bushes I planted a few seasons ago are finally starting to show some promise. They are covered in scented blossoms and add some size and heft to the garden. They look great surrounding a simple metal obelisk, given to me by some friends (Thanks, John and Debbie!). It is a good focal point among the rather loose plantings in this area.
Finally, in the fountain garden, the ‘Snowdrift’ put on their usual show, filling the courtyard with dainty white petals.
Well, that’s about all I have to show you for now, but there are plenty of other projects and plantings underway, so be sure to come back next month and check things out again!
Exterior designer Daniel Keeley is an Arkansas native and founder/principal of DK Design. His work has won numerous awards and accolades and is featured regularly in various publications. For more information visit dkdesignoutdoor.com.
