Seasons of Shade

2020 GARDEN IN A BOX: GARDEN INFO SHEET Seasons of Shade Designed by Curtis Manning of Curtis Manning Design This four season garden dresses to impress with its cheerful pinks, crisp whites, and decadent blues. Watch this garden transform as the foliage changes to reddish-bronze in the fall. Seasons of Shade boasts summer blooms like the Redleaf Bergenia, White Dwarf Sun Daisy, Clustered Bellflower, and Husker Red Penstemon. The garden covers 95 sq ft and features 27 show- stopping perennials! Adaptable sun exposure - full sun to part shade (minimum of 4 hrs of direct or indirect sun per day) Planting map covers 95 sq ft Blooms early spring to fall Low to medium water needs Hardiness maximum of 6,500 ft Individual Plant Information BRONZE CARPET BUGLE - Ajuga reptans ‘Atropurpurea’ or DWARF CARPET BUGLE - Ajuga ‘Chocolate Chip’ QTY. 2 Attractive reddish-purple Mature height Attracts butterflies CARE: As a member of the mint or chocolate brown foliage 4-6” or 2-4” and hummingbirds family, it is a hardy, shade-tolerant throughout fall and gorgeous perennial that requires little care bright blue flowers appear- and maintenance. Follow a regular Mature spread Resists deer and ing in late spring. Foliage 12-15" or 8-12” rabbits watering schedule during the first changes to bronze in fall. growing season to establish a deep and extensive root system. Long blooming in moist but well-draining 1 soil. CLUSTERED BELLFLOWER - Campanula glomerata ‘Superba’ QTY. 2 Tight, charming clusters of Attracts bees, CARE: The Clustered Bellflower is Mature height butterflies and large violet-colored flowers 18-24” adaptable but if possible, prefers sit atop glossy, dark green hummingbirds partial shade in warmer climates. leaves that provide a Mature spread Resists deer and Thrives in average well-drained soils striking contrast to any 12-18" rabbits with regular moisture. landscape. 2 CREEPING SPEEDWELL - Veronica repens QTY. 1 Masses of tiny, purple Mature height Attracts butterflies CARE: Creeping Speedwell performs flowers bloom in spring 1/2” and hummingbirds best in fertile, well-drained soil. It almost completely covering tolerates drought, but it looks best the plant, and later recur with regular watering. Mature spread Resists deer and lightly sprinkled amongst 12-18" rabbits the foliage throughout the 3 summer. HUSKER RED PENSTEMON - Penstemon digitalis ‘Husker Red’ QTY. 2 A thick mound of striking Mature height Attracts bees, CARE: Plants may need staking, reddish-green foliage with 2-3’ butterflies and when not getting enough sun. erect stalks carry open hummingbirds Penstemon varieties prefer not to be spires of pure white flowers overcrowded. Avoid enriching the Mature spread Resists deer and with hints of pink. 18-24" rabbits soil around these finicky plants; it will shorten their lifespan. Plant high to avoid burying the crown of the plant. Water sparingly once 4 established. KOREAN FEATHER REED GRASS - Calamagrostis brachytricha QTY. 1 Clump-forming grass with CARE: It will adapt to any soil from Mature height Attracts birds stiff, upright foliage. It is 3-4’ sand to clay, and its tight clumps accented by pink, cotton can remain in place for years. It candy-like plumes in prefers evenly moist soil thoughout summer that fade to creamy Mature spread Resists deer and the growing season; do not allow white in fall. The seed heads 2-3’ rabbits soil to completely dry out. provide food for birds and remain attractive throughout 5 the winter. PLUMBAGO - Ceratostigma plumbaginoides QTY. 2 This hardy perennial’s CARE: During the winter, it will go Mature height Attracts butterflies striking blue flowers 8-12” dormant, often vanishing from intermimgle with shiny, sight. It is also late to emerge in green, ovate leaves that form spring so be sure to mark its spot in Mature spread Resists deer an attractive spreading 18-24” the garden to avoid accidental mound late into autumn. damage to the plant. Does not 6 tolerate poorly-drained soils. PRAIRIE SMOKE AVENS - Geum triflorum QTY. 3 Its rosettes of downy, CARE: This is a hardy plant that Mature height Attracts butterflies fern-like, grayish green 6-12” does well in a variety of soils, foliage produce slim, slightly although it will not fare well in arching stems, with three water-logged soil, especially in Mature spread Resists deer nodding flowers followed by 6-12" winter. rose pink feathery seed plumes that remain on the 77 plant for many weeks. RED BLOOM BERGENIA - Bergenia crassifolia ‘Rotblum’ QTY. 4 Showy pink blossoms are CARE: Be sure to plant deep enough Mature height Attracts butterflies carried on a leafless stalk, 12-18” to support the large rosettes. Will and the foliage color tolerate many average soil types but deepens to an incomparable dislikes heavy soils and standing Mature spread Resists deer and red in fall and remains 12-15" rabbits water. through the winter. 8 WHITE DWARF SUN DAISY - Osteospermum ‘Avalanche’ QTY. 2 The White Dwarf Sun Daisy CARE: Tolerates most soils. For the Mature height Attracts butterflies features succulent-like, 10-12” first year, follow a regular watering evergreen leaves and huge, schedule to establish a deep and white flowers beginning to extensive root system. Once Mature spread Resists deer and flower in spring and 12-15” rabbits established, this perennial needs continues to bloom little care and only occasional throughout the summer watering. 9 until the frost. 2 WHITE NANCY NETTLE - Lamium maculatum ‘White Nancy’ QTY. 4 Creamy white clusters of Mature height Resists deer and CARE: Avoid planting in full sun and small, hooded flowers 6-12” rabbits dry soil. Appreciates regular bloom atop silvery-green watering to get established, but can leaves that make this tolerate drought after first year. Mature spread groundcover a striking 12-18" Semi-evergreen. perennial even when not blooming. 10 WINDFLOWER - Anemone multifida QTY. 4 An award winning perennial CARE: White Windflower is a Mature height Attracts butterflies with clusters of white 1-2’ vigorous, low maintenance cultivar. flowers on long branching It may be slow to emerge in the stems, held above mounds spring time, so be sure to mark its Mature spread Resists deer and of dark green palmate 12-18” rabbits location in the garden. Can tolerate 2 leaves. wetter soils. 11 Plant Maintenance By Season MAINTENANCE TASKS PLANT SPRING (AFTER FIRST GROWING SEASON) After first growing season, cut back old growth once new growth Clustered Bellflower, White Dwarf Sun Daisy, just begins to show. White Nancy Nettle Early spring or late fall, divide mature plants as needed, Creeping Speedwell, Husker Red Penstemon, Korean every 3-4 years. Feather Reed Grass, Prairie Smoke Avens, Plumbago, Red Bloom Bergenia Prune out winter-killed stems after new growth emerges. Plumbago SUMMER Deadhead spent blooms to encourage new blooms. Clustered Bellflower, Husker Red Penstemon, White Nancy Nettle Shear back by half after flowering. Creeping Speedwell FALL Do not cut back in fall! Wait until spring to cut back to avoid crown rot. Husker Red Penstemon, Plumbago Once blooming has4 finished and foliage declines, cut back to basal leaves. Clustered Bellflower Allow this foliage to stay through the winter. WINTER In late winter, cut back to the ground. Apply new layer of mulch White Windflower to prevent root damage. Avoid too much moisture in the winter as it may succumb to root rot. Creeping Speedwell Plant by Number Design Suggestion Key 1. Bronze Carpet Bugle (Qty. 2) 2. Clustered Bellflower (Qty. 2) 3. Creeping Speedwell (Qty. 1) 4. Husker Red Penstemon (Qty. 2) 5. Korean Feather Reed Grass (Qty. 1) 6. Plumbago (Qty. 2) 7. Prairie Smoke Avens (Qty. 3) 8. Red Bloom Bergenia (Qty. 4) 9. White Dwarf Sun Daisy (Qty. 2) 10. White Nancy Nettle (Qty. 4) 11. Windflower (Qty. 4) 1 box = 1 square foot.

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